Ditto Guide — All 14 Moves & Transformations

Innate Moves (Available from Start)

These three moves are available from the moment you start the game. They handle your basic interactions with the environment — picking up items, collecting resources, and shaking trees.

Primary Transformation Moves

Primary moves are the core of Ditto's toolkit. You learn each one by befriending a specific Pokémon during the story. When you use a primary move, Ditto physically transforms into that Pokémon to perform the action. Four of these moves can be permanently upgraded by cooking the right meal.

Move	Teacher	Area	Power Up
Water Gun	Squirtle	Withered Wastelands	Soup — Enhances range
Leafage	Bulbasaur	Withered Wastelands	Salad — Enables moss, vines on rocks, and duckweed on water
Cut	Scyther	Withered Wastelands	Bread — Allows cutting harder materials at a distance
Rock Smash	Hitmonchan	Withered Wastelands	Hamburger Steak — Breaks harder substances
Rototiller	Drilbur	Withered Wastelands	—
Jump	Magikarp	Withered Wastelands	—
Surf	Lapras	Bleak Beach	—

Water Gun (from Squirtle)

The first transformation move you learn. Ditto transforms into Squirtle and sprays water in a + pattern across five blocks. This is essential for restoring the Withered Wastelands — you need it to revitalize dried dirt before grass can grow. Power it up by cooking Soup recipes to enhance the spray range.

Leafage (from Bulbasaur)

Transforms into Bulbasaur to grow tall grass on dirt and other surfaces. This is your main tool for creating habitats — most habitats require grass as a foundation. Power it up with Salad recipes to unlock the ability to grow moss, vines on rocks, and duckweed on water — opening up entirely new habitat types.

Cut (from Scyther)

Transforms into Scyther to cut trees and wooden objects. Essential for clearing paths and harvesting wood. Power it up with Bread recipes to cut harder materials at a distance — including metal, which you can't cut otherwise.

Rock Smash (from Hitmonchan)

Transforms into Hitmonchan and punches holes in walls and ground. Hold ZR for continuous smashing. Power it up with Hamburger Steak recipes to break even harder substances like crystal and volcanic rock.

Rototiller, Jump & Surf

Rototiller (from Drilbur) tills soil for planting. Jump (from Magikarp) is your basic traversal move — simple but essential. Surf (from Lapras in Bleak Beach) transforms Ditto into Lapras for swimming, opening up aquatic exploration. PP drains gradually while surfing.

Secondary & Advanced Moves

These moves are unlocked in later areas and dramatically expand what you can do. Rollout and Magnet Rise are game-changers that transform the building experience entirely.

Camouflage

Taught by Zorua — Bleak Beach

Transform into environmental objects rather than Pokémon. Useful for hide-and-seek in multiplayer.

Press A near objects to transform

Rollout

Taught by Graveler — Rocky Ridges

Transform into Graveler and barrel through blocks at high speed. Clears large areas much faster than Rock Smash.

Hold ZR to roll and break materials

Strength

Taught by Machoke — Rocky Ridges

Push large boulders and blocks around the environment. Opens creative possibilities for habitat design.

Press A to push objects

Glide

Taught by Dragonite — Sparkling Skylands

Transform into Dragonite while airborne to glide across large distances.

Press R twice to glide (jump then R again)

Waterfall

Taught by Gyarados — Sparkling Skylands

Upgrade to Surf that allows climbing up waterfalls. Found hidden below the Sparkling Skylands.

Press A while Surfing to climb waterfalls

Stockpile Water

Taught by Paldean Wooper — Bleak Beach

Manipulate water to create ponds and waterfalls.

Press A to manipulate water

Magnet Rise

Taught by Magnemite — Post-game

Fly vertically, place blocks freely, and absorb blocks in front of you. The most powerful building skill.

Full flight with height adjustment, Y to absorb blocks

How to Power Up Ditto's Moves with Food

Four of Ditto's primary moves can be permanently enhanced by cooking and eating specific types of meals. This is one of the most important systems in the game — powered-up moves unlock new capabilities, not just stronger versions.

See our complete Cooking Guide for all food recipes and their effects.

Recommended Unlock Order

While most primary moves are unlocked through the story in a fixed order, here's the optimal path through the game for maximizing your building efficiency:

1. Withered Wastelands — Learn Water Gun, Leafage, Cut, Rock Smash, Rototiller, and Jump. This is the tutorial area where you learn all fundamentals.
2. Bleak Beach — Learn Surf (essential for water exploration) and Camouflage. Also unlock Stockpile Water for creating ponds.
3. Rocky Ridges — Learn Rollout (game-changer for terraforming) and Strength for pushing boulders.
4. Sparkling Skylands — Learn Glide for aerial traversal and Waterfall to climb waterfalls.
5. Post-game — Unlock Magnet Rise from Magnemite for full creative flight and block absorption.

PP Management Tips

Every transformation move consumes PP (Power Points). Running out of PP means you can't use moves until you rest or eat. Here's how to manage it:

• Buy PP Up items — Each area has one PP Up that permanently increases your max PP. Prioritize purchasing these from the PC Shop.
• Cook food — Eating any meal restores PP. Keep a stock of simple recipes like Simple Salad for quick refills.
• Rest at Pokémon Centers — Fully restores PP for free.
• Use Rollout over Rock Smash — Rollout is more PP-efficient for clearing terrain because it covers more area per PP spent.

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