In Pokémon GO, the Master Ball guarantees the capture of every Pokémon. However, many are not aware that it is not worth using on a particular type of especially cool Pokémon.
The Master Ball is the best ball in the Pokémon world and thus also in Pokémon GO. The item debuted in May 2023, but it is very rare, and so far, one could only obtain a few specimens of the ball.
Accordingly, you think carefully about what you actually use the Master Ball for. Ideally, it’s for a particularly rare Pokémon or a particularly strong one – nothing ordinary.
Especially popular targets for the ball are the legendary Galar birds. They only appear when using the daily adventure incense. This is a 15-minute time window where walking provides additional spawns – and if you’re very lucky, that includes Galar Articuno, Zapdos, or Moltres.
They are among the rarest monsters in the game. Unfortunately, they flee extremely quickly and are very hard to catch. Cool monster, rare, hard to catch – so perfect for the Master Ball. Even rarer are their shiny versions, which can be discovered since October 2024.
But: Especially the shiny variants should actually not be caught with the Master Ball. The reason for this is currently highlighted by a post in the Pokémon GO Reddit community.
Wild shiny legendaries do not flee, but many are not aware of this
In the Pokémon GO subreddit, a user proudly posted their catch of Galar Moltres – specifically in the rare shiny variant. The user wrote: “I used my only Master Ball to catch this today” (via reddit).
And even though the Pokémon is obviously incredibly cool and rare, the Master Ball actually wasn’t necessary here. At least theoretically.
Because there is no need to worry that this Moltres will flee from the battle: It cannot escape because it is a legendary shiny in the wild. Therefore, you can throw balls until it is caught. Many trainers point this out in the comments, as it’s not the first time someone has “wasted” their ball on a Pokémon that is actually cool.
This must be considered: At the same time, there are a few reasons why the Master Ball is worth it here anyway.
- Shiny Moltres cannot flee from the battle, but it is still hard to catch. It’s possible that it breaks free repeatedly and you throw all your balls unsuccessfully. Then you eventually run out of them, and the Master Ball is the only option left.
- Some trainers mention that Pokémon GO could crash if you’re unlucky. If you don’t want to take the risk, you probably throw the Master Ball as well.
- If you’re a passenger in a car or capturing monsters while on a bus ride, it might happen that you’re classified as too fast, and catches won’t work.
- Or simply: You think it’s cool to catch such a rare monster with the Master Ball.
However, the trainer doesn’t seem particularly bothered by it. The user writes in the comments: “Everything is fine, it was worth it for me.” If you want to save your Master Ball for other Pokémon, you can just remember that shinies in the wild usually cannot flee. If you need a few suggestions for what the Master Ball is worth using it on, you can find them here: What should I use my Master Ball on in Pokémon GO?
