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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: How to get Shiny Pokémon, the Shiny Charm, Masuda Method, tips and tricks
Every trainer wants to have at least one Shiny Pokémon in their team due to their extreme rarity and difficulty to capture. Need some help to get one?
We know this is what a lot of you have been asking for, so here it goes. Finding your own Shiny Pokémon isn’t an easy task, usually left to luck due to their high rarity and extremely low rates of appearances. It’s not an easy task, but we know a couple of tips to make things a little easier for you. Who knows, you might even start finding many more!
What is a Shiny Pokémon?
The mythical red Gyarados of Lake Fury in Johto, back in Pokémon Gold and Silver, was the one that opened the floodgates. It was the first Shiny Pokémon, and could be found in a set place. From there on, hundreds of Pokémon have gotten a Shiny variant in the following games. We’re talking about species that, on some rare occasions, appear with different colors than usual. Statistically, there’s a 1 in 4,000 chance of finding a Shiny when encountering a wild Pokémon.
In Scarlet and Violet you can still find them, but the odds remain the same. This is why we want to tell you about some ways in which you can increase your chances. Remember that apart from having a different color palette than the rest of their species, Shiny Pokémon give off a quick flash when you enter battle, and there’s a short jingle that marks them as Shiny.
Shinies are also sought after, since when one evolves, their next form will also be a Shiny. However, there’s a few of them that don’t have a Shiny version, although they are few and far between.
Shiny Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet: how to get them
Here’s a few tips on how to find Shinies easily while you explore Paldea.
- Fight in Mass Outbreaks: same as in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, this new generation also has mass outbreaks; species that suddenly gather in huge groups. The key here is defeating a lot of these same Pokémon without interruption (between 30 and 60) to make them keep spawning. Eventually, a Shiny might pop up. Your best bet is to send your Pokpemon with the Let’s Go feature, so they take out a bunch of them without having to transition into a battle.
- Eat sandwiches with Sparkling Power: doing so will raise your chances, although to make them you’ll need to use Herba Mystica items obtained by defeating 5-Star Tera Raids. At Meal level 3, these sandwiches increase your odds to 1 in 1,024 for 30 minutes.
- Carry the Shiny Charm with you: this object is key to your success, doubling your chances of finding Shiny Pokémon, but you’ll need to play for a long time before getting it. We’ll tell you more below.
Shiny Charm in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
This object is your best friend to raise your chances of finding a Shiny. Introduced during Black 2 and White 2 on Nintendo DS, we’ve seen it present in every following title of the franchise. It’s pretty simple to use: you just need to have it to double your chances of finding these special Pokémon.
First and foremost, you need to have completed the regional Pokédex of Paldea. This means capturing all 400 Pokémon available in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Most of them can be found in the open world, but some are exclusives of each version, so you’ll need to trade with other players or play in co-op.
Once you’ve completed the Pokédex, you’ll need to travel to your Academy in Mesagoza and talk with Jacq, your biology teacher. He’ll give you the Charm as a reward for completing the Pokédex. From then on, it’s ability is active and your chances have become higher.
Just don’t forget to either sleep, paralyze or lower the health of a Shiny Pokémon when trying to capture one. They’re hard to catch, and if you accidentally knock it out, you’ll have to hunt for another one all over again. Maybe carry a good handful of Ultra Balls with you, just in case.
Breeding Shiny Pokémon with the Masuda Method
Yes, you can still make use of the mythical Masuda Method in Scarlet and Violet. This technique consists of breeding two Pokémon of different real world regions to elevate chances of a Shiny Pokémon being hatched out of the resulting egg. In this generation, breeding happens in Picnic zones, since there’s no such thing as a Pokémon Daycare in Paldea. By the way, it goes without saying but the Pokémon you’re breeding should be two of the same species, or one and a Ditto.
If you trade with other players through the internet, it’s very probable that you’ll find Pokémon from players in other parts of the world. Once again, remember that the Shiny Charm in your inventory also raises the chances of a Shiny being hatched through the Masuda Method.
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