Last verified 2026-10-16 · ATMons 1.3.0 · Minecraft 1.21.1 · NeoForge 21.1.249
Quick answer: for an ordinary wild Pokémon, put a conscious Pokémon of at least the target’s level first in your party before throwing a ball outside battle. Wild Legendary, Mythical, Ultra Beast and Paradox Pokémon require a battle, with the required regional Pika Star progression unlocked.
1. Find the right kind of encounter
Search for a Pokémon in the Pokédex and start with its “How to get” answer. Some have wild spawns; others need evolution, a fossil, a raid, a structure or a ritual. A species page does not promise that every method is available.
- Wild spawns: match the biome, dimension, time and weather, and any ground, water or height conditions on the page.
- Fishing: use a Poké Rod with a berry in your offhand. Reeling in a Pokémon starts a battle; use a battle turn to throw your ball. FishingNav needs a Poké Rod in your inventory to show nearby catches.
- Special encounters: follow the species’ legendary route, structure instructions or raid listing. Finding a monument and being ready to catch its Pokémon are separate steps.
- Evolutions and fossils: follow the evolution requirements or fossil recipe instead of waiting for an unsupported wild spawn.
In-game, PokéNav helps check which species can spawn around you and shows their local conditions. PokéFinder helps locate nearby Pokémon. Use them to narrow a search after choosing the right habitat.
The thrown-ball rules below describe wild encounters. Raids, fossil restorations and scripted rewards may use their own capture flow; follow that encounter’s instructions.
2. Catch an ordinary wild Pokémon
- Check the target’s level.
- Move a Pokémon of that level or higher to the front of your party and make sure it has not fainted.
- Throw your ball, or start a battle and use a ball during your turn.
The first conscious party member is the one that counts. If slot one is a healthy level 20 Pokémon and slot two is level 60, an ordinary throw at a level 30 target is blocked. Move the level 60 Pokémon first. Fainted members are skipped.
If your party has no conscious Pokémon, an ordinary throw outside battle is allowed only at targets up to level 15. A guaranteed-catch ball bypasses this level check for ordinary targets. The special-Pokémon restriction still applies.
These are eligibility rules: being allowed to throw does not guarantee the catch. A species’ base catch rate is a calculation input, not a percentage chance for your next ball.
3. Unlock special Pokémon before catching them
ATMons treats Legendary, Mythical, Ultra Beast and Paradox Pokémon as special categories. Throwing a ball at them outside battle is blocked, including a Master Ball.
- Follow that species’ encounter or summoning route.
- Unlock its matching regional Pika Star advancement through the pack’s Pika Star progression.
- Start the encounter battle and use a ball during the battle.
The required region can depend on the Pokémon’s form. Use the region named by the in-game battle message and the Pika Star quest chapter; do not assume the species’ original generation always gives the right answer. The check uses your advancement progress, so simply borrowing a star is not a reliable workaround.
This progression check also applies when you try to use an owned special Pokémon in battle. Obtaining one through another route does not automatically unlock its use. Other encounter-specific requirements can still apply.
Source: the ATMons capture and battle restrictions. These pack rules take precedence over generic Cobblemon catching advice.
4. Choose a ball for the encounter
ATMons 1.3.0 corrected the quest text for its metal balls. These numbers are catch modifiers, not final capture percentages. The ordinary and Ancient versions share the modifiers below.
| Ball | Modifier | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Allthemodium | 4× | A general-purpose metal ball. |
| Vibranium | 6× | A stronger general-purpose option. |
| Unobtainium | 10×; 30× for Legendary Pokémon and Piglichu | The larger bonus checks the Legendary label; it is not a blanket bonus for every special category. |
| Great Ball of Fire | 50× Fire; 0× Water without Fire; 2× otherwise | Use it for Fire types. A dual Fire/Water type receives the Fire bonus. |
Master Balls and other guaranteed-catch balls do not bypass the requirement to battle special Pokémon or unlock their regional progression. Check recipes in JEI and the Master Ball quest chapter before spending materials.
Sources: the pack’s ball quest and the installed All The Mons 0.6.2 ball definitions. The latter confirm the Piglichu exception and the Fire/Water priority.
When a catch or search does not work
- “My leader is too weak,” but I have a stronger Pokémon
- Put the stronger, conscious Pokémon first. The outside-battle check stops at the first party member that has not fainted.
- My Master Ball is rejected
- Check whether the target is a special category. Those Pokémon require a battle, and their regional progression must be unlocked.
- The battle asks for Pika Star knowledge
- Follow the named region’s Pika Star progression. Check your own special Pokémon too: an owned Pokémon can trigger the same restriction.
- I am in the right biome but cannot find it
- Check time, weather, height, dimension and any fishing or special conditions. Rare spawns are not guaranteed, and a spawn weight is not your chance per minute. Compare with PokéNav at your actual location.
- A guide elsewhere lists a different route
- Compare its pack version and server rules with our version record. AshRun’s encounter customizations are marked on the species pages. For a mismatch here, send us the species, form, pack version and in-game message.
Ready to plan a hunt? Look up your Pokémon, check its type, then follow its evolution family. About our data explains how the guide is checked.