Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Shiny Hunting Guide: How to catch Shiny Pokemon

One of the most exciting things about any Pokemon game, and even more so in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, is shiny hunting. Catching Pokemon and battling with trainers is fun enough as it is, but the thrill of possibly catching shiny Pokemon adds even more excitement into the mix.

Shiny Pokemon will often have a different colour variant to its normal form, and of course, the odds of catching a shiny Pokemon remain just as low in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. However, there are a range of ways in which you can increase your chances of encountering one.

In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about shiny hunting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, so you can catch some shiny Pokemon.

How Shiny Hunting works in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

First things first, you’ll want to know the basics of shiny hunting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, including how likely you are to encounter one.

The base odds of encountering a shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are the usual 1 in 4096, which is rather low. The advantage that we have in Scarlet and Violet, however, is that we can see Pokemon in the overworld, including shiny Pokemon.

If you’ve played Pokemon Legends: Arceus, you may recall that shiny Pokemon in the overworld would physically sparkle. This is not the case in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and you will need to look out solely for the colour of the Pokemon to identify if it is a shiny or not. Some of these colour variations aren’t so obviously different to a Pokemon’s normal appearance, so you’ll want to keep a keen eye on their appearance.

If you’re roaming the overworld and see a familiar Pokemon with a different colour variation, you can safely assume that this could be a shiny. Do note, however, that some Pokemon simply have different-coloured forms. For example, you might find a red Lycanroc; this is Midnight Form Lycanroc, rather than a shiny one. There’s also Floette, and the range of colours that this Pokemon comes in.

Keep these in mind, but overall, spotting a wild shiny Pokemon is easy enough… when one actually spawns.

Shiny-locked Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

It’s also worth keeping in mind that some Pokemon across Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are shiny-locked, meaning that they will not appear as shiny Pokemon in the game.

So, to save yourself some time hunting a specific shiny that may not exist, here’s a list of all the shiny-locked Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet.

1. All starter Pokemon - Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Sprigatito
2. All Titan Pokemon - Klawf, Orthworm, Dondozo/Tatsugiri, Iron Treads/Great Tusk, Bombirdier
3. Both Box Pokemon - Koraidon, and Miraidon
4. All Ruin Pokemon - Ting Lu, Chien Pao, Chi Yu, and Wo Chien
5. All Gift Pokemon - Pokemon caught via Mystery Gift or trading with NPCs
6. Chest Form Gimmighoul

How to increase Shiny encounter rates in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

As previously mentioned, the base odds of you encountering a shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is 1 in 4096. This sucks, but fortunately, there are a few ways to increase your chances of encountering a shiny Pokemon.

Also, big thanks are owed to Asuda over on Twitter, who has somehow worked out the maths and put together all the shiny rates in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Make Shiny Sandwiches

After having completed the main game in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you’re able to collect a resource known as Herba Mystica. The item can be used as an ingredient in sandwiches to make shiny sandwiches, which can increase shiny encounter rates for up to 30 minutes.

To get your hands on Herba Mystica, you will first need to unlock six-star raids, and then repeatedly take part in them. With some luck, Herba Mystica will be a reward from the raids.

Then, you’ll want to use the Herba Mystica to make shiny sandwiches. For help with the specifics of recipes, Reddit user u/dannydestroyer12 shared a helpful infographic detailing how to create a shiny sandwich with Sparkling Power Level 3, Encounter Power Level 3 (for the type of Pokemon you’re after), and Title Power Level 3.

Get the Shiny Charm

With the Shiny Charm in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet equipped, your chances of encountering a shiny Pokemon are increased from 1 in 4096 to 1 in 1365. This can make quite the difference in your base odds.

To get the Shiny Charm, you’ll need to complete the Paldean Pokedex and catch all 400 Pokemon. This includes version-exclusives, so you’ll need to be prepared to do plenty of grinding and trading with others in order to catch ‘em all.

The Masuda Method

The Masuda Method is a way of hatching shiny Pokemon that has been around for a good while now. Luckily for us, it still works in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, too. The method works by breeding Pokemon at a picnic, but you can’t breed any random Pokemon from your boxes. It requires a lot more organising than that, in fact.

Essentially, a Pokemon of your choosing will need to breed with the same species of Pokemon, of the opposite gender. However, the other Pokemon needs to be from a version of the game you aren’t playing, and also from a different country of origin.

For example, if I want to breed a shiny Dragonite as a Pokemon Scarlet player in the UK, I would need to find and trade another Dragonite (of the opposite gender) with a Pokemon Violet player in a different country. Then, if I was to breed the two Dragonite at a picnic, the base odds of producing a shiny Pokemon from the egg is increased to 1 in 683.

Take part in Mass Outbreaks

In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, you’ll often see pink glowing spots around the map that appear with a question mark, or a Pokemon. These are Mass Outbreaks, and you’ll find multiple of a single species in this area.

During Mass Outbreaks, your best bet is to battle with and clear out as many of these Pokemon as possible. The more you knockout, the more spawn, and the higher your base odds for finding a shiny Pokemon are. With the Let’s Go autobattle feature, defeating multiple Pokemon in a matter of minutes is incredibly easy.

For example, after clearing 30-59 Pokemon, your base odds for encountering a shiny during the Mass Outbreak become 1 in 2048. Clear 60, and those odds become 1 in 1365.

Combine the above methods

The best way to increase your chances of finding a shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are by using the above methods in combination.

For example, if you consume a Sparkling Power Level 3 sandwich, have the Shiny Charm, and have cleared 60 Pokemon during a Mass Outbreak, your odds at encountering a shiny become as high as 1 in 512.

If you combine a Shiny Charm with the Masuda Method, your odds also become 1 in 512. This, so far, is the highest your odds at encountering a shiny Pokemon can currently be in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

To maximise your chances for finding shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it takes hard work and patience. If you’ve been lucky enough to find one by chance during your play through, I envy you!

For more on Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, take a look how to get all the Eeveelutions, collect Bottle Caps, and how to change your appearance in-game.