Transform copies the opponent, but Ditto's 48 HP means it drops fast. F-Tier and more of a novelty than a real competitor in Red & Blue.
288HP48Attack48Defense48Speed48Sp.Def48Sp.Atk48
Weak to
Physical
Balanced
48Speed · Slow

Is Ditto Good in Red & Blue Playthrough?

Ditto transforms into the opponent, which sounds better than it is. It copies everything but keeps its own HP, which is terrible. Breeding doesn't exist in Gen 1, so there's no secondary use. A novelty.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadBBBBBBBBBBBBBBrockGym 1MistyGym 2SurgeGym 3ErikaGym 4KogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6DittoCatchableBlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Misty
Gym 2
Bad

Misty's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Avoid
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Bad

Lt. Surge's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Voltorb
Lv 21
Electric
Soundproof
TackleScreechSonic Boom
Avoid
Pikachu
Lv 18
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunder WaveQuick Attack
Avoid
Raichu
Lv 24
Electric
Static
Thunder ShockGrowlThunderbolt
Erika
Gym 4
Bad

Erika's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Victreebel
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafWrapPoison PowderSleep Powder
Avoid
Tangela
Lv 24
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBind
Avoid
Vileplume
Lv 29
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DancePoison PowderMega DrainSleep Powder
Koga
Gym 5
Bad

Koga's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Avoid
Muk
Lv 39
Poison
Stench
DisablePoison GasMinimizeSludge
Avoid
Koffing
Lv 37
Poison
Levitate
TackleSmogSludgeSmokescreen
Avoid
Weezing
Lv 43
Poison
Levitate
SmogSludgeToxicSelf Destruct
Sabrina
Gym 6
Bad

Sabrina's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Kadabra
Lv 38
Psychic
Synchronize
DisablePsybeamRecoverPsychic
Avoid
Mr Mime
Lv 37
Psychic
Soundproof
ConfusionBarrierLight ScreenDouble Slap
Avoid
Venomoth
Lv 38
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Poison PowderLeech LifeStun SporePsybeam
Avoid
Alakazam
Lv 43
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsywaveReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Bad

Blaine's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Growlithe
Lv 42
Fire
Intimidate
EmberLeerTake DownAgility
Avoid
Ponyta
Lv 40
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Avoid
Rapidash
Lv 42
Fire
Run Away
Tail WhipStompGrowlFire Spin
Avoid
Arcanine
Lv 47
Fire
Intimidate
RoarEmberFire BlastTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Bad

Giovanni's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Rhyhorn
Lv 45
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFury AttackHorn Drill
Avoid
Dugtrio
Lv 42
Ground
Sand Veil
GrowlDigSand AttackSlash
Avoid
Nidoqueen
Lv 44
PoisonGround
Poison Point
ScratchTail WhipBody SlamPoison Sting
Avoid
Nidoking
Lv 45
PoisonGround
Poison Point
TackleHorn AttackPoison StingThrash
Avoid
Rhydon
Lv 50
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
StompTail WhipFissureHorn Drill
Lorelei
Elite Four
Bad

Lorelei's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
GrowlAurora BeamRestTake Down
Avoid
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampAurora BeamSpike Cannon
Avoid
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
GrowlWater GunWithdrawAmnesia
Avoid
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchBody SlamThrash
Avoid
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Bad

Bruno's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Avoid
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchMega PunchCounter
Avoid
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Jump KickFocus EnergyHigh Jump KickMega Kick
Avoid
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock ThrowRageSlamHarden
Avoid
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerFocus EnergyFissureSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Bad

Agatha's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Avoid
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicConfuse RayWing AttackHaze
Avoid
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayNight ShadeHypnosisDream Eater
Avoid
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
BiteGlareScreechAcid
Avoid
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayNight ShadeToxicDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Bad

Lance's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
Avoid
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Avoid
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
AgilitySlamDragon RageHyper Beam
Avoid
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
SupersonicBiteTake DownHyper Beam
Avoid
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
AgilitySlamBarrierHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Bad

Blue's Pokemon outpace and outclass Ditto here.

Avoid
Pidgeot
Lv 61
NormalFlying
Keen Eye
WhirlwindWing AttackSky AttackMirror Move
Avoid
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicReflect
Avoid
Rhydon
Lv 61
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Tail WhipFury AttackHorn DrillLeer
Avoid
Exeggutor
Lv 61
GrassPsychic
Chlorophyll
BarrageHypnosisStomp
Avoid
Gyarados
Lv 63
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
Avoid
Charizard
Lv 65
FireFlying
Blaze
RageSlashFire BlastFire Spin

Catchable

Available after Badge 6
Type
Normal
Tier
F

Catch Ditto on Route 13 (walking, Lv 25, rare).

View Ditto locations

Red & Blue Ditto Locations

Ditto turns up at five spots, from a few mid-game routes to the depths of Cerulean Cave, where it reaches the high sixties. Common to rare across fourteen encounters in both versions.

5 locations to catch Ditto

Encountered via tall grass encounters

Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8
Post-Game

Best Locations to Catch Ditto in Red & Blue

7 walking spots from Lv. 23-67 for Ditto. Sorted by game progression with rates on each row, so you can compare without scrolling through everything.

Ditto Weakness

Ditto is weak to Fighting. On the flip side, it's immune to Ghost-type moves entirely. Only 1 weakness makes it relatively easy to build around defensively.

Ditto Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Fighting
0x (Immune)Ghost
Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split

What is Ditto Weak Against

Good
1Weak
0Resist
1Immune
Score+1
4xCritical
None
2xWeak
½xResist
None
¼xResist
None
0xImmune

What is Ditto Strong Against

0Strong
1Resisted
1Immune
Score-2
2xStrong
None
½xResisted
0xImmune

Best Pokemon Against Ditto

Hitmonlee
Hitmonlee
Fighting
B
Machoke
Machoke
Fighting
C

Ditto Evolutions

Ditto is an unusual case. This Normal type doesn't evolve and can't breed despite having 288 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Ditto
#132Ditto
Does not evolve
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

RB Ditto Best Moveset

MoveTransform copies the opponent's stats and moves. Surviving one hit at 48 base everything to actually use it is the hard part. Literally one move, entirely dependent on switching in safely against something worth copying.

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Ditto
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • TransformUtility

Moves List

Ditto's options are limited here. You've got Normal STAB for STAB damage, but there isn't much beyond Normal hitting power. TMs help fill gaps, though the kit stays tight.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Transform
S——10Normal

TM Moves

Ditto can't learn any TM moves

Tutor Moves

Ditto can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Below
HP48
D
Attack48
D
Defense48
D
Sp. Atk48
D
Sp. Def48
D
Speed48
D
Total288
Details
Catch Rate
Difficult35 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height0.3 m
Weight4.0 kg
Base XP101
EV Yield
HP+1AtkDefSpASpDSpe
HP training source
Pokedex Entry

Capable of copying an enemy’s genetic code to instantly transform itself into a duplicate of the enemy.

Pokemon Red / Pokemon Blue

Ditto Red & Blue Guide

  • Honestly, in Red & Blue Ditto is a tough sell. It rates just F-Tier, and stronger Normal options exist. Fun pick, not a practical one.

  • In Red & Blue, Ditto plays as a balanced. Not the fastest, so pick your spots carefully.

Game Availability

Ditto has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 9 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.

Explore

Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Want to tell us more?
What was most useful?
What could be improved?
Thanks for your feedback