Is shiny Torchic rare?

The quick answer: Yes, shiny Torchic remains an incredibly rare find in Pokémon GO as of February 2023. With the base Shiny rate estimated around a measly 1 in 500, and no reliable way to improve the odds, this golden fiery chicken continues to elude most POGO trainers. But that only adds to its prestige for collectors!

As a long-time Pokémon GO player and self-proclaimed “Shiny Hunter”, few things excite me more than that burst of stars and unique sprite animation revealing a Shiny Pokémon. And Torchic’s subtle darker orange plumage has taunted me across over 5 years now!

So why is Shiny Torchic so rare compared to other creatures in Pokémon GO? Let’s break it down:

Exactly How Rare are Shinies in Pokémon GO?

Every Pokémon has a base 1 in 500 chance to spawn in its Shiny form. That‘s a 0.2% rate. When you consider the normal rate to find Shinies in the core games is 1 in 4096, POGO is far more generous!

But 0.2% still equates to 1 Shiny per 500 encounters. With random chance dictating your odds, you could go 1000 Torchic catches without seeing gold.

During certain events like Community Days or Safari Zones, specific species get massively boosted Shiny rates between 1 in 25 to 1 in 150. Yet outside of special occasions, Shinies remain elusive white whales for most casual players.

How Do Torchic‘s Shiny Odds Compare to Other Pokémon?

So you can see, Torchic‘s Shiny odds match most standard species. Contrast with the permaboosted Meltan or raid exclusive Legendaries.

The only way Torchic has been more obtainable was during its May 2019 Community Day event. Its Shiny rate skyrocketed to roughly 1 in 25 for a 3 hour window. Given that massive influx of Shiny Torchics during those 180 minutes, some may underestimate its modern rarity.

Why is Shiny Blaziken So Prestigious?

Evolving that golden Torchic all the way into a Blaziken feels like an immense achievement for us collectors.

Beyond the amazing black and red color scheme, Blaziken strikes an impressive balance between cool yet elegant. And Mega Blaziken ranks among the most dazzling Shinies ever with its blue fiery hair and tails.

Scoring multiple high-IV Shinies to evolve during that 2019 CD was a dream. Most players I know treasured their single Shiny Torchic!

Given Blaziken’s popularity and usability in battle leagues, demand remains high among the POGO community. I still regularly field trade offers for my own 98% level 50 shiny Blaziken!

Will Torchic Ever Get Another Shiny Rate Boost?

Niantic has hosted repeat Community Days for a few major species now like Bulbasaur and Dratini. My hope is Torchic joins that club for 2023 or 2024!

Giving this fiery chicken another dedicated Shiny event makes sense considering its starting popularity. And veteran players who missed out on enough candies in 2019 would love restocking their supplies.

Alternatively, Torchic could get featured during a special raid day or nested event. Maybe for a Hoenn celebration? Safari Zones also seem likely to boost Shiny Torchic odds at some point.

But until Niantic officially announces a rerun, Shiny Torchic stays among the rarest non-Legendary finds in Pokémon GO.

Tips & Strategies For Finding Your Golden Fire Chick

I estimate I’ve encountered over 5000 Torchic since its Community Day without another Shiny. Yet I remain undeterred! For stalwart Shiny Hunters, here are tips for defying the odds:

• Catch every Torchic humanly possible! More encounters = more chances. I average around 30-40 per day.
• Complete Field Research tasks that reward Torchic encounters as rewards.
• Hatch Torchic eggs from gifts especially during events boosting egg hatches.
• Trigger Mystery Boxes for Meltan swarms. Then check all spawns, as Ditto (disguised as common Pokémon) has higher Shiny rates.
• Trade with friends for Luckies or randomly generated Shiny Torchic. IV rerolls can produce unexpected gold!
• Raid a ton during events featuring Torchic. Raid exclusive movesets also appeal to collectors.
• Follow communities like the Silph Road or r/ShinyPokemon for nest migrations or hotspots.

My last piece of advice: don‘t lose hope! Even if you have terrible RNG like myself, each reset offers a fresh 0.2% chance at gold. Eventually the Pokegods should smile upon your dedication 🙂

So there you have it, my complete experiences and opinions on why exactly Shiny Torchic remains so incredibly rare! This iconic fire chicken continues driving me crazy. I swear that perfectly circular golden tail-feather taunts my dreams now…

What are your own adventures hunting for this 1 in 500 fever dream? Have you been #blessed by a random Shiny hatch or raid? And when do you realistically expect Niantic to rerun its Community Day?

Let me know in the comments below! And don’t forget to Like and Subscribe for more Shiny Hunt content as we count the days until our next dopamine rush reveals gold. Torchic, I promise we’ll meet again some day…