Inherited from Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Alpha Pokémon are giant specimens, stronger and more aggressive, but also more rewarding. Shiny Pokémon, meanwhile, now sparkle right in the middle of the city. Here is how to find them, capture them and improve your odds.
Alpha Pokémon
Giants with Red Eyes
Maximum size, red eyes, a deeper cry. Their level is about ten above the other Pokémon in the zone, and they attack as soon as they see you.
They Wake the Zone
Their cry can make neighboring Pokémon aggressive and get you spotted. It even deals a little damage to your hero.
Ready-Made Pokémon
Three maxed-out stats (IVs), 252 effort points in HP by default, and a TM move already mastered, usable in its Plus version.
Mastery Seeds
Defeated or captured, they drop Exp. Candies and often Mastery Seeds, essential for turning a TM move into a Plus move.
There are two kinds of Alpha Pokémon. Fixed Alphas always appear in the same spot in a Wild Zone (they respawn if you move away for a few minutes). Random Alphas mingle with the other Pokémon once you finish studying the zone: depending on the species and the zone, each appearance has a 5 to 40% chance of being an Alpha. Every Alpha is listed zone by zone in our guide to the Wild Zones.
Shiny Pokémon
Shiny Pokémon appear right in the scenery: a distinctive sound rings out and the Pokémon is surrounded by a permanent sparkle, so you can spot it even when its colors barely change. Good news: the game remembers up to ten Shiny Pokémon you’ve spotted, and they don’t disappear if you move away (unless you make them flee or knock them out). They are also three times easier to capture.
| Situation | Without Shiny Charm | With Shiny Charm | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base rate | 1 / 4,096 | 1 / 1,024 | |
| Donut Shiny bonus, Lv. 1 | 1 / 2,048 | 1 / 820 | |
| Donut Shiny bonus, Lv. 2 | 1 / 1,366 | 1 / 638 | |
| Donut Shiny bonus, Lv. 3 | 1 / 1,024 | 1 / 585 |
- The Shiny Charm is obtained by reaching level 50 in Mable’s research. It quadruples the base rate.
- The Donut Shiny bonus, exclusive to the expansion, comes from certain Anya’s Donuts (sweet-leaning Donuts are more favorable). It only applies inside Hyperspace Lumiose. At level 3, the first Pokémon of the targeted type to appear in the rift is guaranteed to be Shiny.
- Let time pass on a bench: each switch between day and night refreshes the Pokémon around you.
- Gifted Pokémon and story Pokémon (starters, Absol, legendaries…) cannot be Shiny. Revived fossils can.
