Pokemon Sword & Shield: What Is the Shiny Encounter Rate?

Shiny Pokemon are highly sought after, probably more so than Legendary Pokemon. Shinies aren’t more powerful than regular Pokemon (unless they have higher IVs); they’re just extremely rare due to their unusual colorations and signature sparkles. Additionally, trainers search high and low for these Pokemon because they stand out in a crowd and make for ideal bragging rights (especially if they are also Legendary to boot).

With the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield, players have a new region’s worth of Pokemon to catch, and they all have rare Shiny variants. Here’s a quick and dirty guide on the Shiny encounter rate in Pokemon Sword and Shield.

What is the Shiny Encounter Rate in Pokemon Sword and Shield?

Whenever you encounter a Pokemon, there is a 1/4,096 chance it will be a Shiny. However, you can utilize certain tips and tricks to increase the odds in your favor. Just remember that even if you encounter one, you still need to catch it.

The easiest way to increase your odds of encountering one in the wild is utilizing chain combos, i.e., defeat a specific Pokemon many times in a row. The more of this Pokemon you KO in a row, the more likely the next one will sparkle. Furthermore, if you use the Shiny Charm while chain comboing, the odds increase in your favor.

Alternatively, you can try to hatch a Shiny with the Masuda Method. Just breed your Pokemon with a Pokemon from another trainer who plays in a different language (e.g., Japanese), and the odds that a Shiny will hatch from the egg increase. And again, the charm multiplies your chances while using this method.

Nevertheless, even with these tips and tricks, the chances of encountering one are abysmally low, and that’s just for regular Shiny Pokemon. Yes, Pokemon Sword and Shield introduce an even rarer variety: the Square Shiny.

You probably wonder what a Square Shiny Pokemon is. Basically, it’s a Shiny Pokemon that enters battle with square sparkles instead of the normal star sparkles. No tangible advantages in combat, just differently shaped sparkles.

But, trainers seek these even rarer Pokemon because, well, they are impossibly rare; gamers don’t need much more of a reason. Apparently, there’s a 1/16 chance a Shiny will be a square variety. In other words, whenever you encounter a wild Pokemon, you’re looking at around a 1/65,536 chance it will be a Square one.

Of course, any trick that increases the odds of encountering a normal Shiny also increases the chances of finding the square variety, even if the odds are always a fraction of a percentage. Still, if you keep on grinding, you will encounter one eventually; it’s just statistics.

If you need any more tips, tricks, or walkthroughs, visit our Pokemon Sword and Shield guide wiki or check out some other guides below.

• How to Evolve Woobat Into Swoobat
• How to Get Type: Null & Evolve Into Silvally
• How to Get Rare Candy