Will Arceus Be Shiny Locked in BDSP? Your Ultimate Guide to Shiny Hunting the God Pokémon
The burning question on every shiny hunter’s mind: Is Arceus shiny locked in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP)? The definitive answer, thankfully, is NO! Arceus is NOT shiny locked in BDSP. This means you can, with considerable patience and dedication, obtain a shiny Arceus in these remakes. Buckle up, because this article will arm you with everything you need to know about shiny hunting Arceus in BDSP, including tips, strategies, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Preparing for the Arceus Shiny Hunt
Before you even think about challenging the God Pokémon, there are some crucial prerequisites.
Unlocking Arceus in BDSP
First and foremost, you must have save data from Pokémon Legends: Arceus on your Nintendo Switch. This is the key that unlocks the Azure Flute event in BDSP. Once you’ve defeated the Elite Four and obtained the National Pokédex, head to your room in Twinleaf Town. There, you’ll find the Azure Flute.
The Azure Flute and Spear Pillar
Upon arrival at Spear Pillar, you’ll be prompted to play the Azure Flute. Doing so will cause a majestic staircase to appear, leading to the Hall of Origin. Arceus awaits you at the top, ready for a battle of epic proportions. This is where the shiny hunting begins!
Why Arceus Isn’t Shiny Locked
Unlike some Mythical Pokémon distributed through events or Mystery Gifts, Arceus’s encounter in BDSP is considered a static encounter within the game world. The developers deliberately chose not to shiny lock this encounter, providing players with a challenging but attainable shiny hunt.
The Shiny Hunting Process: Soft Resetting
Since Arceus isn’t shiny locked, the primary method for shiny hunting is soft resetting. Here’s how it works:
- Save your game before interacting with Arceus. This is absolutely crucial! You want to be able to easily reset back to this point if Arceus isn’t shiny.
- Initiate the battle with Arceus.
- Observe Arceus’s coloration. If it’s the normal color, it is not shiny.
- Soft Reset your Nintendo Switch by pressing L + R + Start + Select simultaneously. This will bring you back to the title screen.
- Reload your save file and repeat steps 2-4. You will be doing this many times.
Understanding the Odds
The base shiny rate in BDSP is 1/4096. This means that each time you encounter Arceus, there’s a 0.0244% chance it will be shiny. While the Shiny Charm has no effect on static encounters in BDSP, it is still a tough hunt.
Patience and Perseverance
Shiny hunting Arceus is a marathon, not a sprint. You will likely encounter the normal form of Arceus hundreds, possibly thousands, of times before the shiny finally appears. Stay persistent, watch some movies or listen to podcasts to make the process less monotonous, and celebrate small milestones along the way. The feeling of finally seeing that shiny Arceus sparkle will be well worth the effort!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to provide additional valuable information:
1. What is a “shiny lock”?
A shiny lock is a game mechanic that prevents a specific Pokémon from appearing in its shiny form, regardless of how many times you encounter it.
2. Does the Shiny Charm affect Arceus in BDSP?
No. In Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, the Shiny Charm only increases the shiny odds of breeding eggs, not static encounters like Arceus.
3. What are the odds of getting a shiny Arceus in BDSP?
The odds of encountering a shiny Arceus in BDSP are the base rate of 1/4096.
4. Is Darkrai shiny locked in BDSP?
Darkrai was initially shiny locked in BDSP, but a patch has since been released, making Darkrai shiny huntable as well. The method for encountering Darkrai requires obtaining a specific item through a past distribution.
5. Can the BDSP starters be shiny?
Yes! All three starters (Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup) in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can be shiny.
6. Are any Pokémon shiny locked in BDSP?
Some gift Pokémon are shiny locked, such as the Mew and Jirachi received for having save data from previous Pokémon games on the Switch. In-game trades are also locked.
7. What is soft resetting?
Soft resetting is a method of restarting your game quickly without turning off the console. In BDSP, you can soft reset by pressing L + R + Start + Select simultaneously.
8. Do I need Celebi to complete the Pokédex in BDSP?
Technically, yes, there is an entry for Celebi. However, the game will not require mythicals for the Pokédex to be considered complete to an in-game NPC.
9. Can you still get Shaymin in BDSP?
The Shaymin event was a limited-time distribution. If you missed it, you are unable to get it anymore.
10. Do you need Shaymin and Darkrai to get the Shiny Charm in BDSP?
No. Shaymin and Darkrai are Mythical Pokémon and are not required to obtain the Shiny Charm.
11. Can you soft reset eggs for shiny Pokémon BDSP?
While you can’t change the outcome of an egg by soft resetting on the same game, you can trade the egg to another game and hatch it there, giving you a chance for it to be shiny due to the different Trainer ID.
12. Is Phione shiny locked?
Yes, Phione is shiny locked in Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
13. Can Jirachi be shiny?
Jirachi can be shiny, but hunting it requires a copy of Pokémon Ruby or Sapphire that you’re willing to reset.
14. How many soft resets for shiny starter?
On average, it takes approximately 4096 soft resets to encounter a shiny starter, aligning with the base shiny rate. If you do 1893 soft resets you have a better than not chance of getting a shiny.
15. What is the best Sinnoh starter?
The “best” Sinnoh starter is subjective, but Chimchar is often considered a strong choice due to its advantageous matchups against Gym Leaders and the Elite Four.
Conclusion
While the shiny hunt for Arceus in BDSP is undoubtedly challenging, it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences a Pokémon trainer can undertake. Remember to save before the encounter, understand the odds, and stay persistent. Happy shiny hunting, and may the odds be ever in your favor!
And remember, if you’re interested in learning more about the educational aspects of gaming, be sure to check out the Games Learning Society at GamesLearningSociety.org. The Games Learning Society is a fantastic resource for understanding how games can be used for learning and development.