All Shiny Legendaries You Can Complete in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

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Shiny hunting in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is much simpler than in previous games, so players are eager to catch shiny versions of everything, from starters to Legendary Pokémon. However, among the many Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in the game, only a few aren’t shiny-locked.

Typically, Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in Pokémon games are often restricted from appearing in shiny form for various reasons. If you’re aiming to complete a living Pokédex of shiny Pokémon or just want to hunt shiny Legendary and Mythical Pokémon in Legends: Z-A, it’s helpful to know which ones are available as shiny and which are not. This way, you save time and focus your efforts efficiently.

Which Legendary and Mythical Pokémon Are Shiny-Locked

Out of all the Legendary Pokémon in Legends: Z-A, only five can be found in shiny form. The Pokémon that are available as shiny are Latios, Latias, Cobalion, Virizion, and Terrakion. All other Mythicals and Legendaries, including those found in the Mega Dimension DLC, are permanently shiny-locked, regardless of the method used to catch them.

All but these five are inaccessible as shiny Pokémon.

Where to Shiny Hunt Legends

Since the five Legendaries that can be shiny are found in the same way, the general method for shiny hunting applies to all of them. Still, some specifics differ depending on the Pokémon.

First, these five Pokémon only appear inside 5-Star Hyperspace Distortions, which are triggered by Philippe performing a Special Scan after you complete Main Mission 12. The scan results in one of three types of distortions, but only Unknown Distortions contain Legendary Pokémon.

Important: Running a scan to activate a 5-Star Distortion cannot be reset by changing the day or night cycle. The only way to get a new distortion is to earn 25,000 more points and run another scan, even if you haven’t completed the current one.

You won’t know which Legendary or Mythical Pokémon is inside until you enter the distortion. Because of this, make sure you’re prepared to encounter a shiny Pokémon, as your chances initially are 1 in 4096 for a shiny spawn.

How to Prepare for Shiny Hunting

The first step is to grind for the Shiny Charm, which significantly boosts your odds. If you haven’t gotten it yet, this is a good time to do so, especially since the Mega Dimension DLC has added new research tasks that no longer require battling 1,000 Pokémon to earn it.

Next, you can further improve your chances by using Donuts in the game. Each Donut enhances your shiny odds with effects like Sparkling Power. The best option is a Donut with Sparkling Power Level 3 for all types, especially since you won’t know the type of Pokémon before entering the distortion.

To make that happen, prioritize berries with a Sweet flavor when making your Donuts. The results are partly random, so it’s wise to save your game before starting the Donut process, and reload if the effects don’t turn out as desired.

Tip: You can also create type-specific Sparkling Power Level 3 Donuts. Before entering the distortion, make a backup save to reload if the Pokémon inside isn’t the type you’re hunting for. Remember, just use eight sweets of the same type berry to craft these.

Capturing the Legendary Pokémon and Resetting Spawns

Since the five shiny-capable Legendaries appear in specific locations within distortions, you’ll need to run through the process of resetting their spawns. Here are some tips for each:

Cobalion: Found tucked away in a corner near a bridge under the frozen river. Moving under the bridge and back to the area until a shiny appears works. Save beforehand.
Virizion: Located inside an enclosed space on a rooftop. Use a ladder to reach the area and repeatedly move near a lamp post with flowers, resetting the spawn. Save before entering the area.
Terrakion: On a rooftop patio accessible via a Holovator. Use a nearby Holovator to reset its spawn by going to scaffolding platform and returning. Save in advance.
Latios: Found on a high rooftop accessible via a Holovator. Save at the bottom before taking the Holovator, and reset spawns by restarting the game if Latios isn’t shiny.
Latias: Spawns on a rooftop with fencing and a ladder. Reset by moving along rooftops and saving at specific points. Create saves before and after each attempt.

To increase your odds of encounter: Once inside the distortion—regardless of which Legendary—you’ll see a short scene revealing which Pokémon is inside, but not its exact location. You’ll need to track it down. If it isn’t shiny when found, run away to reset the spawn.

Additional Tips for Efficient Shiny Hunting

When you locate a Legendary, create a save nearby so you can reset if the Pokémon isn’t shiny.
Use the game’s method of running away from an encountered Pokémon to reset the spawn rather than resetting through the game menu.
Keep watch on your remaining time in the distortion. If it gets low, restart your game from the backup save to prolong your hunting session.
Once all five shiny Legendaries are caught, your shiny Legendary hunt is complete.

Notes on Spawning and Resetting

All Legendary Pokémon that are available as shiny can only be caught once per save file. After you’ve obtained shiny versions of these five Pokémon, your Legendary shiny hunting is finished.