Acquiring a Hidden Ability Pokémon in Pokémon Sun represents a significant milestone for dedicated trainers, offering unique strategic advantages and competitive edge. Unlike standard Pokémon that possess only their species' typical abilities, these rare individuals unlock a third, secret trait that fundamentally alters their potential on the battlefield. This guide details the specific, methodical process required to secure one of these elusive variants, focusing on the chain breeding technique that remains the most reliable approach in Sun and Moon.
Understanding Hidden Abilities in Sun and Moon
The foundation of this endeavor lies in understanding how Hidden Abilities function within the Alola games. Every Pokémon species has a standard ability, and many possess a second "Hidden" ability. However, in the wild, the encounter rate for Pokémon possessing their hidden trait is astronomically low, often cited as a fraction of one percent. Therefore, relying on random encounters is not a viable strategy. Instead, players must engage in Ability Chaining, a breeding mechanic specifically designed to pass down these rare traits from parent Pokémon to their offspring, turning a luck-based hunt into a calculated biological experiment.
Preparing Your Parent Pokémon
To initiate a chain, you require two key components: a Ditto and a parent Pokémon that already possesses the desired Hidden Ability. The Ditto is the ultimate breeding partner due to its unique compatibility with every species and its role in reducing the Egg cycle time significantly. The other parent, whether it be a Sun native like a Salandit or a transferred creature, must carry the hidden trait you wish to propagate. It is crucial that this parent holds the ability you are targeting, as this is the genetic code you are attempting to isolate and pass on to the next generation.
The Mechanics of Ability Chaining
Once your pair is ready, you must deposit them into the Day Care Center located on Route 211. As the Day Care couple, your Ditto and ability-bearing parent will begin producing Eggs. The chain process is subtle and requires observation; simply producing an Egg is not enough. You must hatch the Egg immediately, often using the bicycle to speed up the process, and check the ability of the resulting Pokémon. If it possesses the hidden trait, your chain is successful. However, if it does not, you must continue the cycle, breeding the new offspring back with the Ditto to extend the chain and increase the probability of the hidden ability manifesting in the next generation.
Increasing Chain Efficiency
- O-Power: Equip the O Power Lucha item to boost the chances of receiving an Egg.
- Everstone: Giving an Everstone to the non-Ditto parent ensures the offspring inherits its Nature, which can be useful for optimization.
- Destiny Knot: Equipping a Destiny Knot to the non-Ditto parent ensures that five of the offspring's individual values (IVs) are inherited from its parents, guaranteeing perfect stats alongside the hidden ability.
The Altar of the Sunne Method
For players who wish to obtain a specific legendary or mythological Pokémon with its Hidden Ability, such as Lunala or Solgaleo, the process diverges from standard breeding. These creatures are not subject to the chain mechanics and cannot be bred in the Day Care. Instead, you must locate the creature in its static encounter within the game's story or post-game zones. When you battle or interact with them, they will inherently possess their Hidden Ability, bypassing the need for chain breeding entirely. This method provides a direct, albeit singular, path to acquiring these specific behemoths with their full potential unlocked.
Verification and Application
After successfully hatching a chain-born Egg, the moment of truth arrives when you check the new Pokémon's summary screen. Navigate to the Abilities section to confirm which trait it has inherited. If it is the hidden one, you now have a valuable asset capable of holding any of the items available in Sun, such as Weakness Policy or Lum Berry, to synergize with its unique trait. This final verification confirms that your efforts in tracking, breeding, and chaining have culminated in a perfectly optimized specimen ready to dominate the Battle Tree or any online competition.
