The ULTIMATE Guide to Shiny Hunting Blaziken in Sword & Shield!
Shiny Hunting Blaziken in Sword & Shield: A Comprehensive Guide
Blaziken, the Blaze Pokémon, is a popular choice for trainers, especially those who love Fire and Fighting types. While not natively found in Sword & Shield, you can get one through Pokémon HOME transfers or by participating in special events. This guide will walk you through the best methods for shiny hunting Blaziken once you have access to it.
Understanding Shiny Hunting Basics
Before diving in, let's cover some fundamental concepts:
- Shiny Charm: This item significantly increases your chances of encountering a shiny Pokémon. You get it by completing the entire Galar Pokédex and talking to the Game Director in Circhester.
- Masuda Method: Breeding Pokémon from different language versions of the game (e.g., an English Ditto and a Japanese Blaziken) greatly increases the shiny odds.
- Base Shiny Odds: Without the Shiny Charm or Masuda Method, your odds are 1/4096. With the Shiny Charm, it improves to 1/1365.33. Using the Masuda Method alone brings it to 1/682.67. Combining both gives you the best odds.
Method 1: Breeding (Masuda Method)
This is arguably the most consistent method, especially when Blaziken isn't available in Dynamax Adventures or other specific encounters.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Obtain a Foreign Pokémon: Acquire a Pokémon of the same Egg Group as Blaziken from a different language version of the game. A foreign Ditto is ideal because it can breed with almost any Pokémon. You can get one through trading.
- Acquire a Blaziken or a Compatible Pokémon: Either transfer a Blaziken through Pokémon HOME or use another Pokémon in its Egg Group, such as a Combusken or Torchic, that you can breed with your foreign Pokémon.
- Head to a Nursery: Go to either the Bridge Field or Route 5 Nursery.
- Deposit Pokémon: Leave both Pokémon at the Nursery.
- Collect Eggs: Ride around the Wild Area until the Nursery Keeper has an egg.
- Hatch Eggs: Hatch the eggs. This is the most time-consuming part. Have a Pokémon with the ability Flame Body or Magma Armor in your party to speed up the hatching process.
- Repeat: Continue collecting and hatching eggs until you find your shiny Blaziken!
Method 2: Dynamax Adventures (If Blaziken is available during an event)
Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra expansion offer a chance to encounter shiny Pokémon with boosted odds, although this depends if Blaziken becomes available in the adventure raids.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- Access Dynamax Adventures: You need the Crown Tundra DLC to access the Max Lair.
- Find Blaziken's Path (If Available): Talk to Peonia in the Max Lair to see if you can register a path for Blaziken. This often depends on event rotations.
- Complete Dynamax Adventures: Battle through four Dynamax Pokémon, choosing your path carefully to increase your chances of encountering Blaziken at the end.
- Choose Your Pokémon: At the end of the adventure, you get to choose ONE of the Pokémon you encountered to keep. If Blaziken isn't shiny, don't keep it.
- Repeat: Keep running Dynamax Adventures until you find a shiny Blaziken.
Tips for Shiny Hunting:
- Patience is Key: Shiny hunting can take a long time. Don't get discouraged if you don't find a shiny quickly.
- Stay Organized: Keep track of how many eggs you've hatched or how many Dynamax Adventures you've completed.
- Take Breaks: Shiny hunting can be mentally draining. Take breaks to avoid burnout.
- Use Hatching Power: Use a Hatching Power O-Power to speed up hatching.
Shiny hunting Blaziken in Sword & Shield requires patience and dedication, but the reward of owning this rare and powerful Pokémon is well worth the effort.
What is your favorite shiny Pokemon and why?