Pokémon Scarlet and Violet - How to Get Free Shiny Rayquaza
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet players are about to get a Shiny surprise thanks to a new Tera Raid event that will give everyone a chance to catch a free Shiny Rayquaza.
As part of what looks like a cross promotion between the current Pokémon anime series, Pokémon Horizons, and other Pokémon media, Shiny Rayquaza will be available in a special Tera Raid event in Scarlet and Violet. It won’t be the only event featuring Shiny Pokémon going on at that time either, so you better prepare your team ahead of time.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: When is the Shiny Rayquaza Raid?
The Shiny Rayquaza Raid event in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will run from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5. It will feature a Shiny Rayquaza that any player can challenge in Five-star Tera Raids, similar to previous Legendary Pokémon events with Palkia and Dialga—though this is the first Tera Raid to ever include a guaranteed Shiny encounter.
The Shiny Rayquaza Raid itself is only part of a series of “events” going on throughout December in several Pokémon games. In Scarlet and Violet, a lead-up of Mass Outbreak and Raid events will run before and during the Rayquaza’s time in the spotlight, featuring boosted Shiny odds in some cases.
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From Dec. 20 to Jan. 5, a series of Mass Outbreaks featuring Pokémon with black Shiny variants will occur in each of the three Scarlet and Violet maps. You can find outbreaks of Cetoddle in Paldea, Carbink in Kitakami, and Fraxure at Blueberry Academy during this timeframe, with each having increased odds of bing Shiny.
Along with that, a “Three-Part Tera Raid Preparation Series” will run between Nov. 29 and Dec. 19 before Shiny Rayquaza Raids begin appearing. These will all be different species of Pokémon spawning more frequently as in five-star Tera Raids bosses:
- Nov. 29 to Dec. 5: Corviknight and Bellibolt
- Dec. 6 to 12: Azumarill and Clodsire
- Dec. 13 to 19: Annihilape and Kingambit
On top of this, if you play Pokémon UNITE, Shiny Rayquaza is replacing the normal Rayquaza featured as the boss of the Theia Sky Ruins map and it will appear in a new event campaign for Pokémon Masters EX. A special video featuring Shiny Rayquaza in Scarlet and Violet has also been released.
How to Get Free Shiny Rayquaza
You will be able to encounter and capture a Shiny Rayquaza in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Tera Raids from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5. It will only be appearing in five-star Tera Raids, and you will have to clear the Raid before getting an opportunity to catch the Legendary Sky High Pokémon.
Just like with other special Tera Raid events, you can only catch one Shiny Rayquaza per save file, though you will be able to challenge the Raid and claim the other rewards as many times as you like.
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How to Beat 5-Star Rayquaza Tera Raid
You shouldn’t have much trouble with this Raid since five-star Tera Raids are clearable before you beat the main story of Scarlet and Violet, however, you should still come prepared to tackle a Legendary Pokémon with a Dragon Tera Type boosting some of its strongest moves.
