Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Shiny hunt helped by bad weather
Universal Pictures/The Pokemon CompanyBad weather has a nasty habit of blowing away certain ‘mons in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but it’s actually really helpful when you’re hunting for a Shiny.
Weather has different effects throughout the Pokemon series. Most fans are familiar with weather boosts in combat, such as through moves like Sunny Day, but it can also affect the overworld and influence the Pokemon that appear in the wild.
In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, stormy weather can affect certain Pokemon. This is because lighter ‘mons, like Hoppip and Igglybuff, can be blown away by the wind, which can be amusing to witness during Mass Outbreaks.
A user on the Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Reddit showed the consequences of an Igglybuff Mass Outbreak in the rain, as all the Balloon Pokemon got blown away by the wind.
However, it turns out that this is the optimal setup for searching for Shiny Pokemon. As pointed out by users in the thread, Shiny Pokemon aren’t affected by the storm in the same as regular ‘mons.
“I don’t know if it works with Jigglypuff/Igglybuff, but I’m sure that regular Hoppip will get blown away with strong winds, whereas shiny ones don’t,” one user wrote, “So if you decide to shiny hunt them again, it might be worth keeping this in mind.”
The wind is also helpful because smaller Pokemon can be hard to see when you’re riding on your Legendary mount, making it easy to run into them and initiate battles you don’t want. The wind helps clear these junk fights out.
A lot has been said about the glitches and poor performance in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but the fact that lightweight ‘mons get flung about on windy days is a funny Easter Egg, especially as the developers ensured that it wouldn’t affect your Shiny hunt.