Pokemon Go Ditto: How to catch a Ditto, which Pokemon transform into Ditto, spawn rate

Missing from the first year of the game, Pokemon Go players have finally welcomed Ditto into the game as the creature was released into the wild.

However, the slippery, pink pokemon is proving difficult to hold down. 

Ditto is a pokemon that has the ability to transform into any other pokemon, imitating its exact likeness and abilities. 

Ditto has progressed in the Pokemon game to become a necessary catch for trainers looking to capture the mythical Mew, but how do you catch it when it hides as other pokemon?

Here is the best way to catch Ditto on Pokemon Go.

Which Pokemon can transform into Ditto?

Ditto is a pokemon that has the ability to change its appearance into any other pokemon in, copying its appearance and mannerisms completely.

This makes it extremely difficult to work out if you actually have one, as it could be sat in your Pokedex without you even knowing.

In Pokemon Go, Ditto can transform into only a select few in-game pokemon, making the guessing game much easier in your hunt for Ditto. 

In the three individual regions of Pokemon Go, Ditto can be found in several different generations of pokemon throughout the game. 

In Kanto, Ditto can transform into Pidgey, Ratatta, Zubat, Gastly and now Mankey, thanks to a new Pokemon Go Fighting-type event. 

Monkey will now have an increased spawn rate so keep an eye out for the monkey pokemon on your travels. 

In Johto, Ditto can transform into Sentret, Yanma and Hoothoot. For Hoenn, Ditto can be Zigzagoon, Whismur and Gulpin.

Why do you want to catch Ditto? 

Ditto was a missing Pokemon in the original release of the game, much to pokemon fan’s chagrin. 

An incomplete Pokedex is never a desire of a true trainer, so fans will want to catch the elusive Pokemon to achieve a full Pokedex. 

An official statement from Niantic said: “Professor Willow has finally discovered Ditto! Trainers all over the world have been reporting its appearance.

“Ditto has been known to disguise itself as other Pokémon, so keep an eye out, some Pokémon may actually be Ditto, and when you capture them, there’s a chance that Ditto will reveal itself. 

“If you do encounter a Pokémon that is Ditto in disguise, the Pokémon in that specific encounter will also reveal itself as Ditto for other Trainers.

“Ditto is also a unique Pokémon when you interact with Gyms. When training or battling at a Gym, Ditto will copy the appearance, types, and moves of the first Pokémon it sees, and it will stay that way through the remainder of those Gym battles.”

Even if you are not a completionist Pokemon trainer, you will need to catch Ditto in order to find and capture the rare and mythical Mew. 

As part of the 2018 research update, Pokemon Go has added a Mythical Discovery quest, with one of the tasks of the 5th part requiring you to catch Ditto, which will help you on your way to attempting to catch Mew.

How do you catch Ditto in Pokemon Go? 

Frustratingly, Ditto never appears in his true, pink form, forcing players to catch nearly all pokemon in sight in order to find one. 

Ditto will no show up in your Nearby or Sightings section, so you won’t know if he has spawned nearby.

So, unfortunately, the best way to catch Ditto is to simply catch all nearby Pokemon that he is known to transform into in the hopes it will be a Ditto. 

When you manage to actually catch one, you will be greeted with an “oh?” notice, instead of a “Gotcha!”.

Pokemon Go servers will randomly allocate Pokemon around you to spawn as Ditto, so get out there and catch them all.