Can Pecharunt be Shiny in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?

The Mythical Pokémon Pecharunt made its first appearance in the epilogue of Scarlet and Violet. As it’s a rare Pokémon, you might want to seek an even rarer variant: a Shiny Pecharunt. However, it’s impossible to get a Shiny version of Pecharunt in the game.

Similar to several Legendary Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet, Pecharunt is Shiny-locked, meaning the game’s developers have specifically programmed it to never appear in its Shiny form. As Pecharunt is configured this way, it’s impossible to obtain a Shiny variant in the game. Therefore, you’ll have to be content with its standard pink colors.

Although Shiny Pecharunt is unobtainable today, this might not be the case forever. Take, for example, the Legendary Eternatus from Pokémon Sword and Shield. Initially, it could only be caught in its standard form in the game. However, in 2022, a Shiny version was made available through a special serial code campaign, allowing players to receive this alternate color version as a mystery gift. That’s exactly how I obtained my own Shiny Eternatus.

While this doesn’t confirm Pecharunt will ever get a Shiny distribution, it at least gets our hopes up for the possibility.

Why am I seeing Shiny Pecharunt images and videos online?

Some players can break the Shiny lock on Pokémon in modified versions of Scarlet and Violet. However, this practice breaches the game’s Terms of Service, as it involves altering the game code without Game Freak’s approval. Such actions can lead to a ban of your Nintendo account if the company detects it—and it does. If you come across any videos or images of Shiny Pecharunt online, it’s important to be aware that these are either hacked Pokémon, which are illegal for online play, or the result of a hacked game version, which carries the risk of a ban.

Another explanation for those images could be that they are simply fake. Someone with a good grasp of image editing software can convincingly alter a Pokémon’s colors and claim it to be a Shiny Pecharunt. Regardless, if you want to keep your Nintendo Switch safe and your Scarlet and Violet game compliant, obtaining a Shiny Pecharunt through legitimate means is currently impossible.