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We’ve already explained all the methods available for hunting Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but if you’re eager to start hunting the shiniest Pokemon right now, we’ll explain what you need to do to give yourself the best possible chances of getting a Shiny Pokemon. There are essentially two separate methods — both have strengths and weaknesses. It all depends on your patience, and even with the best possible odds, it can take hours (or days, or weeks) to get the Shiny Pokemon you want. Still, with the right upgrades, you can give yourself an enormous boost in the odds. Some of these methods work even very early in the game.
More Pokemon Scarlet & Violet guides:
Beginner’s Guide | Combat Tips | All Version Exclusive Pokemon | All Version Exclusive Features | All New Pokemon | All New Evolution Methods | Which Starter To Pick First | Best Gym Leader Order | How To Breed Pokemon | How To Unlock Evolution Stones | Pre-Order Bonuses | How To Catch Shiny Pokemon | How To Get A Starter Pikachu | Where To Catch Eevee & All Evolution Methods | Where To Catch Ditto | How To Catch & Evolve Charcadet | Better Performance | Earning Money Fast | How To Remember Moves | How To Unlock Tera Raid Battles
Best Possible Shiny Chances | Mass Outbreaks & Sandwiches
Mass Outbreaks and Sandwiches can give you a temporary boost to Shiny Pokémon appearances in the wild. By combining these two buffs, you can give yourself a x6 chance to see Shiny Pokémon — that’s more than a 50% increase in your Shiny odds.
- Mass Outbreaks: Mass Outbreaks are special daily events. Somewhere in the Paldea Region, a mass outbreak alert will appear — this is an area where powerful Pokemon spawn and swarm. By defeating or capturing Pokemon in a Mass Outbreak, you can temporarily increase your chances to spawn a Shiny Pokemon.
- x2 Shiny Boost: Defeat or catch 30~ Pokemon.
- x3 Shiny Boost: Defeat or catch 60~ Pokemon.
When in a Mass Outbreak, you’ll gain a boost in Shiny Chances as you defeat or catch Pokémon. This is a temporary boost. You can enhance the boost even more by cooking and eating a Sandwich with Sparkling Power.
- Sandwiches: Sandwiches can be crafted at the Picnic with special ingredients. Late in the game, talk to the Sandwich Recipe NPC at any sandwich shop to gain Level 3 Recipes. These recipes use Herba Mystica ingredients acquired from 5-Star Tera Raids,
- Level 3 Sandwich + Sparkling Power: Gives a x4 Shiny Odds boost for 30 minutes.
Sandwiches and Mass Outbreak can be combined for an additional boost — it isn’t an exponential increase, but it does boost your chances to x6 at maximum — in other words, 1-in-683 odds of finding a wild shiny Pokemon.
- Mass Outbreak + Sandwich: By eating a sandwich then fighting Pokémon in a Mass Outbreak, you can give yourself much higher chances of spotting a Shiny Pokémon.
- By eating a special Sandwich (with Shining Power) and defeating 60~ Pokemon during a Mass Outbreak, you’ll gain a x6 boost to Shine Chances — that’s going from 1-in-4096 to 1-in-683.
This method will only work for hunting Wild Pokemon. And you can increase your chances even more in the endgame if you earn a Shiny Charm.
- Shiny Charm: A special charm that gives a permanent boost to Shiny Chances — to unlock it you must complete the Paldea Pokedex. This is obviously only for very, very lategame players.
Combine the Shiny Charm + Mass Outbreak + Sandwich to get the biggest boost — x8 or 1-in-512 odds.
Best Possible Shiny Chances | The Masuda Method & Breeding
You can also breed Pokemon instead of hunting in the wild by using the Masuda Method.
- Masuda Method: The Masuda Method involves breeding with Pokemon from two different language regions. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, breeding is done via the Picnic.
- The easiest way to use the Masuda Method is by trading for a foreign language Ditto. Obtain a Ditto from another country, and you will instantly be able to breed with any Pokemon and earn the shiny bonus.
The Masuda Method gives you an instant +x6 Shiny Chances bonus when hatching eggs — this is the same boost as eating a buff Sandwich and hunting in a Mass Outbreak at the same time. The Sandwich will NOT give a boost to breeding Pokemon, but the Shiny Charm will.
- Masuda Method Shiny Chances: Provides a x6, 1-in-683 boost.
- Masuda Method + Shiny Charm: Provides a x8, 1-in-512 boost.
Using the Masuda Method gives you a huge (and relatively easy) permanent boost to your Shiny Chances when breeding Pokemon, and it can be done very early in the game. It takes a lot less effort than hunting for Wild Pokemon, which requires beating the game and using high-level Pokemon to get the same odds. It’s all dependent on your preferred farming methods.
