Artwork of Ethan and his Pokémon encountering a Shiny Charizard.
A Shiny Pokémon (光るポケモン, Hikaru Pokemon/光っているポケモン, Hikatteiru Pokemon), predominately known in Japan (and formerly officially in English) as Pokémon with a different color (色違いポケモン Irochigai Pokemon) is a form of a Pokémon introduced in Generation II, with Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version.
Quick Answers
What is the probability of encountering a Shiny Pokémon in the wild?
How do Shiny Pokémon differ from their regular counterparts?
Are the statistics of a Shiny Pokémon different from their regular species?
When were Shiny Pokémon first introduced in the Pokémon series?
Are there any Legendary Pokémon that can be Shiny?
Description[]
A Shiny Gyarados encountered in the overworld of Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version.
Shiny Pokémon are simply Pokémon with an alternate coloration than what is seen with regular members of their species. Although most are drastically different (such examples include Charizard, Mew, Rayquaza or Caterpie), some Pokemon's Shiny appearance are not so much different compared to their normal counterparts (such as Blissey, Munchlax, and Glaceon). They are, however, extremely rare, since there is a very low probability of a Shiny Pokémon being encountered (1 in 8192, or 4096 in later generations). Despite being considered valuable collectibles among many players, a Shiny Pokémon's statistics are no different from their regular counterparts. Shiny Pokémon are very uncommon, especially in the wild, but some Legendary Pokémon and Mythical Pokémon at Nintendo event distributions are Shiny, such as Arceus. Few certain Shiny Pokémon can always be encountered in certain games of the core series, such as the Red Gyarados of the Johto region.
Shiny Pokémon are easily distinguished by the trademark sparkle when encountered in battles, as seen in Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version.
The term "shiny" is a reference to not only the unusual color, but their signature sparkling animation and sound effect when they enter into battle, implying the Pokémon itself having a metallic or glittery coat. The term was originally a fan name. However, similar to the term "Eeveelution" (another initial fan-made name) it became so popular that the term itself became official by The Pokémon Company, and the Pokédex began cataloging Shiny Pokémon and using the term since Generation V.
With the exception of Generation I as it was not yet introduced, it is possible for the player's first partner Pokémon to be Shiny, something that is not reflected with its sprites before being chosen, excluding for Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version. However, this is not the case with the Partner Pikachu and Eevee in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!.
Since Generation V, the Pokédex can show sprites of Shiny Pokémon.
Appearance[]
The summary of a shiny Ralts from Pokémon Emerald Version.
Some Shiny Pokémon have very noticeable color differences, such as regular Charizard having an orange body and the Shiny type having a black body. Certain Pokémon have more subtle differences, such as Clefable, where the only difference with the Shiny variation is the light-green tips of its ears.
If the player either encounters or brings out a Shiny Pokémon in battle, a brief sparkling animation is shown, usually depicted as star-shapes emanating from it; this animation varies between generations. In Generation II, yellow stars with a white background appear above the Pokémon. In Generation III, a trail of yellow stars surrounds the Pokémon. In Generation IV, several silver stars appear around the Pokémon. In Generation V, several blue and white stars appear around it and it will make a sound similar to when a Pokémon heals. In Generation VI, white stars appear around the Pokémon. In Generation VII, a large golden star appears in front of the Pokémon. In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield only, there are two types: those that have their characteristic shine with stars and those that have square-shaped flashes. In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, several golden stars appear around the Pokémon.
The summary of a Shiny Pokémon has a few minor differences. The Shiny Pokémon is represented by an icon depicting one or a few stars, depending on the game. In Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version and Pokémon Crystal Version, three stars are displayed in the upper right corner. In Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version and Pokémon Emerald Version, the background is a little whiter and the Pokémon's number is yellow. In Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, the box with the Pokémon's image is light blue and a star appears in the upper right corner of the image. In Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version and Pokémon Platinum Version, a red star is displayed in the upper right corner of the Pokémon, and its number is colored red. In Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version, a red star appears next to the Pokémon's image. In Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, a red star is displayed, and the Pokédex number is red. In the Generation VI games, a red star is displayed under the Pokémon.
Mechanics[]
A Shiny Pokémon's statistics are similar to those of a normal Pokémon. In Generation II, a Pokémon's Shiny status was determined by its individual stats, which had to be a specific set of stats that were one-third of what would determine its maximum stats, so a Shiny Pokémon will not have maximum stats. Since Generation III, Shiny status is no longer determined by individual stats.
Under normal circumstances, players are very unlikely to come across a Shiny Pokémon. Prior to Generation VI, the probability of encountering a Shiny Pokémon was 1 in 8192 (0.0122%), but since Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, this has been doubled to 1 in 4096 (0.0244%). In Tera Raid Battles of Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, the probability is slightly lower, being 1 in 4103 (0.0243%).
In Generation II, a Pokémon is randomly assigned five integers between 0 and 15 to determine their base stats (HP, Attack, Defense, Special, and Speed). If all five numbers are equal to ten, the Pokémon's color scheme is set to 0.
The game uses pseudorandom number generators to determine whether a Pokémon appears Shiny or not. In the Generation II games, the appearance of a Shiny Pokémon is determined by its IVs, which must be 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14 or 15 points for Attack and 10 points each for Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Since Generation III, the appearance of a Shiny Pokémon is determined by its personality value. In Pokémon Emerald Version, since the pseudorandom number generator is determined based on both the player's trainer ID number and secret ID, Pokémon always appear at a certain minute and second with the same statistics and nature; this also occurs in Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version once the internal battery is depleted. The method does not apply to Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, which does not have an internal clock. In Generation IV, the date, time, and the amount of time from the start of the game to the moment the player presses Continue is used. In Generation V, the date, time, keys pressed, and other data are used before the Nintendo logo appears.
A Pokémon is Shiny depending on its IV, so it remains shiny even if it either evolves or is traded. Even if the Shiny Pokémon it is transferred from a Generation II game to a Generation I game, where Shiny Pokémon do not exist, the Pokémon can become Shiny again when it is transferred back over into a Generation II game. Since Generation III, Breeding a Shiny Pokémon with another Pokémon does not increase the chances of a Shiny Pokémon hatching from a Pokémon Egg, even if both parents are Shiny Pokémon.
Before Generation VIII, when a Pokémon Egg is traded, it retains its personality value, so a Pokémon Egg could hatch a normal Pokémon in one game and shiny in another game. Since Generation VIII, the personality value of a Pokémon Egg is recalculated so that if a Shiny Pokémon were to hatch in the game from which it had been traded, it also does in the game it is traded to.
Shiny-locked[]
In every generation, there are some Pokémon that cannot be legitimately Shiny, aside from special distribution events. Starting for Generation V, there is a coding in the games that prevent certain Pokémon from appearing in their Shiny form in the wild through legitimate ways, and such Pokémon always include Legendary, Mythical and other event Pokémon.
The only Generation I and Generation II Pokémon that are shiny locked are Mew and Celebi, respectively.
In Generation III, Jirachi is shiny locked.
Besides Celebi, two other Pokémon in Generation IV are shiny-locked: Arceus and Spiky-eared Pichu.
In addition to Celebi again, six other Pokémon are shiny-locked in Generation IV: Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, and Meloetta.
In Generation VI, Celebi, Victini, Keldeo, and Meloetta are still shiny-locked, in addition to four more: Zygarde, Hoopa, Volcanion, and Cosplay Pikachu.
In Generation VII, Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, Koopa, and Volcanion are still shiny-locked. Some other shiny-locked Pokémon include Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Magearna, Marshadow, Zeraora, and Cap Pikachu (excluding the Partner Cap Pikachu, which can be shiny due to a programming error). In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, the Partner Pikachu and Partner Eevee are shiny-locked, respectively.
In Generation VIII, the Galarian Legendary Birds (Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres), Mew, Keldeo, Gigantamax Melmetal, Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, Kubfu, Urshifu, Zarude, Glastrier, Spectrier, and Calyrex are all shiny-locked.
In Generation IX, the shiny-locked Pokémon include Koraidon, Miraidon, Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, Gimmighoul (Chest Form, overworld) and their evolved Gholdengo forms, scripted Milotic and Ariados encounter in The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, and every Titan Pokémon.
Methods[]
There are a few different methods to increase the chances of obtaining a Shiny Pokémon.
Breeding[]
In Generation II only, breeding with a Shiny Pokémon can greatly increase the odds of producing a Shiny up to a 1/64 chance. This is due to that in Generation II, Shininess was determined by IVs and the fact that IVs are passed down through breeding. However, this only works if the offspring is of the opposite gender as the Shiny parent. An exception to this is if the player possesses a Shiny Ditto, which can breed with almost every Pokémon.
Ditto[]
There is an exploit in which the player can always receive a shiny Ditto in any of the Generation II games. The player has to first transfer a Shiny Pokémon that knows Mimic into one of the Generation I games through a Time Capsule. While in the Generation I games, the Shiny Pokémon becomes normal since the Shiny mechanic did not exist at the time. In the case where the Pokémon from the Generation II game does not know Mimic but can be taught the move, the player can use TM031 to teach it the move. After doing so, the player has to encounter a wild Ditto that is slower than their Pokémon that knows Mimic. This way, when the player's Pokémon uses Mimic before Ditto can use Transform, the player's Pokémon takes on the characteristics of the transformed Ditto. Expectedly, after the Ditto has transformed into the same species as the player's Pokémon, it uses use Transform again without changing into them. The player has to capture the Ditto after it uses Transform twice and transfer the Ditto into a Generation II game, where it becomes Shiny because its use of Transform has copied the individual values of the Shiny Pokémon.
Soft reset[]
In Generations II to VII, players can use a known tactic in which they save and then soft reset before entering a scripted encounter, like with a Legendary Pokémon, or receiving a Gift Pokémon. The method is impractical, since it can require well over 1,000 - sometimes 10,000 - resets until the Pokémon appears shiny. The method is not usable for Pokémon Eggs from the Pokémon Day Care, because whether it is a Shiny Pokémon is already determined beforehand.
Chaining[]
This method uses the Poké Radar in Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version, Pokémon Platinum Version, and Pokémon X and Pokémon Y to encounter chains of the same Pokémon.
In Generation IV, if a patch of tall grass just shakes, it is a Sinnoh Pokémon. If the bush has a whitish shake, it could be a Pokémon from a different region. The patch of tall grass with the same type of shake as the first Pokémon fought that is the farthest away within a 4x4 grid is most likely the same Pokémon. A chain forms when the same species of Pokémon is encountered twice or more in a row. As the chain increases, the likelihood of encountering a Shiny Pokémon increases before maxing out at 40. A Shiny Pokémon is always in a patch of tall grass that pulses and sparkles.
For Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, the DexNav application on the PokéNav+ has made chaining easier. With the DexNav function, players can see which Pokémon is in a patch of tall grass without having to risk an encounter. Likewise, scaring off a Pokémon using the DexNav by failing to sneak up on it does not break the chain.
Masuda Method[]
The "Masuda Method" is based on when Junichi Masuda revealed that as of Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version, Shiny Pokémon can be bred at a higher probability than normal if two Pokémon in the same egg group are bred while originating from a game of a different language. The method improves the odds of hatching a shiny Pokémon from 1/8192 to 1/2048 or 1/1365.3, in Generation IV or Generation V, respectively.
Cute Charm glitch[]
In Generation IV, there is a method that involves the Cute Charm Ability. If the first Pokémon in the player's party has Cute Charm, there is a 2 in 3 chance of the player encountering a Pokémon of the same species but opposite gender. Cute Charm changes the player's trainer ID number and secret ID, giving them a randomly high chance to encounter Shiny Pokémon. If the player has a certain ID or SID number that is very low, Cute Charm changes it into an unidentifiable number, messing up the player's trainer ID number and Secret ID and the wild Pokémon around the player, allowing for a 21% chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon rather than the 1/8192 chance.
Shiny Charm[]
Since Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2, the Shiny Charm can be obtained to increase the chance of encountering a shiny Pokémon, since it generates two personality values, one of which could determine its trait of being a shiny Pokémon. The Shiny Charm has the advantage of being able to be combined with other methods such as the Masuda method or, as of Generation VI, chain fishing for an even greater chance.
If a Shiny Charm is in the player's Bag, the chances of encountering a Shiny Pokémon in the wild or through breeding are increased. In Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2, it increases to 3 in 8192, or approximately 1 in 2731 (0.0366%). Since Generation VI, the probability increases to 3 in 4096, or approximately 1 in 1365 (0.0732%).
In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, the Shiny Charm no longer affects wild encounters, only breeding, having the same probability as before.
Consecutive fishing[]
This method is usable only in Pokémon X and Pokémon Y and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire. It consists of fishing consecutively without the Pokémon escaping from the hook and without the player moving from where they are fishing. The probability of finding a Shiny Pokémon increases by 2 in 4096 for each time the chain increases. After successfully fishing twenty times in succession, the likelihood of a Shiny Pokémon appearing no longer increases.
The chain is broken if either no Pokémon takes the bait; the Fishing Rod is reeled in too late or early; one of the Pokémon is caught; the player moves; or until a Shiny Pokémon finally appears.
The player can make the process of chain fishing easier by having a Pokémon with Suction Cups or Sticky Hold as the first Pokémon on their team, making the Pokémon more likely to bite.
Ultra Wormhole method[]
In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, the player can enter the Ultra Wormhole located at the Altar of the Sunne/Moone and play the Wormhole Running mini-game. Once the player passes 3,000+ light years, the odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon increases. The highest odds that the player can achieve in finding a shiny Pokémon is surpassing 5,000 light years and finding a Type 4 wormhole, which results in a 36% chance of an encounter, while the lowest chance is 1 in 100 (1%).
Furthermore, the shininess of a Pokémon is determined when the player lands on the Ultra Space Wilds, so the player saves the game before encountering the Pokémon. They can soft reset the Shiny Pokémon in order get a better nature or IVs, and ensure that they can recapture the Pokémon in case it is accidentally defeated in battle.
There are 19 Pokémon that can be encountered in their shiny forms through this method: Crustle, Heliolisk, Swellow, Hippowdon, Nuzleaf, Audino, Sigilyph, Swanna, Altaria, Medicham, Drapion, Quagsire, Lombre, Grumpig, Floatzel, Magcargo, Stunfisk, Yanmega, and Abomasnow. While both Legendary Pokémon and Ultra Beasts can be encountered in the Ultra Wormhole, they are not affected by the shiny formula here.
The shiny rate for Wormhole hunting has its own rates and is not affected by the Shiny Charm.
Capture Combo[]
In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!, there is a mechanic known as a Capture Combo where each time the player catches a Pokémon of the same species, a catch streak counter appears and increases. As the score increases, the probability of the next Pokémon being Shiny also increases, reaching a maximum of 31 catch streaks. The higher a Capture Combo becomes, the more likely the player is to encounter a Pokémon that either has at least four perfect IVs or a Shiny Pokémon due to Capture Combos being able to lower the rareness of Shiny Pokémon.
If the player has either Lure or a Shiny Charm in effect, or even both, the odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon increases. Having a Shiny Charm, a catch streak of 31, and a Lure provides a 1 in 273 chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon.
The Capture Combo is not broken if the player runs away from a wild Pokémon, enters a building, or goes to a different area, but it breaks if either the player closes the game, a wild Pokémon escapes, or from capturing a different species of Pokémon.
Mass outbreaks[]
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, one method of increasing the chances of encountering a Shiny Pokémon is through mass outbreaks, which can occur in areas whenever the player returns to Jubilife Village. The Massive Mass Outbreaks introduced in version 1.1.0 also have an increased rate of Shiny Pokémon, but not as often as regular mass outbreaks.
Prior to version 1.1.0, encounters were set upon entering a location, so a Shiny Pokémon did not appear, the player could reset the game and return to where the mass outbreak had occurred to respawn the Pokémon. This has been changed since version 1.1.0, in which encounters are set at the time the mass spawn occurs.
The mass outbreak method also occurs in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. As Pokémon are captured or defeated either in battle or Let's Go! mode, a Shiny Pokémon has a higher chance of appearing until it reaches a maximum after defeating 60 Pokémon from the mass outbreak. After defeating all 60 Pokémon, the player can save and restart their game, fly to another location, and return, and the increased chance of a Shiny Pokémon appearing remains until the mass outbreak ends, either by changing the day or by defeating and/or capturing every Pokémon from it.
Sandwiches[]
In Generation IX, players can make sandwiches at the Pokémon Picnic that can increase the chances of encountering Shiny Pokémon if the sandwich has the "Sparkling Power" effect on it, as it adds 1-3 rolls to the shiny Pokémon table. The sandwiches stack with other effects. A level 1 sparking sandwich increases the rate to 1 in 2048, a level 2 increases it to 1 in 1365 and a level 3 increases it to 1 in 1024. With a Shiny Charm added with the sandwich, the rates would further increase to 1 in 1024, 819 and 683 respectively.
As each power also has a specific typing, players must also use the according ingredients to do so; e.g to shiny hunt Fighting-type Pokémon, the player would use a hamburger, onion, avocado, tomato, two servings of pickles and two Herba Mystica of their liking without having any of the ingredients fall off.
Due to the auto-battle feature introduced in the game, the player's Pokémon will not attack nearby shiny Pokémon. However, there are no cues to indicate if a shiny Pokémon does appear.
A good way to Shiny hunt in the open world is to set up Picnics, as these force a complete wipe of the current Pokémon on the screen and generates new ones when the picnic ends. If this is not available, simply circle around the area, letting Pokémon despawn to allow the game to load new ones. If the area has Pokémon groups, it is important not to despawn more than four Pokémon at a time if the hunted Pokémon is not of that type, as to prevent unnecessary groups from spawning in.
Since some Pokémon share the same typing and habitat as other Pokémon in the area, it may be beneficial to wait for a mass outbreak for that Pokémon to appear first before attempting to Shiny hunt them. Outbreaks ensure most of the spawns will be of the targeted Pokémon, and when combined with other effects can significantly increase the chances of running into a Shiny Pokémon.
Tera Raid Battle Pokémon can appear as a shiny, but always at the flat rate; neither sandwiches nor the Shiny Charm can increase it, nor is there any indicator of it being one.
Appearances[]
Core series[]
Generation II[]
The first Shiny Pokémon to always appear is the Red Gyarados in Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version, Pokémon Crystal Version, and the remakes Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version, where it appears as part of a story arc. The Red Gyarados can be caught in a way similar to most legendary Pokémon. It itself is widely known as the introduction of Shiny Pokémon to players in general.
In Pokémon Crystal Version, the Odd Egg from the Pokémon Day Care has a 14 percent chance of hatching a Shiny Pokémon, while the original Japanese release has it at an even higher chance of 50 percent.
Generation III[]
In the Generation III games, some trainers obtained through Pokémon Battle own a Shiny Pokémon. For example, in the Red sub-set pack of Pokémon Battle e FireRed & LeafGreen (compatible with Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version) there is a thief who owns three Shiny Pokémon: a Meowth , a Farfetch'd , and a Mr. Mime.
In Pokémon Ruby Version and Pokémon Sapphire Version, some of the Pokémon in scripted encounters can be shiny, including the Zigzagoon/Poochyena that attacks Professor Birch, the Zigzagoon that Norman loans to Wally, and the Ralts encountered by him. Erroneously, if Wally does catch a Shiny Ralts, it appears normal afterward.
In Pokémon FireRed Version and Pokémon LeafGreen Version, the Weedle used by the Old Man in the capture tutorial has a chance of being shiny. The Trainer Tower features a Trainer with a Shiny Espeon, and there are also other Trainers with Shiny Meowth and Shiny Seaking.
In Pokémon Emerald Version, the rental Pokémon in the Battle Factory have a chance of being Shiny Pokémon, as well as wild Pokémon in the Battle Pyramid and the Battle Pike.
Generation IV[]
A shiny Manaphy can only be obtained in the Generation IV games as a result of trading the Manaphy Egg, from which it hatches, since this nullifies the restriction that a regular Manaphy always hatches from the egg. This method was patched by Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, since personality values had been reprogrammed by Generation VIII, since the Manaphy remains normal when trading it before hatching.
In Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version and Pokémon Platinum Version, the Clefairy shown on touch screen while using one of the gambling machines at Veilstone Game Corner may appear shiny.
The Battle Frontier Pokémon used in Pokémon Platinum Version and Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version have a chance of being Shiny Pokémon.
There is a glitch where if the player starts a Double Battle where the two wild Pokémon are both Shiny Pokémon and of the same species, the game crashes.
In Pokémon HeartGold Version and Pokémon SoulSilver Version, even if a Legendary Pokémon is shiny, it is depicted with normal colors, but as a walking Pokémon in the player's party, it is depicted as shiny.
Generation V[]
In Generation V, during the game's introduction, the Minccino sent out by Professor Juniper in Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version or the Cinccino in Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 has a chance of appearing shiny.
In Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2, the player can catch a level 60 shiny Haxorus in the Nature Preserve, where it appears after completing the National Pokédex. Additionally, after defeating Benga, the player can also receive a Shiny Gible in Pokémon Black Version 2 and a Shiny Dratini in Pokémon White Version 2. The Purrloin caught by Bianca has a chance of appearing shiny.
Generation VI[]
In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, there is a higher probability of encountering Shiny Pokémon in the Friend Safari. Since Horde Encounters in both games as well as Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire involve encountering five Wild Pokémon at once, this inherently increases the chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon.
The Bunnelby and Fletchling used in the capture tutorial of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y have a chance of appearing shiny.
It is possible to get Shiny Pokémon in the Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version, but without their shiny coloration, so only their shine and animation is shown when they appear in battle.
Generation VII[]
In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Pokémon Ultra Moon, after becoming the Champion, a man in the Pokémon Center of Seafolk Village will battle the player with his shiny Exeggcute. The games also feature SOS Battles, where a wild Pokémon may call in an ally, which has a higher chance of being Shiny and having perfect IVs, especially with the Shiny Charm. The more reinforcements that are summoned in a battle, the more likely the player is to encounter a Shiny Pokémon.
In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, a non-playable character mentions that the probability of finding a Shiny Pokémon is approximately 1 in 4000 (0.025%), slightly more than the actual 1 in 4096 (0.0244%).
In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! Demo Version and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! Demo Version, Shiny Pokémon do appear but are distinguished only from their shine and not their color, much like in Pokémon Omega Ruby Demo Version and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version.
Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield[]
In Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, a Shiny Pokémon sparkles either stars or squares, which have no effect on the Pokémon but are intended to show how they were encountered. Through breeding, a Shiny Pokémon will have the star animation 93.7% (15 times out of 16) and the square animation 6.25% (1 times out of 16). Due to a programming bug, the probability is inverted for Max Raid Battles and wild encounters, which have a 93.7% chance of having square animation and a 6.25% chance of a star animation. Shiny Pokémon from raids with an increased chance of Wild Area News always have a square animation. Shiny Pokémon from Pokémon GO always have square animations. Shiny Pokémon from Dynamax Adventures always have star animations.
There are also Brilliant Pokémon, which have a greater chance of appearing shiny.
Shiny Pokémon have a higher chance of appearing in Max Raid Battles from Wild Area News events, typically with a 2% chance in 5-star raids. The Shiny Charm does not increase the probability, since only two percent of raids are scripted to always feature the Shiny Pokémon.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl[]
In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl, the Shiny Charm does not affect wild Pokémon encounters.
There is a mechanic in the Grand Underground that increases the chance of Shiny Pokémon appearing. Diglett or Dugtrio occasionally appear and drop sparkles both one and three points, respectively. If the player collects 40 of them during a single trip Underground, this triggers a bonus that doubles the chance of a Shiny Pokémon appearing from the usual 1 in 4,096 (0.0244%) to 1 in 2,048 (0.0488%) for only four minutes. If the player leaves the Grand Underground before collecting 40 Energy, they have to restart the process upon returning.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus[]
In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the chances of encountering Shiny Pokémon can be adjusted not only from a Shiny Charm or mass outbreaks, but also either type of Pokédex entry also increases the chances of each Pokémon species. The rate of encountering Shiny Pokémon through any of the methods, including from combining them, is as follows:
| Pokédex entry | Shiny Charm | Mass outbreak | Probability | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | Perfect | Regular | Mass | ||
| ✓ | - | - | N/A | 1 in 2048 | |
| ✓ | ✓ | - | N/A | 1 in 1024 | |
| ✓ | - | ✓ | N/A | 1 in 820 | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | 1 in 586 | |
| - | - | - | - | ✓ | 1 in 316 |
| ✓ | - | - | - | ✓ | 1 in 293 |
| ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | 1 in 256 |
| ✓ | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | 1 in 241 |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | 1 in 216 |
| - | - | - | ✓ | - | 1 in 158 |
| ✓ | - | - | ✓ | - | 1 in 152 |
| ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | 1 in 142 |
| ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | 1 in 137 |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | 1 in 128 |
There is a quest where the player can obtain an Shiny Ponyta after beating The Frenzy of the Lord of the Woods quest.
Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet[]
In Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, the Shiny Charm, the sparkling level of a sandwich, and the number of Pokémon defeated in mass outbreaks can affect the probability of Shiny Pokémon appearing; the three methods can each be combined or done separately:
| Shiny Charm | Level 3 sandwich | Pokémon defeated | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | 0-29 | 1 in 4096 |
| ✓ | - | 0-29 | 1 in 1366 |
| - | ✓ | 0-29 | 1 in 1024 |
| ✓ | ✓ | 0-29 | 1 in 683 |
| - | - | 30-59 | 1 in 2048 |
| ✓ | - | 30-59 | 1 in 1024 |
| - | ✓ | 30-59 | 1 in 820 |
| ✓ | ✓ | 30-59 | 1 in 586 |
| - | - | 60 or more | 1 in 1366 |
| ✓ | - | 60 or more | 1 in 820 |
| - | ✓ | 60 or more | 1 in 683 |
| ✓ | ✓ | 60 or more | 1 in 512 |
Players who have acquired the Teal Mask and Indigo Disk DLC can acquire two Shiny Pokémon: a shiny Munchlax can be acquired after completing Ogre Oustin' on Hard difficulty, and a shiny Blitzle from Cyrano after defeating him.
Spinoffs[]
Pokémon Stadium series[]
In Pokémon Colosseum, some Shiny Pokémon are colored differently than they otherwise would in other appearances. For instance, Camerupt's Shiny normally has black fur with yellow rings in the main games, but it instead has dark red fur with green rings in Pokémon Colosseum.
Shiny Pokémon can appear in Pokémon Stadium 2. When a Shiny Pokémon appears from the Poké Ball, two golden spheres appear around it.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series[]
A Shiny Celebi appears in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness.
In Pokémon Fushigi no Dungeon: Bōkendan, there are 36 Shiny Pokémon available to recruit. These Pokémon have a Shiny Effect when encountered in territories, and have a maximum Gut value of 200, twice the usual value. The more Pokémon of the normal color of that species are defeated, the easier it will be for a Shiny to appear.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX, there is the possibility of encountering Shiny Pokémon.
Pokémon Rumble[]
In Pokémon Rumble, there is a 1 in 8192 chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon, which has its name displayed in blue.
Pokémon Battrio[]
Shiny Pokémon also appear in Pokémon Battrio.
Pokémon GO[]
|
More information about Shiny Pokémon can be read on the Pokémon GO Wiki. |
Certain Pokémon can appear Shiny in Pokémon GO, some of which are predetermined. Not all Shiny Pokémon are available from the start, with some becoming available in successive events, Community Days, or as Shadow Pokémon, they have been made available gradually. The approximate probability of a Shiny Pokémon appearing in the wild is 1 in 450 (0.2222%), which varies usually depending on the encounter method and some rarer Pokémon species to find, raid-exclusive Pokémon such as legendaries, limited-time events, and so forth.
Pokémon Quest[]
In Pokémon Quest, every Pokémon can appear in their shiny form. The likelihood of Shiny Pokémon appearing is unclear, and there are no specific methods to adjust the rate of encountering them. The player only has to prepare the different recipes available to attract wild Pokémon in general. Similarly to the core series, Shiny Pokémon are marked by a white star in their summary in the lower right corner.
Crossover[]
Super Smash Bros. series[]
Shiny Pokémon do not explicitly appear within the Super Smash Bros. series, although one of the alternate costumes of a Pokémon fighter typically resembles its appearance as a Shiny Pokémon.
Anime[]
Main[]
- Ash caught a shiny Noctowl during his travels through Johto. It also seems to be about half the size of other Noctowl.
- Goh caught a shiny Voltorb in Vermilion City.
- Roy obtained a shiny Lucario.
Recurring[]
- Lance owns a shiny Gyarados after he caught it at the Lake of Rage. It was also seen again during the battle between Kyogre and Groudon.
- Steven has a shiny Metagross.
- Lysandre owns a shiny Gyarados but it died with him when he was killed by Zygarde's Core Enforcer.
- Horacio owned a shiny Charjabug but has since evolved into a shiny Vikvaolt.
- Acerola has a shiny Mimikyu, which its nicknamed Mimikins.
- Gladion owns a shiny Nihilego, which its nicknamed Lillie after it took care of his father, Mohn who developed amnesia upon falling through the Ultra Wormhole.
Minor[]
- Jigglypuff: It was in fact a shiny version of a Jigglypuff in reference to the colors of the shiny version of this Pokémon.
- Shuckle: While in Johto, Ash and his friends discovered a Shiny Shuckle.
- Magneton: Owned by Pokémon Trainer Jackson when he battles Ash in the Silver Conference.
- Swellow: Winona, the Fortree City Gym Leader has a Shiny Swellow.
- Donphan: A Shiny Donphan has been shown in the Hoenn Region on Dontoe Island.
- Magikarp: Was seen briefly in the episode "Judgement Day" and "Going for the Gold!".
- Dustox: Jessie's Dustox fell in love with a male Shiny Dustox and then was released similar to how Ash released his Butterfree. (Except Jessie smashed Dustox's Poké Ball so it could go with its true love)
- Shiny Metagross: In the episode "Noodles! Roamin' Off", James in Team Rocket went out to see this strangely colored Metagross that people had been talking about, and was promptly attacked by the shiny Metagross.
- Pichu: A Shiny Pichu appeared in the fourth ending of the Diamond and Pearl series: Get Fired Up, Spiky-eared Pichu!.
- Ditto: A shiny Ditto appeared in "Dealing With Fierce Double Ditto Drama" under Narissa 's ownership.
- Ariados: In the Special Episode "Dawn's New Journey", Dawn and Cinco encountered a swarm of Ariados as well as a shiny one using Psychic so the others could wrap Dawn and the others with String Shot.
- Entei, Raikou, and Suicune: the three legendary beasts were shiny guardians of the city in the Pokémon Movie: Zoroark: Master of Illusions
- Hydreigon: Owned by Carlita in Black: Victini, and Reshiram. It is used in the tournament In that movie.
- Golurk: Owned by Carlita in White: Victini and Zekrom. It was used to guard Juanita's trailer that contained Victini dolls and candy.
- Onix: The Pokémon was seen near the end in, "Expedition to Onix Island" after Meloetta uses her song to calm down the other attacking Onix. It seemed to have been the leader of the Onix.
- Red Genesect: This Shiny Legendary Pokémon is the leader of the Genesect Army in, MS016: Pokémon the Movie: Genesect and the Legend Awakened.
- Hawlucha: Owned by Carl in "When Light and Dark Collide!".
- Rayquaza: A Shiny Legendary Pokémon that can Mega Evolve in MS018: Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages.
- Dragonair: Owned by Amelia.
- Phantump: Leader of a group of wild Phantump in "Making Friends and Influencing Villains!".
- Pikachu: This Shiny Pikachu appeared at the end of "Making Friends and Influencing Villains!" during the Poké TV segment that focused on Shiny Pokémon.
- Gengar: Owned by Alva in "Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel".
- Gardevoir: Owned by Kimia in "Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel".
- Pikachu (Boss): Owned by Pikala in "A Plethora of Pikachu!".
- Tapu Koko: Appears in "Battling the Beast Within!" and saves its normal-colored counterpart.
- Guzzlord: Two appear in "Z-Move Showdown!" as the regular Guzzlord's partners in crime.
- Shane's Pokémon: In "Raid Battle in the Ruins!", Shane is shown to have a Shiny Psyduck. He is also shown to have obtained Shiny variants of Onix, Swinub, Slakoth, and Bagon on his Rotom Phone.
- Shinegoldie: In "PJ026: Splash, Dash, and Smash for the Crown! - Slowking's Crowning!", a Shiny Magikarp named Shinegoldie is shown. It is owned by Kasukarp and is famous for having ten consecutive wins at the annual Magikarp High Jump Competition.
- Celebi: Appears in MS023: Pokémon the Movie: Secrets of the Jungle.
Non-shiny alternate coloring in the anime[]
Main[]
- Ash's Meltan: The hex nut on Meltans head is slightly darker than other Meltan, possibly due to being used as part of Team Rocket's car.
- Ash's Gengar: Gengar's color is lighter than other Gengar. Gengar's alternate color is very similar to how it appear in the main series games and its game art in the Generation III game: Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
Supporting or Minor[]
There are a few alternate-colored Pokémon that do not appear this way in the games. These are:
- Pink Butterfree: First appeared in "Bye Bye Butterfree".
- Valencia Island Pokémon: Many Pokémon that appeared in "Poké Ball Peril" had alternate colorings such as Raticate, Vileplume, Butterfree, Weepinbell, Paras, Nidoran♂ and Nidoran♀.
- Diamond/Crystal Onix: An Onix made entirely of crystal appeared in "The Crystal Onix".
- Pink Pokémon: Many Pink Pokémon appeared in "In The Pink". Some of the included Caterpie, Weedle, Pidgey, Rattata, Vileplume, Paras, Parasect, Nidoran♂, Nidoran♀, Nidoking, Venonat, Diglett, Mankey, Primeape, Bellsprout, Dodrio, Exeggutor, Rhyhorn & Rhydon.
- Imaginary Pink Pokémon: In the same episode as the debut as Pink Pokémon, Team Rocket had a fantasy where there were more Pink Pokémon not officially revealed. These include Pidgeotto, Poliwhirl, Geodude, Oddish, Electabuzz, Arbok, Weezing & Scyther.
- Ash's Lapras's Mother: It is revealed in "Viva Las Lapras" that Ash's Lapras has a mother and that she is a slightly lighter color than normal Lapras.
- Snorlax Snowmen: A few Snorlax in "Snorlax Snowman" are just like normal Snorlax except they have more of a light-blue to their fur and normally specialize in Ice-type moves like Blizzard.
- Reddy: A purple-skinned Kecleon known as Reddy appeared in "The Kecleon Caper".
- Three Miscolored Pokémon: Though possibly just a coloring error, in "Weekend Warrior," there is a cameo including a light-blue Marill, a blue Breloom, and a Shroomish with white spots.
- Gold Sudowoodo: In "All That Glitters is Not Golden!", a Golden Sudowoodo under the ownership of Keenan is seen. This golden-feature was added during a science experiment in order to make Sudowoodo less weak to Water-type attacks. This was later reversed.
- Mismagius + Rayquaza: In "Malice In Wonderland!", a Mismagius fuses with a Rayquaza, creating a Rayquaza with the coloring of a Mismagius.
- Darker Mareanie: A slightly darker Mareanie (which later evolved into a Toxapex) appeared in "Fighting Back the Tears!".
- Tiny: Tiny, a Passimian that appeared in "A Touchdown for the Team!", has a green mark on its head instead of an orange one. Multiple other Passimian that appeared also had red markings on their chest instead of green ones.
Trivia[]
A Shiny Nidoran♂ in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee!
- In Generation II games, Shiny Pokémon can be slightly stronger than their normal colored counterparts. However, this is not true for later generations.
- This is due to the IVs of a Pokémon in Generation II depending on whether or not it is Shiny. This makes it so that certain strange things happen depending on the IVs and shininess of a Pokémon.
- In Generation II, Unown's IVs depend on its letter, so only Unown letter "I" and "V" can be shiny.
- The move Hidden Power is also dependent on IVs in Generation II, so the only type of Hidden Power a Shiny Pokémon can have is either a Grass-type or Dragon-type.
- Gender is also dependent on IVs in Generation II, so there can't be a Shiny Pokémon with a gender ratio of seven males to one female that is also female. In addition, they themselves also cannot be female.
- This is due to the IVs of a Pokémon in Generation II depending on whether or not it is Shiny. This makes it so that certain strange things happen depending on the IVs and shininess of a Pokémon.
- In Pokémon Gold Version and Pokémon Silver Version, when played on a Game Boy, as the console only shows black and white graphics due to hardware limitations, the only way to identify a Shiny Pokémon is when the trademark glitter effect appears and looking for its icon on the Pokémon summery page.
- Due to Shiny Pokémon being extremely rare, the Master Ball is a common strategy among players to capture them, especially if it is a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon.
- There are examples of Pokémon which, although colored differently, are not officially Shiny, such as gender or form differences in regular coloring such as in Hippowdon, Jellicent, and Gastrodon. However, these are not Shiny variants, but each gender or form will have its own Shiny color that differs from the usual color for their gender or form.
- A similar case can be seen in the Pokémon Stadium and Pokémon Stadium 2, in which Pokemon can have different non-Shiny colors in addition to different nicknames used by opponents.
- Although not technically a Shiny, the first alternately-colored Pokémon to appear in Pokémon the Series was seen by Ash in the first season when he released his Butterfree so it could find a mate, in which the female Butterfree is pink.
- In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, two Kecleon own a shop in the town square. One is a dark purple color, similarly to Reddy.
- The Pokémon which reside in parts of the Orange Islands are colored differently to other Pokémon. The color changes are due to climate and natural adaption according to Professor Ivy.
- In the anime, "In the Pink" was just that apparently, eating the berries there turned Pokémon pink. However, if the Pokémon stopped eating the berries, they would discontinue being pink. Ash's Pikachu was temporarily pink due to this.
- In Pokémon HOME, some Pokémon have Shiny colorations that don't appear in the games. For instance, Castform doesn't have alternate colors for its other forms when Shiny in the main games, but in Pokémon HOME, it does.
Gallery[]
