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The Hunt Is On For Ditto In Pokémon Go!
Ditto is an illusive, gelatinous Pokémon that can rearrange its cells to transform into different things. As of this writing, this strange creature is the only non-legendary Pokémon that hasn't been caught (or even seen) in Pokémon Go. The hunt is on, however, and a Reddit thread is chronicling every theory and technique people have. It's a lengthy read that shows just how clever players are, but so far, no one has come any closer to unearthing this Pokémon.
If the data mined by one player is to be believed, we know Ditto is in the game. The data shows a Pokédex listing for Ditto that reads: "Ditto rearranges its cell structure to transform itself into other shapes. However, if it tries to transform itself into something by relying on its memory, this Pokémon manages to get details wrong." it also appears to have a base stamina of 96, attack of 110, and defense of 110. Max CP is listed as 919.62.
Regarding Ditto's history in other Pokémon games and lore, a Pester Ball was needed to transform a Bulbasaur into a Ditto in Pokémon Snap. The Pokémon cartoon episode "Ditto's Mysterious Mansion" showed Ditto posing as Pikachu. Pokémon Go's developer Niantic has hidden secrets based on the show, such as the Eevee's evolution options, in the game, so there is a chance that Ditto is linked to some form of existing content. Since Ditto could realistically be any Pokémon, Niantic could have its own secret planned for a potential transformation.
Digging through the data, Reddit users have found that the starter Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander, and Pikachu) are the only ones with a base capture rate of 0.16 and a base flee rate of 0.1. Ditto has these same numbers, which could mean it is a starter Pokémon and people just haven't figured out how to make him spawn yet.
Some people believe Ditto could be linked to MewTwo, as Ditto's lore suggests it might be a failed version of this legendary Pokémon. Some players also think that since Ditto supposedly transforms into a rock while it sleeps, it could be posing as a Geodude or another rock-based type, potentially only at night.
Reddit's list of theories and failed theories are extensive, and even include people trying to spin a PokéStop 132 times (the same Pokédex number listing as Ditto), naming every Pokémon in their inventory "Ditto," and even talking specific phrases into the phone to try to make him appear.
It would appear thousands of people are on the hunt for Ditto. If this particular Pokémon isn't in the game yet, like all of the legendary Pokémon, Niantic should come forward and tell people to stop hunting. The collective time commitment people are putting forth is enormous and we'd hate for all of this effort to be wasted on something that they have no chance of unlocking at this point. If Ditto is in the game, cross your fingers and hope that the unlocking method is something everyone can do.
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