The Master Ball is superior to the Beast Ball due to its unparalleled 100% catch rate, guaranteeing the capture of any Pokémon without fail.
While the Master Ball holds the ultimate advantage in pure catch power, each ball serves a distinct purpose, making the "better" choice often dependent on the specific Pokémon you aim to catch.
Master Ball: The Ultimate Capture Device
The Master Ball stands alone as the most potent Poké Ball available in the Pokémon world.
- Unrivaled Catch Rate: It boasts a flawless 100% catch rate, ensuring that any Pokémon, regardless of its species, level, or remaining HP, is captured on the first attempt. This makes it statistically the best ball, as it never fails to catch a Pokémon.
- Extreme Rarity: Despite its absolute power, the Master Ball is typically limited to one or two per save file across most Pokémon games. This massive limitation necessitates strategic use, usually reserved for the most challenging or critical captures, such as Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, or Shiny Pokémon that might flee.
Beast Ball: Specialized for Ultra Beasts
The Beast Ball is a specialized capture device introduced in the Alola region, designed with a very specific target in mind.
- Ultra Beast Affinity: It possesses a significantly increased catch rate (5x) when used on Ultra Beasts, making it the most effective tool for capturing these interdimensional Pokémon.
- Ineffective on Others: Conversely, the Beast Ball is highly inefficient and difficult to use on non-Ultra Beast Pokémon, where its catch rate modifier drops to a mere 0.1x, making successful captures incredibly rare and challenging.
- Availability: While still a special item, Beast Balls are generally more obtainable than Master Balls in games where they appear, often through specific story events or post-game acquisition.
Direct Comparison: Master Ball vs. Beast Ball
To clearly illustrate their differences and strengths, here's a direct comparison:
| Feature | Master Ball | Beast Ball |
|---|---|---|
| Catch Rate | 100% (Guaranteed) on any Pokémon | 5x on Ultra Beasts; 0.1x on all other Pokémon |
| Rarity | Extremely rare (typically 1-2 per save file) | Special item, generally more obtainable than Master Balls in relevant games |
| Ideal Use | Any critical, difficult, or rare capture (e.g., Legendaries, Shinies, fleeing Pokémon) | Exclusively for catching Ultra Beasts to maximize capture efficiency |
| Versatility | Universal (effective on all Pokémon) | Highly specialized (effective only on Ultra Beasts) |
When to Use Which
- Choose the Master Ball when you absolutely cannot afford to fail a capture, regardless of the Pokémon's type. This is typically reserved for one-of-a-kind Pokémon, shiny Pokémon that might escape, or powerful legendaries that are incredibly difficult to catch through conventional means. Its guaranteed success makes it invaluable for high-stakes encounters.
- Choose the Beast Ball specifically when encountering an Ultra Beast. Using any other Poké Ball on an Ultra Beast would be far less efficient, while using a Beast Ball on a regular Pokémon would be wasteful due to its extremely low success rate.
In conclusion, while the Beast Ball is unparalleled for catching Ultra Beasts, the Master Ball's universal 100% success rate makes it the objectively "better" and more powerful Poké Ball for any capture scenario. Its significant limitation is its extreme scarcity, which dictates its sparing and strategic use.
