Catch-rate calculator
How likely is your catch? Pick the encounter type and your throw setup — get the per-throw catch probability and how many balls you should expect to use. Formulas verified against GamePress + Silph Road catch-tracking datasets.
Average across many tries · actual will vary
Tier-5 catch rate is brutal. Always use Golden Razz + Excellent throws.
| Berry | Catch % | Expected throws |
|---|---|---|
| No berry | 6.1% | 17 |
| Razz Berry | 9.2% | 11 |
| Silver Pinap Berry | 11.0% | 10 |
| Golden Razz Berry | 15.3% | 7 |
| Nanab Berry | 6.1% | 17 |
| Throw | Catch % | Expected throws |
|---|---|---|
| Normal throw | 10.2% | 10 |
| Nice throw | 11.7% | 9 |
| Great throw | 15.3% | 7 |
| Excellent throw | 18.9% | 6 |
catchRate = base × ball × curveball × throw × berry × medal
P(catch) = min(1, catchRate)
expectedThrows = 1 / P(catch)
How to maximise your catch rate
Catch probability isn't just "throw harder" — it's a multiplication of every variable at throw time. This page does the multiplication for you so you can decide whether to spend Golden Razz / Ultra Balls on a specific encounter, or wait.
How to use this calculator
1. Pick the encounter type. Wild, Raid (T1-T5/Elite/Mega), Shadow, Research, or GBL. The base catch rate differs — wild commons sit at 30-40%, T5 raids at 2%.
2. Choose the ball. Poké (1.0×), Great (1.5×), Ultra (2.0×), Premier (1.0× — raid-only). Always Ultra for hard catches if you have them.
3. Add throw quality + curveball. Nice (1.0–1.3×), Great (1.3–1.7×), Excellent (1.7–2.0×). Curveball adds ~1.7× on top. Stack both for max bonus.
4. Pick berry + medal. Razz (1.5×), Silver Pinap (1.8× + 2× candy), Golden Razz (2.5×). Medal tier multiplies based on Bronze (1.1×) / Silver (1.2×) / Gold (1.5×).
5. Read the result. Top number = catch probability per ball. Below it: expected number of balls to land one catch (1 ÷ p). Use this to decide whether to attempt the catch with what you have.
FAQ
Why does my catch rate change between throws?
Catch rate is rolled at the moment the ball lands. Throw bonus, curveball, berry effect, ball type and medal all stack multiplicatively. The base rate per encounter type is fixed (e.g. T5 raid = 2%); everything you do at throw time multiplies that base.
Does an Excellent throw really matter on a T5 raid boss?
Yes — significantly. A clean Excellent + curveball + Golden Razz + Gold-medal can lift a 2% base to ~10% per ball. Across 12 Premier Balls that takes your overall catch probability from ~22% to ~73%.
When should I use a Golden Razz vs a Silver Pinap?
Golden Razz on rare catches you cannot afford to lose (legendaries, shinies, hundos). Silver Pinap on common bosses you want to farm candy from — it splits the difference (2× candy + 1.8× catch).
Do medals stack with each other?
Yes. Dual-type catches (e.g. Bug/Flying = Bug Catcher + Top Aviator) multiply both medal bonuses. Gold + Gold = ~1.5× × 1.5× = 2.25× on top of everything else. The medal stacking is the cheapest way to compound your catch odds.