What Are the Best Shiny Pokémon of Each Type?
Pokémon has captivated the hearts and minds of gamers worldwide since Pokémon Red was first launched in Japan in 1996 as Pocket Monsters Red and Green. During the following twenty-seven years, the format of the mainline Pokémon games has primarily stayed within the same base premise. Even Pokemon: Legends of Arceus, while different, still maintains a similar linearity.
The introduction of shiny Pokémon into the games as part of the Gen II Pokémon Gold and Silver games changed the face of Pokémon hunting forever. What makes these Pokémon so different is their rarity and the thrill of the hunt. Full odds range between 1:8192 for games in Gen 2-5 and 1:4096 for games in Gen 6 and beyond.
Of course, there are ways to increase those odds, such as completing the full Pokédex in a game and earning the shiny charm or through various catch combos or kill streaks during mass outbreaks.
This article will look at the best shiny Pokémon from each base type players should seek out.
What Is the Best Shiny Normal Pokémon?
Normal Pokémon have no clear strengths and are weak against fighting types. Miltank and Obstagoon's shiny forms come close to winning, but Porygon takes the top spot. Ditching the standard red and cyan coloring for a less vibrant but gorgeous purple and pink combo, shiny Porygon is a sight to behold.
When evolved, Porygon becomes Porygon 2, and then Porygon-Z, and these shinies continue the same color themes and desriablity, adding to the overall appeal of Porygon itself.
What Is the Best Shiny Fire Pokémon?
Fans love fire Pokémon, and for good reason: they stand proud as one of the three core starter types since the series' inception. Many fire Pokémon look exceptionally cute, especially in their first forms, and they hold their own against bug, ice, steel, and grass types. The best shiny fire Pokémon is a tough call between Ninetales and Charizard, but Charizard takes the win with its black form, cutting a stark and unmistakable figure. A stalwart of the franchise, its shiny deserves praise.
Interestingly enough, while Charizard and Ninetales are both gorgeous shiny types, their base shiny forms are underwhelming, making their final evolution shinies all the more impressive.
What Is the Best Shiny Water Pokémon?
Water-type Pokémon boast a strong fan following and robust shiny network. Sporting an advantage against fire, ground, and rock types, focusing on shiny hunting water types always benefits players.
While the iconic water shiny is Gyarados, a guaranteed shiny for those who played (Heart) Gold, (Soul) Silver, or Crystal games, it is not the best shiny water Pokémon. Bestowing that honor presents a challenge, with many water types having fantastic shinies.
However, Politoed takes the crown as the best-looking shiny water Pokémon. Slowking makes a good shout. However, its first form, Slowpoke, and the Slowking evolution could be more impressive, especially when compared to the shiny lineage of the Politoed family.
What Is the Best Shiny Grass Pokémon?
Grass-type Pokémon are the third and final of the ever-present starter types in the mainline Pokémon games. Grass types are typically strong against ground, rock, and water, with a weakness to bug, fire, ice, poison, dragon, steel, and flying types. Grass Pokémon have the most weaknesses out of all starter types.
When picking the best shiny grass Pokémon, the decision becomes trickier. Many grass types have shinies that play on shades instead of stark or startlingly different colors. These subtleties make for some beautiful shinies, such as Ludicolo. Likewise, Trevanent's shiny is stunning; however, after evolving from Phantump, Trevanent's more a ghost Pokemon than the shared grass type.
The best shiny grass Pokémon is Tangela, whose usual deep blue body becomes a vibrant and exciting green. The color works for the design and perfectly captures the nature of a Grass-type Pokémon.
What Is the Best Shiny Flying Pokémon?
Flying Pokémon abound. However, just four Pokémon species qualify as pure flying types. The others have a shared type, such as Pidgey's normal/flying combination. Thundurus is one of those rare pure-flying Pokémon, and its shiny form is exquisite. It rightly deserves recognition as the best shiny flying Pokémon.
Thundurus works so well as a shiny because of how the color scheme changes, with the body taking on a softer tone, ditching the bright blue for a purple color, allowing the smaller edging of its form to pop with a powerful violet that makes the whole Pokémon stand out that much more.
What Is the Best Shiny Fighting Pokémon?
Fighting-type Pokémon have evolved over the years and, since Gen VI, offer consistently strong performance against normal, dark, ice, rock, and steel types while remaining weak to bug, fairy, flying, poison, and psychic types.
Machamp has become the iconic example of a fighting-type Pokémon with a simple yet effective shiny form. However, Heracross has to take the title of being the best shiny fighting Pokémon. Another simple shiny, the bold decision to ditch the blue for a vibrant pink makes Heracross an excellent shiny and a great addition to any team needing a fighter.
What Is the Best Shiny Poison Pokémon?
Poison-type Pokémon are a secret favorite of many, not for their moves or effectiveness, as they are only strong against fairy and grass types in current generations, but because of their designs. The 96 different poison types – including multi-types – account for over 8% of all Pokémon and always make an excellent addition to any team.
Choosing the best poison-type shiny Pokémon poses a massive challenge, and Mega Gengar should win with its shocking white body. However, Mega evolutions are not “standard,” and the other shinies in the Gastly-Gengar line are nothing special. The best shiny poison type is Croagunk and its evolution, Toxicroak. These poison types have a beautiful aquamarine body with pink highlights, which looks stunning in any team.
What Is the Best Shiny Electric Pokémon?
Electric-type Pokémon helped attract the world to the series, thanks to that cheeky yellow chappie, Pikachu. However, there is more to electric types than just pika-pika. Out of 88 electric-type Pokémon, Jolteon is an easy consideration for the worst shiny, resembling someone having a bad reaction to a flu shot.
The deep, resonating blue of Voltorb always grabs the eye. However, Shinx takes the top spot as the best electric shiny Pokémon. The bright yellow looks great for the character fit and electric type and adds that extra sparkle to an in-game team.
What Is the Best Shiny Ground Pokémon?
Ground-type Pokémon make a great addition to any team, being naturally strong against grass, ice, and water types and immune to any electric moves. Choosing one with 90 ground-type Pokémon in the current dex can pose a challenge. Adding the shiny consideration into things only further increases the depth of the quandary.
An argument could be made for the Wooper shiny, as it has a beautiful pink hue that stands out and looks fantastic. However, the best ground-type shiny Pokémon is the serpentine form of Zygarde, which ditches the green and black for a stunning white and teal combination that makes it look as rare and unique as being shiny makes it.
What Is the Best Shiny Rock Pokémon?
Only 78 types of Rock Pokémon roam the wilds, ready for discovery. Rock types make a good backup for players, with their advantage over bug, fire, flying, and ice types. Rock types excel when they have a dual type with fighting or ground moves, extending their type advantages.
Onyx cuts an iconic figure in the rock-type pool; however, when it comes to shinies, its greenish form looks great. It doesn't come close enough to dethrone the best shiny rock Pokémon in Tyrunt and its evolution Tyrantum, whose deep blue skin does credit to any team, competitive or otherwise.
What Is the Best Shiny Psychic Pokémon?
Psychic-type Pokémon often have stronger stats based on their special attack and defense than anything else. Psychic types are one of the most common Pokémon types, ranking third in the combination of pure and psychic dominant types.
When looking at shiny psychic Pokémon, Espeon's emerald coat or the eye-catching pink gleam of the Drowzee evolution line can distract. However, the title of best shiny psychic Pokémon goes to Metagross, whose silver and gold combination stuns–a genuine contender for the best shiny in the whole dex.
What Is the Best Shiny Ice Pokémon?
Ice-type Pokémon represent the minority type of all Pokemon, with just 58 species roaming free. However, adding a shiny ice type to a team greatly brings several benefits when facing off against dragon types. Icy types can do as much as four times the normal damage and hold an unwavering advantage against dragon, grass, and ground types.
Many shiny ice-type Pokémon offer a gentle shiny, often playing with hues and subtle changes that highlight their cool nature. However, some bold designs exist, such as the bright pink and yellow combination of the Sneasel lineage. Yet, the best ice Pokémon shiny goes to Alolan Ninetales, which in this form leaves behind its fiery nature and becomes an ice/fairy combo type.
What Is the Best Shiny Bug Pokémon?
Bug-type Pokémon are found all over the Pokemon landscape, with 100 different bug Pokémon roaming the wild. Caterpie became famous the first Pokémon Ash Ketchum ever catches, and while its yellow shiny is nice, it's not the best. Combee shiny, which drops its traditional yellow for a warmer reddish shade, also contends. However, while that looks great, the standard yellow and black look fits better for the bee-styled Pokemon.
The best shiny bug Pokémon is Yanma, which has a vibrant blue body that pops against the unchanged green face, creating a mon that looks incredible and is a fantastic addition to a dex. The Yanmega evolution is remarkable but not as spectacular as its primary form.
What Is the Best Shiny Ghost Pokémon?
Ghost-type Pokémon are only effective against their own type and dark Pokémon, meaning they are weak to half of the forms they are dominant against, which to some, nullifies their use. However, regardless of whether a dark Pokémon makes the team, they have some magnificent shinies perfect for any collection.
Duskull's blood-red shiny form drips with ghostly malice. Yet the shiny form of Giratina takes the title of best shiny Ghost Pokemon. Its colors just work far better together than its standard form, making it, in the eyes of many, the superior Pokémon to hunt and catch.
What Is the Best Shiny Steel Pokémon?
Steel-type Pokémon make a formidable addition to any team and make an excellent type combination with bug, flying, or electric types. Steel-type Pokémon only entered the world in Gen II and have an advantage against fairy, ice, and rock types.
For those who enjoy wandering the wild area of Sword and Shield, the sight of Corviknight traversing the skies or dominating the ground would be familiar. A flying/steel type, its shiny form is a majestic sight to behold. The dark plumage gives way to a dusky iron look far better suited to a bird inspired by the legendary knights of old.
However, it does not do enough to make it the best shiny steel Pokémon. That honor goes to Steelix, whose pure gold body takes the title, with a shiny that gleams in all the right ways and is a powerful and dazzling addition to the Pokédex.
What Is the Best Shiny Dragon Pokémon?
Dragon-type Pokémon are a favorite of many, even in their regular form, especially given that they are one of the few naturally strong against other dragon types and are generally considered one of the strongest types. Until the arrival of fairy Pokémon in gen VI, dragon types were the most powerful Pokémon in the game. Their popularity remains today, even before consideration is given to which is the best shiny.
Shiny Palkia is a contender for the best shiny dragon Pokémon. However, it falls compared to shiny Daratini or Dragonair. Replacing their blue bodies with a vibrant, clean pink heightens their cuteness without diminishing their imposing dragon nature.
What Is the Best Shiny Dark Pokémon?
Dark-type Pokémon entered the world with the Gen II games and introduced us to some excellent Pokémon through the years, including the iconic Umbreon and the mono-horned Absol. Dark Pokémon are super-effective when battling ghost or psychic types.
Many stunning dark, shiny Pokémon exist, including Obstagoona or Alolan Meowth and its Persian evolution. However, one dark Pokémon shiny stands even above the rest. Spiritomb's regular form is a bright pink mon with green and yellow spots. While that already makes a good-looking Pokémon, the shiny form is a phenomenal fading blue with vibrant pink spots. It's a deceptively bright design for a dark-type Pokémon, yet it retains a menacing presence that is undeniable.
What Is the Best Shiny Fairy Pokémon?
Fairy-type Pokémon were created to counter the sheer power of most dragon types. Fairy Pokémon are strong against dark, dragon, and fighting types. Despite their standing as the newest type and one of the rarer in terms of overall Pokémon numbers, there are some fantastic Pokémon with the fairy type, and the range of associated shinies is a veritable treasure trove of amazing designs.
The shinies for Sylveon and Snubbull contend as the best in their type; however, both pale compared to Impidimp, whose shiny form is arguably one of the top shinies overall, let alone among other fairy types. The teal and gray combination is striking, and in the recent Scarlet and Violet games, the Impidimp shiny looks better than ever before.