ShinyHuntWhat is a shiny lock?
Pokémon that a game will never let be shiny, and how to check before you hunt.
A shiny lock means a game will never generate a certain Pokémon as shiny, however many times you reset. In-game locks started in Black and White. They mostly cover story legendaries and gifts, and they only apply to that game: the same species is often huntable elsewhere.
Common examples
- Black and White: Victini, Reshiram and Zekrom.
- X and Y: the story legendaries, including Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Mewtwo and the legendary birds.
- Sun and Moon: the guardian deities, Cosmog and Magearna, among others.
- Sword and Shield: Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus, the Galarian legendary birds and Calyrex, plus most gifts. Pokémon too strong for your Badges also cannot be shiny.
- Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: only the gift Mew and Jirachi and in-game trades. The legendaries can be shiny.
- Legends: Arceus: all Legendary, Mythical and gift Pokémon.
- Scarlet and Violet: all static encounters, story legendaries, Titans and gifts such as starters.
Before you start a hunt
Check the shiny lock lists on Bulbapedia's Shiny Pokémon page or Serebii's shiny page for your game. In Gen 4 and Gen 5, nearly all non-shiny event Pokémon were coded so they could never be shiny.
Explore ShinyHunt