No, Gen 2 Johto Starters are Not Shiny Locked – Here‘s the Lowdown on Hunting these Rare Variants
Unlike later generations, the beloved starter Pokémon of the Gen 2 Johto region games – Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile – are not shiny locked. This means dedicated shiny hunters have a chance of encountering these rare color variants, although with full 1 in 8192 odds you may be resetting for a while!
What is Shiny Locking Exactly?
For those newer fans unfamiliar with the term, "shiny locking" refers to game code that prevents certain Pokémon from being found in their alternate coloration shiny forms.
Shiny locking was only introduced from Gen 5 onwards. So in the original Gen 2 Game Boy Color games Pokémon Gold, Silver and Crystal, all Pokémon can potentially be found shiny, including your very first partner!
Image: Shiny Gen 2 starter sprites – credit Bulbapedia
Full Odds Shinies in Gen 2 – Explaining 1 in 8192
Encountering a shiny Pokémon in the wild in Gen 2 games operates under what the community calls "full odds". This refers to the base rate chance of 1 in 8192. So for each Chikorita, Cyndaquil or Totodile starter you choose, you have approximately a 0.01% probability it will appear in its rare shiny variant.
This means checking thousands of starters repeatedly before finding a shiny. For context, 8192 encounters equates to around 27 playthroughs worth of choosing the grass, fire or water type!
Later games increased these rates substantially through mechanics like the Shiny Charm. Even base rates rose to 1 in 4096 in Generation 6. So Gen 2 remains one of the toughest games for shiny hunting.
The Vibrant Variants – Gen 2 Starter Shiny Forms
Part of the appeal however is the vibrant alternate color schemes of these first partner Pokémon!
| Pokémon | Normal Form | Shiny Variant |
|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Light green body with darker green leaf | Lighter blue body, yellow leaf |
| Cyndaquil | Navy blue back | Lighter sky blue back |
| Totodile | Dark blue body | Minty light blue |
As you can see, each Gen 2 shiny starter features an appealing, unique palette swap.
Virtual Console Version Makes Hunting More Viable
Resetting thousands of times on old GameBoy hardware understandably tests one‘s patience. Thankfully the Gen 2 Virtual Console releases on Nintendo 3DS allow players to more conveniently soft reset using button shortcuts.
The trend of RNG manipulation also improves odds by targeting specific memory addresses during resets. So while still a marathon, modern techniques assist hobbyist shiny hunters.
Why No Female Shiny Starters?
You may notice despite the 1 in 8192 base rate, female starters cannot be shiny. This quirk exists because shininess depends on specific Defense, Special, Speed and Attack DVs:
Shiny DV requirements:
- Defense - 10
- Special - 10
- Speed - 10
- Attack - 2,3,6,7,10,11,14 or 15Yet gender is determined by Attack DV also, with female Pokémon more likely to have an Attack DV of 0 or 1. So essentially no compatible DV combinations remain allowing a female shiny starter.
This was corrected in later generations by separating shiny chance and gender calculations. But in Gen 2, male variants have the exclusive opportunity to shine!
Advice for Shiny Starter Hunters
Hopefully this gives some background on what makes Gen 2 starters unique and challenging to find as shinies. Some final tips if you attempt these iconic hunts:
- As mentioned use Virtual Console for easier soft resetting
- Have a synchronizer leading your party to try influencing starter Nature
- Consider manipulating ampere values to target ideal IVs/shininess
- Expect a very long hunt – set milestones e.g. 512 resets
- Take breaks to avoid burnout
- Appreciate the journey and enjoy revisiting classic Johto!
Your odds may seem slim, but with perseverance that sparkling white Cyndaquil, aqua Totodile or golden Chikorita can be yours. Just be ready for copious encounters and keep a positive mindset!
Have you found success (or still hunting) these rare variants? Share your Gen 2 shiny starter tips and stories below!
