Scarlet & Violet shiny hunting: best methods and odds for finding shiny Pokemon

Gotta catch 'em all, or at least as many shiny Pokémon as possible

Contents

1. How to spot shiny Pokémon – Scarlet & Violet
2. Shiny Pokémon odds – Scarlet & Violet
3. How to get the Shiny Charm – Scarlet & Violet
4. The Masuda Method – Scarlet & Violet
5. Shiny Outbreaks – Scarlet & Violet
6. Shiny-boosting sandwiches – Scarlet & Violet

Shiny Pokémon are the rarest prize you can get in any Pokémon game, and in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, they’re rarer than they have been in a long time, in addition to being tougher to spot. Previous Pokémon games on the Switch had shiny Pokémon sparkle as they wandered routes, but that sparkle is gone, and you need a sharp eye to catch ‘em all in Scarlet & Violet.

In this guide we’re breaking down all of the latest methods you can use to increase your chances of catching shiny Pokémon in Scarlet & Violet. If you’re looking to find some rare creatures, you’ll need to read the tips in this guide. Just scroll down below for the info that’ll boost your chances of completing the rarest possible Pokédex.

How to spot shiny Pokémon – Scarlet & Violet

Finding shiny Pokémon is tougher than ever before, and because of the aforementioned lack of sparkles, you’ll need a really good eye to spot shiny Pokémon. They’ll still be a different color in the overworld, but some of those color palette swaps are very subtle, which means you’ll need a discerning eye.

The best strategy for this is to just become familiar with the normal and shiny colors for every Pokémon in the game. Awkward, yes, but it’s the best way to go. Each shiny you catch adds a shiny icon to that Pokémon card in the Pokédex.

Shiny Pokémon odds – Scarlet & Violet

These cuties - but shiny / Nintendo

The base rate for finding shiny Pokémon in Scarlet & Violet is 1-in-4096. Not very likely odds at all, meaning many players will go through the entire game without ever seeing one.

But if you use the tips in this guide you can boost the odds all the way up to 1-in-512 – not an impressive number, but it’ll make hunting shiny monsters far easier.

How to get the Shiny Charm – Scarlet & Violet

A shiny Ceruledge will make all your friends envious, and that's a guarantee :: GameFreak / Nintendo

The Shiny Charm makes hunting shiny Pokémon far easier, and it’s arguably not worth hunting them in earnest until you have it in your inventory.

Getting the Shiny Charm requires you to complete the Pokédex. Not a small task, and will require a fair amount of trading, breeding, and negotiating on your part in order to complete it.

Owning the Shiny Charm takes your shiny encounter rate up to 1-in-1365.

It also doubles the chances of finding a shiny Pokémon in eggs, up to 1-in-2048.

The Masuda Method – Scarlet & Violet

Imagine: Tyranitar, but shiny

The Masuda Method increases your odds of getting a shiny Pokémon from breeding eggs, and it’ll be a huge boon in your hunts. The key to unlocking the Masuda Method is using two Pokémon from different language regions.

Go online and use Link Code 4448-4448 and you’ll be able to trade Ditto for Ditto online. Shop around until you find a Ditto from another region, and then you can use that Ditto for breeding to ensure higher shiny odds in the future.

With both the Masuda Method and the Shiny Charm in play, odds of getting a shiny Pokémon from an egg go up to 1-in-512.

Shiny Outbreaks – Scarlet & Violet

Don't tell me you don't want shiny Dondozo

Outbreaks are present in Scarlet & Violet, and it’s another great way to increase your chance of getting a shiny Pokémon. Again, with the Shiny Charm in your possession, defeat more than 60 (sixty!) Pokémon during the Outbreak, and your odds of finding a shiny will be at 1-in-819, which is pretty good considering how many creatures you’ll be able to find.

Shiny-boosting sandwiches – Scarlet & Violet

Shiny Skiddo? Why didn't you say so!

Finally, sandwiches are the ultimate boost to your strengths, as we outlined in our Pokémon sandwich PSA. Eating sandwiches gives you a variety of buffs, but the one we need for shiny Pokémon is the Sparkling Power perk.

Sandwich buffs don’t effect Pokémon hatching from eggs, but are great for finding them in the wild. But all of the sandwiches which grant Sparkling Power require Herb Mystica to make, which can only be obtained by defeating Titan Pokémon, or in Tera Raids in the post-game.

Depending on the type of Pokémon you’re hunting, these are the sandwiches you should eat:

• Fire-type: Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica and Basil
• Water-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica and Cucumber
• Grass-type: Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica and Lettuce
• Electric-type: Spicy Herba Mystica, Salty Herba Mystica, and Yellow Bell Pepper
• Psychic-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Onion
• Bug-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Cherry Tomatoes
• Dark-type: Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica, and Smoked fillet
• Dragon-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, Avocado
• Fairy-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Tomato
• Fighting-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Pickle
• Flying-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Proscuitto
• Ghost-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Red Onion
• Ground-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Ham
• Ice-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Klawf Stick
• Normal-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Chorizo
• Poison-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Noodles
• Rock-type: 2x Salty Herba Mystica, and Jalapeno
• Steel-type: Sweet Herba Mystica, Salty Herba Mystica, and Hamburger

For the best possible odds of finding shiny Pokémon, stack Sparkling Power, Shiny Charm, and 60 Outbreak defeats, for a 1-in-512 chance of finding a shiny Pokémon. The number doesn’t seem high, but with the amount of Pokémon you can find in an Outbreak, this is a great way to add shiny creatures to your collection.