How do I obtain Shiny Pokémon in the main series games?

This thread aims to be a brief guide for shiny hunting. It is by no means conclusive and data pertaining to more complicated aspects, such as RNG manipulation, will likely yield better results if you search on Bulbapedia or Smogon. If you have anything to add, any updates to make or any errors to point out, please leave a comment or contact a staff member.

This question is a member of thecommon repeat question list.This means that any new questions which could be resolved using the contents of this thread will be closed. However, if, after reading the guide below, your issue is not resolved, then you may post a new question indicating this.

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This guide’s length necessitates two parts. This section introduces Shiny hunting and several methods of increasing odds.To jump to the second section, which contains the other Shiny hunting methods, click here.

Ever since their introduction in Generation II, Shiny Pokémon have been some of the most treasured trophies obtainable. They’re incredibly rare, however: the odds are so low, you can play for hundreds of hours without finding any. To make the search less tedious, each game offers methods to increase the chances of finding a Shiny (dubbed “Shiny hunting”). All make it easier to find these elusive Pokémon, but the rates vary by method and game.

Wild encountersThe most obvious — and most difficult — way to find a Shiny is through random encounters. As mentioned, the odds of a Shiny Pokémon appearing in the wild are either 1/8192 or 1/4096, depending on the game. However, there are modifiers to make it easier to find Shinies in the wild, which are essential for anyone wishing to Shiny hunt efficiently.

Note that some Pokémon areShiny locked, meaning they can never be Shiny. This mostly pertains to story encounters like Zekrom and Reshiram in Unova and the Galarian starters at the start of Sword and Shield.

BreedingBreeding two compatible parents will produce an Egg that has a chance of being Shiny. In most cases, this has the base odds of the generation you’re playing. There are ways to boost your chances, though:

Introduced in Generation IV, theMasuda Methodsignificantly increases the chance of breeding a Shiny when specific conditions are met. Two compatible parents of different nationalities must be placed in the Daycare (e.g. an English Pikachu and a Japanese Ditto). The resulting offspring will have a higher chance of being Shiny, with odds of 1/1638 in Generation IV, 1/1365 in Generation V, and 1/683 from Generation VI onwards. The Masuda Method can be stacked with the Shiny Charm starting in Generation V in order to further increase the odds.

In Generation II only, shininess is determined through IVs. If one parent has the “Shiny gene” — a certain combination of IVs — and is the opposite gender of the offspring, the latter has as high as a1/64chance of being Shiny. This method only works in Generation II and can get fairly complex;Bluwiikoon’s guideis an excellent resource for further reading.

TheOdd Eggin Crystal can hatch into one of seven Baby Pokémon: Pichu, Cleffa, Igglybuff, Tyrogue, Smoochum, Elekid, or Magby. In international releases, the Egg has a 14% chance of containing a Shiny Pokémon. In Japanese editions, the Pokémon that hatches has a 50% chance of being Shiny, though obtaining a Japanese Odd Egg requires a now-defunct event. Internationally, the Egg is given by the old man at the Daycare Center on Route 34.

There are no Shiny Pokemon in Generation I, buttransferringthem to Generation II gives them a chance. Since shininess is determined by IVs, it’s possible to transfer a Generation I Pokemon to Generation II via the Time Capsule and find that it’s Shiny. Only fishing encounters, static encounters, gift Pokémon, and in-game trades have a chance of being Shiny when transferred.

Guaranteed shiniesThere are a few Shiny Pokémon obtainable through a game’s natural progression. There aren’t many of them, and even fewer are easy to find.

In all Johto games (GSC, HGSS), a ShinyGyaradoswaits at the Lake of Rage. Battling it is required to progress, and it won’t respawn if you knock it out.

In Black 2 and White 2, if you see every non-Mythical Pokémon in the Unova Pokedex, you will be granted access to the Nature Preserve. In the middle of this area resides a ShinyHaxorus, available for you to battle and catch whenever you choose.

Black and White 2 also hold two other guaranteed Shinies:GibleandDratini. Each is a reward for defeating Benga in your game’s postgame battle facility, with Gible in Black 2 and Dratini in White 2.

In Legends: Arceus, there’s a research quest available for a ShinyPonyta. It can be found very early in the game and is consequently one of the easiest Shiny Pokémon in the series to obtain.

Scarlet and Violet’s The Teal Mask DLC allows players to receive a ShinyMunchlaxafter clearing Ogre Oustin' on Hard difficulty for the first time. Additionally, in Scarlet and Violet’s The Indigo Disk DLC, Cyrano trades the player a ShinyBlitzleafter being invited to the League Club Room.

Selectevent distributionswill yield guaranteed Shinies. Occasionally, Mystery Gifts have been (and will continue to be) distributed to players, rewarding them with Shiny Pokémon. Pokemon HOME’s Shiny Zeraora is one of the more notable examples of such an event.

Poké RadarThe Poké Radar appears in Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, X, Y, Brilliant Diamond, and Shining Pearl. It’s obtainable after receiving the National Dex and significantly boosts Shiny odds. Activating the Radar in a patch of tall grass will cause other patches to shake. Capturing or knocking out the Pokémon in that grass will start a chain, which can be continued by repeatedly capturing or knocking out Pokémon of that same species. At the maximum chain of 40, Shiny odds in DPPt and XY are around 1/200 (0.5%) per patch. The BDSP odds are higher – a chain of 40 yields 1/99 odds (about 1%). For more information on BDSP’s Poké Radar mechanics, refer toSerebii’s guide.

Cute Charm GlitchThe Cute Charm Glitch offers some of the highest Shiny odds in the game, with a whopping 21% chance per encounter when executed perfectly. However, it’s extremely difficult to set up, as the glitch requires manipulating personality values and Trainer IDs. It’s best to checka professional guide like Smogon’sfor a more thorough grasp on how to use the glitch. There are other glitches you can use to manipulate Shiny rates; again,the Smogon articleprovides an overview of these.

Note in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the Shiny Charm only works when breeding.

Friend SafariThe Friend Safari is a postgame location in X and Y that contains Pokémon typically unobtainable in Kalos. It also offers increased Shiny odds, at a 5/4096 (0.12%) chance. The Shiny Charm increases odds for this method to 7/4096 (0.17%).

Consecutive FishingExclusive to Generation VI, consecutive fishing (commonly called chain fishing) is a mechanic that offers significantly higher Shiny odds. If you don’t move from your fishing location, always come up with a bite, and time your reels correctly, you can start a streak that progressively ups your Shiny chances. The odds cap at around 1/96 (about 1%) after twenty consecutive battles — some of the best odds in the series.Thonky’s guideis a great place to learn more about chain fishing and optimal strategies.

DexNavIn Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the DexNav yields higher Shiny odds. As your search level and chain increase, the chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon improves. Shiny chances increase with search level independently from your chain, but your chain also increases your odds of finding a Shiny at every 5th, 50th, and 100th encounter. This is displayed inthis table from Bulbapedia.

This is section two, detailing the methods not covered previously.To jump to section one, click here.

SOS BattlesIntroduced in Sun and Moon and carrying over to Ultra Sun and Moon, SOS Battles are a way to chain Pokémon for higher Shiny odds. At a chain of 31 SOS calls or more, Shiny odds will be at around 1/315 (0.32%) without the Shiny Charm, and 1/273 (0.37%) with it. As a bonus, SOS Pokémon also have a chance of having their Hidden Abilities.

Ultra WormholesIn USUM, the Ultra Warp Ride minigame allows you to visit different dimensions that contain Pokémon not native to Alola. An encounter’s Shininess is affected by the distance travelled and the rings surrounding the wormhole. The Shiny Charm doesn’t affect Ultra Space encounters, but it shouldn’t matter — the highest odds you can get are 36%. Note that Legendary Pokémon found within these wormholes don’t have increased Shiny odds.

Catch combosIn Let’s Go, Pikachu and Let’s Go, Eevee, Pokémon are visible in the overworld. This paved the way for a new type of Shiny hunting in which the Shiny odds are increased with catch combos. By repeatedly catching the same Pokémon exclusively, your chain grows, and your Shiny odds increase. The odds max out after 31 Pokémon caught, and if you use the Shiny Charm and Lure (which increases encounter rates of Shiny Pokémon), you can hit the max odds of 1/273 (0.37%).Serebii’s Catch Combo guideis a good place to learn more.

Murder MethodIn Sword and Shield, the Pokédex tracks the number of a specific Pokémon species you’ve caught or defeated. Defeating more Pokémon of the same species (up to 500) increases the likelihood of encountering Brilliant Pokémon of that species. These Brilliant Pokémon have a higher chance of being Shiny. Without the Shiny Charm, defeating 500 of the same species results in Shiny odds of 1/586 (0.17%). With the Shiny Charm, these odds improve to 1/456 (0.22%).

Dynamax AdventuresIntroduced in the Crown Tundra, Dynamax Adventures boast some of the highest Shiny odds in the series. Pokémon you find in Max Lairs won’t appear shiny until after your expedition ends, at which point they’ll be Shiny on the selection screen. Without the Shiny Charm, the odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon are about 1/300 (0.33%). With the Shiny Charm, these odds improve to 1/100 (1%).

Note that thisonlyapplies to Pokémon found within Dynamax Adventures, not standard Max Raid Battles.

In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, several factors boost Shiny odds, all of which stack with each other. Having Dex Research Level 10, Dex Research Perfect, the Shiny Charm, or participating in a Mass Outbreak will all raise Shiny chances. When all four conditions are met, the chance of finding a Shiny Pokémon is around 1/128 (0.78%). Here’s a helpful chart for the different combinations and odds they bring:

Mass Outbreaksmake a reappearance in Scarlet and Violet, and they offer the potential for significantly boosted odds. With the Shiny Charm and after defeating or capturing 60+ Pokémon, the odds of encountering a Shiny version of that Pokémon rocket to 1/819 (0.12%). Adding Sparkling Power 3 improves these odds to 1/512 (0.20%) — the same as later versions of the Masuda Method.

As of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, post-DLC, these are all the ways to obtain Shiny Pokémon in the main series games. If you don’t want to go through the effort and tedium of getting a Shiny, you can always try to trade with someone else. Be warned, though: many Shinies you trade for, especially those that look too good to be true, are hacked. Checkthis guideif you’re unsure about your Shiny’s legitimacy.