Breed Pokemon, then do this to Gigantamax in Sword and Shield

Many trainers assume that breeding two Gigantamax Pokemon would produce offspring with the same special transformation ability, but the game mechanics deliberately prevent this inheritance. Despite this limitation, dedicated players can still unlock Gigantamax potential through alternative methods that require strategic planning and resource management.

Competitive Pokemon battlers invest extensive time perfecting their team’s Individual Values (IVs), natures, move sets, and abilities through selective breeding. After achieving optimal genetic traits, the training process focuses on Effort Values (EVs) distribution. The ultimate enhancement for compatible species involves activating their Gigantamax capabilities.

The core challenge emerges when players capture Gigantamax Pokemon from Max Raid battles that lack perfect IVs or ideal natures. Without breeding as an option, trainers must employ creative solutions to obtain battle-ready Gigantamax specimens. This guide reveals the proven techniques for overcoming this restriction.

Gigantamax Breeding Restrictions and Solutions

When two Gigantamax-capable Pokemon breed, their offspring will hatch with standard Dynamax potential only. Game Freak intentionally designed this limitation to maintain the rarity and special status of Gigantamax forms. However, trainers possess a reliable method to confer Gigantamax abilities to eligible Pokemon.

Accessing this capability requires purchasing the Isle of Armor expansion, which introduced additional Pokemon species and their Gigantamax variants. The DLC’s central narrative involves mentoring a Kubfu and evolving it into Gigantamax Urshifu. Completing this storyline unlocks the Max Soup creation feature.

Max Soup preparation occurs exclusively at the Mustard Dojo on the Isle of Armor. Players gather Max Mushrooms scattered throughout the island’s various habitats. These fungal resources regenerate after successful Max Raid battle completions, creating an ongoing farming cycle.

Administering Max Soup toggles a Pokemon’s transformation capability between standard Dynamax and special Gigantamax forms. If a Pokemon already possesses Gigantamax potential, consuming the soup will revert it to regular Dynamax status. This reversible mechanism allows breeders to produce Pokemon with ideal genetics through traditional methods, then activate their Gigantamax ability through culinary enhancement.

Successfully implementing the Max Soup strategy requires understanding several key gameplay elements. Max Mushrooms spawn in three primary locations: the Forest of Focus, Courageous Cavern, and Warm-Up Tunnel. Each location typically yields 2-3 mushrooms per respawn cycle, requiring approximately 3-5 Max Raid victories to trigger regeneration.

The preparation process at the Mustard Dojo involves interacting with the cooking pot and contributing three Max Mushrooms. The soup’s effects are immediate and can be applied repeatedly to toggle between transformation states. This flexibility enables trainers to breed for perfect IVs and natures using standard methods, then activate Gigantamax capability post-breeding.

Strategic applications include creating multiple competitive-ready Pokemon of the same species with different transformation capabilities. For example, maintaining both a Gigantamax and standard Dynamax version of popular Pokemon like Charizard or Gengar provides tactical versatility in team building.

Which Pokemon Can Gigantamax in Sword and Shield?

Gigantamax transformation remains exclusive to a select group of 31 Pokemon species. These special forms not only increase size and power but also grant access to exclusive G-Max moves that often provide additional battle effects beyond standard Max moves.

• Venusaur
• Charizard
• Blastoise
• Butterfree
• Pikachu
• Meowth
• Machamp
• Gengar
• Kingler
• Lapras
• Eevee
• Garbodor
• Melmetal
• Rillaboom
• Cinderace
• Inteleon
• Corviknight
• Orbeetle
• Drednaw
• Coalossal
• Flapple
• Appletun
• Sandaconda
• Toxtricity
• Centiskorch
• Hatterene
• Grimmsnarl
• Alcremie
• Copperajah
• Duraludon
• Urshifu

While every Pokemon species can utilize the standard Dynamax transformation, only the listed 31 possess special Gigantamax forms. Each Gigantamax Pokemon learns a signature G-Max move that replaces their standard Max move when transformed. These exclusive attacks frequently include secondary effects like stat modifications, persistent field conditions, or damage-over-time mechanics that can shift battle momentum.

Understanding when to use Gigantamax versus standard Dynamax forms represents a critical strategic decision for competitive players. Some Pokemon actually perform better with regular Dynamax due to move pool compatibility or stat distribution advantages. For instance, certain builds of Corviknight benefit more from standard Max Airstream than its G-Max Windrage, depending on team speed control requirements.

Optimal team building considerations include evaluating G-Max move effects against your overall strategy. Pokemon like Cinderace typically excel with their Gigantamax form due to G-Max Fireball’s piercing damage effect. However, species like Gengar might prefer standard Dynamax in specific scenarios where their G-Max move doesn’t align with battle plans.

Common mistakes include wasting Max Soup on Pokemon with suboptimal IVs, neglecting to farm sufficient Max Mushrooms before breeding projects, and misunderstanding the reversible nature of the transformation toggle. Successful implementation requires planning your breeding and enhancement as an integrated process rather than separate activities.

Advanced optimization involves coordinating your resource management with your competitive team development timeline. Estimate 4-6 hours of gameplay to gather enough mushrooms for multiple Pokemon enhancements, including time for Max Raid battles to trigger respawns.

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