Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Pokemon Legends Z-A Mystery Gift codes for Mega Garchomp Z
Pokemon All Pokemon Legends Z-A Mystery Gift Codes and Rewards (March 2026)
Pokemon Red and Blue key art
Pokemon Pokemon boss has a very straightforward plan for future releases: "keep making fun games"
Pokemon Go codes
Pokemon Pokemon Go codes (March 2026) and how to redeem them
A screenshot from the Pokemon Pokopia trailer shows Ditto transformed into a human.
Pokemon 13 things I wish I knew before starting Pokemon Pokopia
Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Venasaur against a swirling green background, cropped for a header image
Pokemon Pokemon FireRed/LeafGreen speedrunner finishes the re-releases in under 3 hours, discovers Legendary events are included
The pre-order bonus Ditto Rug, one of the Pokemon Pokopia Mystery Gifts.
Pokemon Pokemon Pokopia Mystery Gift Codes and Rewards (March 2026)
A Charmander pops out of the grass as the player searches for shiny Pokemon in Pokopia.
Pokemon Does Pokopia have shiny Pokemon?
Pokemon Gold and Silver
Pokemon The best Pokemon games, ranked from worst to best
A screenshot of Raikou as seen in the Pokemon anime.
Pokemon Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Switch re-releases patch a bug that could make certain legendaries disappear permanently
A screenshot from Pokopia of a ghostly Pikachu called Peakychu
Pokemon How to find Peakychu in Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon Presents 2026
Pokemon All Pokemon Presents 2026 codes and rewards for Pokemon Go, Legends Z-A, TCG Pocket, and more
Posing with Altaria in Pokemon Pokopia with Ditto wearing a Team Rocket costume
Pokemon How to get new outfits and hairstyles in Pokemon Pokopia
A selection of crafting recipes from the building screen in Pokemon Pokopia
Pokemon How to find new recipes in Pokemon Pokopia
A trainer looking out at the ocean during the trailer for Pokemon Winds and Waves
Pokemon Pokemon Winds and Waves: Everything we know about the next Pokemon game so far
Pokemon Pokopia screenshot showing Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle all gathered around a Ditto in human form between two green trees
Pokemon The ultimate Pokemon Pokopia guide for restoring the world around you
  1. Games
  2. Adventure
  3. Pokemon
  4. Pokemon Sun & Moon

Pokemon Sun and Moon's ally system lets you get shiny Pokemon easy, here's how to do it

News
By Sam Prell published 22 November 2016

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Shiny Pokemon are one of the series' most beloved secrets. These hard-to-find Pokemon with alternate color schemes - a Ponyta with blue flames or a Charizard with black scales, for example - are a collector's dream, and every time a new Pokemon game comes out, players poke and prod to find the best method for capturing them. Just a few days after its release, aspiring trainers have found Pokemon Sun and Moon's method.

It's called "ally chaining," and takes advantage of a new system introduced in Sun and Moon: the ability for wild pokemon to call for help. While the chances of a Pokemon calling for help are random, you can increase the odds of it happening with a single-use item called an Adrenaline Orb. If you're going shiny hunting, you'll want to stock up on these, along with potions, revives, elixirs, and ethers.

Now that you're stocked up and ready to go, get into battle with the Pokemon that you want the shiny form of, use the Adrenaline Orb, and keep your foe alive until it calls for help. Once there are two Pokemon, you can safely KO one of them (it doesn't matter which) and repeat the process. Each call for help increases the chances of the next ally Pokemon summoned into battle being a shiny, so the longer you keep at it, the better your odds. You only need to use the Adrenaline Orb once, and even if the Pokemon calling for help summons a Pokemon of a different species, your chain will remain unbroken.

You may like
  • A screenshot of Poketopia in Pokemon Battle Revolution. Pokemon player spends 5+ years completing one of the weirdest Shiny hunts in history
  • Moltres flies onto the screen in the Pokemon anime Proving the universe has favorites, Pokemon Blue player accidentally catches a shiny legendary they couldn't even see
  • A Charmander pops out of the grass as the player searches for shiny Pokemon in Pokopia. Does Pokopia have shiny Pokemon?

If you need a video walkthrough, here's one from Verlisify (note: he grabs the Shiny Charm, another item that can increase your chances of finding a shiny, but this step isn't required):

Reddit user Sprongz points out that this method also works for trainers who are hunting for Pokemon with strong IV and EV values. What's IV value and an EV value, you ask? Hoo boy. Let's just stick with how to find a pretty Alolan Vulpix for now and save that for another time.

Seen something newsworthy? Tell us! 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Nintendo Platforms
Sam Prell
Sam Prell
Social Links Navigation
Former News Editor

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar+. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.

Read more
A screenshot of Poketopia in Pokemon Battle Revolution.
Pokemon player spends 5+ years completing one of the weirdest Shiny hunts in history
 
 
Moltres flies onto the screen in the Pokemon anime
Proving the universe has favorites, Pokemon Blue player accidentally catches a shiny legendary they couldn't even see
 
 
A Charmander pops out of the grass as the player searches for shiny Pokemon in Pokopia.
Does Pokopia have shiny Pokemon?
 
 
Pokemon
I joined 75 Pokemon fanatics in a sea of retro consoles for 18,508 glorious shiny-hunting encounters combined
 
 
The player rides a Charizard through the sky in Pokemon Sun & Moon
These five Pokemon Sun and Moon features helped the RPG take on bold new forms and let us off the leash to explore
 
 
Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Venasaur against a swirling green background, cropped for a header image
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have been on Switch for over a week, but many players are still stuck in Oak's Lab
 
 
Latest in Pokemon
a ditto human sitting on some logs with pikachu and pichu
Pokopia's unhinged dialogue is tempting me away from Animal Crossing: "It's a pretty nice butt, don't you think?"
 
 
Pickmon
Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs"
 
 
Hoppip at the till in the Pokemon Centre in Pokopia
How to access the Pokopia Limited Event and get Hoppip
 
 
Key art for Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen showing Venasaur against a swirling green background, cropped for a header image
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen have been on Switch for over a week, but many players are still stuck in Oak's Lab
 
 
A ditto takes a selfie when visiting the Pokopia developer island
How to visit the Pokopia developer island
 
 
Pickmon
Pokemon and Palworld clones are officially out of hand, as fans react to "lawsuitmaxxing" new game Pickmon
 
 
Latest in News
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in the It: Welcome to Derry finale
It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is officially in the works, as showrunner promises "something greater" than season 1
 
 
Mass Effect
"F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
 
 
a ditto human sitting on some logs with pikachu and pichu
Pokopia's unhinged dialogue is tempting me away from Animal Crossing: "It's a pretty nice butt, don't you think?"
 
 
A lady looks shocked.
55-year industry vet made the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but "I don't care": "Business does not love you"
 
 
Dragon Quest 11
Dragon Quest creator says English is "a simple language," so "the flavor tends to get lost" when translating games
 
 
Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem is too scary for series veteran Hideki Kamiya, who argues Capcom "should make a 'non-scary' mode"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. A lady looks shocked.
    1
    55-year industry vet made the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but "I don't care": "Business does not love you"
  2. 2
    Pokopia's unhinged dialogue is tempting me away from Animal Crossing: "It's a pretty nice butt, don't you think?"
  3. 3
    The Asus ROG Azoth 96 HE has returned to take the magnetic crown, but that price tag is going to be a problem
  4. 4
    Dragon Quest creator says English is "a simple language," so "the flavor tends to get lost" when translating games
  5. 5
    One Piece season 2 answers a near 30-year-old manga mystery in surprisingly straightforward fashion

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...