win.gg
Win.gg Pokemon How to shiny hunt and catch shinies in Pokemon Legends

How to shiny hunt and catch shinies in Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 01/02/2022
A shiny Wurmple in Pokemon Legends: Arceus with a normal Wurmple

Catching and hunting shiny Pokemon works very differently in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. 

That’s not surprising, of course. The latest installment in the series is different from mainline Pokemon games in many ways. But for shiny hunters, many of Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ new gameplay mechanics are incorporated into the shiny hunting experience.

New methods of traveling come into play, as does the more open-world nature of the game. Combine this with the different Pokedex and catching shinies in Pokemon Legends: Arceus plays out much differently from other games in the series.

How do you catch shinies in Pokemon Legends: Arceus?

Players that want to shiny hunt in Pokemon Legends: Arceus should use the mass outbreak feature.

Mass outbreaks are a new feature that spawns a number of Pokemon of the same species in quick succession in single spot. Pokemon that come from mass outbreaks have significantly increased odds of being shiny.

Shiny Pokemon aren’t exclusive to mass outbreaks in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, however. They can be encountered normally out in the wild.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus shiny sound effect

In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, shiny Pokemon encountered in the world play a special sound effect that alerts the player that a shiny is nearby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPeGG8uM6wQ

The sound is a flourish on a keyboard that plays with a sparkly particle effect on the Pokemon itself. It’s played when the player gets within a certain range of the Pokemon.

One of the common strategies for shiny hunting is to fly around with Hisuian Braviary and turn down other sounds. Because shiny Pokemon linger after spawning even if the player walks away, players can use Hisuian Braviary to fly overhead to spawn them, then land nearby to catch them.

What are the odds of a shiny in Pokemon Legends: Arceus?

In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, the base odds for a shiny encounter are the one in every 4,096. This can be increased in a number of different ways.

When a player hits level 10 research for a Pokemon’s Pokedex entry, that’s doubled to two in 4,096. If the player completes a Pokedex entry completely, the odds are quadrupled all the way to four in 4,096. The biggest jump comes with mass outbreaks, which increase the odds to 26 per 4,096.

Players can complete their Pokedex to receive the Shiny Charm in Pokemon Legends Arceus. This gives a flat bonus opportunity to encounter shinies under any circumstances.

In Pokemon Legends: Arceus, if the player has a fully completed Pokedex entry and a shiny charm, Pokemon in mass outbreaks have about a one in 130 chance of being shiny. While that requires a huge amount of preparation, it offers very strong chances of a shiny in each mass outbreak.

Which Pokemon are shiny-locked in Legends: Arceus?

All mythicals, legendaries, and the initial starter Pokemon are shiny-locked in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

The starter Pokemon in Legends: Arceus

The game includes a long list of mythicals and legendaries that are available to the player but unfortunately, all of them are shiny-locked at this time. Alongside this, players’ starter Pokemon are guaranteed to not be shiny. The good news on that front is that while the starters are shiny-locked, Pokemon of the species are catchable in the post-game and can be encountered as shinies.

Though they aren’t catchable, it’s also worth noting that Frenzied Noble Pokemon and ride Pokemon like Ursaluna will never appear as shinies.

Where is Yota for Pokemon Legends: Arceus shiny Ponyta quest?

Yota can be found in Jubilife Village on the bridge near the training grounds, where he starts a Pokemon Legends: Arceus quest to catch a “peculiar” shiny Ponyta.

Yota's location in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
The location of Yota in Jubilife Village

Pokemon Legends: Arceus takes a page out of Gold and Silver’s book by showing players that shinies exist by including one in the main story. After catching a regular Ponyta, which can be done in the Obsidian Fieldlands, players receive a request from Galaxy Team headquarters called “A Peculiar Ponyta” that rewards players with a shiny Ponyta.

After accepting the mission players need to speak with an NPC named Yota who resides in Jubilife Village. He explains that he saw an unusually colored Ponyta, which causes it to spawn in the Obsidian Fieldlands. The Pokemon is found along the river near other Ponyta, but can easily be picked out by its blue mane. 

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile
Read Also
Pokémon Winds and Waves leaks: Everything we know about Gen 10 Pokemon
Pokémon Winds and Waves leaks: Everything we know about Gen 10 Zachary Roberts Pokémon Winds and Waves has been given one trailer and no official release date. Clearly, The Pokémon Company and Game Freak have kept things close to the chest. That said, there are still leaks coming out all the time that reveal plenty about what Generation 10 will entail. Here's what we know so far. Thanks to Centro Leaks, we have a lot of (tentative) information about the upcoming mainline Pokémon ...
Nintendo Direct June 2026: Zelda, Fire Emblem, Pokémon DLC, and more announced News
Nintendo Direct June 2026: Zelda, Fire Emblem, Pokémon DLC, and more announced Zachary Roberts After months of waiting, a real Nintendo Direct was announced for June 9, accompanied by a Treehouse Live afterward. There hasn't been one since August, which left the Nintendo Switch 2 pretty barren in terms of first-party titles. That changed with this stream. Here's everything that was announced. First up, the initial reveal at the June Nintendo Direct was Rhythm Heaven Groove. This was not a new revelation, as it ...
Pokémon TCG announces 30th anniversary set Pokemon
Pokémon TCG announces 30th anniversary set Zachary Roberts Pokémon TCG, as well as the wider franchise, debuted in 1996. That means that this year is the 30th anniversary. Earlier in the year, the Pokémon Company announced several big things for the 30th, including the port of Fire Red and Leaf Green as well as the first look at Generation 10. Part of that livestream included a brief tease about something special for the 30th anniversary, specifically of Pokémon ...
All shiny Pokémon available in Pokémon GO in 2026 Pokemon
All shiny Pokémon available in Pokémon GO in 2026 Zachary Roberts Getting a shiny Pokémon in Pokémon GO is an absolute treat. It's not as easy to hunt certain things on that game as it is on something like Legends: Z-A or Scarlet and Violet, but you can endlessly play by walking around. The shiny odds are much higher, too. At 1/512 base odds, it's much more likely than in a mainline game, where the odds are 1/4096. If you're interested ...
Recent Pokémon sales prove nostalgia is still king Pokemon
Recent Pokémon sales prove nostalgia is still king Zachary Roberts To celebrate the 30th anniversary, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen were brought to the Nintendo Switch (and Switch 2) library. This came a little over a week before Pokémon Pokopia dropped. The former is a decades-old game, and the latter is a brand-new title unlike anything in the franchise. Additionally, it's a real Game of the Year contender. Yet, early sales reports indicate that the two are selling very similarly. FireRed ...
All Pokémon Glazed Cheat Codes: Full List & How to Use Them Pokemon
All Pokémon Glazed Cheat Codes: Full List & How to Use Them William Davis Pokémon Glazed is one of the most popular fan-made Pokémon games. Pokémon Glazed is a reimagined version of Pokemon Emerald, available for Game Boy Advance. Unlike regular Pokémon games, there are plenty of cheat codes that can be used in Pokémon Glazed. This version of the game works with emulators and changes some elements of the base game, Pokémon Emerald. Some of the features include gym leaders with weaker Pokémon, ...
Pokémon Legends Arceus: Adaman or Irida Choice – What You Need to Know Pokemon
Pokémon Legends Arceus: Adaman or Irida Choice – What You Need to Know Steven Rondina After a certain point in the Pokémon Legends: Arceus story, you are faced with the difficult decision of choosing between Adaman and Irida. The trouble comes after defeating and quelling the five frenzied nobles. You are expelled from Jubilife Village and forced to survive on their own, with the quests and services of the village no longer accessible. During this time, the final boss of the main story is looming ...