Written and fact checked by our resident Pokemon expert: Hey there! I’m Ian. From the days of Pokémon Colosseum to now, I’ve battled every Elite Four, bred for perfect IVs, and even tried making Magikarp my MVP (spoiler: it’s all about the Gyarados payoff). With contests, Pokéathlons, and berry farming under my belt, I’ve got tales and tips aplenty for you.
Hatching eggs in Pokemon Sword and Shield can be a time-consuming process, especially if you’re aiming to breed shiny Pokémon or those with perfect IVs. However, there’s a method to significantly speed up this process. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to hatch eggs faster in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
How To Hatch Eggs Fast In Pokemon Sword And Shield
Make sure you’re at the Bridge Field in the Wild Area. This is where the Pokemon Nursery is located. If you haven’t unlocked this location yet, you’ll need to progress further in the game.
Visit the Pokemon Nursery and speak to the nursery worker. If she’s holding her arms crossed, it means there’s an egg waiting for you. Collect any available eggs to add them to your party.
The Rotom Rally
Once you have your eggs, find the nearby Rotom machine. This machine allows you to participate in the Rotom Rally.
From the Rotom Rally options, select the third option labeled “Meetup Spot”. This is a 120-second race, but with a good bike and some practice, you can complete it in about 1 minute and 20 seconds.
Racing Tips
As you race, you’ll have the ability to boost. It’s crucial to use these boosts strategically. For instance, once you run out of your initial speed, activate a boost. This helps maintain a high speed for a longer duration. Always remember to boost towards the end of the race to maintain a chain of boosts.
During the rally, wild Pokemon will pop up in your path. Colliding with them will slow you down. Always be on the lookout and try to steer clear of them.
Your controller will vibrate and emit a distinct sound when a new boost charge is available. By timing these charges well, you can maintain a boost for the majority of the race. A pro tip is to always boost towards the end of the race to maintain a chain of boosts.
The Result
Once you complete the Rotom Rally, not only will you receive some watts as a reward, but the distance covered during the race will also contribute to the steps needed to hatch your egg. If done correctly, your egg will hatch almost immediately after the race.
If you have more eggs to hatch, simply repeat the process. With practice, you’ll find yourself hatching eggs faster than ever before.
Alternate Egg Hatching Methods And Tips
Breeding and hatching eggs in Pokémon Sword and Shield can be expedited using the Flame Body ability. Here’s how:
Get A Pokemon With Flame Body
- The Flame Body ability keeps Pokemon in your party warm, which in turn reduces the time required to hatch an egg.
- Pokemon Options: Carkol or Coalossal are ideal choices. Evolve a Rolycoly into a Carkol, which can further evolve into Coalossal.
- Locations: Find these Pokemon in Galar Mine, Giant’s Cap, Stony Wilderness, Bridge Field, or through Max Raid Battles.
- Checking for Flame Body: Once you have either Carkol or Coalossal, ensure they have the Flame Body ability. If not, you might need to catch or evolve more until you get one with this ability.
Preparing Your Party
Remove any unnecessary Pokemon from your party. Keep only the Pokemon with the Flame Body ability and the eggs you wish to hatch.
Automated Hatching Method
- Setting: Go to the game’s options and adjust the Vertical and Horizontal Camera Controls to the Regular Setting.
- Movement: Use a rubber band or similar elastic substance to tie both joysticks together. This makes your character move in continuous circles, facilitating the hatching process. Typically, it takes about 3 to 4 minutes for an egg to hatch using this method.
Manual Hatching Method
Head to the Route 5 Nursery and simply move up and down until your egg hatches.
Boosting The Hatching Speed
Collect Watts in the Wild Area and interact with the Watt Trader. This allows you to access the turbo more frequently, although it might be costly in terms of Watts. Using the turbo can further expedite the hatching process.
Best Abilities For Faster Hatching
Breeding competitively-viable Pokemon can be a tedious task, especially when considering the vast number of steps required to hatch an egg. However, certain Pokemon abilities can significantly reduce this hatching time:
Flame Body
- Effect: Halves the number of steps required to hatch an egg.
- Pokemon with Flame Body in Pokemon Sword and Shield: Ponyta line, Magmar line, Moltres, Heatran, Litwick line, Larvesta line, Fletchinder line, Carkoal line (except for Rolycoly), and the Sizzlipede line.
Steam Engine
- Effect: Also halves the number of steps required to hatch an egg.
- Pokemon with Steam Engine in Pokemon Sword and Shield: Rolycoly, Carkoal, and Coalossal.
Usage
Once you’ve acquired a Pokemon with either the Flame Body or Steam Engine ability, simply keep it in your party alongside the eggs you wish to hatch. The ability will automatically reduce the hatching time, without any manual activation on your part. This is especially beneficial for trainers aiming to hatch Shiny Pokemon, which have a considerably low chance of appearing.
That is all for our Pokemon Sword and Shield Egg Hatching guide. If you are interested in learning more about the game then you can check out our guide on Gigantamax Pokemon. You can also check out our guide on how you can evolve Applin.