Have you ever seen a shiny Pokémon before? Those strange, mis-colored Pokémon that sparkle when they appear? Shiny Pokémon have been a wonder of the Pokémon universe since their appearance in Generation 2 of the games, and it's never been easier to capture them before. In Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee, you can take specific steps to increase your odds even early in the game, meaning it's possible to have a full party of shiny Pokémon bouncing around behind you by the time you reach the Elite Four with very little trouble.
Here's everything you need to know about these sparkling, strange creatures:
What are shiny Pokémon?
Shiny Pokémon are Pokémon that have a slightly different coloration than normal Pokémon. For example, a Ponyta with a blue mane instead of a red one. Sometimes shiny Pokémon only differ slightly from their normal counterparts. Other times, they are extremely different. Every Pokémon has a normal coloration and one shiny coloration that can be found rarely. These Pokémon will also have a "sparkle" animation go off whenever they appear in battle to indicate their shiny status.
Other than their color, shiny Pokémon do not differ in any way from normal Pokémon. They are not guaranteed to have better stats or be stronger, and there is nothing unique about their movesets. They're just rare, pretty Pokémon that are a pleasant surprise to encounter!
How do I know a Pokémon is shiny?
Fortunately, finding shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu and Eevee is much easier than it's ever been before because you can see Pokémon in the world with you rather than having to rely on random encounters. If you see a Pokémon that looks differently colored from the other, same species around it, it's probably a shiny and you should immediately instigate an encounter with it. You can also see sparkles around that Pokémon before you enter the encounter, which is also a very obvious tell - though be sure to distinguish sparkles from the red and blue swirls indicating large and small-sized Pokémon.
Once you have encountered it, you'll be able to get a better look at the Pokémon's coloration, as well as see another sparkling animation when the encounter starts. You'll catch a shiny just like any other Pokémon, but you may want to use extra Razz Berries and stronger Poké Balls, like a Great or Ultra Ball, to be sure it doesn't flee.
Finally, shiny Pokémon will have a red star marker on their status screen once you catch them as a signifier that they are indeed shiny.
How can I make it more likely I'll find shiny Pokémon?
Shiny Pokémon are exceedingly rare but in Pokémon Let's Go! you can increase your odds of encountering them fairly easily. Normally, the chances of seeing a shiny Pokémon are about 1 in 4096 - so, fairly rare.
The easiest way to increase your chances of finding a shiny Pokémon is to use a Lure. Using a Lure will double your odds for the duration of the Lure's use.
The second way to increase your odds is to increase your Catch Combo. If you've played for a bit already, you've likely already seen how Catch Combos, or catching the same Pokémon multiple times in a row, will increase the experience you get from captures. But as you raise that Catch Combo, you'll also increase your chances of finding rare Pokémon. At a Catch Combo of 11, your shiny rate goes up for the specific species of Pokémon you're catching. After 21, it's even higher, and it maxes out at 31. You can combine those combos with a Lure to further increase your chances of seeing a shiny Pokémon.
The last way to increase your odds is to acquire a Shiny Charm from Celadon City. You can only get this rare item once you've completed the entire Pokédex, though, so if you're still far off don't sweat it too much. The Shiny Charm on its own will increase your odds considerably and again can be compounded with Lures and Catch Combos.
Can I transfer shiny Pokémon from Pokémon Go?
You can! This is another way to collect shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Let's Go! If you already have shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Go, either from random encounters or increased rates, you can pass them over to Pokémon Let's Go! permanently. You can do this through the Pokémon Go Park in Fuchsia City - and if you're not sure how to transfer them yet, we have a guide showing exactly how.
Pokémon that are shiny in Pokémon Go will keep their shininess in Pokémon Let's Go! and will appear as shiny in Pokémon Go park. You won't be able to send them back to Pokémon Go, though, so choose which game you want them in wisely!
Any questions?
Still have questions about shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Let's Go? Let me know in the comments!
