Pokémon Legends Arceus: Can You Get Shiny Starters?

After a great deal of hype and rumors, Pokémon Legends: Arceus has finally released. One of the first things players will do in this game is receive their starter Pokémon, a moment present in every major title up to now. And like those major titles, hundreds of players will likely jump at the chance to get shiny starters.

Shiny Pokémon feature an alternate color scheme from normal Pokémon. They provide a touch of variety on top of being exceedingly rare, making them prime targets for people that want to show off. However, many recent Pokémon titles feature “shiny-locked” encounters. Pokémon in these encounters are not able to become shiny. With that in mind, can players obtain shiny starter Pokémon in the first place?

Can Players Get Shiny Starters?

Unfortunately, no. The starter Pokémon in this title are shiny-locked, so it’s not possible to obtain their shiny forms. This information comes from dataminers that were able to get their hands on the game earlier than most.

As the information reveals, your starter Pokémon cannot be shiny. Additionally, their height and weight will not drastically change; if you and your friend both choose a Rowlet, expect them to be around the same size. While giant Pokémon can be found in the form of Alphas, starters will always have the same appearance.

This doesn’t mean players will never get shiny versions of these Pokémon. Rarer shiny Pokémon from older games were later distributed by Game Freak as Mystery Gifts This includes a select few that were shiny-locked. Players can also continue to hunt for shinies like in previous titles. This brings with it an interesting quirk: while players can’t obtain Rowlet as a shiny in this game, they can obtain a shiny Turtwig. This applies for all Sinnoh starters, so fans of those Pokémon still have plenty to look forward to!

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is an exclusive title for the Nintendo Switch.