Ditto is one of the trickiest creatures to catch inPokémon GO, with many Trainers still hunting one down to this day. The main reason it’s so hard to find is because ituses a series of disguises to camouflage itselfon the overworld map. To make things even more difficult, these Ditto disguises change every now and then, so it’s important to keep up to date with the latest ones.

Known as the Transform Pokémon in the Pokedex, Ditto is a rare encounter in any game, but especially so inPokémonGO. The cute purple blob is required not only to complete the Kanto Pokedex but also to finish certain Special Research quests in the mobile game, like the Let’s GoMeltan quest inPokémon GO. If you’re struggling to find one, you’ll find all the information you need right here.

A Shiny Mewtwo and Shiny Lucarion from Pokemon GO.

Pokémon GO Shiny Odds (& Why Raids Are Best) Explained

Shiny odds in Pokémon GO work very differently compared to the rates in the mainline series. There are a few factors that make them so different.

All Ditto Disguises In Pokémon GO In July 2024

Ditto Has 11 Potential Disguises

There arecurrently 11 Pokemon that Ditto can disguise itself asinPokémonGO. These disguises span across generations and types, which means there’s no real theme or correlation between them. Unless you’ve checked the list in advance, it’s hard to figure out which Pokémon on the map could secretly be a Ditto in disguise.

Right now, the Pokemon that can potentially be a Ditto in disguise areOddish, Koffing, Rhyhorn, Goldeen, Spinarak, Numel, Bidoof, Gothita, Solosis, Bergmite, and Stufful. If you see any of these Pokemon on the overworld map, catch them and see if they reveal themselves to be a Ditto. It’s a rare occurrence, but it’s always worth a try if you’re desperate to catch a Ditto.

Daily Adventure Incense appearing in front of the Pokemon GO map

Ditto will never appear as itself on the overworld map, so the only way to get the Transform Pokemon right now is to catch one that’s disguised as another Pokemon. Be prepared as this can be quite a time-consuming process, especially as the Pokemon Ditto can disguise itself as don’t always spawn very often. You can see all of the Ditto disguises for July 2024 in the table below.

How To Increase Your Chances Of Finding Ditto

Incense Is Your Best Friend

While encountering a Ditto inPokémonGOis mostly down to luck, there are some things you can try to improve your chances of finding one. One of the best methods is touse Incense orDaily Adventure Incenseto increase the number of wild spawns around your location. There’s no guarantee this will bring a Ditto your way, but it does give you more Pokémon to catch.

If you use the Incense method, it’s a good idea to go out exploring rather than remaining in the same location. Incense is more effective when you’re moving around in real life, as it will spawn morePokemonwhen moving. Combined with the spawns you’ll naturally encounter when exploring the real world, this is the best way to find loads ofPokemonin a short period of time.

A Shiny Ditto appearing in front of the Pokemon GO map

There’s no way to know if a Pokémon is secretly a Ditto in disguise until you’ve caught it. If you have managed to find one, a message reading"Oh?“will appear, before a transformation animation takes place.

Another helpful tip to remember is thatDitto tends to appear more frequently during the annual April Fools' Day eventsinPokémonGO. There’s a long time to wait until the next event rolls around, but you could set a reminder in your calendar now so that you don’t miss out when that happens. Ditto’s disguises often change during these special events, too.

Oddish, Koffing, and Goldeen appearing as Ditto disguises in Pokemon GO

It was previously possible to get a Ditto encounter as a reward for completing the GO Tour: Kanto Special Research quest in 2021 or the April Fool’s 2-OH-22 Special Research quest in 2022. If you’ve been playingPokemon GOfor a long time, it might be worth checking to see if you’ve got either of these in your Special Research tab. Unfortunately, if you didn’t claim these Special Research quests back when they first appeared, there’s no way to get them now.

How To Get A Shiny Ditto In Pokémon GO

It’s Not Going To Be Easy

Catching a regular Ditto is hard enough, so you’re going to have your work cut out for you if you want to bag a shiny Ditto inPokémonGO. The good news is that the Transform Pokémon can be encountered as a shiny in the wild, although the chances of this happening are very slim. It’s estimated thatthere’s a 1 in 64 chance of finding a shiny Dittoin the wild. While this is higher than most Pokémon, it’s still fairly low given how rare Ditto is.

One important thing to remember is that if you find a shiny version of one of Ditto’s disguises, such as Goldeen or Bergmite, it will never turn into a shiny Ditto. This is most likely to avoid the frustration of finding a rare shiny Pokémon that you want and having it turn into something else. Only a non-shiny disguise Pokémon has a chance of turning into a Ditto or - if you’re lucky - a Shiny Ditto.

mixcollage-24-dec-2024-11-04-am-8680.jpg

When Do Ditto Disguises Change In Pokémon GO?

When The Lineup Can Change

There’s no set schedule for when Ditto disguises change, so it’s mostly a case of waiting for developer Niantic to announce a special event that features changes to the lineup. However, the list of Pokémon that Ditto can disguise itself asnormally changes during the annualApril Fools' Day events. Whenever that event rolls around, keep an eye out for any changes that might be made to Ditto’s lineup of disguises.

Whether you’re on a mission to catch a regular Ditto or a shiny Ditto, keep in mind that this is one of the rarest Pokémon in the game. It’s a good idea to think of it as a long-term goal rather than something you can achieve in a day or two. Keep on catching any of thePokémonGODitto disguises that are listed in the table above, and keep your fingers crossed for a nice surprise.