Poke Balls are the tools used to catch Pokemon, so naturally, they're a very important item in Pokemon GO. While fans are familiar with the red and white, regular Poke Ball, there are multiple variants as well. Some Poke Balls have higher catch rates, and there's even one type that can catch a Pokemon without fail.
In Pokemon GO, Poke Balls are one of the most common items that trainers can get from PokeStops. They can also take up a lot of space if they're not being used. However, since Poke Balls are vital to GO's gameplay, are they worth discarding? Or is it better to have more than less?
Everything to Know About Poke Balls in Pokemon GO
There are *three types of Poke Balls:
- Poke Ball (red/white)
- Great Ball (blue/white)
- Ultra Ball (yellow/white)
* In addition to the regular Poke Ball, Great Ball, and Ultra Ball, there's also the Premier Ball. This is a plain white Poke Ball that is exclusive to Raids and Bonus Challenges (Team GO Rocket). Players are given a set amount of Premier Balls to catch the Raid Pokemon or Shadow Pokemon. The amount is determined by the player's performance in the raid/battle.
Except for the Premier Ball, every type of Poke Ball can be obtained by any of the following methods:
- Spinning PokeStops or Gyms
- Field Research
- Special Research (certain Tasks)
- Timed Research (depends on the Event)
- Research Breakthroughs
- Opening Gifts from Friends
- Reaching certain Trainer Levels
- In-game Shop (regular Poke Balls only)
Poke Balls are the first type that players will receive. In fact, Professor Willow will give GO trainers x50 Poke Balls for those that are just starting out. They also have the lowest catch rate and are the only ones that players can buy from the Shop:
- x20 Poke Balls (100 Coins)
- x100 Poke Balls (x460 Coins)
- x200 Poke Balls (x800)
Since Poke Coins can be difficult to come by for some players, it may be best to save Coins for things like Item and Pokemon Storage.
Poke Balls are the most common type of ball that can be collected from PokeStops and Gyms. Spinning PokeStops multiple times a day is the easiest way to farm Poke Balls.
When players reach level 12, they'll unlock the Great Ball. There are also Special Research Tasks that can be completed before players reach level 12, meaning it's possible to gain them before the required level. They have a higher catch rate than a Poke Ball, but once they're unlocked, they can also be collected from Stops/Gyms and even Field Research Tasks.
At level 20, players will unlock the Ultra Ball. This has the best catch rate out of the Poke Ball and Great Ball. Using it to catch a Pokemon with moderate CP is a guaranteed success. Because of this, they're also the rarest to spawn from Stops/Gyms. Players are more likely to get an Ultra Ball or two on their 7th day of their Daily PokeStop Spin. Ultra Balls are best used against fully-evolved Pokemon, or Pokemon with high CP.
When Should You Discard Poke Balls?
Poke Balls should only be discarded if trainers need to make room in their Items Bag and can't discard something else (like regular Potions). Furthermore, they should try to only discard the red/white Poke Balls, as, again, these are the most common. Great Balls are uncommon, but discarding one or two won't hurt. Players should refrain from getting rid of Ultra Balls as much as possible.
To discard an item, do the following:
- Tap the Poke Ball icon at the bottom of the screen.
- Select Items (bag icon).
- Scroll down to the desired item, and tap the Trash Can icon next to its description.
- Tap the + or - sign to input how many to discard and select Yes.
Since catching Pokemon is the only way to fill out the Pokedex and gain XP, discarding Poke Balls should be a last resort. Pokemon tend to break out of Poke Balls fairly easily, or they'll attack right as it's tossed their way. In some cases, trainers can accidentally drop a Poke Ball if they tap it but don't fling it during an Encounter. Regardless, this will count as "losing" the Poke Ball.
Unfortunately, it's very easy to burn through a handful of Poke Balls when catching Pokemon. It's better to keep them in storage and use them during events, especially during Spotlight Hours, which is an easy way to find Shiny Pokemon.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.