The Shiny Charm has become one of the most sought-after items across the history of Pokemon games. The Shiny Charm, which now features as a Key Item across most mainline titles, makes it easier to encounter shiny Pokemon in the wild and/or via breeding mechanics.
For this reason, it has become a popular item among veteran shiny hunters and casual players alike, with individuals looking to get their hands on the Shiny Charm as early as possible. If you’re wondering how you can get the Shiny Charm in Pokemon Legends: Z-A and how long it may take you to do so, all relevant information has been included in the guide below.
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How to Get the Shiny Charm in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, obtaining the Shiny Charm is actually rather straightforward. Players can acquire the Shiny Charm as a Mable’s Research Reward for completing all fifty Research Levels. You will first unlock Mable’s Research near the beginning of the game, after completing the ‘Catch 5 different species of Pokemon’ main story quest that Urbain guides you through.
To progress your Research level, you need to complete the Research Tasks that Mable gives you. These can range from discovering all Pokemon in a Wild Zone, capturing Pokemon of a specific Type, filling your Pokedex, and more. For every task you complete, you will gain points. After gaining enough points, you will reach the next research level and gain one reward item, such as TMs or other valuable items like Bottle Caps and the Shiny Charm.
How Quickly Can You Get the Shiny Charm?
Thankfully, you are free to complete these tasks as you like, so you can farm Mable’s Research Tasks quite early on in the game. However, Mable tends to give you more Research Tasks as you progress through the main story missions and side missions, so you may occasionally need to pivot to complete other objectives along the way.
After reaching Mable’s Research Level 50, you will have completed all possible research levels and will be given the Shiny Charm as a reward. To claim Research Rewards from Mable, open your menu with the X button and then scroll down to Mable’s Research. Upon opening the system after completing a new Research Level, you will be prompted with a message, and your reward items will automatically be added to your inventory.
How to Use the Shiny Charm
In Pokemon games, the Shiny Charm is a Key Item, meaning it can not be traded, placed on a Pokemon to hold, or sold. Technically, there is no way to “use” the Shiny Charm, as the item holds an effect that will now naturally come into play. In other words, simply by owning the Shiny Charm, you are already using it, and all shiny encounter rates in the game will now be increased.
How to Find Shiny Pokemon
In Pokemon Legends: Z-A, shiny Pokemon function similarly to those of the previous Pokemon Legends: Arceus game. They appear in shiny form in the overworld, meaning you will be able to keep your eyes peeled for any monsters that appear in alternate color variants to their normal form. In addition to this, shiny Pokemon tend to have a sparkle effect, and make a unique noise jingle when spawning in/when the player first discovers them, or passes by.
This noise cue appears to be the same as in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, so if you’re familiar with this already, then you’ll already know what to listen out for. However, shiny Pokemon are often hard to miss unless they’re a similar palette to their normal appearance, so as long as you pay attention to your surroundings, you should be fine.
Some players have also reported that once a shiny Pokemon spawns in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it will remain (at least, for a while). A few Trainers have stated that they are leaving and returning to the area, waiting for the next day/night cycle to appear, and even being knocked out, all had no effect – they still found the shiny encounter roaming around when they returned to the location it was first found in.
At this stage, it is unconfirmed if this was a one-off situation or bug/error, or if the shiny mechanics in Pokemon Legends: Z-A are just that generous. However, this guide will be updated with all of the latest information once we know for sure.