How to Know if Pokemon is Shiny in Pokemon Sword & Shield

Pokemon Sword & Shield Shiny Pokemon are extremely rare Pokemon that are different-colored versions of the standard Pokemon, like in all other games in the franchise. Of course, there are different ways of increasing your odds of getting a Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield; however, some of them are shiny-locked. In our How to Know if Pokemon is Shiny in Pokemon Sword & Shield guide, we’re going to show you how to recognize Shiny Pokemon, which Pokemon are shiny-locked, how to increase your odds of getting one, etc.

How to Recognize Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield?

In order to recognize a Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield, you have to fight it. As far as we can tell, there is no way to figure out in the overworld if a Pokemon is Shiny or not. You have to actually encounter it, you’ll notice the different colors, as well as the sparkles. And, if you’re still having doubts whether a Pokemon is Shiny or not, capture it. Look for the red diamond in the summary which denotes a Shiny. If you know any method of telling whether or not a Pokemon is Shiny in the overworld that we don’t know about, please let us and the community know in the comments.

Pokemon Sword & Shield Shiny Locked Pokemon

There are several Pokemon that are shiny-locked in Pokemon Sword & Shield. First off, the Starter Pokemon. They are shiny-locked at the start of the game, when you select which one you want. You can get shiny Starter Pokemon later on, in the wild, but not at the start. Second, none of the Legendary Pokemon (Eternatus, Type: Null, Zacian and Zamazenta) can be shiny. Lastly, all Gift Pokemon, like Toxel, are shiny-locked. With the very notable exception of Fossil Pokemon, interestingly enough. All other Pokemon are absolutely available in their Shiny forms. Naturally, these are extremely difficult to obtain, so let’s go over some methods that might make things a bit easier.

How to Increase Odds to Get Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield?

To increase your odds of getting a Shiny Pokemon in Pokemon Sword & Shield, there are two things you can do, depending on whether you’re going the catching route or the breeding route. Though, to be honest, you should probably try both.

We’ll go with the breeding method first, aka the Masuda method. The basic idea is, you should breed your Pokemon with another Pokemon that’s from a different region. Of course, they have to be from the same Egg Group to be able to breed. If you use the Masuda method of breeding, you increase your odds of hatching a Shiny Pokemon.

As far as increasing your odds of catching a Shiny Pokemon, you kinda have to zero in on which one you want. There are two aspects to this: how many times you’ve battled that Pokemon in total, and how many times you’ve battled it in a row. Here’s what I mean. Let’s say you want a Shiny Magikarp. The more Magikarp you’ve battled in your save, the better your odds. Also, the more Magikarp you battle with in a row, without fighting any other Pokemon, the better.