Shiny Pokemon are highly desired due to their unique coloration as well as their rarity. Since the early games, players have spent hours pacing around in the tall grass while utilizing every game guide at their disposal to get just one shiny Pokemon.
Pokemon Sword and Shield is no different. In fact, the game has made shiny Pokemon even more popular, as players get to show off their catches in online co-op Dynamax raids.
While players always want a shiny Pokemon, the strategy of actually catching one changes with each game. There is actually a lot to consider when it comes to shiny hunting in Sword and Shield.
Things To Know Before Hunting Or Breeding
Star Shiny Versus Square Shiny
The recent generation created a rarer variant of shiny that simply sparkles a little differently with square shapes instead of star shapes. There are actually different methods of shiny hunting to consider depending on if the player wants a square shiny or a star shiny.
Catching a star shiny: All Pokemon that are caught in Dynamax Adventures of the Crown Tundra will be star variants. Star variants are commonly seen from hatched shiny Pokemon, Max Raid Battles, and from Pokemon transferred from previous generations.
Catching a square shiny: Square shiny variants are caught in the wild.
There Are Pokemon That Cannot Be Shiny
Some players have wasted their time on impossible shiny Pokemon. These Pokemon include the Galarian Slowpoke at Wedgehurst Station, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, the free Toxel from the Pokémon Nursery, the starter Pokemon from Leon, the Type: Null given at the Battle Tower, the Kubfu and gift Porygon from the Master Dojo, and all of the Pokemon given by the Diglett Trainer.
Lastly, Pokemon that are a higher level than the player's Badges cannot be shiny.
Shiny Pokemon In Max Raid Battles
Max Raid Battles are new to the world of shiny hunting. Pokemon in Max Raid Battles can be shiny and its different coloration will show up on the Dynamaxed Pokemon's design from the get-go.
Overworld Shiny Pokemon
Unlike the Pokemon Let's Go games, players will not be able to tell if a Pokemon is shiny as they walk through the overworld. This means players have to enter a battle to tell if a Pokemon is shiny or not.
Breeding A Shiny Pokemon
Breeding a shiny Pokemon in Sword and Shield is the same as previous titles. Since generation four, players have used what is called the "Masuda Method" of breeding a shiny Pokemon.
The Masuda Method requires breeding Pokemon of different languages with each other. Eggs made by two Pokemon from different languages have a higher chance of being shiny.
To get a Pokemon of a different language, do a lot of trading. The ideal Pokemon that players should get in a different language is Ditto. This is because Ditto can breed with any Pokemon. So if you want a shiny Pokemon, catch a normal version of that Pokemon and breed it with a Ditto of a different language.
While chances of a shiny will increase, this will take a lot of eggs. Players typically grind shiny breeding while watching a TV series due to how long and boring the process can be.
The Shiny Charm
There is only a small chance of finding a shiny Pokemon in Sword and Shield. Specifically, players have a one in 4,096 chance to just find one in the tall grass. Luckily though, there are different ways to increase chances.
The shiny charm can be difficult to get, as players will have to complete the Sword and Shield Pokedex. However, it is a must for finding shiny Pokemon. The rough estimate of its increased chances to see a shiny Pokemon with the charm in the player inventory is one in 1,365. That makes it three times more likely to find a shiny!
After completing the Galar Pokedex, visit the Game Freak director in Circhester. He will award the player with the charm. The charm does not need any sort of activation. It immediately goes into effect.
Hunting For A Shiny In The Wild
When you have picked which Pokemon you want a shiny of, find a place where they spawn in the wild. Once there, it is time to grind. Catch or knock out every wild Pokemon of that species you see. Doing this is paramount, as the chances of seeing a shiny version will go up with each one knocked out and/or caught. The Pokedex entry for that species will even show you your tally.
Once 50 of the species are caught or knocked out, the chances of seeing a shiny increase by 1.5 percent. At 100, it is two percent. At 200 it is 2.5 percent. At 300 Pokemon, the chances go up to three percent. The highest chance though is after 500 with a shiny charm. After knocking out and catching 500 Pokemon of the species with a shiny charm, chances to find a shiny go from one in 4,096 chance to one in 512.
Another important factor is known as shiny chaining. Chaining is a bit different, as chances increase with each Pokemon of the species caught or knocked out in a row. If a different species is met, run away from it. It does not break the chain unless caught or knocked out. The ideal chain is 25 or more of that species.
Combining the Shiny Charm, 500 or more battles, and a 25 or more shiny chain will chance chances from 1 in 4,096 to 1 in 455.
Hunting For A Shiny In Dynamax Adventures
For players with The Crown Tundra DLC expansion, Dynamax Adventures are available. Chances to see a shiny in this part of the game is way higher than in the wild.
Without a Shiny Charm, the odds of seeing a shiny Pokemon in Dynamax Adventures in one in 300. With a Shiny Charm, it is an incredible one out of 100. However, it is important to know that none of the shiny Pokemon in Dynamax Adventures will be squares. They will all be star shinies.
However, players will not know if a Pokemon they caught is shiny until after the run-through is over. That means every Pokemon encountered should be caught. In the end, players can examine the Pokemon they've caught and decide whether to keep them or not. That is the time when players will found out if any of the caught Pokemon are shiny.
If the player wants a legendary shiny, then they should never keep one unless it is shiny. This is because legendaries that are kept do not appear in Dynamax adventures ever again.
Also, resetting Dynamax Adventures does not help in shiny hunting. In fact, it can have negative consequences such as making the player pay a Dyonite penalty.