Knowing how to farm shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet can save you a lot of time. The exact science changes slightly with each new game, with revised odds, new mechanics, and a bunch of things to watch out for. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet make things a little easier once again, but some old systems have gone in place of newer ones.
Shiny farming in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is likely going to devalue the rare species for some. They're incredibly easy to get now, with some early players even seeing two different shiny Pokemon species on the screen at the same time. Still, they're interesting, and if you're after a shiny living dex, you'll be in your element.
For more Pokemon guides, check out what we know about the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet post game content, how to get Annihilape, and how to evolve Bramblin as well. That first one ties back into this a little, so it's worth looking into.
How to farm shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
Any method for farming shiny Pokemon involves bringing the odds closer in your favour and finding a way to quickly encounter or hatch Pokemon.
In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there are a few ways to do this:
- Eating a certain sandwich recipe.
- Using the Masuda method (for egg hatches).
- Searching (and rerolling) for Mass Outbreak events.
- Obtaining the Shiny Charm.
Whichever way you're going about things, you'll want to use top-grade Herba Mystica, found in post-game raid battles, to make sandwiches that boost both shiny rates and your chances of encountering Pokemon of the type you're after.
How to boost shiny odds in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet - Shiny sandwich recipes
Using Creative Mode in the Picnic sandwich menu, here's how to stack your ingredients to help you farm shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet.
Desired Pokemon type | Recipe |
|---|---|
Fire | Basil, Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica |
Grass | Lettuce, Salty Herba Mystica, Sour Herba Mystica |
Water | Cucumber, 2 x Salty Herba Mystica |
Bug | Cherry Tomatoes, 2 x Salty Herba Mystica |
Rock | 2 x Salty Herba Mystica, Jalapeno |
Ground | 2 x Salty Herba Mystica, Ham |
Electric
| Yellow Bell Pepper, Spicy Herba Mystica, Salty Herba Mystica |
Normal | 2 x Salty Herba Mystica, Chorizo |
Fighting | 2 x Salty Herba Mystica, Pickles |
Dark | Smoked fillet, Salty Herba Mystica, Sweet Herba Mystica |
So long as the buffs are active - which you can view by pressing Right on the d-pad, you should have a much easier time hatching or encountering shiny Pokemon alongside the methods detailed below.
How to farm shiny wild Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
When shiny farming for wild Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet, having the Shiny Charm is an automatic way to boost your chances. You have to run through hoops to get it, though, so stacking a few other methods in the meantime can help get you hunting for shiny Pokemon much sooner.
This involves two things: using a sandwich recipe that boosts shiny chances (and the type of the species you want to encounter) and joining in which Mass Outbreak events.
Mass Outbreak events, just like in Pokemon Legends Arceus, have dramatically increased shiny odds. They're seemingly random, time-limited, and only contain a single randomly-assigned Pokemon species, which isn't much use if you're looking for a specific Pokemon, but they can be rerolled by changing your system clock until you find something you want.
When using Mass Outbreak events alongside a sandwich, the aim is to use Quick Battles and a strong Pokemon to quickly defeat the swarming Pokemon, forcing more respawns and more shiny Pokemon potential.
Your Pokemon will refuse to fight a shiny Pokemon this way, too, so there's no risk. It's also a great way to confirm if a shiny with a very subtle hue is, in fact, a shiny.
Further research has outlined that shiny rates in Mass Outbreaks are boosted after 60 Pokemon have come and gone in that Outbreak.
Though you can fight through them, a popular way to rush this is to deploy your picnic, which clears the screen of Pokemon, bumping up the counter in record speed. Repeat this a few times to quickly hit the 60 mark and boost your shiny odds while your sandwich is still in effect.
How to farm shiny egg Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
If you want to have complete control over the species of shiny Pokemon you find in Scarlet and Violet, you'll want to use eggs and the Masuda method.
Hatching eggs in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet means taking two compatible Pokemon for a picnic. To have the best odds of this - and to speed it up in general - you'll want a Ditto originating from any country but your own, and a female of the Pokemon of the evolutionary line you're trying to shiny hunt.
Use a sandwich recipe that's good for shiny and egg chances, and you'll amass a collection of eggs in no time at all. Hatch them en masse and you'll stand a decent chance of seeing a shiny Pokemon emerge from its shell. Pair this method with a Shiny Charm to make it even easier.
What are the shiny odds in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?
Early on, your biology teacher will actually tell you all about shiny Pokemon, even going so far as to outline their rates: around 1 in 4000. That's the base rate of shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet.
He also confirms that the Masuda method - which involves breeding two Pokemon of different languages to increase the odds in your favour - is still alive in these games.
He doesn't divulge the rates there, but given all it takes is receiving a Ditto from another country through a trade (even if it's one you've transferred from another game), there's no reason not to use the gimmick if you're farming for shiny Pokemon eggs.
For even more Pokemon goodness, we have guides up on how to get the Galar starters in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and some of the best EXP farm locations in the game. That's a sure-fire way to quickly evolve Pokemon you need for the Shiny Charm.