How to Get the Shiny Charm in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Hunting for shiny Pokémon is a time-honored tradition going all the way back to the second wave of games. When you’re encountering a wild Pokémon, there’s a roughly one in over 4,000 chance of it being a different color than usual. There’s no other difference, such as in stats or ability, but the dramatic rarity of these alternative-colored critters makes shinies the ultimate collectible.

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In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, you can eventually find an item called the Shiny Charm. What this item does is effectively doubles the encounter rate for shiny Pokémon. It’s still a pretty slim chance, but half of 4,000 is a pretty significant change. If you’re trying to grab as many of these things as possible, every little bit counts.

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Now, as far as how to get the Shiny Charm, this isn’t an item you can just walk up to a store and buy. It’s the ultimate prize; an item you can only get as a reward for fulfilling the Pokémon mantra: Catching ‘em All. You have to fill out the game’s Pokédex, then visit Professor Jacq back at the Academy.

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Not only are you going to need to be incredibly thorough on your own, you won’t be completing the Pokédex in Scarlet and Violet without enlisting some outside help. Between version exclusives and trade evolutions, you’ll need a friend for at least a few minutes. But that’s only a small number of the 400 Pokémon you need to obtain in order to earn the Shiny Charm.

If you don’t have the patience or interest in filling out the Pokédex to get a Shiny Charm in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, well, we wish you the best of luck in finding any Shiny Pokémon at all.