Shiny Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to find Shiny Pokemon

If you’re looking for Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, then this guide will help you capture the rare monster types.

Shiny Pokemon are incredibly rare versions of normal Pokemon with special coloring.

Shiny Pokémon were originally introduced in Generation 2, and while they’re still hard to find, modern Pokemon games can make it a bit easier with certain methods.

With the new generation finally here on Nintendo Switch, many players are wondering how to find shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet?

So, if you’re ready to find a Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, read on.

If you’re getting back into Shiny Hunting in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet because you’ve picked up Pokemon Scarlet and Violet The Teal Mask, then stay tuned to our guides, as VGC will have the most comprehensive Pokemon Scarlet and Violet The Teal Mask guides around.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Guides:

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet walkthrough, tips, and Pokemon locations | Roaring Moon location | Iron Valiant location | Shiny sandwich recipes | Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Legendaries | Pokemon type chart

How to find a Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet

Searching the overworld

Shiny Pokemon can appear almost anywhere in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, meaning wherever you are in the game there’s usually a slight chance you’ll come across one.

Sadly, it isn’t quite as easy as it is in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. In that game, Shiny Pokemon make a noise when they appear in the overworld, meaning you definitely know there’s one there and all you need to do is find it.

This time, Shiny Pokemon no longer make a noise, meaning you have to be a bit more perceptive. The most obvious way to spot one requires the most Pokémon knowledge – if you already know what colour a normal Pokemon is, their shiny version should be easy to spot because it’ll be a different colour.

If you can’t tell by how it looks, another trick is to throw out your first Pokemon using ZR. If you do this, your Pokemon WON’T ATTACK a shiny Pokemon. If it’s not shiny, it’ll attempt to knock it out.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet shiny odds are 1/4096. With the Shiny charm, the odds of finding a shiny Pokemon become 1/2048.

The Masuda Method and breeding

The Masuda method, named after Junichi Masuda, can also be used to improve your chances of finding a shiny Pokemon if you’re hatching them from eggs.

With the Masuda method, which requires breeding between Pokemon from two different regional copies of the game, the odds become 1/683. If you have the Shiny charm and use the Masuda method, the odds become 1/512.

The most popular foreign Pokemon to get is Ditto. As Ditto can breed with any Pokemon, a foreign Ditto is very desirable, thankfully there’s a whole community of players willing to trade them if you’re patient.

Thankfully, getting a foreign Ditto has never been easier, especially with the various trading methods in the game. As more and more Pokemon that aren’t native to Paldea, like Charizard and Cinderace, make their appearance in Pokemon Sword and Shield, the only way to get them in their shiny form is via breeding, so the Masuda Method is essential.

• Read more in our Masuda method guide

Shiny sandwiches

A new way to increase your chances of finding a Shiny Pokemon is with a Shiny sandwich, which make shiny hunting more straightforward than ever in Scarlet and Violet.

By obtaining ingredients from around Paldea, players can create these special sandwiches and increase their odds of a shiny Pokemon appearing, based on their type.

While most of the ingredients for shiny sandwiches can be found in shops.

• Read more in our Shiny sandwich guide

Mass Outbreaks

In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, a Mass Outbreak is when a large number of the same Pokemon invade a single spot on the map. Almost every monster in the Pokedex, aside from Legendary Pokemon and starter Pokemon, can appear during these events.

The game will alert players when a Mass Outbreak is starting by refreshing the map and showing around 5-7 Pokemon that are appearing in Mass Outbreaks.

Thankfully, Mass Outbreak Shiny Odds are very easy to manipulate to the point where you can essentially get them down to 1/1. However, players can encounter over 500 Pokemon during a Mass Outbreak if they perform the steps correctly.

• Read more in our Mass Outbreaks Shiny guide

Shiny Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: Isolated encounter method

The isolated encounter method is one of the most effective ways to find Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and can be used on most of the Pokemon in the game.

By greatly eliminating the number of Pokemon that can appear in an area, the isolated encounter method means that finding the shiny Pokemon you’re looking for is easier than ever.

Doing the isolated encounter method means that even Pokemon that can’t be found in mass outbreaks will spawn in huge numbers, and when combined with the shiny charm, and the sparkling power from Shiny sandwiches can be used to rapidly find the shiny Pokemon that you’re looking for.

You can find a full guide on how to do the isolated encounter method here.

Shiny Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: How to hunt for a specific isolated encounter Pokemon with Mass Outbreaks

One of the most effective ways to hunt for Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is to use the isolated encounter method in conjunction with mass outbreaks. There is a list of certain Pokemon that can appear in Mass Outbreaks, with some being far rarer than others. However, there is a way to influence which Pokemon appear in these outbreaks, and in doing so means you can hunt them with the isolated encounter method if that Pokemon is the only one of that type in the area.

In order to reset the Pokemon that appear in the isolated encounter table, simply change the date of your Nintendo Switch one day in the future, and it will change the spawns. If you know the specific area where the Shiny Pokemon you’re looking for can appears, you can then use the isolated encounter method to get the already boosted shiny odds of a Mass Outbreak combined with the fact that your Pokemon will be the only one spawning to hugely increase your chances.

Shiny Pokemon Scarlet and Violet: Shiny-locked Pokemon

Some Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet can’t be Shiny Pokemon, these are mainly legendary Pokemon and the some gift encounters.

• Starters: All three of the starter Pokemon are shiny-locked, so there’s no need to reset over and over for them.
• Galarian Meowth gift.
• All in-game trades with NPCs.
• All four sub-legendary Pokemon.
• both box legendary Pokemon
• The Titan Pokemon
• Gimmighoul chest form.

More Pokemon Scarlet and Violet shiny guides:

How to find Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet | Shiny Sandwiches | Masuda Method | Mass Outbreaks | Shiny Charm |Isolated Encounter Method | Pokemon type chart