Shiny Alakazam: Find, Catch & Evolve This Rare Pokémon
Shiny Alakazam is a rare variant of the Psychic-type Pokémon with a golden-brown coloration instead of the normal brown. You can obtain it through raids, research tasks, or by evolving Shiny Abra.
What is a Shiny Alakazam?
Shiny Alakazam is a special color variant of the regular Alakazam Pokémon. While the standard Alakazam has a brown body with a yellow/tan torso, the shiny version features a golden-brown body with a slightly different hue. This rare version is highly sought after by Pokémon trainers and collectors in various Pokémon games, particularly in Pokémon GO.
Shiny Pokémon are special variants that have different coloration than their regular counterparts. They have the same stats, abilities, and movesets as regular Pokémon, but their appearance is different. The main appeal of shiny Pokémon is their rarity and unique appearance, making them valuable collector’s items in the Pokémon community.
The Rarity of Shiny Alakazam
Shiny Alakazam is particularly rare because of the low encounter rates for shiny Pokémon in general. In Pokémon GO, the base shiny rate for most Pokémon, including Abra (which evolves into Alakazam), is approximately 1 in 450. This means that, on average, you would need to encounter about 450 Abra to find a shiny one.
The rarity can be even more pronounced when considering that Abra itself can be somewhat uncommon in regular gameplay, depending on your location and current game events. This makes finding a Shiny Alakazam a significant achievement for Pokémon trainers.
How to Get Shiny Alakazam in Pokémon GO
There are several methods to obtain a Shiny Alakazam in Pokémon GO. Each method has its own advantages and challenges, and some may be more efficient than others depending on current game events and your personal gameplay style.
Through Mega Raids
One of the most direct ways to get a chance at a Shiny Alakazam is through Mega Alakazam raids. When Mega Alakazam appears as a raid boss, defeating it gives you an opportunity to catch Alakazam, which has a chance of being shiny.
Mega Alakazam raids offer an excellent opportunity to get Shiny Alakazam. However, trainers must win the mega raid consecutively to boost the chances of a Shiny encounter. Repeatedly defeating the Mega raid boss requires intense grinding and proper planning.
To maximize your chances in Mega Alakazam raids:
- Team up with other players, as Mega Alakazam is too powerful to defeat solo
- Use Pokémon that exploit Alakazam’s weaknesses (Dark, Ghost, and Bug-type moves)
- Win multiple raids to increase your shiny encounter chances
- Use Golden Razz Berries when attempting to catch Alakazam after defeating it
Remember that Mega Alakazam has a maximum Combat Power (CP) of 5099 as a raid boss, with a stat spread of 367 ATK, 207 DEF, and 146 STA, making it a formidable opponent that requires proper counter Pokémon.
By Evolving Shiny Abra
Another common method to obtain Shiny Alakazam is by evolving a Shiny Abra. This method involves:
- Catching a Shiny Abra
- Collecting 25 Abra candies to evolve it into Kadabra
- Collecting 100 more Abra candies to evolve Kadabra into Alakazam
The advantage of this method is that once you have a Shiny Abra, you’re guaranteed to get a Shiny Alakazam through evolution. The challenge lies in finding the Shiny Abra in the first place.
Through Research Tasks
Occasionally, Pokémon GO features research tasks that reward players with Pokémon encounters. Some players have reported obtaining Shiny Alakazam directly from research tasks, as evidenced by a Reddit post where a user mentioned getting a “Shiny alakazam from research.”
Research tasks can be a more reliable way to encounter specific Pokémon, as they don’t rely on random spawns. However, the availability of Alakazam as a research reward is not constant and depends on current game events.
Strategies for Finding Shiny Abra
Since evolving Shiny Abra is one of the most common methods to obtain Shiny Alakazam, here are some strategies to increase your chances of finding a Shiny Abra:
Participate in Spotlight Hours
Pokémon GO regularly features “Spotlight Hours” where a specific Pokémon has increased spawn rates for one hour. When Abra is featured in a Spotlight Hour, it’s an excellent opportunity to hunt for its shiny version.
During Spotlight Hours:
- Use Incense to attract more Pokémon to your location
- Use Lure Modules at PokéStops to increase spawn rates
- Walk around to encounter as many Abra as possible
- Use Pinap Berries when catching Abra to get extra candy for evolution
The more Abra you encounter during these events, the higher your chances of finding a shiny one.
Take Advantage of Community Days and Special Events
Niantic occasionally hosts Community Days or special events that feature specific Pokémon with boosted shiny rates. If Abra is featured in such an event, the shiny rate could increase significantly from the base rate of 1 in 450 to as high as 1 in 25 during Community Days.
Keep an eye on Pokémon GO announcements for any events featuring Abra, Kadabra, or Alakazam, as these events often provide the best opportunity to find shiny versions.
Use Lures and Incense
Even outside of special events, using Lure Modules at PokéStops and Incense while walking can increase your overall Pokémon encounters, including Abra. Coordinating with friends to use multiple lures in a small area can create a “lure party” that significantly increases spawn rates.
Raid Battles
While less common, Abra may appear in raid battles. Participating in these raids gives you a chance to catch Abra, which could potentially be shiny. Raid encounters often have slightly better shiny odds than wild encounters, though this varies by event.
Evolving Shiny Abra to Shiny Alakazam
Once you’ve caught a Shiny Abra, evolving it to Kadabra and then to Alakazam requires careful planning to ensure you get the best possible Alakazam.
Collecting Candy
You’ll need a total of 125 Abra candies to evolve Abra all the way to Alakazam:
- 25 candies to evolve Abra to Kadabra
- 100 additional candies to evolve Kadabra to Alakazam
To collect Abra candy efficiently:
- Use Pinap Berries when catching Abra to double the candy received
- Make Abra your buddy Pokémon to earn candy by walking
- Transfer extra Abra to Professor Willow for additional candy
- Use Rare Candy if available
Trading for Evolution
In Pokémon GO, trading a Kadabra will cause it to evolve into Alakazam without requiring additional candy. If you have a friend with a Shiny Kadabra, consider trading to save on candy costs. However, be aware that traded Pokémon cannot be traded again, so make sure you’re trading with someone you trust.
Checking IVs Before Evolving
Before evolving your Shiny Abra, check its Individual Values (IVs) to ensure it has good stats. While the shiny aspect is valuable for collection purposes, if you plan to use your Alakazam in battles, having good IVs is important.
Use the appraisal feature in Pokémon GO to check your Abra’s IVs. Ideally, you want a Shiny Abra with high Attack and Speed stats, as Alakazam is primarily an offensive Pokémon.
Mega Evolving Shiny Alakazam
In Pokémon GO, you can take your Shiny Alakazam to the next level by Mega Evolving it into Shiny Mega Alakazam.
Requirements for Mega Evolution
To Mega Evolve your Shiny Alakazam, you’ll need:
- 200 Mega Energy for the first Mega Evolution
- 40 Mega Energy for subsequent Mega Evolutions
Mega Energy can be obtained primarily by winning Mega Alakazam raids. The amount of Mega Energy rewarded depends on how quickly you defeat the raid boss, with faster completion times yielding more energy.
Benefits of Mega Evolution
Mega Evolving your Shiny Alakazam provides several benefits:
- Increased stats, particularly in Attack
- A unique appearance that differs from both regular Alakazam and Shiny Alakazam
- Mega Boost ability, which increases the attack power of other Pokémon using the same type moves in raids and gym battles
Mega Evolution is temporary, lasting for 8 hours. During this time, you can use your Mega Evolved Pokémon in various activities, including raids, gym battles, and as your buddy.
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Best Movesets for Shiny Alakazam
Whether you’re using your Shiny Alakazam for raids, gym battles, or PvP battles, having the right moveset is crucial for maximizing its effectiveness.
For Raiding and Gym Battles
Alakazam excels as an attacker due to its high Attack stat. For raiding and gym battles, consider these movesets:
- Fast Move: Confusion or Psycho Cut
- Charged Move: Psychic or Future Sight
Confusion deals more damage per use but generates energy more slowly, while Psycho Cut deals less damage but generates energy faster. Psychic and Future Sight are both powerful Psychic-type charged moves that benefit from Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB).
For PvP Battles
In PvP battles, Alakazam can be somewhat fragile due to its lower Defense and Stamina stats. However, it can still be effective with the right moveset:
- Fast Move: Counter or Psycho Cut
- Charged Move: Shadow Ball and Fire Punch
This moveset provides good type coverage, with Counter being effective against Normal, Dark, Ice, Rock, and Steel types, while Shadow Ball and Fire Punch cover other types that Psychic moves might not be effective against.
For SOS Chaining in Main Series Games
For those using Alakazam for shiny hunting via SOS chaining in games like Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, a specific moveset is recommended:
Alakazam @ Leppa Berry
Ability: Synchronize
Nature: Timid/Modest
- Confusion (25 PP, max 40)
- Shock Wave (20 PP, never misses)
- Recycle (10 PP, max 16)
- Recover (10 PP, max 16)
This moveset is designed for longevity during long SOS chains, with Confusion providing a reliable STAB move, Shock Wave offering a move that never misses, Recycle allowing reuse of the Leppa Berry to restore PP, and Recover providing healing.
Competitive Nature for Shiny Alakazam
If you’re planning to use your Shiny Alakazam in competitive battles, choosing the right nature is important. The most recommended nature for Alakazam is Timid, which increases Speed at the cost of Attack.
Since Alakazam primarily uses Special Attack moves rather than physical Attack moves, the reduction in Attack is not a significant drawback. The increase in Speed helps Alakazam outspeed opponents, which is crucial for a fragile Pokémon that needs to strike first to be effective.
Other viable natures include:
- Modest: Increases Special Attack at the cost of Attack
- Hasty: Increases Speed at the cost of Defense
- Naive: Increases Speed at the cost of Special Defense
For most competitive scenarios, Timid is considered the optimal nature due to Alakazam’s role as a fast special attacker.
Differences Between Regular and Shiny Alakazam
The primary difference between regular and Shiny Alakazam is their coloration. Regular Alakazam has a brown body with a yellow/tan torso, while Shiny Alakazam has a golden-brown body with a slightly altered hue.
It’s worth noting that the color difference is somewhat subtle compared to some other shiny Pokémon. As one source mentioned, “Admittedly, they’re not so incredibly different.” However, the distinction is still noticeable to experienced Pokémon trainers and collectors.
In terms of stats, abilities, and movesets, there are no differences between regular and Shiny Alakazam. The shiny variant is purely a cosmetic difference, valued for its rarity rather than any gameplay advantage.
Shiny Alakazam in Different Pokémon Games
While much of this article has focused on Pokémon GO, Shiny Alakazam is available in various Pokémon games across different platforms.
In Main Series Games
In main series games like Pokémon Sword and Shield, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, or Scarlet and Violet, Shiny Alakazam can be obtained through:
- Encountering and catching a Shiny Abra in the wild
- Breeding Abra with the Masuda Method (breeding Pokémon from different language games)
- Soft resetting for static encounters (in games where applicable)
- Using the Poké Radar (in games that feature this mechanic)
The shiny rate in main series games is typically 1 in 4,096, which is much rarer than in Pokémon GO. However, various methods and items like the Shiny Charm can improve these odds.
In Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee
In Pokémon Let’s Go, shiny hunting is more visual as you can see shiny Pokémon in the overworld. Strategies for finding Shiny Abra in these games include:
- Using Lures to increase spawn rates
- Building catch combos of the same Pokémon to increase shiny odds
- Having the Shiny Charm, which further increases shiny rates
As mentioned in one of the sources, some players have managed to get a Shiny Alakazam with a competitive nature (Timid) in Pokémon Let’s Go, which is particularly valuable as it combines rarity with competitive viability.
FAQs
What are the odds of finding a Shiny Abra in Pokémon GO?
The base shiny rate for Abra in Pokémon GO is approximately 1 in 450. However, this rate can be boosted during special events like Community Days, where it might increase to around 1 in 25.
Can Shiny Alakazam be found in the wild in Pokémon GO?
While technically possible, it’s extremely rare to find Shiny Alakazam directly in the wild. It’s much more common to find Shiny Abra and evolve it, or to obtain Shiny Alakazam through raids or research tasks.
Does trading affect the shiny status of Alakazam?
No, trading a Shiny Alakazam or any of its pre-evolutions will not affect its shiny status. The Pokémon will remain shiny after trading. However, IVs will be rerolled upon trading, which could result in better or worse stats.
Can I use Shiny Alakazam in competitive battles?
Yes, Shiny Alakazam can be used in competitive battles just like its regular counterpart. There are no statistical differences between shiny and non-shiny Pokémon; the difference is purely cosmetic.
How do I know if my Alakazam is shiny?
Shiny Pokémon have a different coloration than their regular counterparts. Shiny Alakazam has a golden-brown body instead of the regular brown. Additionally, when a shiny Pokémon appears, there will be a sparkle animation and a sound effect to indicate its shiny status.
Can I transfer my Shiny Alakazam from Pokémon GO to other games?
Yes, through Pokémon HOME, you can transfer your Shiny Alakazam from Pokémon GO to compatible games like Pokémon Sword and Shield or Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. However, once transferred out of Pokémon GO, it cannot be transferred back.
Samantha Yates is a creative writer and journalist with expertise in content creation and editing. She holds an MA in Creative Writing and brings professional experience from Lionbridge, where she developed engaging content for leading technology companies
