Top 5 Hardest Shinies to Hunt in Pokémon Legends: Z-A

Shiny hunting in Pokémon Legends: Z-A promises both excitement and frustration, as players chase after some of the rarest and most elusive alternate-colored Pokémon, aka hardest shinies, under new mechanics and challenging odds. The hunt is about to get real in the sprawling, re-imagined Lumiose City and its surrounding wilds. Some Pokémon are just naturally elusive, have frustrating catch or spawn mechanics, or are simply programmed to be a pain. So, let’s dust off our Pokédex, stock up on Ultra Balls and speculate on which alternate-colored creatures will be the hardest shinies to add to our collections in Pokémon Legends: Z-A.

1. The Starters (Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie)

The Starters, or the hardest shinies Trio, Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie, are the most obvious and heartbreaking challenge. This means no matter how many times you soft-reset your game, Professor Sycamore’s Chespin, Fennekin, or Froakie will never sparkle. It’s a cruel, cruel world.

In Legends: Arceus, we finally got a chance to hunt the starters in the wild via Space-Time Distortions or Mass Outbreaks—but only after slogging through the post-game. Expect a similar system in Z-A. You’ll likely have to complete the main story, fill out a significant portion of your Pokédex, and then cross your fingers for a rare outbreak of the starters you didn’t choose. It’s a long, drawn-out process that requires a ton of patience before you can even begin.

2. Fossil Pokémon (Tyrunt, Amaura)

The fossil Pokémon of the Kalos region, Tyrunt and Amaura, present a unique problem. Traditionally, these prehistoric pals are resurrected from fossils, meaning you only get one at a time. This isn’t conducive to shiny hunting, which relies on seeing hundreds, if not thousands, of encounters.

Unless Z-A pulls a fast one and lets these ancient beasts roam free in a specific biome—a sort of prehistoric park within Kalos—we’ll likely be stuck with a less-than-ideal hunting method. This could involve a tedious process of collecting fossils and reviving them one by one, a frustrating mini-game, or some other gimmick that limits encounter rates. Get ready for a hardest shinies hunt that feels like it’s taking a literal eternity.

3. Spiritomb

If you played Legends: Arceus, you’ll remember Spiritomb as the master of exhausting fetch quests—a single encounter at the end of hunting 107 wisps, and shiny hunting it meant repeating the torment. With its tradition of tedious, convoluted requirements, Spiritomb’s likely return in Kalos will be just as grueling. Scoring a shiny? That’s a serious badge of honor.

4. Pokémon That Flee (Abra, etc.)

What’s more exciting than hearing the shiny sound? How about the heartbreak of hearing it, only to watch an Abra teleport away before you can blink. Fast, skittish Pokémon that bolt at the sight of you make for stressful hunts. Even with stealth tactics and distraction items, it’s still a split-second test of nerves—and sometimes heartbreak.

Legends: Arceus made this slightly more manageable with stealth mechanics and items like Sticky Globs to stun them. However, the core challenge remains. It takes speed, precision and luck. A moment’s hesitation, a poorly aimed ball, or spawning in its direct line of sight means you can kiss that shiny goodbye. Expect Kalos to have its own share of skittish Pokémon that will test your reflexes and your patience for the hardest shines.

5. Eevee and Its Evolutions

Everyone loves Eevee. Eevee has it all: cuteness, potential and a shiny in sleek silver! The problem? Its rarity. Eevee is often a single-gift Pokémon or has an incredibly low spawn rate in the wild. This makes hunting for one a slow burn. But the real challenge is getting a complete set of shiny Eeveelutions.

You’re not just hunting one shiny; you’re hunting eight. And that’s assuming you can even find them in the wild. If they are locked to specific, hard-to-trigger conditions like Space-Time Distortions, you’re in for a grind of epic proportions. Hunting for that many rare-spawn shinies is a monumental task that will likely take hundreds of hours. Get ready to dedicate a significant chunk of your life to acquiring this sparkly, multi-form family.

Bonus: Shiny Flabébé

For our wildcard hardest shinies hunt, let’s talk Flabébé. This tiny flower fairy comes in multiple colors, and its shiny form is subtle to the point of trolling even the most eagle-eyed trainers. Add to that its minuscule size on the overworld and low encounter rate, and you’ve got a hunt that will test both your patience and your ability to squint at your screen for hours. If you manage to catch a shiny Flabébé (especially in your preferred color), consider yourself a member of an elite club of determined trainers.

Pokémon Legends: Z-A and hunting for the shiny isn’t for everyone, no matter your skill level. Is it the thrill of the chase or the satisfaction of capturing the hardest shinies as your companion that keeps you trying again and again? If you’re curious about the best places and techniques for hunting those more popular shiny favorites, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. If you found all of them and need more Shinies in your life, check out where to look for the popular shinies and the places to farm them. Why not? You already found the hardest shines, so this will be a walk in the park.