Introduction to Shiny Pokemon
For newer players, shiny Pokemon are recolored Pokemon that get a sparkling animation when they appear. They are sought after for their rarity in games and valued highly by the dedicated Pokemon collectors. This makes them a special commodity in any Pokemon game, and Pokemon Let's Go is no different from the rest.
Before diving headfirst into serious shiny hunting techniques, let's take a look at the chances of getting a shiny Pokemon throughout a regular playthrough. Since Generation VI, the base rate of finding a shiny Pokemon in the wild is 1/4096. Because multiple Pokemon can spawn simultaneously, this slightly increases the odds to X/4096, with X being the number of Pokemon visible on-screen.
With all this being said, if you encounter 1000 Pokemon, it does not mean that your chances are gradually lowered in any way; the chance for each regular encounter will always be 1/4096. This is also the case for gifts and Alolan trades. However, there are multiple ways to manipulate your shiny chances, and we will dive right into them.
Before starting your shiny hunt, it is worth talking to the Fortune Teller in Celadon City if you wish to choose your target's nature before hunting.
What Pokemon to avoid using this method
Unfortunately, before getting started, it is important to note that there are a few roadblocks in the way when trying to complete the Pokedex with Shiny Pokemon. Firstly, both Pikachu and Eevee are shiny locked as starters, which means you have a 0% chance of getting a shiny starter no matter how many resets you do. This does not mean that a player cannot get a shiny Pikachu or Eevee in the game; in fact, they are quite common. However, it will have to be a regular one. Another Pokemon that does not follow the regular methods of shiny hunting is Mewtwo, which makes it significantly harder to hunt. Mewtwo is a static encounter, which means that you will have to reset over and over again until it is shiny. This could take as few as 40 resets or as many as 4000, as unfortunately, it will be staying at full odds. It's also important to know that all three legendary birds (Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres) are static encounters when first met. These Pokemon, like Mewtwo, also require resetting in order to find a shiny. The advantage of these encounters is that once a shiny has been stumbled upon, a player has infinite opportunities to catch them without a flee chance until they are out of Poke Balls.
Flying
Once you have completed the game, you are able to fly on the back of certain Pokemon and encounter flying Pokemon while also being able to see the grounded Pokemon on the route you are currently on. This may seem small, but with the extra Pokemon in view due to you having access to flying and grounded encounters, it raises the value of X in X/4096.
Shiny Charm
Once the Pokedex is complete, you are able to go to Celadon City to receive a Shiny Charm. It is important to note that completing the Pokedex does not technically require Mew, Meltan, and Melmetal. The item still may be a grind to get, but it is really useful when beginning serious shiny hunts, as it lowers the base rate of finding a shiny from 1/4096 to 1/1365. Although the chance of randomly encountering a shiny Pokemon is still quite low, this significantly improves those odds. The Shiny Charm works well with the flying technique, as the rate will be X/1365, with lots of potential Pokemon on screen to up the odds.
Lures
If you do not wish to go through the lengths of getting the Shiny Charm, there are other ways of boosting your Shiny odds. A very simple way of boosting shiny odds is with Lures. They are commonly sold in Poke Marts and can double the base odds of finding shiny Pokemon to 1/2048. This works the same regardless of which Lure is used. However, if you combine the Lure with the Shiny Charm, the odds are further dropped to 1/1024, which are some of the best odds for random encounters. The added benefit of having Lures active is that more Pokemon will spawn in the area, giving you a higher X value.
When using Lures, a choice that you have to make is whether to force encounters or to stand still. There are benefits to both, as forcing encounters and fleeing changes the Pokemon that you are encountering more often, making the Pokemon more likely to be Shiny. The benefits of standing still is that the Lure will last a much longer time and there is little effort involved.
Catch Combos
Catch Combos are by far the best way to manipulate shiny odds in Pokemon Let's Go. Each Catch Combo threshold has a different shiny spawn rate, with a Catch Combo of 31+ creating the best odds possible to find a shiny in the game. The Catch Combo has to be on one Pokemon, though, and it will reset if you happen to catch another Pokemon or have a Pokemon flee. When getting combos on rare Pokemon, it is important to note that Pokemon GO Park encounters do indeed count towards that Pokemon's chain. This allows you to be able to hit a Catch Combo of 31+ of a rare Pokemon a lot more quickly if you have access to these encounters from Pokemon GO. For now, let's take a look at how to keep a chain going.
How to keep a chain
Catch Combo Values
Shiny Hunting Spots
Location is critical when it comes to hunting shiny Pokemon, as the number of potential Pokemon spawning up is very important. This makes Routes with long grassy areas and caves great spots to shiny hunt. Another aspect you must take into consideration is the difficulty of catching the Pokemon, as you will need to get to a Catch Combo of at least 31 in order to get the best odds. A good idea when shiny hunting is to do it on a Pokemon you have already caught 100 of, as that will make the difficulty of the catch go down a color (i.e. Red > Orange > Yellow > Green). A good example of this would be a player who has caught 100 Graveler going to Cerulean Cave in order to shiny hunt Graveler, even though it would be much easier to get a 31 chain of Geodude in Mt. Moon.
Popular Shiny Hunting Spots
Closing tips
If you are looking to shiny hunt thoroughly, it is important to note that most Pokemon are prone to fleeing just after their attack animation plays while the catching ring is still visible. This makes it somewhat easier to predict when you should run to preserve a chain, especially with rare encounters. If you are extremely worried about this yet don't want to pay much attention while shiny hunting, as it can be rather tedious, it may be worth stocking up on Master Balls, which have a small chance of spawning on the top floor of Cerulean Cave. Master Balls are rather rare to find, so it might be worth using the second Joy-Con with a friend or even on your own, as it gives a catch bonus; this doesn't work for water encounters, however.
If you're looking to use the Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure technique, you are going to have a 15x better chance to find shiny Pokemon than full odds. However, if you wish to do it without the Shiny Charm, you are looking at a 13x better chance of finding shiny Pokemon than full odds. If you are looking to catch every shiny, it's in your best interest to seek out the Shiny Charm, although having a 13x better chance to catch shiny Pokemon without it isn't all that bad either. Have fun shiny hunting and good luck catching them all!
For newer players, shiny Pokemon are recolored Pokemon that get a sparkling animation when they appear. They are sought after for their rarity in games and valued highly by the dedicated Pokemon collectors. This makes them a special commodity in any Pokemon game, and Pokemon Let's Go is no different from the rest.
Before diving headfirst into serious shiny hunting techniques, let's take a look at the chances of getting a shiny Pokemon throughout a regular playthrough. Since Generation VI, the base rate of finding a shiny Pokemon in the wild is 1/4096. Because multiple Pokemon can spawn simultaneously, this slightly increases the odds to X/4096, with X being the number of Pokemon visible on-screen.
With all this being said, if you encounter 1000 Pokemon, it does not mean that your chances are gradually lowered in any way; the chance for each regular encounter will always be 1/4096. This is also the case for gifts and Alolan trades. However, there are multiple ways to manipulate your shiny chances, and we will dive right into them.
Before starting your shiny hunt, it is worth talking to the Fortune Teller in Celadon City if you wish to choose your target's nature before hunting.
What Pokemon to avoid using this method
Unfortunately, before getting started, it is important to note that there are a few roadblocks in the way when trying to complete the Pokedex with Shiny Pokemon. Firstly, both Pikachu and Eevee are shiny locked as starters, which means you have a 0% chance of getting a shiny starter no matter how many resets you do. This does not mean that a player cannot get a shiny Pikachu or Eevee in the game; in fact, they are quite common. However, it will have to be a regular one. Another Pokemon that does not follow the regular methods of shiny hunting is Mewtwo, which makes it significantly harder to hunt. Mewtwo is a static encounter, which means that you will have to reset over and over again until it is shiny. This could take as few as 40 resets or as many as 4000, as unfortunately, it will be staying at full odds. It's also important to know that all three legendary birds (Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres) are static encounters when first met. These Pokemon, like Mewtwo, also require resetting in order to find a shiny. The advantage of these encounters is that once a shiny has been stumbled upon, a player has infinite opportunities to catch them without a flee chance until they are out of Poke Balls.
Flying
Once you have completed the game, you are able to fly on the back of certain Pokemon and encounter flying Pokemon while also being able to see the grounded Pokemon on the route you are currently on. This may seem small, but with the extra Pokemon in view due to you having access to flying and grounded encounters, it raises the value of X in X/4096.
Shiny Charm
Once the Pokedex is complete, you are able to go to Celadon City to receive a Shiny Charm. It is important to note that completing the Pokedex does not technically require Mew, Meltan, and Melmetal. The item still may be a grind to get, but it is really useful when beginning serious shiny hunts, as it lowers the base rate of finding a shiny from 1/4096 to 1/1365. Although the chance of randomly encountering a shiny Pokemon is still quite low, this significantly improves those odds. The Shiny Charm works well with the flying technique, as the rate will be X/1365, with lots of potential Pokemon on screen to up the odds.
Lures
If you do not wish to go through the lengths of getting the Shiny Charm, there are other ways of boosting your Shiny odds. A very simple way of boosting shiny odds is with Lures. They are commonly sold in Poke Marts and can double the base odds of finding shiny Pokemon to 1/2048. This works the same regardless of which Lure is used. However, if you combine the Lure with the Shiny Charm, the odds are further dropped to 1/1024, which are some of the best odds for random encounters. The added benefit of having Lures active is that more Pokemon will spawn in the area, giving you a higher X value.
When using Lures, a choice that you have to make is whether to force encounters or to stand still. There are benefits to both, as forcing encounters and fleeing changes the Pokemon that you are encountering more often, making the Pokemon more likely to be Shiny. The benefits of standing still is that the Lure will last a much longer time and there is little effort involved.
Catch Combos
Catch Combos are by far the best way to manipulate shiny odds in Pokemon Let's Go. Each Catch Combo threshold has a different shiny spawn rate, with a Catch Combo of 31+ creating the best odds possible to find a shiny in the game. The Catch Combo has to be on one Pokemon, though, and it will reset if you happen to catch another Pokemon or have a Pokemon flee. When getting combos on rare Pokemon, it is important to note that Pokemon GO Park encounters do indeed count towards that Pokemon's chain. This allows you to be able to hit a Catch Combo of 31+ of a rare Pokemon a lot more quickly if you have access to these encounters from Pokemon GO. For now, let's take a look at how to keep a chain going.
How to keep a chain
A Pokemon fleeing
Shutting down the console
Quitting the game
Catching a different Pokemon
Shutting down the console
Quitting the game
Catching a different Pokemon
Moving anywhere in the game
Having the console in sleep mode
Running from an encounter
Having the console in sleep mode
Running from an encounter
Catch Combo Values
Catch Combo = 1/4096
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/2048
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/1365
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/1024
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/2048
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/1365
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/1024
Catch Combo = 1/1024
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/819
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/682
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/585
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/819
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/682
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/585
Catch Combo = 1/512
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/455
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/409
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/372
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/455
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/409
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/372
Catch Combo = 1/341
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/315
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/292
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/273
Catch Combo + Lure = 1/315
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm = 1/292
Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure = 1/273
Shiny Hunting Spots
Location is critical when it comes to hunting shiny Pokemon, as the number of potential Pokemon spawning up is very important. This makes Routes with long grassy areas and caves great spots to shiny hunt. Another aspect you must take into consideration is the difficulty of catching the Pokemon, as you will need to get to a Catch Combo of at least 31 in order to get the best odds. A good idea when shiny hunting is to do it on a Pokemon you have already caught 100 of, as that will make the difficulty of the catch go down a color (i.e. Red > Orange > Yellow > Green). A good example of this would be a player who has caught 100 Graveler going to Cerulean Cave in order to shiny hunt Graveler, even though it would be much easier to get a 31 chain of Geodude in Mt. Moon.
Popular Shiny Hunting Spots
Viridian Forest
Common: Oddish, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Pikachu, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout. Rare: Bulbasaur
Mt. Moon
Common: Zubat, Geodude, Paras, Sandshrew, Clefairy, Clefable, Onix. Rare: Chansey
Route 6
Common: Abra, Growlithe, Vulpix, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Jigglypuff, Psyduck. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Goldeen, Seaking, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Common: Oddish, Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree, Pikachu, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout. Rare: Bulbasaur
Mt. Moon
Common: Zubat, Geodude, Paras, Sandshrew, Clefairy, Clefable, Onix. Rare: Chansey
Route 6
Common: Abra, Growlithe, Vulpix, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Jigglypuff, Psyduck. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Goldeen, Seaking, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 11
Common: Drowzee, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Raticate, Mr. Mime. Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 9
Common: Nidoran, Nidorina, Nidorino, Spearow, Fearow, Rattata, Raticate Rare: Chansey
Flying Encounters: Spearow, Fearow. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 10
Common: Nidoran, Nidorina, Nidorino, Spearow, Fearow, Rattata, Raticate, Krabby. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Dratini, Dragonair, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Spearow, Fearow. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Rock Tunnel
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Cubone, Geodude, Graveler, Machop, Rhyhorn, Onix, Kangaskhan. Rare: Charmander
Route 12
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Farfetch'd, Krabby, Kingler Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Special: Snorlax
Route 13
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Farfetch'd, Krabby, Kingler Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 14
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Venonat, Venomoth, Scyther, Pinsir, Tauros. Rare: Chansey.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Common: Drowzee, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Raticate, Mr. Mime. Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 9
Common: Nidoran, Nidorina, Nidorino, Spearow, Fearow, Rattata, Raticate Rare: Chansey
Flying Encounters: Spearow, Fearow. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 10
Common: Nidoran, Nidorina, Nidorino, Spearow, Fearow, Rattata, Raticate, Krabby. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Dratini, Dragonair, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Magikarp
Flying Encounters: Spearow, Fearow. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Rock Tunnel
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Cubone, Geodude, Graveler, Machop, Rhyhorn, Onix, Kangaskhan. Rare: Charmander
Route 12
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Farfetch'd, Krabby, Kingler Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Special: Snorlax
Route 13
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Farfetch'd, Krabby, Kingler Rare: Chansey.
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Horsea, Seadra, Magikarp.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 14
Common: Oddish, Gloom, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Venonat, Venomoth, Scyther, Pinsir, Tauros. Rare: Chansey.
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 17
Common: Eevee, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Psyduck, Ponyta, Rapidash, Rattata, Ratticate, Doduo, Dodrio. Rare: Chansey
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 21
Common: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Raticate, Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Victreebel, Tangela. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Magikarp, Staryu, Starmie, Tentacruel
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres.
Seafoam Island
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Seel, Dewgong, Jynx. Rare: Squirtle
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Shellder, Cloyster, Magikarp
Special: Articuno
Kanto Power Plant
Common: Magnemite, Magneton, Grimer, Muk, Voltorb, Electrode, Koffing, Weezing, Electabuzz Rare: Chansey
Special: Zapdos
Pokemon Mansion
Common: Rattata, Raticate, Grimer, Muk, Koffing, Weezing, Magmar, Ditto. Rare: Chansey
Victory Road
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Machop, Machoke, Geodude, Graveler, Onix, Rhyhorn, Rhydon. Rare: Chansey, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan
Special: Moltres
Cerulean Cave
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Psyduck, Golduck, Geodude, Graveler, Lickitung, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Ditto. Rare: Snorlax
Water Encounters: Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Magikarp
Special: Mewtwo
Common: Eevee, Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Psyduck, Ponyta, Rapidash, Rattata, Ratticate, Doduo, Dodrio. Rare: Chansey
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres
Route 21
Common: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Raticate, Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Bellsprout, Weepinbell, Victreebel, Tangela. Rare: Chansey
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Magikarp, Staryu, Starmie, Tentacruel
Flying Encounters: Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Pidgeot. Rare: Charizard, Dragonite, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres.
Seafoam Island
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Seel, Dewgong, Jynx. Rare: Squirtle
Water Encounters: Tentacool, Tentacruel, Shellder, Cloyster, Magikarp
Special: Articuno
Kanto Power Plant
Common: Magnemite, Magneton, Grimer, Muk, Voltorb, Electrode, Koffing, Weezing, Electabuzz Rare: Chansey
Special: Zapdos
Pokemon Mansion
Common: Rattata, Raticate, Grimer, Muk, Koffing, Weezing, Magmar, Ditto. Rare: Chansey
Victory Road
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Machop, Machoke, Geodude, Graveler, Onix, Rhyhorn, Rhydon. Rare: Chansey, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan
Special: Moltres
Cerulean Cave
Common: Zubat, Golbat, Psyduck, Golduck, Geodude, Graveler, Lickitung, Rhyhorn, Rhydon, Ditto. Rare: Snorlax
Water Encounters: Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Magikarp
Special: Mewtwo
Closing tips
If you are looking to shiny hunt thoroughly, it is important to note that most Pokemon are prone to fleeing just after their attack animation plays while the catching ring is still visible. This makes it somewhat easier to predict when you should run to preserve a chain, especially with rare encounters. If you are extremely worried about this yet don't want to pay much attention while shiny hunting, as it can be rather tedious, it may be worth stocking up on Master Balls, which have a small chance of spawning on the top floor of Cerulean Cave. Master Balls are rather rare to find, so it might be worth using the second Joy-Con with a friend or even on your own, as it gives a catch bonus; this doesn't work for water encounters, however.
If you're looking to use the Catch Combo + Shiny Charm + Lure technique, you are going to have a 15x better chance to find shiny Pokemon than full odds. However, if you wish to do it without the Shiny Charm, you are looking at a 13x better chance of finding shiny Pokemon than full odds. If you are looking to catch every shiny, it's in your best interest to seek out the Shiny Charm, although having a 13x better chance to catch shiny Pokemon without it isn't all that bad either. Have fun shiny hunting and good luck catching them all!
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