As you increase in level, your chance of recruiting will increase to a maximum of 24 percent at level 100.

+5 percent at L30-39
+7 percent at L40-49
+10 percent at L50-59
+10 percent at L50-59
+12 percent at L60-69
+15 percent at L70-79
+17 percent at L80-89
+24 percent at L90-100

Bonuses are important since some Pokemon have recruitment penalties. Rayquaza, Deoxys, Groudon have a base minus 10 percent to join. Kygore has a base 50 percent. All Regi-mon and Legendary dogs have a base 0.1 percent. Kecleon has a base minus 34 percent as do all the teams at the Makuhita Dojo. Mew has a 1 percent chance and you need to have the music box.

To recruit the likes of Kecleon and other such pokemon, you need the friend bow (which bestows a 10 percent recruitment).