Shiny Pokémon are all valid – the balls don’t matter

Shiny hunting has always been a status symbol, and some are trying to make it more exclusive

Shiny Pokémon have been a staple of the series since Generation 2, when players first went to the Lake of Rage and caught the red Gyarados. The Odd Egg in Pokémon Crystal had a one-in-eight chance of being shiny, too, giving players the notion that some Pokémon are not quite like the others. Since then, shiny hunting has become a popular way to play the game, with many spending hours finding and catching their favorite differently colored ‘mons.

Shiny Pokémon are rare. The base odds of finding one is around one in 4000, but there are different ways you can increase this. Breeding with a Pokémon from a game in a different language, obtaining the shiny charm, and making Herba Mystica sandwiches, are all methods in Scarlet and Violet. Shiny hunting has become easier over the years, as more methods are introduced with the activity’s popularity growing. But this has led many to be angry rather than happy.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet add new ways to hunt for shiny Pokémon :: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

You see shiny hunting was seen as a status symbol. It was a mark that you were willing to spend hundreds of hours walking around trying to find one. The hardest shinies give the most satisfaction, and people relish in looking for the most difficult ones to find. 

The Manaphy from Pokémon Ranger is a classic example. There is one Manaphy egg given away per cartridge, once you complete the game for the first time. The odds then were one in 8000, and if yours wasn’t shiny it was time to buy a new copy. Some people like to shiny hunt Pokémon that can run away, such as Safari Pokémon, or ones that can damage themselves or Explode. Others like to hunt uncatchable shinies, such as the first Starly you encounter in Diamond and Pearl.

As shiny odds have become easier, shiny fans have tried to find more ways of making their shinies more exclusive. There are now marks that display text when you release your Pokémon in battle like “Dondozo the Gourmand” or “Garchomp the Once Well-Trained”, but the rarity of these combined with the shiny odds means you will likely never find a certain shiny with the certain mark you want. Players looked for a middle ground between a regular shiny and this unattainable goal.

That’s where balls come in. Pokéballs, of course. Each ball comes with a different catch rate depending on the situation. A Net Ball is an easy way to catch a Bug- or Water-type Pokémon, while a Timer Ball works best if you have been in battle for more than seven turns. The different balls have different effects, and also different looks on the outside. Once you catch a Pokémon in a ball there’s no going back. It will be in that ball for life.

Many shiny hunters try to catch their shinies in specific ball types, not necessarily the best ones for the job :: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

Players started to catch their target shinies in certain kinds of balls. This is more often than not, not the best ball for the job, but much like shiny Pokémon, it’s all about style over substance. Some people like to catch Pokémon in balls that match the color or the patterns of the ‘mon but another trend also emerged.

As is always the case with exclusivity, people started to catch shinies in the most difficult balls possible. This includes a Pokéball, a Premier Ball (aptly an alternate colored Pokéball), or a Luxury Ball, all of which have the worst catch rate possible. Now, this is all fine and dandy, but the problem starts to emerge when people openly reprimand others for not doing the same.

The recent debate is whether a shiny Pokémon caught in a Quick Ball is valid. Quick Balls can be used on the first turn of battle and often give a one-in-three chance to catch the Pokémon, which is some of the best odds in the game for a Pokémon at full health. This is important as many people don’t damage shinies, because if they faint they are gone for good.

Is it fine to catch shinies in Quick Balls? :: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company

So the question is, is a shiny Pokémon caught in a Quick Ball less valid than one caught in a Luxury Ball? The answer is no. In reality, shiny Pokémon are no different to regular Pokémon, neither the ball nor the color offers any advantage. If you like to shiny hunt, that’s great. If you like to catch them all in a Premier Ball, fantastic. But no one needs to judge how other people play and enjoy their games. Especially over what colors or balls look the coolest.