Does the Masuda Method work in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet? Answered

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are now out, with tons of Pokémon for you to catch and add to your collection. Like with any Pokémon game, Shiny Pokémon are back with a vengeance and collectors will froth at the mouth for shinies, especially with all of the quality-of-life changes they made in the shiny hunting process. Shiny hunting has been improved with shiny foods and new ways to increase your odds of finding a shiny.

However, there is an old, tried-and-true method for shiny hunting in the game through breeding. This is known as the Masuda Method, and aside from the Shiny Charm, is the primary way to increase your chances of finding a Shiny Pokémon. With all of the changes found in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, you might be wondering if the Masuda Method still works in the new mainline Pokémon games.

What is the Masuda Method in Pokémon?

The Masuda Method refers to breeding two Pokémon, not from the same geographic location. We don’t mean within the game, either. When you breed two Pokémon from different places across the globe, your chances of increasing a Shiny go up dramatically. For example, if you want to hunt for a shiny Quaxly, your chances of finding a Shiny improve if Quaxly is from the United States and its partner Pokémon is from another country, like Japan.

The most reliable way to trigger the Masuda Method is to get your hands on a Ditto that is from a different location. For instance, if you are playing from the United States, you can get a Ditto from Japan that will always activate the Masuda Method. Ditto is a popular Pokémon for breeding as you will always get eggs of the Pokémon you breed Ditto with. Therefore, getting an international Ditto is the most reliable way to get a shiny Pokémon through breeding.

Combine this with the Shiny Charm item, which stacks with the Masuda Method. The Shiny Charm is found when you complete the Pokédex. With these two methods combined, you can rack up shinies through breeding in no time.