Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players share crucial tips to guarantee self-destructing shinies
The Pokemon CompanyPokemon trainers have been busy shiny hunting in Scarlet and Violet, especially with The Indigo Disk DLC, and now they’re sharing useful tips to catch self-destructing species like Voltorb.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet expanded its lore and spawn pool thanks to a two-part DLC titled The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero, which gave players a lot to do a year after the original launch. And while the main story seems over, some players still have hopes for more official content in the future.
In the meantime, trainers are completing the Pokedex from Paldea, Kitakami, and the Blueberry Academy. Others are tackling different challenges and participating in various events, like the recent Mass Outbreak that featured Voltorb. With many players shiny hunting as well, some have gathered to share useful tricks to secure shiny captures.
A Scarlet and Violet player stated, “This is why we save beforehand” and shared a video of a shiny Voltorb on Reddit self-destructing after the first failed Poke Ball throw.
While this is usually common knowledge for most Pokemon trainers, saving your game before an important encounter with a shiny or Legendary allows you to replay the encounter many times without risking the creature running away forever.
Some trainers thanked OP for the advice, and another Reddit user commented: “I missed a shiny graveler for exactly that and that’s the day I began saving first.” Another trainer admitted, “This. Is why I don’t shiny hunt these guys, I’ll forget to save.”
However, others noticed OP had Swampert as the lead Pokemon on their team and were wondering why it didn’t have the Damp Ability. This Hidden Ability prevents Pokemon from using moves like Self-Destruct, Explosion, Mind Blown, and Misty Explosion. However, according to players, “OP just needs an ability patch” to add it to Swampert’s arsenal.
Game FreakWhile that would have helped OP, other players shared other useful tips to get shiny self-destructing species. “Just surprise every shiny you see. You get a free turn and your catch rate is doubled. Never worry about losing a pokemon again,” commented one user, and another revealed: “First turn quick ball is twice as effective as ultra ball.”
Lastly, another trainer shared a different strategy to tackle these situations: “You can actually lead with a Drifblim that knows Imprison, as well as explosion and self-destruct. You can even teach it Memento via the mirror herb method. Then just make sure it’s a decent level, and even give it a choice scarf to be extra sure. Works great when catching voltorbs, weezings, etc (or as a hand grenade, I suppose).”
In addition to the Imprison strategy, which prevents opponents from using moves your Pokemon knows, others suggested using Skill Swap. Using “Golduck with Damp and Skill Swap” makes the opponent get the Damp Ability permanently, giving you the chance to use any other Pokemon you want, according to one trainer.
And there you have it! You can now use these tips to catch Voltorb, Graveler, and other species before they self-destruct. If you’re looking for more Pokemon content, make sure to check what we can expect from Pokemon Day 2024 or everything we know about the Pokemon Go World of Wonders season.