PokéBalls
From Dexnet
Contents |
PokéBalls
PokéBalls are devices designed for the capture and containment of Pokémon. Many different types have existed in the past, but the technology for the current design was invented and patented by Bill. He is the only one who knows exactly how they work.
The standard PokéBall has a red top half and a white bottom half, and this is the most commonly seen variety of PokéBall, though several others exist. Generally, they're about the size of a baseball, though they can be shrunk to roughly ping-pong ball size for easy storage in a PokéBall belt or pocket space. All PokéBalls have this capability.
The simplest way to describe how a PokéBall works is to say that they convert Pokémon into electronic data and store this information in a PokéDex or computer. Pokémon entering or leaving will appear as a red light while they take form, though Pokémon being released back into the wild will appear as a blue light. Once a Pokémon has been captured in a PokéBall, that PokéBall is registered to that Pokémon and cannot be used to capture any others. Likewise, a Pokémon that has been captured in a PokéBall cannot be captured by another PokéBall. (There are ways around this, as Team Rocket will tell you...)
A trainer can only carry six full PokéBalls at a time, and any Pokémon they capture above that number are automatically transported into the trainer's box in Bill's PC storage system.
Silph Co., Devon Co., and PokéMarts
Silph Co. (which is based in Kanto's Saffron City) manufactures the standard PokéBall, as well as a few other varieties, and PokéMart distributes them. Devon Co. (based in Hoenn's Rustboro City) also makes PokéBalls specific to the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions. Silph Co. products can be found anywhere, but Devon Co. products must be imported from abroad and can be difficult to find.
PokéMart is a chain of stores that sells a variety of supplies for Pokémon trainers. From PokéBalls, to medical supplies, to backpacks and PokéBall belts, anything a trainer might need can be bought at a PokéMart. All major cities and several minor towns have one, though the smaller the town, the less you'll be able to find there. Trainers must show their valid Pokémon License at the counter in order to purchase PokéBalls of any type.
Though PokéMart has a partnership with Silph Co., they are not run by the same people.
Silph Co. PokéBalls
The PokéBall. This is the most common type, and can be purchased at any PokéMart.
The Great Ball. This is a little harder to find than the PokéBall, but it has a better chance of catching wild Pokémon.
The Ultra Ball. This is much harder to find, and very expensive. It has the highest catch rate of any commercially available PokéBall in Kanto.
The Premier Ball. These aren't any different from normal PokéBalls, except for the colours. PokéMart gives them away as a special gift with the purchase of ten PokéBalls, but they can't be purchased otherwise.
Silph Co. also manufactures Safari Balls for the Safari Zones (these are not commercially available), and rumours exist of a Master Ball which is guaranteed to capture any Pokémon, though nobody has actually seen one.
Devon Co. PokéBalls
Most PokéBalls produced by the Devon Co. are commercially available throughout Hoenn and Sinnoh, and except for the Heal Balls, are only a little less expensive than Ultra Balls. In Kanto and Johto, however, they must be specially imported; not many Marts are known to carry them, and they can be quite expensive.
The Net Ball. Useful for certain specialized trainers, these balls have an even better capture rate for Water- and Bug-type Pokémon than Ultra Balls.
The Dive Ball. If fighting wild Pokémon underwater, this ball has an extremely good chance of capturing them.
The Nest Ball. The younger the Pokémon these balls are used on, the better the chance of capture.
The Repeat Ball. If a trainer has previously caught a Pokémon of the same species, this ball will work even better than the Ultra Ball.
The Timer Ball. The longer the battle with the wild Pokémon, the better this ball's chance of capturing them.
The Heal Ball. A little more expensive than the normal PokéBall, this ball has the same rate of capture, but heals the caught Pokémon from all injuries it may have suffered while attempting to capture it.
The Dusk Ball. When battling at night-time or in dark places such as caves, this ball has a successful capture rate that is double that of the Ultra Ball. It doesn't work at all under the sun, however.
The Quick Ball. This ball works extremely well when used quickly during an encounter with a wild Pokémon, but its effectiveness decreases as the battle goes on.
There is another ball that the company manufactures that is said to be extremely comfortable and make the Pokémon living inside very happy, but they don't seem to be available in stores. How odd!
