Pokemon Sword & Shield player finally clears up Dusk Ball Raid den myth
Game Freak / The Pokemon Company
The Pokemon franchise entered its eighth generation with the debut of Sword & Shield on the Nintendo Switch in 2019. The popular release is set in the Galar region, and introduced new features like Dynamaxing and the Wild Area.
Despite releasing last year, there has still been a myth about the game’s Max Raids and whether they are considered to be a cavern. However on August 20, a player definitively found an answer as to whether Dusk Balls work during the day in dens.
Game Freak / The Pokemon CompanyPokemon Trainer clears up Sword & Shield Dusk Ball myth
Dusk Balls were originally introduced in Gen IV, and gave Trainers an increased chance of catching a Pokemon at night or in a cave. However since Sword & Shield’s release, there has been a myth about whether Max Raid dens technically count as a cavern.
While many players already know the answer – no, Dusk Balls do not have a bonus in dens during the day – surprisingly, many still believe that they do. The myth has been shared throughout the community for months. One Redditor finally has the data to give us a definitive answer.
Pokemon fan ‘yunglist‘ shared the discovery after doing 60 Raids, and concluded: “Raid dens will not activate Dusk Ball’s catch bonus during the day; a raid den is not categorized as a cave/dark place.”
The fan also provided the community with a chart, detailing their catch attempts. According to the Trainer, Pokeballs have a 60% catch rate during the day, over Dusk Balls which are 45%. Proof that its catch bonus only takes effect at night.
Yunglist hilariously explained the “sacrifices” that they had to make in order to conduct the trial. “I spent three hours murdering 60 gastrodon for science,” they joked.
While this may not be new information for some players, it’s good to finally have a definitive answer and data to dispel the Dusk Ball myth in Sword & Shield that refuses to go away.
