How to Get Fast Balls in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have just as many Pokeballs as some of the more recent generations, and yet they’re hidden arbitrarily away, making it extremely difficult to get your team in some highly coordinated and beautiful Pokeballs. But it’s not impossible. Here’s how to get the Fast Ball in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

How to Get Fast Balls in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is unique in many ways, and one of those ways is that there aren’t many Pokemon that will run away from you. In fact, there are only 8 total, and 2 of those Pokemon only get Run Away as a hidden ability.

And it’s this ability that the Fast Ball is meant to counter. I’ll be honest, it was more useful when we were trying to pin down the Legendary Dogs. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a cool Pokeball with a cool design. But getting your hands on one will require two things: patience, and likely a ton of cash.

Method 1

Head to Porto Marinada Auction Market. This market is only accessible once you’ve defeated Water-Type Pokemon Gym Leader and Chef(??), Kofu. Once there, let’s hope your luck is good, as you’ll need the odds to skew heavily in your favor for the next part.

Check the stalls to see if the Fast Ball is for sale. Notice how I say ball, not balls. That’s because there’s only going to be ONE Fast Ball for sale. Yeah, they don’t make it easy, do they? If a Fast Ball isn’t for sale, save your game, then close Pokemon Scarlet or Violet. Move your console’s timer forward by 72 minutes. Reopen the game and check the stocks. If there’s still no Fast Ball, rinse and repeat until it appears. And if it does appear? Don’t expect it to be cheap. These unique Pokeballs have hefty price tags on them, and it’s very likely you’ll be dropping over 100k per ball.

You can tell they don’t have inflation control in Paldea.

So, Option 1 might be the fastest and most expensive option. But if you have plenty of time on your hands (or don’t mind letting your game play through the night) there’s also option 2.

Method 2

A far easier (though more time-consuming) method is to farm out Ace Academy Tournaments. These tournaments are available after you complete the game and have beaten all the gym leaders. Once that’s done, you can go through a series of battles with trainers you’ve previously met. When you come out victorious, you’ll be granted a series of rewards, including a random rare item that might be a Fast Ball. Again, it’s all up to luck.

I recommend Method 2, even though it’s more time-consuming, for two reasons. You can AFK this tournament by fighting it with only one Pokemon (ideally a Pixilate Sylveon) and having something hold down your controller’s A button. This is the method people used to farm money in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and it can be left running overnight. By the time you return, it’s possible that you still might not have a Lure Ball in your inventory, but you’ll definitely have enough money to buy whatever you want in the game, including a Fast Ball at the Porto Marinada auctions.

Tip: Remember to slap an Amulet Coin on your Pokemon before you send it out to war. Your wallet will thank you.

Related: How to Get Lure Balls in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

I’m sad to say that these are so far the only methods you can use to get your hands on a Fast Ball. It’s possible that one day we’ll see a patch that makes these covetable Pokeballs more attainable, as they really don’t offer significant, game-breaking benefits. But until then… good luck grinding.