Shiny Pokémon are one of the biggest lures in the franchise, and, whether you’re intent on catching them all in Pokémon Legends: Z-A or are on the hunt for a certain species in particular, we’ve got some tips to help you in your quest.
The beloved jingle and visible glimmer for Shiny Pokémon are back in Legends Z-A, providing a huge assistance in the grind to obtain them, and the title is arguably the best-ever in the push to obtain the desirable variants.
For all the methods you can utilize to find Shiny Pokémon in Legends: Z-a, to all the Pokémon you won’t be able to find due to Shiny Locks, we’ve got all the information you need.
How to Get Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A are rare to encounter, though odds increase once you obtain the Shiny Charm, and there are several ways to better your chances.
The environment in Lumiose City lends itself well to Shiny hunting, as Pokémon within a 50m radius will be spawned in and despawn when you move 70m away. With this, and the abundance of fast-travel locations that reset all spawns in the vicinity when used, you can regularly reroll the spawns and increase your chances of finding a Shiny.
Unlike Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which introduced Mass Outbreaks, and Scarlet and Violet, which had increased odds using special sandwiches, there isn’t currently a direct feature in the game that increases your chances of encountering a Shiny. Despite this, the odds are stacked in your favor due to the consistent respawns.
Best Shiny Hunt Method in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
Some Shiny Hunt methods in Pokémon Legends: Z-A will only work in specific areas, but are by far the most effective at target-hunting specific Pokémon spawns.
The best examples of this are entering and exiting the stairs repeatedly inside Wild Zone 3 and spamming the teleporters inside Lysandre Labs, both of which respawn all the Pokémon in the vicinity every time. Lysandre Labs is particularly effective, as it respawns Pokémon in two zones.
Elsewhere, the best tactics to utilize for any Shiny Pokémon hunt are fast-travelling to the same area repeatedly, resting at benches, or moving within 50m of a Pokémon and then 70m away to retrigger the spawns.
All Pokémon Legends: Z-A Shiny Hunt Methods, Explained
In the table below, we’ve outlined all the main Shiny Hunt methods in Pokémon Legends: Z-A that can be utilized. All stats come directly from AustinJohnPlays on YouTube, whose video provides detailed information on each approach.
| Shiny Hunt Method | Location | Description | Time For 1/1 Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teleporter Spam | Lysandre Cafe Only | In the Lysandre Labs location, use the teleporters to move between points and reroll Pokémon spawns. | Without Shiny Charm: 34 Minutes With Shiny Charm: 9 Minutes |
| Doors | Wild Zone 3 Only | Hold down repeatedly to enter/exit the stairway by the Alpha Litleo, which rerolls Pokémon spawns each time. | Without Shiny Charm: 10 Minutes With Shiny Charm: 3 Minutes |
| Fast Travel | Anywhere | Fast-travel to the same point to reroll spawns in a 50-meter radius. | Without Shiny Charm: 5.7 Hours With Shiny Charm: 85 Minutes |
| Fast Travel & Run | Anywhere | Fast-travel to the same point and travel to desired spot to reroll nearby spawns. | Without Shiny Charm: 14.8 Hours With Shiny Charm: 3.7 Hours |
| Benching | Any Bench | Advance the time of day at a bench repeatedly to reroll nearby spawns. | Without Shiny Charm: 20.5 Hours With Shiny Charm: 5.1 Hours |
| Running (Single Pokémon) | Anywhere | Run within 50 meters to a desired Pokémon spawn, then run 70 meters away to despawn, and repeat. | Without Shiny Charm: 9.1 Hours With Shiny Charm: 2.3 Hours |
| Spawn Camp (Single Pokémon) | Anywhere | Wait for the game to manually reroll desired Pokémon spawn. Work out the timing, save the game before the reroll. | Without Shiny Charm: 21.6 Hours With Shiny Charm: 5.4 Hours |
| Day/Night Respawn | Anywhere | Save the game before the time of day changes, check Pokémon spawns, reload game. | Without Shiny Charm: 41 Hours With Shiny Charm: 10.2 Hours |
All Shiny Locked Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A
There are a significant number of Shiny-Locked Pokémon in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, which will never be Shiny, so don’t waste your time trying to figure this out.
As a general rule, starter Pokémon, gift Pokémon, and Legendary Pokémon in Legends: Z-A will never be Shiny, despite any resets, which has been customary for the majority of Pokémon games.
This includes the Kanto starter you can choose to receive from Mable early in the story and any in-game trades available to complete with NPCs across Lumiose City.
How many Shiny Pokémon have you collected so far in Pokémon Legends: Z-A? Show off your captures in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Pokémon Legends: Z-A, read about the changes to Ranked rewards, and take a look at how to evolve Eevee into Espeon.
