✦ What is a shiny?

A shiny Pokémon is an alternate-coloured variant. It's purely cosmetic — no stat boost — but extraordinarily rare. Shinies debuted in Generation 2 (Gold & Silver, 1999); the red Gyarados was the first many trainers ever saw.

In battle a shiny sparkles and shows two stars (✦✦) on its summary. The base rate was 1/8192 for over a decade, then halved to 1/4096 in Generation 6.

What is a "phase"?

When you're hunting a target species and a shiny of a different species appears, that's a phase break. You count it, then start a new phase toward your actual target.

Phases are common in methods where many species spawn — wild full-odds, SOS chains, Poké Radar and outbreaks. A "Phase 6 Gible" means six unwanted shinies appeared before the real one. The Tracker counts your phases automatically.

The reroll system

Modern games roll for shininess multiple times per encounter. The base is one roll at 1/4096. The Shiny Charm (complete the Pokédex) adds 2 rolls; the Masuda Method (breed two Pokémon of different game languages) adds up to 5. Stack them and odds plummet to 1/512.

Shiny locks ⚠

Some Pokémon cannot be shiny through normal play. Most legendaries and mythicals in Gen 6+ are locked (e.g. the box legendaries, Zacian/Zamazenta, the SV treasures), as are story starters and gift Pokémon. Always check before you sink hours into a soft-reset hunt.

Soft resetting (SR)

For one-off statics — starters, fossils, roamers, non-locked legendaries — you save in front of the encounter, check for shiny, and reset the game if it isn't. Pure full odds (charm-boosted if available), but the only option for fixed encounters.

Glossary