The Master Ball is a unique Poké Ball that allows you to have tricky-to-catch Pokémon in your party. It’s been in almost every Pokémon game to date, and longtime fans of the franchise know it as the Poké Ball you needed to catch Mewtwo back in the day.
Although Pokémon games always have Pokémon that seem impossible to catch at first, the Master Ball makes it possible to bypass catch rates and add truly rare and powerful Pokémon to your team. It’s an iconic item.
Here’s how to get the Master Ball in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
Where to Find the Master Ball
In previous Pokémon games, the Master Ball was always something you’d come across by playing the game’s main story. Things work the same in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
You will get the Master Ball after completing the final quest of the main story, The Way Home.
Once that quest is over, the Director will want to speak with you at his office. This will happen right after you finish The Way Home, directly after the credits roll.
This is when you’ll obtain the Master Ball. The Director will talk to you at his office, thank you for your service, and reward you for all you’ve done by giving you the Master Ball.
In order to get to The Way Home mission, you must first beat the three main storylines in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet.
So, you’ll only have access to the final mission once you’ve finished Starfall Street, Victory Road, and Path of Legends. This means there’s a long path in which you will fight many Titans, Star Team members, and Gym leaders before you finally get the Master Ball.
The Master Ball is the very best Poké Ball with the ultimate level of performance. With it, you can catch any Pokémon without fail. It has a 100% capture rate.
When to Use the Master Ball
In the first Pokémon games, you needed to have the Master Ball to catch Mew or Mewtwo. Otherwise, you’d have a lower than 1% chance of catching one of these legendary Pokémon.
Pokémon games usually have legendary creatures that seem impossible to catch with the other Poké Balls available in the game, which is why the Master Ball is so important.
This context made the Master Ball an iconic item and provided a memorable moment. Getting a Master Ball in a Pokémon title meant it was time to catch that game’s legendary Pokémon.
However, in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, things are a bit different. There are seven legendary (or pseudo-legendary) Pokémon in this game. However, you don’t need the Master Ball to catch any of them.
The box legendary Pokémon for Scarlet and Violet are Koraidon and Moraidon respectively. But players get that Pokémon in a regular Poké Ball by playing the main story.
So, if you don’t need the Master Ball to use Koraidon and Moraidon in battles, where should you use it then?
Truth is, there’s no correct answer to that. Just use it to catch the Pokémon you want the most. You could use it to catch one of the other legendaries in the game, a Pokémon with an interesting Tera Type, or even a favorite Pokémon that has sentimental value.
What to Do Next
Once you’ve got your hands on the Master Ball, it’s worth your time to brush up on the other Poké Ball types in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. There’s quite a few, and it’s good to be up to date with what they all do as you progress through the game.
It’s also worth taking a look at all the Pokemon you can catch in the game and deciding what you want to use your Master Ball to catch. It’s a big decision, so it’s worth checking out the various version-exclusive legendaries and iconic Pokémon that you could use the Master Ball to capture.
