... Read moreFinding a Shiny Azelf is truly a badge of honor for any Pokémon trainer, and my journey to catch this elusive 'gem eyes' Pokémon was an unforgettable one! The thrill of seeing that unique blue and tan Pokémon with its striking red gem finally sparkle on screen is unmatched. If you're wondering what Azelf is all about, it's one of the three Lake Guardians, a Psychic-type legendary known for its strong will and ability to bestow willpower upon others. Its regular form is a lighter blue and gray, but the shiny variant is a vibrant, captivating blue and tan, making it a highly sought-after catch.
For many of us playing Pokémon Sword and Shield, our primary encounter with Azelf, and therefore our chance to hunt its shiny form, comes through Dynamax Adventures in the Crown Tundra. This method involves navigating a series of battles with rental Pokémon, eventually leading to a legendary Pokémon encounter at the end. The challenge is that you can only catch the legendary once per save file, but you can re-challenge it repeatedly until you find its shiny form. There's no fixed number of encounters; it's all down to the base shiny odds, which are significantly improved to 1/100 with the Shiny Charm in Dynamax Adventures. My own 'two phases' involved many, many runs through these adventures, learning the best routes and strategy, and most importantly, exercising extreme patience. It's a grind, but completely worth it for that glorious moment!
Now, for those of you also playing Pokémon GO, you might be curious about Azelf there. Azelf is a regional legendary, appearing in 5-star raids primarily in the Americas, while its counterparts Uxie and Mesprit appear in Asia-Pacific and Europe/Africa respectively. While Azelf sometimes appears in the wild during very rare events, the most common way to encounter it – and hunt for its shiny – is through these 5-star raids. The 'azelf shiny rate pokemon go' for raids is typically around 1 in 20. This is a much higher chance than the main series games without a charm, which makes it a popular target during its raid appearances. However, you'll need plenty of Raid Passes and possibly some friends to help you take it down! Catching a shiny Azelf in a Pokémon GO wild encounter is extraordinarily rare, so focusing on raids when it's available is your best bet.
No matter which game you're playing, shiny hunting requires dedication. My top tips are: always be prepared with plenty of Poké Balls (or Premier Balls in GO), ensure your Pokémon are well-trained and have effective moves, and most importantly, embrace the journey. Put on some music, listen to a podcast, or chat with friends while you hunt. Don't get discouraged by failed attempts; every reset or every raid without a shiny brings you closer to that incredible moment when your very own blue and tan, red-gemmed Shiny Azelf appears. Happy hunting, trainers!