Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have been out for three weeks since their release date, and fans of the game are eager to find their very first shiny Pokémon in the game. For long-time fans, they are equipped with the knowledge. Fresh players, however, are stuck with the old-age question that even veterans have asked at one point: “How can I find and catch a shiny Pokémon?”
In this article, we’ll cover the many methods on how you can find and catch a shiny Pokémon.
What are Shiny Pokémon?
Shiny Pokémon are an extremely rare variant of normal Pokémon that can appear randomly in the overworld at any given time while encountering random wild Pokémon or hatching Pokémon eggs. Shiny Pokémon are also known to be obtainable from official online distributions.
How to identify Shiny Pokémon?
- Shiny Pokémon have distinct colors that separate them from their normal counterparts.
- At the start of a wild Pokémon encounter, a Shiny Pokémon will have a Shiny sparkling effect at the start of the battle.
- Once you’ve captured it, the Shiny Pokémon will display a Shiny symbol on their summary screen.
- Shiny Pokémon don’t sparkle or make a distinct sound in the overworld.
Here’s an example of what a Normal and Shiny Pokémon looks like:
Shiny Pokémon are characterized by having unique and different colors from Normal Pokémon, accompanied by a unique sparkling animation that plays before the start of a battle.
Shiny Pokémon will also display a Shiny Symbol on their summary page in the form of two-four pointed stars (✦).
Unlike in Pokémon: Legends Arceus, Shiny Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet does not sparkle or make any sound in the overworld. So, keep your eyes peeled because you may just stumble across a Shiny Pokémon in the wild the least you expect it.
With that said, here are the four methods you can use to find and catch Shiny Pokémon!
Method #1: The Masuda Method
The Masuda Method is both the easiest and hardest method in any Pokémon game. The method is named after Game Freak director Junichi Masuda, who described the method in his blog in December 2007.
The standard encounter rate for a Shiny Pokémon is 1/4096 in Generation VI and onward. The Masuda Method multiplies this rate by six from Gen VI and beyond. In short, there’s a better chance of getting a shiny from breeding with this method.
So, how exactly does the Masuda Method work? It’s simple!
First, you need to trade with a friend who has a foreign Pokémon that has the tag SPA, GER, etc. It can be any Pokémon that is within the same egg group, but Ditto is the highly recommended choice.
Second, you must move your team to your boxes and leave a Pokémon of your choice with a foreign Pokémon or Ditto in a Picnic like in the example image below:
Third, just wait around and let them do their thing! Receiving an egg can take time, but the waiting time can be cut in half with a hearty sandwich meal!
All you must do is make a Jam Sandwich and you will receive meal powers, including Level 1 Egg Power.
Fourth, check your basket for eggs. Your eggs will be automatically transferred to your box if you have a full party.
The last part is to simply hatch it by walking or running around with Koraidon/Miraidon!
As for the egg hatching, there’s a chance it can be shiny, but the method is a trial and error so it can take some time to hatch a shiny. But good things come to those who wait, so hang on and keep hatching!
Method #2: Shiny Pokémon Charm
The second method is getting the Shiny Charm. How can you find and get the Shiny Charm, you ask? Well, it’s simple! All you have to do is catch all 400 Pokemon in the game!
After that, visit Professor Jacq at the university and he will present you with your diploma as well as a Shiny Charm reward.
Once you complete your Pokedex in the game, you will receive a Shiny Charm! This increases your chance of encountering a shiny Pokémon while exploring Paldea.
When you acquire this charm, your odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon are increased, which makes shiny hunting easier. Combine that with Level 3 Sparkling Power (we’ll cover this later), and your odds are highly increased at an even better rate.
Method #3: Pokémon Mass Outbreaks
Another way to find Shiny Pokémon would be to take advantage of Pokémon Outbreaks. A Mass Outbreak is a returning feature from Pokémon: Legends Arceus where many Pokémon continuously spawn in one area.
This is by far the easiest shiny hunting method at any point in the game, even without the Sparkling Power or Shiny Charm. The odds of finding Shiny Pokémon in a Mass Outbreak are 1/1,365 if you clear 60 or more Pokémon within the outbreak.
If you combine the Shiny Charm and Shiny Sandwich sparkling power, the odds are increased as high as 1/512.
First, find a Mass Outbreak by opening your map and looking for Pokémon icons with a glowing red icon.
At times, they show up as question marks but that means it’s a Mass Outbreak of a Pokémon that you haven’t registered to your Pokedex yet.
Once you’re in the area where the Mass Outbreak is occurring, clear at least 60 Pokémon by battling them or using the Let’s Go! feature. Important note, your Pokémon will refuse to fight a Shiny Pokémon while using the Let’s Go! feature, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally fainting a Shiny Pokémon!
And third, if all else fails and you still can’t find a shiny after fainting 60 Pokémon, set up a picnic and pack it up again to refresh the Pokémon in the area. Keep doing this until a Shiny Pokémon spawns!
Method #4: Sandwich Lv. 3 Sparkling Encounter Power
The last method on this list is making a Herba Mystica sandwich that can give you a Level 3 Sparkling Meal Encounter Power. The first thing you need is Herba Mysticas. How can you find Herba Mysticas in the game?
They can only be found in high-profile 5-to-6-star tera raids that have a drop rate of 1%. Here is the full list of Herba Mysticas that you can get from tera raids:
- Bitter Herbs
- Spicy Herbs
- Salty Herbs
- Sour Herbs
- Sweet Herbs
Once you have your Herba Mysticas, add in one serving of Cucumber and Pickle, and add in any two choices of your Herbs. As for the last three servings, that can vary. For example, combining the ingredients above with three pieces of lettuce will give you Lv. 3 Grass Sparkling Encounter Power. Here is the full guide posted by Silent Destroyer on Twitter for more details and specifics:
Lastly, find your choice of Shiny Pokémon type and catch it! It may take some time though, but with any luck, a Shiny Pokémon will spawn within your vicinity! Combine that with your Shiny Charm, your odds will triple. Just keep in mind that meal powers have a timer limit of 30 Minutes, so use your Sparkling Meal Encounter Power wisely.
You can check how long your Meal Power has left by pressing the Right D-Pad.
Can you raise the odds of Shiny Pokémon in Tera Raids?
Sadly, you can’t. The odds of finding a Shiny Pokémon in Tera Raids will always remain at 1/4,096. The reason for this is that the Shiny odds inside Tera Raids are unaffected by Sparkling Sandwich Meal Encounter Power or Shiny Charm bonuses.
Can you get Shiny Starter Pokémon?
Starters are Shiny locked, so it’s not possible to get a Shiny Starter Pokémon at the beginning.
But you can try getting Shiny versions of the starters by breeding them. It can be done as long as you have a female/male starter and a male/female Pokémon from the same Egg Group or if you have a Ditto. Don’t forget to use the Masuda Method!
You can try any of the methods above, as long as it’s convenient for you and easier to do. With that said, we bid you good luck on your Shiny Hunting endeavors!
Stay tuned to Final Weapon for more guides and updates!
