Are Paradox Pokémon Shiny locked in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

The Paldea region of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is home to a wide array of Pokémon, both old and new, that players can encounter as they venture on the story of their choosing.

Among the new creatures exists a type of Pokémon not previously seen in any other game in the series: Paradox Pokémon. Depending on the version of the game the player has, they will encounter different sets of Pokémon that seem rather familiar in appearance but are actually entirely new species that give them either past or futuristic looks—as well as new unconventional names.

It’s up to the player to discover the mysteries of these Paradox Pokémon and use either the Scarlet Book or Violet Book to verify their existence. Many of these strange creatures, however, may not make their presence known to players until late in their adventures.

Are Paradox Pokémon Shiny locked in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

Starting with Pokémon Black and White in 2011, a feature was implemented in the series that blocks certain Pokémon from appearing in their Shiny forms, something players have dubbed as a “Shiny lock.” This has primarily impacted the availability of Shiny starter Pokémon, as well as multiple Legendary Pokémon, though the lock has been lifted on multiple occasions over the past few years.

Luckily, Paradox Pokémon do not fall under this shiny lock restriction in the way that a few of the game’s Legendary Pokémon and starters do—thanks to the fact that they are not static encounters. Therefore players can spend time hunting for the alternate colorations of these mysterious Pokémon without fear that they’ll never appear Shiny—though nothing about the Pokémon changes other than their hues and there is at least one limitation.

Players will also be able to see if the Paradox Pokémon is Shiny in the overworld, though will have to look closely as there is no audio or visual cue distinguishing them from others around. Random encounters appear to be the best way to find Shiny Paradox Pokémon, as soft-resetting does not change the creatures that have already loaded into the area and there are plenty of ways to boost your Shiny odds.