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Shiny hunting isn't for everyone but if you're looking to add some rare variety to your team this guide covers everything you need to know about shiny rates!
Shiny Pokémon are rare, alternate-colored variants that many trainers seek. Understanding the shiny encounter rates-and how to improve your odds-can make shiny hunting significantly more rewarding!
This guide covers all shiny mechanics and bonuses available in Pokémon Polished Crystal, including Wonder Trade, the Shiny Charm, and Masuda Method breeding.
It is worth noting that Polished Crystal is more broadly aligned with modern Pokemon games.
Key tip! Shininess is rolled when you collect the egg from the day care man, not when the Pokemon hatches. Shiny eggs are blue in Polished Crystal, instead of the usual reddish-brown colour. You can use this information to save and reset in front of the day care man for a shiny egg.
This guide is intended for:
Looking for a TL;DR? See the notes section or the shiny odds table!
Base Shiny Rate: 1 / 4096
Without any bonuses, every wild Pokémon encounter, breeding egg, or static encounter has a 1 in 4096 chance of being shiny. This rate applies universally, meaning shiny odds are identical whether you are walking in tall grass, receiving an egg, or encountering a legendary Pokémon, unless a bonus explicitly applies.
Wonder Trade Shiny Rate: 4 / 4096 (~1 / 1024)
Pokémon received through
Wonder Trade have an increased base shiny rate of 4/4096.
Wonder Trade offers strong shiny odds early on but cannot be optimized further.
Because Wonder Trade odds cannot be improved, it is best used as a passive shiny chance rather than a dedicated hunting method.
Two major bonuses can increase your shiny encounter rate. These bonuses stack when applicable.
Bonuses in Polished Crystal are additive, not multiplicative, which makes shiny odds predictable and easy to plan around!
When bonuses stack, shiny odds are calculated by adding together all applicable modifiers.
The table below shows every achievable shiny rate in Polished Crystal and how they compare.
| Method | Calculation | Exact Odds | Approximate Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
Base Rate | 1 / 4096 | 1 / 4096 | ~0.024% |
Shiny Charm Only | (1 + 2) / 4096 | 3 / 4096 | ~1 / 1365 (0.073%) |
Masuda Method Only | (1 + 5) / 4096 | 6 / 4096 | ~1 / 683 (0.146%) |
Shiny Charm + Masuda Method | (1 + 2 + 5) / 4096 | 8 / 4096 | ~1 / 512 (0.195%) |
Wonder Trade | 4 / 4096 | 4 / 4096 | ~1 / 1024 (0.098%) |
Best possible odds: Shiny Charm + Masuda Method breeding yields ~1 shiny per 512 eggs.
In practical terms, Masuda breeding with the Shiny Charm is over 7× more efficient than full-odds shiny hunting.