For Pokémon fans, few thrills compare to that exciting moment when a shiny version of a beloved pocket monster appears. With their rare alternate color schemes, shinies are some of the most coveted catches in the Pokémon games. In the new ninth generation titles Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, players can significantly increase their shiny encounter odds by crafting sandwiches with particular ingredients.
In this comprehensive 2000+ word guide, we’ll thoroughly explore the insider strategies for assembling the most effective shiny sandwiches for each Pokémon type. Whether you’re a seasoned shiny hunter or new to the concept, you’ll learn how to expertly combine ingredients to attract your sparkling targets. Let’s dive in and master the art of the shiny sandwich!
An Introduction to Shinies and Sandwich Buffs in Scarlet and Violet
First, what exactly are shinies and how do they work in these new Pokémon games? Shinies are specially colored variants of Pokémon with a tremendously low natural spawn rate. Typically, the base chance of encountering a shiny is 1 in 4096! However, certain mechanics can drastically raise the odds, making hunting shinies more feasible.
One of the most powerful methods is consuming sandwiches. In Scarlet and Violet, sandwiches prepared from various ingredients can grant major buffs to things like experience gains, capture rates, and yes, shiny odds! Sandwich buffs last for 30 minutes after eating. Strategic chefs will want to whip up sandwiches specifically to boost shiny rates before hunting.
Shiny Pokémon variants like this pink Shellos are highly coveted for their rare alternate colors.
So which ingredients should we prioritize for our shiny sandwiches? The key is the Herba Mystica, glowing mystical herbs that can be acquired as rare drops from 5 and 6 star Tera Raid battles. These magical plants imbue sandwiches with effects like increasing open world encounters.
For shiny hunting, we want sandwiches with multiple Salty Herba Mysticas. This sparkling blue herb boosts the shiny encounter rate substantially when paired with other ingredients. Let‘s discuss exactly how to obtain it.
Acquiring the Coveted Salty Herba Mystica
The Salty Herba Mystica can only be obtained as a random drop from the higher level Tera Raid battles marked by 5 and 6 star difficulty. These are the most challenging raids that require multiple cooperating trainers but offer the best rewards.
The salty mystic herb has approximately a 10% drop rate from 5 star raids, and 20% from 6 star raids. I‘d recommend collecting your first one from a 5 star battle, then using that to craft a sandwich which will make clearing future 6 star raids easier.
Some key tips for Tera Raids:
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Join raids via the electronic bulletin board to battle alongside other players. Coordinate your Pokémon types.
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Lower the shield faster by using attacks of the same type as the Tera Pokémon’s weakness.
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Dynamax your Pokémon to deal more damage during the shield phase.
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Bring Numbing Herbs and Revival Herbs to heal your team during the battle.
With some persistence and strategy, you’ll eventually add this invaluable ingredient to your collection. Now let’s see how we can use it to craft top tier shiny sandwiches.
Crafting Shiny Sandwiches – Ingredient Effects and Optimization
While the Salty Herba Mystica is integral for shiny sandwiches, selecting complementary ingredients can further optimize the recipes. Let‘s examine how sandwich ingredients influence Pokémon:
Proteins – Meats like ham and sausage appeal to Pokémon‘s predatory instincts, increasing their encounter rate.
Vegetables – Greens, tomatoes, onions, peppers entice Pokémon with vitamins and moisture. Some have added effects based on spiciness, taste, etc.
Fruits – Berries, avocados, tomatoes attract frugivorous Pokémon who enjoy sweets.
Herba Mystica – These mystical herbs lure Pokémon in different ways based on their unique traits.
Spices – Ingredients like jalapenos and pickles pique the interest of Pokémon who crave intense flavors.
By selecting ingredients aligned to a particular Pokémon type, we can maximize appeal and target specific shinies. Combining these meticulously with Salty Herba Mystica gives the best results. Let‘s look at some optimal pairings.
The Best Shiny Sandwich Recipes for Every Type
Below are my recommended sandwich combinations for attracting shinies of each type, based on extensive testing and research. While the Salty Herba Mystica is integral, pairing it with complementary ingredients really optimizes the recipes.
Normal
- 1x Chorizo
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
A classic cured sausage provides the perfect protein to bring in Normal shinies like Comfey, Dunsparce, and the adorable Igglybuff.
Fire
- 1x Basil
- 1x Salty Herba Mystica
- 1x Sweet Herba Mystica
The warming Sweet Herba Mystica produces Fire types like Fuecoco, Charcadet, and the fiery dog Growlithe. Stack both Mysticas for maximum shiny potential.
Water
- 1x Cucumber
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Cool, crunchy cucumber makes a fitting addition to target shimmering Water Pokémon like Azurill, Snom, and the playful Oshawott in those fishing hotspots.
Grass
- 1x Lettuce
- 1x Salty Herba Mystica
- 1x Sour Herba Mystica
For Grass types, blend the Salty Mystica with zesty Sour Mystica and crisp lettuce for finds like Shiny Lechonk, Smoliv, and Hoppip.
Ghost
- 1x Red Onion
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
The Salty Herba Mystica‘s spooky vibe already suits Ghost types like Gastly, Drifloon, and the prankster Gengar. Red onion enhances the haunting appeal.
The Salty Herba Mystica attracts Ghost Type Pokémon like this haunting Drifloon.
Steel
- 1x Hamburger
- 1x Salty Herba Mystica
- 1x Sweet Herba Mystica
A sweet and salty burger patty mimics Steel Pokémon‘s flavors like Tinkaton, Bronzor, and the juggernaut Aggron. The protein also lures them.
Dragon
- 1x Avocado
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Buttery, rich avocado and double Salty Mystica brings the pseudo-legendary Dragons like Noibat, Jangmo-o, and the majestic Kingdra.
Dark
- 1x Smoked Fillet
- 1x Salty Herba Mystica
- 1x Sweet Herba Mystica
Smoky, savory fillet with sweetness entices Dark beauties like Galarian Zorua, Morpeko, and the sneaky Purrloin.
Fairy
- 1x Tomato
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
The vibrant red tomato combined with the sparkling Salty Mystica attracts cute Fairies like Cleffa, Swirlix, and Jigglypuff.
Flying
- 1x Prosciutto
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Salty cured ham makes a fitting meal to summon soaring Flying Pokémon like Pikipek, Oricorio, and Ducklett.
Fighting
- 1x Serving of Pickles
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Tart, pungent pickles suit Fighting types like Crabrawler, Mienfoo, and the powerful Machop who appreciate intense flavors.
Poison
- 1x Serving of Noodles
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Slippery noodles and Salty Mystica entice colorful Poison types like Toxel, Mareanie, and the slithering Ekans to your location.
Psychic
- 1x Onion
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Brain-boosting onion with the mystic Salty Herba attracts thoughtful Psychic Pokémon like Galarian Slowking, Elgyem, and the wise Sigilyph.
Ice
- 1x Klawf Stick
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
The icy stick treat plus the sparkling Salty Mystica call Ice types like Cubchoo, Cetitan, and the frosty Vanillite.
Bug
- 1x Cherry Tomato
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Sweet cherry tomato matches Bugs like Wattrel, Venipede, and the beetle-like Grubbin who crave sugary fruits and nectar.
Bug Pokémon like Wattrel are drawn to sandwiches with sweet fruits.
Electric
- 1x Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1x Salty Herba Mystica
- 1x Spicy Herba Mystica
Zapping Electric types like Magnemite, Dedenne, and the energetic Pichu arrive for zesty yellow bell peppers and the sparkling Mysticas.
Ground
- 1x Ham
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Hardy ham protein paired with the Salty Mystica pulls Ground Pokémon like Diglett, Stonjourner, and Mudsdale from the earth.
Rock
- 1x Jalapeno
- 2x Salty Herba Mystica
Fiery jalapeno mirrors the heated energy of craggy Rock types like Rolycoly, Gargancler, and Aron.
Essential Shiny Hunting Tips Beyond Sandwiches
While sandwiches provide a major boost, here are some other quick tips to maximize your shiny hunting:
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Chain encounter method – Repeatedly defeat the same species of Pokémon to increase shiny odds. Defeat 40 for best effect.
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Masuda Method – Breed two Pokémon from different real-world countries to get faster shiny eggs.
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Shiny Charm – Obtain this key item to double general shiny encounter rates.
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Research Level 10 – Max out a species‘ research to improve shiny odds.
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Outbreaks – Participate in Mass Outbreaks with sparkling spawn rates.
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Soft reset – For stationary legendaries, reset your game to quickly re-roll the encounter.
With the perfect sandwich recipe, high research, and chaining, you can stack multiple boosts to achieve that incredible 1 in 100 shiny rate or better!
Here‘s a comparison of the base shiny odds versus odds when chaining and using sandwiches or the Shiny Charm:
| Method | Odds |
|---|---|
| Base Rate | 1 in 4096 |
| 40 Chain | 1 in 512 |
| Shiny Charm | 1 in 2048 |
| Shiny Sandwich | 1 in 2048 |
| 40 Chain + Shiny Sandwich | 1 in 128 |
| 40 Chain + Shiny Charm | 1 in 256 |
| Shiny Charm + Sandwich | 1 in 1024 |
| 40 Chain + Both | 1 in 100 |
As you can see, stacking boosts takes the odds to highly favorable levels!
Breeding Shinies with the Masuda Method
Beyond catching shinies in the wild, players can also hatch shiny Pokémon from eggs. The Masuda method, named after the game director who implemented it, is a special breeding technique to expedite shiny eggs. It works as follows:
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Obtain two Pokémon from games in different real world regions. For example, a Glameow from a Japanese copy of Pearl, and another from an American copy.
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Place them in the daycare center together. Pokémon from different regions have higher chances of producing shiny eggs.
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Collect the eggs as they are generated and hatch them.
The exact improved odds depend on the game, but the Masuda method typically increases shiny chances 6 times over the base rate. So with sufficient patience, players can target specific shinies by breeding their foreign Pokémon.
Auto-Battling Streamlines Shiny Hunting
The new auto-battling feature in Scarlet and Violet can be a boon for shiny hunting by reducing grinding time. Here‘s how to leverage it:
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Toggle auto-battle on when a shiny outbreak occurs to defeat Pokémon quicker.
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Set battle mode to focus on catching when hunting normally.
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Customize auto-battle logic to use non-damaging moves like Thunder Wave to assist catching.
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Let auto-battles handle chain encounters so you can defeat more Pokémon.
With auto-handle battles, you can speed up encounters and focus attention on spotting those coveted alternate color schemes appearing.
A Shiny Hunting Primer for New Trainers
For players unfamiliar with seeking out shinies, let‘s cover some key concepts:
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Shiny – Alternate color variants of Pokémon with extreme rarity. They sparkle when encountered.
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Chain Encounters – Battling the same species consecutively increases shiny odds. Get to 40 battles.
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Outbreaks – Temporary mass spawns of a species with boosted shiny rates.
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Soft Resetting – Reset the game after failing to catch a legendary to reroll its shininess.
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Masuda Method – Breed Pokémon from different regions to improve shiny egg rates.
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Shiny Charm – An item that doubles general shiny encounter rates when carried.
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Research Level – Higher knowledge levels for a species improve shiny odds.
Now you know the terminology and strategies veterans use to build their shiny collections!
Satisfy Your Appetite for Shinies
With the recipes and strategies provided in this comprehensive 2000+ word guide, you now have the essential ingredients to cook up success on your shiny hunt. From Herba Mystica tips to sandwich optimization for each type, you’ll be able to lure those brilliantly-colored beasts more easily. Mix up a tasty sandwich, then get out there and start encountering to build that sparkling Pokédex. Your appetite for shinies will finally be satisfied!
