For several generations, breeding has been the most important game mechanic in Pokemon in creating a competitive team of strong Pokemon. That’s no different in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, but fortunately, it’s never been easier to breed a team of competitive Pokemon.
How to get and hatch Pokemon eggs in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
There are no day cares in Paldea, but that’s not an issue since Picnics have made breeding easier than ever before. If you go on a picnic with two compatible Pokemon in your party, they will have eggs, which will appear in the picnic basket in front of your picnic table. Press A near the basket to collect the eggs, which will be sent to your Pokémon boxes.
You do not need to move for your Pokemon to start laying eggs. You can idly stand next to the picnic basket and wait, or you can walk around your picnic table. Either way, your Pokemon will get it on and leave eggs in the basket. Note that you can increase the spawn rate of eggs by using the sandwiches mentioned in a section below.
After you exit the picnic and you’re satisfied with the number of eggs collected, you can retrieve them from your boxes and start hatching. As with previous generations, having a Pokémon with Flame Body, Magma Armor, or Steam Engine will significantly boost hatch time.
Here are the following Pokemon available with these abilities:
| Pokemon | Ability |
| Fletchinder | Flame Body |
| Talonflame | Flame Body |
| Larvesta | Flame Body |
| Volcarona | Flame Body |
| Rolycoly | Steam Engine |
| Carkol | Steam Engine |
| Coalossal | Steam Engine |
| Camerupt | Magma Armor |
How to breed for natures and IVs in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
This aspect of breeding has remained pretty much unchanged from previous generations. If you want to pass on IVs, have a Pokemon hold a Desitny Knot, which will pass on 5 of the parents’ IVs down to the child. If you want to pass down a specific nature, give a Pokemon with the nature you want to keep an Everstone.
Note that you’ll be able to check a Pokemon’s IVs in the boxes after you’ve beaten the three main storylines and the final mission.
How to get egg moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Getting egg moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet does not necessarily require breeding. To get one Pokemon to learn an egg move, it needs to have one empty move slot, hold a mirror herb, and be in the same party as a Pokemon that knows the move. Then, go on a picnic and the Pokemon with the mirror herb will learn the egg move. For example, through this method, you could transfer Ice Hammer from Crabominable to Tinkatink even though they are not in the same egg group. But Pokemon can also learn egg moves through the traditional breeding method, if you wish.
Sandwiches for breeding in in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduced a new food creation: sandwiches. Sandwiches give various boosts and bonuses, and they’re pretty easy to make. To make a sandwich, just approach your picnic table and select the option to make a sandwich.
Please note that as you progress through the game, you unlock more sandwich recipes. To gain access to your unlocked sandwich recipes, you first need to talk to an NPC at Every Wich Way, a sandwich shop located in towns across Paldea.
Certain sandwiches offer a bonus called “Egg Power,” which offers a bonus to breeding and hatching, making the process much faster. I recommend the Great Peanut Butter Sandwich since it’s easy to make and uses common ingredients.
Here are the following sandwiches that offer Egg Power:
| Sandwich Name | Ingredients | Powers |
| Sweet Jambon-Beurre | Ham, Butter, Sweet Herba Mystica | Title: Ground (level 2), Egg Power (level 2), Catching: Bug (level 2) |
| Marmalade Sandwich | Cheese, Marmalade | Item: Fighting (level 1), Catching: Rock (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Great Marmalade Sandwich | Cheese, Marmalade, Butter | Item: Poison (level 1), Raid: Rock (level 1), Egg Power (level 2) |
| Peanut Butter Sandwich | Banana, Peanut Butter | Raid: Bug (level 1), Encounter: Electric (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Great Peanut Butter Sandwich | Banana, Butter, Peanut Butter | Item: Bug (level 1), Raid: Normal (level 2), Egg Power (level 2) |
| Ultra Peanut Butter Sandwich | Banana, Butter, Peanut Butter, Jam | Item: Bug (level 1), Raid: Normal (level 2), Egg Power (level 2) |
| Legendary Sweet Sandwich | Lettuce, Bacon, Sweet Herba Mystica, Pepper | Title: Rock (level 2), Egg Power (level 2), Encounter: Grass (level 2) |
| Jam Sandwich | Strawberry, Jam | Catching: Fighting (level 1), Item: Psychic (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Ultra Jam Sandwich | Strawberry, Pineapple, Jam, Yogurt | Catching: Dark (level 2), Item: Ground (level 2), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Ultra Pickle Sandwich | Pickle, Watercress, Basil, Olive Oil | Item: Fighting (level 2), Egg Power (Level 2), Catching: Fire (Level 1) |
| Master Pickle Sandwich | Pickle, Watercress, Basil, Olive Oil, Sour Herba Mystica | Title: Fighting (level 2), Teensy: Grass (level 2), Egg Power (level 2) |
| Dessert Sandwich | Apple x2, Yogurt, Whipped Cream | Catching: Flying (level 1), Item: Ice (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Great Dessert Sandwich | Apple x2, Kiwi, Yogurt, Whipped Cream | Catching: Flying (level 2), Item: Ice (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Ultra Dessert Sandwich | Apple x2, Kiwi, Strawberry, Yogurt, Whipped Cream | Item: Flying (level 2), Catching: Ice (level 2), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Tropical Sandwich | Klawf Stick, Avocado, Marmalade | Egg Power (level 1), Encounter: Fighting (level 1), Catching: Dragon (level 1) |
| Fruit Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Pineapple, Kiwi, Whipped Cream | Item: Normal (level 1), Catching: Ground (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Great Fruit Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Pineapple, Kiwi, Whipped Cream, Marmalade | Item: Normal (level 2), Catching: Poison (level 1), Egg Power (level 1) |
| Ultra Fruit Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Pineapple, Kiwi, Whipped Cream, Marmalade, Yogurt | Item: Normal (level 2), Catching: Poison (level 2), Egg (level 1) |
| Sweet Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Cheese, Whipped Cream, Butter | Egg Power (level 1), Item: Bug (level 1), Raid: Flying (level 1) |
| Great Sweet Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Cheese, Whipped Cream, Butter, Salt | Egg Power (level 2), Item: Bug (level 1), Raid: Flying (level 1) |
| Ultra Sweet Sandwich | Banana, Apple, Cheese, Basil, Whipped Cream, Butter, Salt | Egg Power (level 2), Item: Flying (level 2), Raid: Normal (level 1) |