Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to Breed Pokemon and Get Eggs

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet bring back Pokemon breeding and eggs to be hatched, but this time, the longstanding Pokemon mechanic looks far different than it ever has on the Nintendo Switch or elsewhere. Paldea has no drop-off daycares to stash Pokemon in while you wait on them to get together and lay eggs – instead, players have to help facilitate the process by loading their Pokemon up with the appropriate food to heighten the chances of getting at least one (if not multiple) eggs.

Fortunately, this new mechanic is quite easy to get a handle on, so once you figure out the best practices for breeding Pokemon, you'll have eggs aplenty. And to help get you to that point, here's what you need to know about breeding Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet.

How Do You Breed Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet?

To get started, simply progress in the game until you get the point that you're taught how to lay out a picnic for your Pokemon team and make sandwiches for them. It's easy and unmissable, so you'll know as soon as you're able to utilize this feature.

Afterwards, you have to head into an open area (not inside of a town) and make sure you have compatible Pokemon in your party so that it's possible for an egg to manifest. We haven't experimented much with egg breeding groups, but the easiest solution is to have a male and female Pokemon from the same species at a minimum. If you stack your party with only that one species, you'll have a higher chance at finding eggs.

Use the "X" menu to select the picnic option which will bring out your Pokemon and simply wait. Check the basket at the end of the picnic table on the ground every so often to see if an egg's been placed in there.

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting an Egg

There's too much to do in Paldea to wait around, however, so if you want to get an egg or two as quickly as possible, you have to feed your Pokemon the right food. Certain sandwiches you can make at the picnic table will guarantee your Pokemon an egg bonus that increases the likelihood an egg will be laid. Alternatively, you can purchase a meal from a vendor in a town to ensure you get the bonus without any guesswork.

If you do choose to make your own sandwiches at the picnic when you're trying to set the mood for your Pokemon, be sure to use sweet ingredients as they're the ones that result in egg bonuses. An easy combination is to throw fruits like bananas and strawberries onto the sandwich along with jam or yogurt. It may not look pretty, but by using sweet ingredients, you'll definitely get eggs.

You can check out our review of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet here, and while you're at it, be sure to look at the rest of our coverage for more guides and recommendations.