Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-5833912-20131111170637/@comment-24139120-20131111181135

The torches must be lit before you begin breeding to increase your odds. Once the breeding time is set the monster on-deck will not change from the breeding structure to the nursery. For example, if you're breeding an Entbrat & T-Rox and the breeding time is 8 hours, you will ALWAYS get a T-Rox egg out of it.

Also, I am inclined to believe that the torches DO in fact increase the odds of breeding regular 4 element monsters. I was 2 for 2 (one Quarrister and one Shellbeat) with only a couple of torches lit after being unsuccesful many times before.

I think 5% per torch is too high of hopes for Ethereal monsters, but am not sure. I've had all 10 lit on Plant Island a few times now and have struck out on breeding a Ghazt for 4 days, always with at least half my torches lit.