This article focuses on how to get shiny starters in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. While you cannot start off with a shiny starter in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, there is a chance that you could obtain one, although this, as with all shiny efforts, would require a bit of time and patience. It is worth noting that you are not guaranteed to unlock a shiny starter in this manner, but it can definitely happen. In past Pokemon games, you can repeatedly reset the game to the beginning to get the shiny version of one of the starters, that is not the case in Scarlet and Violet.
Shiny lock means that, regardless of how many times the Pokemon player can soft reset the game, the starter Pokemon will not become shiny. To chase shiny starter Pokemon, players usually reset a particular game, since the Pokemon may be shiny at the moment of choosing it.
Specifically, Shiny Lock Pokemon are the three Starters you get to pick early in the game. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV), starters are shiny-locked, meaning that Sprigatito, Fuecoco, or Quaxly that you pick at the beginning of the game cannot become shiny, no matter how many times you reset–so, no, you cannot go hunting for Shinies at the very beginning of the game.
Well, sadly, in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the starting Sprigatito, Fuecoco, or Quaxly you get from Academy Director Clever is Shine-locked; that is, the starting Sprigatito can never be Shiny no matter how many times you replay the games introduction sequence. The starting Sprigatitos may become shiny only when hatched from eggs or traded to someone who already has a Shiny Sprigatito/Fuecoco/Quaxly. Shiny Pokemon has been stable since the beginning of the game.
Shiny versions of Scarlet and Violet are found only in the wild or by breeding a Pokemon in Picnics, and cannot be found in Gifts, Chests, or through game events. Many might be wondering whether Pokemon Scarlet & Violet would follow the trend of recent games by implementing Shiny locks for specific species such as starter, legendary, and mythical Pokemon. Since the Starter is always given straight away to you when starting any Pokemon game, some may be wondering if it is possible to obtain a Shiny version by restarting the game several times.
Trying is usually not practical if your aim is to get the Starter Pokemon anyway since breeding would be quicker in most games, but there is something to be said for having the first Pokemon you get in the game be the Shiny one, so a lot of people like taking up the challenge. Attacks wipe out the spawns, meaning that other Pokemon appear instead, and importantly, your Pokemon using the Let us Go trait cannot and will not attack the Shiny Pokemon. Using the auto battle mechanic, new Pokemon spawn to replace the ones knocked out by Pokemon in your party.