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Shiny Pokemon Guide

Everything you need to know to start catching shinies fast

Words: Carolyn Gudmundson, GamesRadar US

To be successful in finding and catching Shinies, it's essential that you properly prepare. Here's what you'll need:

The Poke Radar

Where to get it: Once you have completed the Sinnoh Pokedex, you can obtain the Poke Radar from Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town.
What it does: The Poke Radar is a tool that helps you find non-Sinnoh Pokemon that were previously unattainable in Diamond/Pearl. It can only be used in regular grassy areas (not tall grass), and cannot be used anywhere else - so forget about trying to use it in caves, while surfing, etc. The Poke Radar can also be used to help you increase your odds of catching a Shiny by allowing you to use a technique called "chaining," which basically involves battling the same Pokemon over and over. More on this later.

The Poke Radar Poketch application

Where to get it: Once you've obtained the National Dex, visit Professor Oak at Pal Park and he'll give it to you.
What it does: It helps you keep track of your Poke Radar chains. It shows you your top three highest chains, as well as the current chain you're working on.

Above: Having a Pokemon with the Static ability increases your chances of encountering other electric-type Pokemon, which may help you when chaining for electric-type Shinies

Plenty of Super Repels or Max Repels

In order to use the Poke Radar correctly, you must eliminate the chance of encountering a wild Pokemon in a random battle. You only want to encounter Pokemon that appear as a result of using the Radar, because encountering any other Pokemon will break your chain. To prevent this, you must have a Repel in use at all times. Super Repels are cheaper per step, but if you have money to burn and you would prefer to use Max Repels, that's fine too. 

Supply of Poke Balls

This one is obvious, but make sure you have a good supply of Poke Balls. Make sure they're the appropriate type for catching the Pokemon you're going after. Plenty of Great, Ultra and Dusk Balls never hurt.

A party of able-bodied Pokemon

Before you start, make sure you have Pokemon in your party with tons of PP and strong moves to KO many Pokemon. Once you start your chain, you won't be able to go back to a Poke Center without destroying your hard work, so make sure you have strong Pokemon that can handle many battles without running our of HP/PP. It's also handy to have a Pokemon in your party that knows the move Super Fang or False Swipe so that when you find the Shiny, you won't KO it if it's at a lower level. 

If you're looking for electric-type or steel-type Pokemon, it's also a good idea to have a Pokemon with the ability Static (electric) or Magnet (steel), because it will increase your chances of encountering other Pokemon of that type. Make sure the Pokemon with that ability is in the lead of your party though, or else it won't work.


 
25 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
boracena2008  - 1 year 2 months ago 
THIS ACTUALLY WORKS. I KILLED LIKE 31 DONPHANS BUT THEN THIS GUEDUDE CAME OUT.
BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME
chiz  - 1 year 2 months ago 
you can get shiny legends if you save before you fight and keep reseting eventually it will be shiny
Firesonic999  - 1 year 3 days ago 
omg.....lol this works holy crap!!!
sup_pe0ples  - 10 months 5 days ago 
i tryed this but for some reason i keep running into some random ass pokemon and im sure im following it right
ecuamike3  - 8 months 26 days ago 
this totally worked, i got up to 37 banettes and using this method i caught a shiny one at level 54. thanx!
Garchomp617  - 7 months 24 days ago 
you don't need a chain to get a Shiny. i just found this blue Ponyta near Solaceon Town.
Garchomp617  - 7 months 24 days ago 
you don't need a chain to get a Shiny. i just found this blue Ponyta near Solaceon Town.
Garchomp617  - 7 months 24 days ago 
you don't need a chain to get a Shiny. i just found this blue Ponyta near Solaceon Town.
Cionuchiha  - 7 months 16 days ago 
I don't think chains are quite nessecary but I think it will help a lot I found a purple Budew one day and haden't seen any others.
Katherine1973  - 7 months 14 days ago 
I've tried this method and it hasn't really worked for me. I have captured exactly 6 different shinies in the R/G, R/S/E and D/P,and they were REALLY random, but thanx to the GTS I have over 2 boxes full of shinies.
nicoiswoobie  - 7 months 9 days ago 
Lulz... I got to 40 and reset like 10 times then my cousin bumped my arm... I was chaining pichu, and I ran into a f***ing pidgey!!!
cornjo  - 7 months 9 days ago 
Nice Guide!!!
But the highest ive got up to is like 19... lolzzz
but im gona keep tryin!!! Hahahaha
Monkeylink  - 6 months 24 days ago 
Just get an AR and get pokesav and you can get what ever you want in pokemon any pokemon,any item,any pokeball anything I got all shiny legendaries
Xander  - 6 months 14 days ago 
OMG! This guide is awesome! With this advice I have caught a shiny shinx and a shiny electabuzz!
Ezra  - 6 months 9 days ago 
I'm sure this method works, it's just that for some reason on my game, every time I get my chain into the 20's a random pokemon (that is NOT the one I want) pops up even though I'm still selecting the patch of grass furthest away from me and what-not. I don't get it, and it's REALLY frustrating.
legostarwarsfreak  - 5 months 26 days ago 
The flashing non-Shiny patch isn't always non-Sinnoh. I've faced Staravias and Kricketunes like a thousand times when it flashes.
snowdragon2  - 5 months 25 days ago 
THANKS soooooooooooooooo much at first i thought it was worth a shot so i tried i dont really use links so much till now my link of 18 was from gastly and i lost it but today i went to the swarm pokemon(pidgey) and tried i kept on trying because of the good comments not every body could have been lying so i tried in my 10th chain i found a greenish goldish pidgy lucky me thanx you guys should do more guides like this
BigBtop  - 5 months 20 days ago 
is anybody here willing to trade lugia i can trade you a rare pokemon
torritron  - 5 months 20 days ago 
i was just now chaining swablu and then i ran into a damn meditite i was so pissed that i googled to see if there was another way to get shinies and i ended up here
InfernapeUser  - 5 months 14 days ago 
yeah i can't get passed a 7 chain with out running into a different pokemon.....:o( oh well i'll keep trying i guess....i actually ran into a wild shiny pelipper at rte. 230 by the battle area and resort, and i didn't have any kinda chain going at that time, i was 1 in 8192 :0)
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