With Pokémon Sword and Shield having now been out for several weeks, many Trainers’ adventures are finally coming to an end. For casual fans, at least, completing the Gym Challenge and besting Galar’s champion in battle is the perfect wrap-up to a charming story and signals that it’s time to seek new adventures.
As for those fervent Pokéfans that stick around once the credits have rolled, however, this is where the true journey begins. Whether it’s multiplayer raids, the endgame Battle Tower or simply catching them all that keeps diehard players on the hamster wheel, developer Game Freak certainly knows how to curate addictive gameplay features. And that’s not even mentioning the crème de la crème of endgame Pokémon.
Shiny hunting has become somewhat of a time-honored tradition ever since the feature’s introduction and Sword and Shield is no different to its predecessors in that regard. We’ve covered the methods available in Generation 8 that make the hunt for Pokémon’s holy grail much more bearable, but there’s something else that can boost those slim odds even further. The Shiny Charm.
As to how one goes about obtaining the coveted item – it’s not easy.
By visiting the so-called Game Master in Circhester City’s Ionia Hotel, you’ll be able to pick up the trinket free of charge. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it is, except the NPC will only yield his prized possession once you’ve completed Sword and Shield‘s Pokédex. That means catching – not seeing – all 400 Pokémon available in Galar. To make matters worse, a handful of Pokémon in each game are exclusive to their respective versions, meaning you’ve no choice but to trade with other players and yes, that goes for the Legendary dogs Zacian and Zamazenta, too.
Fortunately, once you’ve traded or caught any Pokémon and filled out its Pokédex entry, you don’t need to keep hold of the critter, meaning you can use it as collateral in further trades. A monumental grind whichever way you slice it, but persevere and your Shiny chances will increase dramatically from 1/4096 to 1/1365.33 (base rates). Good luck!
