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Calculator · Every method · every generation

Shiny odds calculator

Pick your method, your modifiers, and your generation — we'll show your exact shiny encounter chance per attempt and estimate how many encounters you'll likely need.

Generation / game

Method

Modifiers

Shiny rate per encounter

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50% expected by

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90% expected by

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How shiny odds actually work

The game generates a Pokémon's Personality Value (PV) at encounter time. A shiny check XORs the PV with the trainer's TID/SID and compares to a threshold (16 in Gen 6+, 8 in Gen 1-5). Most "shiny hunting methods" work by adding extra rolls of this check — if any roll succeeds, the Pokémon is shiny.

This is why the math isn't simple multiplication. With base 1/4096 odds and Shiny Charm adding 2 more rolls, your odds are 1 - (1 - 1/4096)³ ≈ 1/1365.

Method by method

Mass outbreaks (Gen 9)

Outbreaks are clusters of 50+ wild Pokémon on the map. KO 30 → small shiny boost. KO 60 → larger boost. Combine with Shiny Charm and a Sparkling Power Lv 3 sandwich for the highest non-trick odds in the game (~1 in 683).

Sandwiches (Gen 9)

Sparkling Power Lv 3 sandwiches require Herba Mystica (from 5-6 star Tera raids) — Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, Spicy variants. Recipes online; the key is two Herba Mystica + matching base ingredients to get Sparkling Power: [Type] Lv 3, which boosts shiny odds for that type while active (30 minutes).

Masuda Method (every gen since 4)

Parents in eggs must come from different language games (visible in summary as 🇯🇵🇰🇷🇫🇷 etc.). Trade is the easiest way — many community shiny breeders trade you a foreign Ditto. With Shiny Charm: 1 in 512 per egg.

Chain methods (Gen 4 + BDSP)

The PokéRadar in Sinnoh / BDSP can build a chain by repeatedly encountering the same Pokémon. At chain 40+, shiny odds are roughly 1 in 200 — the best non-game-breaking shiny method in the franchise.

SOS chaining (Gen 7)

Sun/Moon's SOS battles let wild Pokémon call allies; chain 31+ shifts the shiny rate to ~1 in 1024, and combined with Shiny Charm it can hit ~1 in 273.

How to interpret the 50% / 90% numbers

"50% by N encounters" means there's a 50% chance you'll see a shiny within your first N attempts. It's not a guarantee — RNG means you could go 5× past that and still be unlucky, or you could find one on attempt 1. The math: 1 - (1 - p)^N = 0.5 → N = ln(0.5) / ln(1 - p).

Frequently asked questions

What are the base shiny odds in Pokémon?
From Gen 6 onwards: 1 in 4096 (~0.024%). In Gen 1–5 it was 1 in 8192 (~0.012%). The 'full odds' label refers to the unboosted base rate without any modifiers.

What does the Shiny Charm do?
Adds two extra shiny rolls per encounter. With 1 base roll + 2 charm rolls = 3 rolls per encounter, effective odds become roughly 1 in 1365 (~0.073%). Get the Shiny Charm by completing the Pokédex (catching one of every species).

What's the Masuda Method?
Breeding two Pokémon from different language games adds 5 extra shiny rolls per egg. Combined with Shiny Charm (2 more rolls) you get 8 total rolls → 1 in 512 odds (~0.195%). The flagship breeding shiny strategy across every generation since Gen 4.

How do mass outbreaks affect shiny odds?
In Scarlet/Violet, defeating 30 of a species in a mass outbreak unlocks 'Outbreak +30' boost (~1 in 2048 base). At 60 KOs, you get Outbreak +60 (~1 in 1365). With Shiny Charm and a Sparkling Power 3 sandwich on top, you reach ~1 in 683.

What's the best shiny hunting method?
Mass outbreak + Sparkling Power Lv 3 sandwich + Shiny Charm = ~1 in 683 (modulo math). Realistically you'll find a shiny in 30–90 minutes of dedicated hunting once setup is complete. For starters, eggs (Masuda), and legendaries (1-in-512 with charm), the methods differ.