How to catch Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Have you ever encountered a Pokémon that looked suspiciously different in color as you wandered the environments of Paldea, Kitakami, or Blueberry Academy? Pokémon such as these are known as Shiny Pokémon. While these Pokémon perform the same in battle as other members of their species, many Trainers adore their dazzling appearances. Shiny Pokémon are extremely rare, but there are a few ways that you can improve your chances of triggering such a unique encounter.

If you’re a fan of Shiny Pokémon, there’s no better start than by getting your hands on the Shiny Charm—a mysterious item that makes it more likely you’ll encounter Shiny Pokémon in the wild. You can earn a Shiny Charm of your own by completing the Paldea Pokédex and reporting your progress to Jacq at the academy in Mesagoza. You’ll also earn a variety of different rewards—including special Poké Balls and various treasures—as you work your way toward the grand goal of 400 unique Pokémon entries.

The easiest way to find Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet is through mass outbreaks, a phenomenon in which many of the same species of Pokémon appear in one location. As you battle and catch the Pokémon appearing in these mass outbreaks, your chances of encountering a Shiny Pokémon increase. Three different messages will appear during a mass outbreak to alert you of your progress.

• The number of [Pokémon] in the outbreak is starting to go down…
• The number of [Pokémon] in the outbreak is definitely getting lower…
• There are not many [Pokémon] left from the original outbreak…

You’ll have the highest chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon when you receive the message that says “There are not many [Pokémon] left from the original outbreak…” At this point, it’s best to avoid catching or defeating any Pokémon and to keep your eyes peeled for the Shiny Pokémon you’re looking to find. If you wander to a new location or set up a picnic and return to the mass outbreak, you may find a new group of the same species has appeared—and that these new encounters don’t cause the Pokémon to disappear from the mass outbreak.

The easiest way to battle and defeat Pokémon in mass outbreaks is through Auto Battles. Before choosing a Pokémon to use in Auto Battles, it’s best to consider the terrain of the mass outbreak’s location. For example, if a mass outbreak is located over a body of water, you will want to use a Pokémon that can swim or fly. For mass outbreaks occurring on land, Pokémon that move quickly—such as Gallade or Ceruledge—are particularly helpful.

Even if you’re not lucky enough to find a Shiny Pokémon, mass outbreaks are a great way to collect Pokémon materials that can be made into TMs, exchanged for League Points (LP), and used at the Item Printer in Blueberry Academy’s League Club room. Keep in mind that you can only hold up to 999 of any given Pokémon material at a time. You’ll find a new set of mass outbreaks each day at 12:00 a.m. local time in Paldea, Kitakami, and Blueberry Academy, so keep checking back for the Pokémon you’re intent on finding!

There’s one more way to increase your chances of encountering Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet no matter where you are. Eating vendor food or making your own sandwiches grant special benefits called Meal Powers—and one of them, called Sparkling Power, increases the chance that you’ll encounter a Shiny Pokémon.

The primary way to activate Sparkling Power is by making sandwiches using Herba Mystica, a rare ingredient that is largely obtained through completing 5- to 6-star Tera Raid Battles (check out our Tera Raid Battle Tips article for more information on Tera Raid Battle rewards). Depending on which Herba Mystica and additional ingredients you use while crafting your sandwich, you’ll be granted a Sparkling Power that matches a certain type. For example, using Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica, and Lettuce will activate Sparkling Power: Grass, the perfect recipe for seeking out Grass-type Shiny Pokémon.

You can mix and match ingredients in any way that you see fit, but most sandwich recipes that grant Sparkling Power will require at least two Herba Mystica. Most other ingredients are available for purchase at Artisan Bakery, Aquiesta Supermarket, and Deli Cioso in Paldea, Peachy’s in Kitakami, and the vending machine in the Terarium’s Central Plaza.

See below for a list of sandwich recipes that grant Sparkling Power Lv. 3 for each type, as well as Encounter Power Lv. 3 and Title Power Lv. 3.

• Sparkling Power: Normal – Tofu, Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Fire – Red Bell Pepper, Salty Herba Mystica, Spicy Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Water – Cucumber, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Grass – Lettuce, Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Electric – Yellow Bell Pepper, Salty Herba Mystica, Spicy Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Ice – Klawf Stick, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Fighting – Pickle, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Poison – Green Bell Pepper, Salty Herba Mystica, Spicy Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Ground – Ham, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Flying – Prosciutto, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Psychic – Onion, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Bug – Cherry Tomatoes, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Rock – Bacon, Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Ghost – Red Onion, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Dragon – Avocado, Salty Herba Mystica ×2
• Sparkling Power: Dark – Smoked Fillet, Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Steel – Hamburger, Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica
• Sparkling Power: Fairy – Tomato, Salty Herba Mystica ×2

You can also visit Blueberry Academy’s cafeteria and spend 150 Blueberry Points (BP) to buy the Academy Special, which activates Sparkling Power: All Types. It may not be as potent as a sandwich made at a picnic—this Sparkling Power is Lv. 1 as opposed to Lv. 3—but it increases your likelihood of finding a Shiny Pokémon for all 18 types at once, making it a great Meal Power to have active as you go about your adventures.

Now that you know how to find the Shiny Pokémon of your dreams, you’ll just have to be patient as you search the wilds of Paldea, Kitakami, and Blueberry Academy. Keep in mind that you’ll want to use Sparkling Power in areas where you can ordinarily find the Pokémon that you’re searching for, and you may want to have a Pokémon specialized in catching wild Pokémon to avoid knocking out your friend-to-be. For example, a Breloom that knows the moves Spore and False Swipe—paired with its Hidden Ability, Technician—can go a long way in catching your Shiny Pokémon safely.

Good luck on your search for Shiny Pokémon, Trainers!