Master Ball can't catch 100% on Gen 3 and Gen 4

[Hugop]

Everytime a Pokeball shakes, it does this calculation:

shake = 1048560 / sqrt(sqrt(16711680/ catch rate ))

The division and square roots (sqrt) round down. When you throw a Pokeball, a number is generated between 0 and 65535. If it is higher or the same as shake, the catch was not successful.

Now let's say we use a Masterball and the maximum number gets generated, which is 65535. Note that if shake is the same as the number generated, the catch failed. Which means if you use Masterball, which is 65535 as result, you can fail to catch the Pokemon if the number generated is 65535(which is actually a comma result, because you can't obtain this exact amount).

Conclusion: The chance of you to fail with a Masterball is 1/65535, meaning 0.006%.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

and yet I'm sure someone failed much to their rage.

 

[CM30]

Yeah, I knew this too. Makes me feel for that one poor sod who had the million to one chance where it all went wrong.

Bonus points if it was their last Poke Ball and they were capturing a rare legendary Pokemon...

 

[Demon_Skeith]

Yeah, I knew this too. Makes me feel for that one poor sod who had the million to one chance where it all went wrong.

Bonus points if it was their last Poke Ball and they were capturing a rare legendary Pokemon...

that would be complete and utter rage

 

[CM30]

I'd probably throw the game out of a window at that point. Or maybe set down a nice sledgehammer on it.

 

[Demon_Skeith]

I'd probably throw the game out of a window at that point. Or maybe set down a nice sledgehammer on it.

hammer is always the way to go, unless its explosives.

 

[Toast]

I can't even imagine the feeling I would have in that situation. Something you believe to be 100% chance, and then it fails? I would rage so hard. I would post it everywhere. I would try to get to the bottom of, and when I found it it was that small of a chance? I'd just feel so bad about that. I honestly wouldn't know what to think of that unluckiness.

 

[jonthai]

That's some hard math there. I actually did not know that and I've played allot of Pokemon games, in fact since gen III. I always though a masterball would catch any Pokemon every time but apparently not.
Would be a shame if I ever get to that situation where the master ball fails.
May I ask, how did you find out those calculations and numbers?
Cheers.

 

[Becca]

I actually didn't know that, nice calculation! That would make me so mad, I had always believed it was a 100% chance you'd catch the Pokémon every time. I definitely agree regarding the sledgehammer as well. Or I may drop it off a building.

 

[Dame6089]

That is one of the weird facts about that generation. It's ridiculous and would be annoying, but I can't imagine it actually hurt anyone unless they didn't save. Any experienced player will save before a legendary fight. It would be really unfortunate though if you only had a masterball and ran into a shiny and the masterball failed. I would lose it after that lol!