It is possible to get a Shiny Starter in Pokémon Legends: Arceus – although, it will have to wait until trainers get access to later parts of the game. Shiny Pokémon are amongst the rarest creatures in the Pokémon series to naturally encounter. While there is nothing special about them in regards to their battle abilities, Shiny forms have a unique color design and sparkle when sent out to battle. The base odds of encountering one in Pokémon Legends: Arceus are 1/4096, but this can be altered in a variety of different ways.
For starters, the Shiny Charm in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a Key Item that increases the chances of finding Shiny Pokémon. Unfortunately, trainers will need to wait until much later in the game’s story to unlock it. It’s important to mention that there is currently no way to get a Shiny Starter through the first encounter. The game may trick the player and show a Shiny starter during the capture tutorial, but it will return back to normal choosing. Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott are all Shiny locked when picking a partner. Although, this doesn’t mean it’s the only way to get Shiny Starter Pokémon.
To find a Shiny Oshawott, Rowlet, or Cyndaquil in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the player will need to enter Space-Time Distortions. They appear as these large purple and blue barriers on the map. Getting close enough will cause Pokémon to spawn that normally don’t appear in this area. It’s important to mention that the Pokémon that appear near Space-Time Distortions can be pretty powerful. Make sure to prepare with healing items and revives before entering the rift. Oshawott, Rowlet, and Cyndaquil have the chance to appear in their Shiny forms inside of these rifts.
Finding Space-Time Distortions in Pokémon: Legends Arceus
In Pokémon Legends: Arecus, Space-Time Distortions will appear after the player unlocks access to the second area in the game. The player will receive an in-game alert every time a Space-Time Distortion is happening nearby. It’s important to mention that it’s still incredibly rare to find a Shiny Pokémon within these Space-Time Distortions. Fortunately, similarly to Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Let’s Go Eevee, Shiny Pokémon appear in the overworld so players don’t have to interact with them to confirm if they’re Shiny or not. Pokémon do have the chance to run away, so make sure to be extremely careful when encountering a Shiny Pokémon.
Normally, trainers can Shiny Hunt for Pokémon by using the game’s breeding method, but there is no way to breed more Pokémon in Legends: Arceus. While the intro starter Pokémon are locked away at the beginning of the game, there’s still a chance to get shiny Starters in Arceus later on. All legendary and mythical Pokémon that appear throughout the main story, like Dialga, Palkia, and Arceus, are all Shiny locked as well, with no way to obtain these forms. However, it’s likely they’ll be distributed through a special event in the future.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus is available now on Nintendo Switch.