10 Coolest Shiny Pokémon, Ranked

Shiny Pokémon are among the most sought-after and most difficult to obtain in the series. There are even some Pokémon that are shiny-locked and cannot be shiny naturally. These Pokémon can often be among the most visually stunning Pokémon as well.

The chances of obtaining a shiny Pokémon usually lie around one in 4,096. These odds are incredibly low and can result in even hardcore players never encountering a shiny Pokémon without specifically setting out to do so. Players often employ a tactic called shiny hunting and spend dozens of hours searching for a singular shiny Pokémon.

10. Groudon

Groudon is a Legendary Pokémon originally introduced in the franchise’s third Generation. This prehistoric creature is known as the “Continent Pokémon” because of its power and strength. Groudon is one of the most powerful Pokémon in the series and can make a great addition to any trainer’s team.

Legendary Pokémon usually have great shiny variants, but Groudon’s alternate form is truly special. The yellowish-green color lends itself to the already monstrous appearance of the Pokémon. Getting ahold of this shiny form can be near impossible unless players have a lot of patience.

9. Palossand

Palossand comes from the game’s seventh Generation, the Pokémon Sun and Moon Region of Alola. This strange typing of Ghost and Ground gives Palossand an interesting role on competitive teams. The Pokémon’s description gives it the eerie backstory of controlling human adults, forcing them to create sand castles to give it camouflage.

The shiny form of this Pokémon really stands out. Only a few Pokémon employ a black color when shiny. Palossand’s alternate color makes it a great reference to the real-world exotic black-sand beaches found around the globe.

8. Altaria

Altaria is visually a strange Pokémon. Introduced in Generation Three, Altaria is a Flying and Dragon-type Pokémon. Most Pokémon in the Dragon-type appear more intimidating and threatening when compared to the likes of Altaria’s cuddly appearance.

Altaria already had an ephemeral look with its cloud-covered wings and elegant movements. Its shiny form’s golden color only adds to this effect. The Pokémon’s shiny form has been featured in most mainline Pokémon games since its introduction in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire.

7. Ponyta

Both Ponyta and its regional variant, Galarian Ponyta, have desirable shiny forms. Ponyta is an original Generation One Pokémon, and its design stands as one of the simplest, yet most impressive, creations.

Shiny Ponyta’s icy blue flames give it a very distinct look while staying in the realm of reality. Blue fires are hotter than red and orange ones in the real world, making Ponyta’s shiny form seem more powerful than its regular variant.

6. Rayquaza

Rayquaza is a Flying and Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon, known as the Sky High Pokémon. It is a Legendary first introduced in Generation Three alongside its counterpart Legendaries, Groudon and Kyogre. These three Pokémon make up one of the most iconic Legendary trios in the franchise.

Rayquaza, along with a few other Pokémon on this list, features a shiny form that turns its main color to black. The alternate color makes the draconic Legendary even more mysterious. It is a big enough change from the original color while keeping the same theme to be one of the coolest shinies in the games.

5. Guzzlord

Guzzlord was introduced in the Seventh Generation and is the only Ultra Beast to make this list, though there are other impressive shiny Ultras. Guzzlord’s shiny form sets it apart with its unique coloring.

Guzzlord’s shiny form gives it an impressive color switch. The orange and white combination is intriguing as it is not used by many other Pokémon, shiny or not. It is a unique look that serves the giant Ultra Beast well.

4. Lucario

Lucario is a must-have on any trainer’s team. This Pokémon is Fighting and Steel type, giving great offensive and defensive capabilities in battle. Its shiny form makes it even cooler and sets it apart from other Fighting-type Pokémon in both past and future Generations.

Similar to Guzzlord, Lucario’s shiny form uses a color palette that not many other Pokémon have. This makes it a super unique monster that is highly desirable in the mainline games. It is also an example of a great shiny mechanic that swaps main and secondary colors to create a great contrast to its original.

3. Charizard

Charizard is one of the most iconic Pokémon in the game, which means its shiny is all the more popular. This Generation One starter Pokémon has been one of the game’s mascots since its release and is a staple of many trainers’ teams.

Charizard is one of the most iconic Pokémon in the game, and the same is true for its shiny form. The color switch was one of the largest contributors to the shiny Pokémon craze long ago. Its shiny form looks more like a dragon than its regular form and seems like a more fitting coloration than the original.

2. Gyarados

Whether in its regular form or its shiny variant, Gyarados is a sought-after Pokémon in nearly every game in the franchise. It is an incredibly powerful Water-type Pokémon with an appearance that makes it even more menacing.

One of the most iconic aspects of shiny Gyarados’ appearance in the games is the way players likely encountered it for the first time. In Pokémon Gold and Silver, players could find shiny Gyarados on the Lake of Rage. This was a surprising encounter in the games and gave shiny Gyarados a special place in many players’ memories.

1. Haxorus

This Pokémon has the coolest designs of any listed before–with or without its alternate shiny colors. Haxorus is the first shiny Pokémon that many players encountered. It is given as a reward in Generation Five for completing a very difficult task.

Similar to the shiny Gyarados in Pokémon Gold and Silver, shiny Haxorus is the coolest shiny Pokémon due to the way most trainers likely encountered it for the first time (though its jet-black armor doesn’t hurt). Shiny Haxorus looks as cool as they come, but it also acts as a reward for players who complete the Unova Pokédex in Pokémon Black and White 2. This incredibly difficult task is capped off by an encounter with this powerful Pokémon.