Can You Get a Shiny Pokemon from an NPC Trade?

The short, direct answer is: no, you cannot get a shiny Pokémon from an in-game trade with an NPC (Non-Player Character). In all main series Pokémon games, the Pokémon you receive from an NPC trade are predetermined, meaning their stats, nature, ability, and crucially, their shininess status are all fixed. There is no random element involved that would allow for a shiny to appear during such a trade. These Pokémon are often referred to as being shiny locked.

This means that despite the vast world of Pokémon, with all its potential for surprises, NPC trades are one area where the thrill of a random shiny encounter simply isn’t present. If you are chasing those elusive color variations, you’ll need to look elsewhere than in-game trades.

While this might seem like a disappointment to dedicated shiny hunters, it’s essential to understand the mechanics behind it. Game developers program these trades to ensure a consistent player experience, not to facilitate the collection of ultra-rare Pokémon. Thus, the Pokémon traded by NPCs are always the same, and never shiny. This applies across all generations of the main series Pokémon games.

Let’s explore some additional aspects of shiny Pokémon, trading, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shiny Pokemon and Trading

Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further delve into the nuances of shiny Pokémon and trading:

1. What Happens If I Trade a Shiny Pokémon to an NPC?

When you trade a shiny Pokémon to an NPC, the NPC receives the shiny version as you traded it, but the Pokémon they give in return will not be shiny. The traded shiny Pokémon will essentially be treated like any other Pokémon in the NPC’s possession, and its shiny status has no influence on the trade outcome.

2. Are All NPC Pokémon Shiny Locked?

Yes, almost all NPC Pokémon are shiny locked, with very few exceptions historically and mostly involving glitches. This includes in-game trade Pokémon, starters, gift Pokémon, and legendary Pokémon received during story progression. This lock prevents players from “save scumming” or resetting their game repeatedly to obtain shiny versions of these Pokémon.

3. Can You Breed for Shiny Versions of Shiny-Locked Pokémon?

While you can’t receive a shiny from these specific NPCs, there’s a workaround: you can breed many shiny-locked Pokémon. For instance, while the starter you receive from the Professor at the beginning of your journey is shiny locked, its offspring in the daycare can be shiny. This applies to gifts and in-game trade Pokémon as well. However, legendary Pokémon obtained through story events and some special event Pokémon generally cannot be bred. In modern games, certain legendary and mythical Pokémon are also shiny locked when received through events, meaning that even breeding them won’t work.

4. Why Can’t My Friend Trade Me a Shiny Pokémon?

This question usually comes up in the context of Pokémon GO. Trading a shiny Pokémon to a player who doesn’t have it registered in their Pokédex requires a special trade, which usually costs significant stardust. The cost varies depending on your friendship level, ranging from 1,000,000 Stardust for low-level friends down to 40,000 for Best Friends. This higher cost reflects that shiny and normal forms are treated as distinct entries in the Pokédex. The presence of a non-shiny version is irrelevant, the key requirement is whether the receiving player has the shiny version registered.

5. What Qualifies as a “Special Trade” in Pokémon GO?

In Pokémon GO, a special trade includes:

• Pokémon not yet registered in the recipient’s Pokédex.
• Legendary Pokémon.
• Shiny Pokémon.
• Shadow Pokémon, after purification.
• Purified Pokémon.

Special Trades can only be performed once per day with each friend to ensure a balance in the game.

6. How Much Stardust Does It Cost to Trade a Shiny?

As mentioned, trading a shiny Pokémon in Pokémon GO to a player who doesn’t own it is expensive, reaching up to 1,000,000 Stardust for basic friendship level. This cost decreases as your friendship level increases.
It goes as follows:

• Basic Friend: 1,000,000 Stardust.
• Great Friend: 800,000 Stardust.
• Ultra Friend: 80,000 Stardust.
• Best Friend: 40,000 Stardust.

7. Why Are Shiny Pokémon So Expensive to Trade?

The high stardust cost reflects the rarity and value of shiny Pokémon. Shiny Pokémon are different colored variants of their regular counterparts and are much rarer to encounter. This rarity creates high demand, hence the elevated stardust cost associated with trading them.

8. How Many Shiny Pokémon Can I Trade in a Day?

Due to the special trade limitation, you can only do one shiny trade with each of your friends per day in Pokémon GO.

9. Are All Shiny Pokémon Female?

Absolutely not. The gender of a shiny Pokémon is as random as the gender of a regular Pokémon, subject only to the species’ specific gender ratios. There is no correlation between gender and shininess.

10. Can Unknown Pokémon be Shiny?

Yes, Unown variants can be shiny. They are exceptionally rare, and their shiny forms are particularly sought after by collectors.

11. Can you trade a Shadow Shiny?

Currently, the only way to trade a Shadow Pokémon is by purifying it first. Once purified, the Pokémon can be traded like any other, including if it happens to be shiny.

12. Is the Shiny Charm Tradable?

Unfortunately, no. The Shiny Charm is a key item and cannot be traded between games. The Shiny Charm is a key item that will increase the probability of encountering a Shiny Pokemon in the Wild in games where it is featured.

13. Are Shiny Pokémon Always a Guaranteed Catch?

No, unless you are in a raid. Shiny legendary Pokémon found in raids have a 100% catch rate. However, if you encounter a wild shiny legendary, it will retain its high catch rate, meaning it is still difficult to catch, but the game mechanics make it so wild shiny legendaries cannot flee.

14. Are Shiny Pokémon Worthless?

No, Shiny Pokémon are not worthless. Due to their rarity and the low chances of encountering them, especially in games with larger Pokémon rosters, they are highly sought after by collectors. They hold significant value within the community.

15. Does a Shiny Ditto Transform into Shinies?

Yes, a shiny Ditto will transform into the shiny form of its opponent if the opponent is shiny. However, if the opponent is not shiny, the shiny Ditto will transform into the normal coloration. This mechanic has been present since Generation 5 and is consistent in newer games as well.

Conclusion

While the lack of shiny Pokémon from NPC trades may be disappointing for some, the mechanisms are in place to maintain consistent gameplay. However, the shiny hunt is a core part of the Pokémon experience, making it a unique adventure every time. Remember to explore other methods such as hatching eggs and wild encounters to achieve your desired collection of shiny creatures!