Shiny Hunting Pokémon in X and Y Versions

First of all, we most likely all know that you can encounter shiny pokémon in the wild, although few of us seem to actually have it happen (excluding when hunting, I'm talking random encounters). You can also breed a pokémon to be shiny, although it takes patience and many eggs (unless you're lucky). But now, in X/Y versions, you can also FISH shiny pokémon out of their murky watery depths.

So let's recap; 3 ways to get shiny pokémon

1. In the grass
2. Breeding eggs
3. Fishing

But what do we need?

Glad you asked, you see, you need much more than just pokeballs in order to catch a shiny pokémon. (Unless you are very lucky.)

You need a poke-radar if you're going to hunt in the grasses, you can get that from Sycamore's lab after you beat the Elite Four/Champion. With it, you can increase your odds of finding shiny pokémon by a lot, so it's definitely helpful.

Max repels are also helpful, buy as many as you can.

(The O-Powers that effect pokémon encounter rates may or may not be helpful.)

Fishing rod(s), if you are doing the fishing method, you will need a fishing rod.

Pokémon. Okay, that may be weird, but if you're going to hunt, say, Abra. You know the little bugger is going to teleport away, and you have to be able to stop that. Same with things like Roar or Whirlwind, or other moves that end battles (either by fleeing, or ones like self-destruct). So if you're going against a pokémon like that, have an ability to counter it. (It also helps if your pokémon is a higher level in front, and maybe one closer to the level in your party that actually battles the shiny.)

Optional but helpful;

If you are doing the masuada method, or just plain breeding, you may want to complete your regional pokedex first and get the egg/oval charm from the professor. It basically makes your pokémon have eggs faster, which may not be necessary if your pokémon like each other enough, but if you start getting fast, it will probably be helpful.

In Pokémon X and Y, the player can receive the Oval Charm from Professor Sycamore after seeing all Pokémon in each section of the Kalos Pokédex, with the exceptions of Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, and Diancie. ~Bulpapedia

Related to the oval charm, if you complete the National Pokedex, you get a shiny charm, which helps with (I think) the grass encounters of shiny pokémon. It says 'in the wild' so it may work with fishing too.

So that's basically all you need, except for patience, luck, and diligence.

Well, I assume you should know the basics of how each works before you go off to find pokémon.

Understand that the poke-radar is the classic form, egg breeding is the one slowly (or not slowly) replacing it, and fishing is the easiest, newest, (sometimes) quickest, way to hunt.

Poke-radar= Basically, you go into a large section of grass, flowers, whatever, and watch the shaking grass for pokémon.

Egg Hatching/Masuda method= Essentially you just breed pokémon (two pokémon from different regions, aka a German and a Japanese pokémon, and the mother being the species you want shiny) and hatch the eggs until a shiny pops out.

Fishing= Easiest method, you pick a spot to fish, don't move, don't lose a fish, don't end up with no bites, eventually you get a shiny.

Congrats! You chose the hardest one! If that doesn't sway you away, then listen closely and follow my directions to the letter. (Check the tips below if you want to get the most before you try it out.

1. Charge your poke-radar by taking 50 steps (outside of the grass, please, you don't want to find pokémon yet).
2. Go to the field you want to use, but not inside it. (make sure the field is large, at least 5x5, probably, with no holes inside of it).
3. Use your max repel and then go to the center of your field of choice.
4. Use the poke-radar and watch the bush shakes carefully! *ahem, use only your d-pad now, no roller blades as they break the chain*
5. Go in the closest one and see if its the pokémon you wanted. If it is, kill it or capture it (after reading the next few steps please.) If it is not the pokémon you wanted, repeat steps 1-5 until it is the one you want.
6. The bushes will shake again as soon as you exit the battle, but don't go into certain ones. NO Edge squares, do not go into either bush if two shake next to each other, and try to go into one at least 5 walking steps away. You WANT to go into the ones that shake the most, and ones that are shiny (guaranteed shiny pokémon). Slow shaking or normal shaking ones are empty or other pokémon (aka chain breaking).
7. If none of those bushes appear, load your poke-radar again, but be careful not to step into the shaking spots. (this continues you at step 4, but instead of looking at the closest you want the fast shaking mentioned in step 6).

Now (might be a little late, but some tips)

• Use the d-pad, not roller blades or bike
• Do not bring any eggs with you, hatching breaks chains
• make sure you have plenty of max repels and pokeballs
• Shiny rate goes up after 40 chain, difficult to get, I've gotten maybe to 14 so far without breaking it but I'm also new still.
• Have a counter app going on a phone or use a paper and tally system for chain recording. Optional but it helps some people keep track of how close they are to the shiny.

Well, assuming you don't have one, first stop is to go to the online trading and get yourself a pokémon in the species you want (or one that will breed with a female of the species you want) from a different region than the one you're going to pair it with.

Examples;

• Ditto- if you get a ditto from a different country than where you live, you can use it for most, if not all, breedings.
• One pokémon from USA, one from Germany.
• One from France, one from Japan.
• I don't know if different Europe countries count, but it's not difficult to get a pokémon from outside Europe anyway.

Once you have your breeding pair, put them in the daycare and empty your party except for a pokémon with Flame Body or Magma Armor, (they don't stack). I've heard rumors that the pokémon has to be on the bottom of the party and you have to be bicycling, but really they just have to be in the party and steps are halved. (See the links for species that can have the abilities).

Now get hatching! Run around or bike a bit until your pokémon make an egg (Assuming you checked to make sure they love each other), and then keep running around and getting more eggs/hatching until you get a shiny.

Some people like to keep track of how many eggs they hatch, some use pc boxes, some use the notes on the 3ds (since it doesn't close your game), and some use an outside source. There's plenty of free apps on mobile devices (or windows 8 computers) that are counters. I use them because I hate having full boxes of the same species.

Essentially, it is just to pick a spot and not stray from it. I do have some tips though.

• Pick a corner spot if possible- it keeps you from moving around by accident and breaking your chain plus it supposedly helps pokémon bite more than if you're in open water.
• Bring along a pokémon with Suction Cups (Octillery, Lileep, Cradily, Inkay, Malamar) it almost guarantees a bite, thus eliminating the chances of not getting one and breaking the chain. Just have them in the first slot of your party.
• If you don't want suction cups, try Sticky Hold (Gulpin, Swalot, Trubbish, Grimer, Muk, Shellos, Gastrodon, Accelgor) it will raise your chances of hooking the pokémon that bite.
• Have the rest of your team leveled with the kind of rod you will be using, or big beefy guy with a false swipe.

Things to remember though;

• You aren't guaranteed to get a shiny pokémon, the radar may have a shiny bush eventually, but fishing is only increasing your chances, not making them certain.
• You may not get the pokémon you want.
• It is semi common to hook a second shiny within 10-20 minutes of finding one, I have done it, many others online have reported the same. It gives you a second copy to trade even if you are looking to keep your shiny.
• There are pokémon exclusive to your game, and thus more rare? than other water pokémon (see below if you don't know them).
• Killing/fainting/running away from pokémon do not break chain, only moving from your spot (and possibly menus or quitting the game/sleep mode.)
• Don't get nervous or stressed, you miss one hook and your chain is broken so just relax.

Exclusive to Y:

• Shellder
• Cloyster
• Skrelp
• Dragalge

Exclusive to X:

• Staryu
• Starmie
• Clauncher
• Clawitzer

Now that you know what to do, I can't really help. You learn more from practicing, trust me, when I started the poke-radar, I have no idea what the differences between the bush shakes were. Then I started to notice them and my chains got longer. I have yet to find one, because I am still newish to it, but really it's pretty basic, just difficult? That makes sense, just keep trying.

Although if you somehow end up with a shiny pokémon you don't want, you can always offer it up for trade online, make sure you go after something you deserve though. Don't offer a shiny pokémon for a common bird or something (unless you want to, I mean, I'll gladly take your shiny pokémon for a common).

Good Lucky, and may the shinies stray into your path in plenty!