Highlights

• Shiny hunting certain Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet can be challenging due to subtle differences in their shiny forms or their rarity as spawns.
• Pokemon may be difficult to shiny hunt due to factors such as color similarities, lighting effects, or disguises.
• Finding shiny versions some Pokemon are particularly difficult due to low odds of encounter or specific evolution requirements.

Shiny hunting has never been as easy as it's been in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. From Outbreaks to Sandwich Powers, getting your favorite shiny Pokemon can be done without even getting the shiny charm. That being said, getting certain Pokemon to appear shiny can be a little more challenging.

From those with subtle differences to those affected by the games' lighting, certain Pokemon are just easier to find shiny than others. Whether you decide to pursue these Pokemon is entirely up to you, but for those looking for a challenge, here are the most difficult Pokemon to shiny hunt in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Updated on October 12, 2023 by Gabrielle Castania: With the recent release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask DLC and the upcoming launch of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: The Indigo Disk DLC, we're back to update our list of the hardest shiny Pokemon to get in Scarlet and Violet in its entirety.

10 Special Breed Tauros

The new forms of Tauros are, unfortunately, one of the new Pokemon that received a lackluster shiny form. The only difference between the two is that a shiny Tauros' face and mane will swap colors to reflect their typing, and this wouldn't be a problem if Paldean Tauros' fur and mane weren't practically the same color. This alone makes Tauros one of the hardest Pokemon to shiny hunt, but getting a shiny version of the other breeds is something else entirely.

The Blaze and Aqua Breeds of Tauros are difficult to shiny hunt for the same reason they are to encounter. They're a rare spawn in a herd of 'standard' Tauros. Finding one of these rare breeds is already difficult enough as it is!

9 Tatsugiri

Tatsugiri, these cute little pieces of sushi given life, were rated the sixth most popular Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet. As such, many wish to add a shiny version of these cute false dragons to their collection, but there are some difficulties with this.

For one, the shiny forms of the Curly and Stretchy forms are the same color orange as the standard Curly form with only a few subtle differences. Secondly, if you're intending to use the Mass Outbreak mechanic, only the Curly form will appear in increased numbers. If you want the Stretchy and Droopy forms, you'll have to shiny hunt them using a different method. Finally, for some reason, Tatsugiri can know Memento in the wild, so hunt at your own risk.

8 Wattrel

Paldea's new Electric-Flying type has a subtle, but pleasant looking shiny. The black feathers on its head and wings become lighter and gain a slightly purple tint to it. Additionally, the shiny form's body is slightly lighter, and its feet are a darker orange color. It's not the easiest to spot from far away, but you can see the changes. Sometimes.

At certain times of the day, both that standard Wattrel and its shiny form can look very similar, to the point that you wouldn't notice from a cursory glance. Additionally, because Wattrel will fly away as soon as you get near them, the chances that you won't see it before it flies away and despawns is high.

7 Varoom

Though certainly far from perfect, some of the graphics in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet add neat visual touches to certain Pokemon and their environments. From how the sun and moon reflect off of water to how the light illuminates Pokemon make this game feel more real. However, the lighting can be a problem for some shiny hunters.

Because of how reflective a lot of Steel-types are in the game, Pokemon like Varoom, whose bodies are a reflective gray, the ambient lighting makes them look gold, much like their shiny. Upon closer inspection, you can tell if a Varoom is shiny or not, but if you're just walking by, there's a chance you won't notice, especially when they're hurtling themselves at you at 50 mph.

6 Mimikyu

Once more, Mimikyu is a Pokemon whose shiny is affected by the lighting, making it one of the hardest Pokemon to shiny hunt in Scarlet and Violet. Under normal circumstances, you'd definitely be able to notice a grayscale faux Pikachu walking around, but it's different in Paldea.

In nearly every place that Mimikyu spawns, there are large trees present, which may cause immense difficulty in spotting shiny Mimikyu when the Ghost-Fairy types wander under them. In the shade, a normal Mimikyu will look almost exactly like their shiny variant. This is incredibly frustrating as it will have you second-guessing every Mimikyu you see.

5 Ditto, Zorua, And Zoroark

Finding these three Pokemon is hard enough. With their ability to disguise themselves as other Pokemon, the only way to differentiate a Pokemon from a Ditto, Zorua, or Zoroark is to use the games' Lock-On function. This is all fine and dandy, but when it comes to finding one of the shiny versions of these elusive Pokemon, things get a little complicated.

For one thing, these Pokemon won't appear shiny in the overworld. As previously stated, they hide their appearances under the guise of other Pokemon, which includes shiny versions. The only way to determine if a Ditto, Zorua, or Zoroark is shiny is to engage it in battle or try to send out a Pokemon to Auto Battle it, as your Pokemon won't attack a shiny Pokemon.

4 Dusk Form Lycanroc

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the first games where you can obtain the coveted Dusk Form Lycanroc outside an event. Not only can they be encountered in the wild, during the five minutes that dusk occurs in the game, but also Rockruff with the Own Tempo ability spawn in the wild. The latter is a rare find and normal Rockruff can't get this ability using an Ability Capsule or Ability Patch. It's because of these factors that shiny hunting a Dusk Form Lycanroc is challenging.

Because the odds of catching a Rockruff with Own Tempo are already low, the odds of finding one that's shiny decrease drastically. You can attempt to go directly after a Dusk Form Lycanroc, but the small timeframe in which they spawn is so small that it's just as infuriating.

3 Tynamo

Shiny hunting Pokemon with subtle shiny variants is difficult, to say the least. They're hard to spot without closer inspection making them easy to miss when you're making your way through the game. However, no other Pokemon's shiny form is as hard to see as Tynamo's.

Because Tynamo is so small, it's nearly impossible to see the light blue coloration of its shiny variant. Additionally, because Gen V's electric eel Pokemon only spawns in the northeastern half of the ocean, players also have to contend with the games' buggy water effects. In a lot of cases, you might not even see a normal Tynamo spawn in the water, let alone a shiny one.

2 Family Of Three Maushold And Three-Segment Dudunsparce

Obtaining the shiny versions of the Family of Three Maushold and Three-Segment Dudunsparce are both difficult for the same reason. That reason is the odds of a Tandemaus or Dunsparce evolving into said form. At a minute 1/100 chance, getting these particular forms normally is tough considering they don't spawn in the wild, adding onto their difficulty as some of the hardest Pokemon to shiny hunt.

Additionally, because each Tandemaus and Dunsparce have a specific Encryption Constant that determines which form these Pokemon will take upon evolution, resetting your game until you get your desired form doesn't work. The odds of finding a Tandemaus or Dunsparce able to evolve into the desired form, even with Sparkling Power and the Shiny Charm, is roughly 1/68,300, making them some of the rarest shiny Pokemojn.

1 Authentic Sinistea

This one Pokemon has plagued the shiny hunting community for years, made even worse in Paldea. Encountering a Sinistea with the Authentic stamp is hard enough on its own, but getting a shiny tea cup with this stamp is nigh impossible.

The odds of encountering a shiny Authentic Sinistea are roughly the same as encountering a shiny Tandemaus with the ability to evolve into the Family of Three. However, unlike Tandemaus, neither Outbreaks nor Encounter Power affect the spawn rate of Authentic Sinistea. In fact, they only increase the amounts of Phony Sinistea. If you want to get your hands on an authentic pink teacup, you'll need RNG on your side.

Next: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Complete Shiny Hunting Guide