We're going on a shiny hunt!
Guide by Lottie Lynn Guides Editor
Updated on
Hunting shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus can be made a little easier by earning the Shiny Charm.
First, whether you have the Shiny Charm or not, you need to know how to get Shiny Pokémon and understand what the shiny odds for Legends: Arceus are.
It's also a good idea to know what the shiny locked Pokémon in Legends: Arceus are too, so you don't waste time looking for something which can't be accessed without hacks.
On this page:
- How to find Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Shiny odds for Pokémon Legends: Arceus explained
- How to get the Shiny Charm in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Shiny locked Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
If you'd like to learn more about the game, visit our Pokémon Legends: Arceus walkthrough.
How to find Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Shiny Pokémon make rare appearances in all of the biomes found in the Hisui region of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. You may even find a shiny Alpha Pokémon if luck is truly on your side.
Unlike many of the past Pokémon titles, the different colouring of a shiny Pokémon is visible outside of battle, so it's easy to figure out if you've found one. A short sparkle effect, with an accompanying sound effect, will also occur when you first spot the Pokémon and a shiny icon will appear next to their name.
When you find a shiny Pokémon, we highly recommend quickly saving your game so you can reload if the Pokémon escapes.
If you're planning on going shiny hunting, especially for a particular Pokémon, we recommend increasing your shiny odds by reaching a perfect level on their Pokédex entry and attending any Mass or Massive Mass Outbreak which occur for this Pokémon.
As mentioned, shiny Pokémon are rare occurrences and hunting a particular one down can take a significant amount of time. Unless you're after a shiny Ponyta, as an encounter with this shiny is guaranteed by undertaking Request 19 - A Peculiar Ponyta.
There is, however, a way to increase your shiny odds for every Pokémon you encounter in Legends: Arceus…
Shiny odds for Pokémon Legends: Arceus explained
Shiny odds, also called shiny rates, refers to your chance of finding a shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Each Pokémon species has its own set of shiny odds which is effected by five different factors:
- Whether you have the Shiny Charm
- Whether you're catching Pokémon during a Mass Outbreak for that species
- Whether you're catching Pokémon during a Massive Mass Outbreak for that species
- Obtaining Research Level 10 for a specific Pokémon's Pokédex entry
- Obtaining a perfect Pokédex entry by completing all of the Research Tasks for a specific Pokédex entry
It's important to note that, by the time you've obtained the Shiny Charm, you'll also have at least Research Level 10 for every Pokémon in the Hisui Pokédex, so, at this point, both of these factors will always be in effect.
Thank you to Sibuna_Switch from Twitter for this helpful chart which explains the current shiny odds in Pokémon Legends: Arceus after the Daybreak update (v 1.1.0):
— Anubis (@Sibuna_Switch) February 27, 2022Pokémon Legends: Arceus v 1.1.0 (Daybreak) introduces Massive Mass Outbreaks, which are widespread outbreaks across a map. They have a modestly higher shiny rate than regular wild Pokémon.
Here are the revised shiny rates for the new patch! pic.twitter.com/f72T350lzX
How to get the Shiny Charm in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
The Shiny Charm will increase your chances of finding shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus and, to get it, you need to reach Research Level 10 for every Pokémon in the Hisui Pokédex.
When an entry reaches Research Level 10, it receives a Poké Ball stamp next to its name in the Pokédex, so it's easy to figure out which entries you need to work.
It's also important to remember that you don't need to have any perfect Pokédex entries - where you've completed all of the available Research Tasks for a Pokémon - to receive the Shiny Charm.
Having a perfect Pokédex entry for a Pokémon will, however, increase that specific creature's shiny rate, so, if there's a particular shiny you're after, it's a good idea to fully complete their entry.
After you've obtained Research Level 10, talk to Professor Laventon in whichever biome you're currently in. He will realise that the Pokédex is finally complete and take you back to the Galactic Headquarters in Jubilife Village.
Here, after watching a cutscene, you'll receive the Shiny Charm. If, however, Laventon hasn't given you the other two starter Pokémon from Legends: Arceus yet, you'll have a short cutscene where he does so first.
The charm itself can then be found in the Key Items section of your inventory, but there's no need to equip it as you'll automatically receive the bonus it supplies from now on!
Our Pokémon Legends Arceus walkthrough will help you pick a starter Pokémon and win the Kleavor boss fight. You’re also tasked with filling the Hisui Pokédex by obtaining new evolutions like Kleavor by evolving Scyther, Wyrdeer by evolving Stantler, Sneasler by evolving Hisui Sneasel and Overquil by evolving Hisui Qwilfish. There’s a host of new evolution methods, including ones for the Eevee evolutions.Take the time to complete Requests too, such as The Sea’s Legend, Wurmple’s Evolved! and finding the Wisp locations. Don’t forget to track down every Unown location too.
Shiny locked Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Shiny locked Pokémon refers to the Pokémon who's shiny forms are impossible to obtain in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
All of the Pokémon you obtain through static encounters are shiny locked; this includes the Alpha Pokémon you encounter as part of the main campaign, along with all the legendary and mythical Pokémon. If you do want a shiny legendary or mythical, like a shiny Cresselia, you'll need to use hacks.
You can, however, obtain shiny forms of the starter Pokémon by hunting them down in Space-time Distortions. Meanwhile, if you want a shiny Unown, you first need to complete the Unown Research Notes by hunting down all 28 Unown locations across the Hisui region.
Once you've completed this task, visit the Solaceon Ruins in the Crimson Mirelands to find a collection of wild Unowns. If you're lucky one might be shiny!
Here are all the shiny locked Pokémon, arranged in Hisui Pokédex order, in Pokémon Legends: Arceus:
- The starter Pokémon you receive from Professor Laventon - Cyndaquil, Oshawott and Rowlet
- Alolan Vulpix - Request 83: Snow-White Vulpix in the Snow
- Alpha Kricketune - Fought in Mission 5: A Request from Mai
- Alpha Overqwil - Fought in Mission 15: The Trail of Lake Valor
- Alpha Goodra - Fought in Mission 14: The Trail of Lake Verity
- Unown obtained via the Unown Research Notes clues
- Alpha Zoroark - Fought in Mission 16: The Trail of Lake Acuity
- Uxie
- Mesprit
- Azelf
- Heatran
- Regigigas
- Cresselia
- Tornadus
- Thundurus
- Landorus
- Enamorus
- Dialga
- Palkia
- Giratina
- Arceus
- Phione
- Manaphy
- Shaymin
- Darkrai
Good luck shiny hunting in Pokémon Legends: Arceus!
