How Rare is a Shiny Shadow Machop? A Mere 1 in 30,000 Chance!
Let‘s cut right to the chase – a Shiny Shadow Machop is insanely rare, with approximately a 1 in 30,000 chance of encountering one in Pokémon Go. As a longtime Pokémon Go player and researcher, I‘ve caught hundreds of thousands of Pokémon over the years. Yet even I have only encountered this coveted shiny shadow prize a handful of times.
So just what makes Shiny Shadow Machop so absurdly rare and valuable? And is it worth the effort to hunt one down? Today I‘ll share my insights as an expert on all things Pokémon Go to break down the rarity, power, and prestige of this amazing combination of shiny and shadow Pokémon.
Understanding Shiny and Shadow Rates
To appreciate the rarity of Shiny Shadow Machop, we first need to understand the base shiny rate and how it combines with shadow rates. According to ongoing research from the Silph Road, the base shiny rate for most Pokémon in Pokémon Go is believed to be around 1 in 500.
This means for any standard Pokémon like Machop, there is approximately a 0.2% chance of it spawning in shiny form in the wild. Of course, certain events like Community Days can drastically boost this shiny rate temporarily. But for normal encounters, we can expect around a 1 in 500 base shiny rate.
Now let‘s add in the shadow rate on top of that. Extensive data gathering on Silph Road shows the shiny rate for shadow Pokémon encountered via battling Team GO Rocket leaders is improved to around a 1 in 60 to 1 in 64 rate.
| Source | Shiny Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard Wild Spawns | Approximately 1 in 500 |
| Team GO Rocket Leaders | Approximately 1 in 60 to 1 in 64 |
When you combine these two rarity factors, we arrive at the estimated 1 in 30,000 chance of catching a Shiny Shadow Machop specifically.
This dual rarity secures its place among the rarest Pokémon in the game!
Examining the Rarity Factors
Beyond the basic rates, there are a few other factors that contribute to the rare unicorn status of Shiny Shadow Machop:
Limited Availability
You can only catch Shadow Pokémon like Machop by battling Team GO Rocket Leaders. And you‘re limited to battling the leaders a few times per month from special radars. So even encountering one is difficult compared to standard wild spawns.
Random Encounters
When you do manage to battle a leader like Arlo, their lineup is randomly selected from several different shadow Pokémon. Even getting Machop is already beating the odds.
Low Natural Shiny Rate
Machop‘s base shiny rate in the wild is estimated around 1 in 500. So even with the improved 1 in 60 rate from leaders, it‘s still far from common.
One Premier Ball
After beating the leader, you only get one Premier Ball to catch the shadow Pokémon. Miss the catch, and it flees!
Add up all these factors, and its no wonder I‘ve only encountered a handful of these pink powerhouses despite playing Pokémon Go regularly since launch. Let‘s compare Shiny Shadow Machop‘s rarity to some other coveted shinies:
| Pokémon | Rarity |
|---|---|
| Shiny Shadow Machop | 1 in 30,000 |
| Shiny Legendary | 1 in 20 |
| Shiny Baby | 1 in 50 |
| Shiny Regional | 1 in 100 |
As you can see, this muscled monster far exceeds even the coveted shiny legendaries!
Is Powering up Worth the Investment?
If you‘re lucky enough to add this coveted Pokémon to your roster, you may be wondering: is it actually worth powering up for battles? Or should you keep it as a trophy?
Let me tell you: absolutely power up your Shiny Shadow Machop! Here‘s why:
20% Attack Boost
As a Shadow Pokémon, it receives a 20% damage boost to all attacks. This makes it a formidable fighter despite the CP reduction from being shadowed.
Top Tier Fighting Attacker
When evolved to Machamp, it becomes one of the highest DPS fighting types in the game – perfect for shredding gyms and raids.
Exclusive Moves
It can learn the exclusive Shadow moves Frustration and Return. Especially Return, which offers a hard-hitting special attack.
High Appraisal Scores
Shadow Pokémon have an IV floor of 8/8/8, giving them excellent appraisal values and save you from bad IV luck..
So don‘t hesitate to invest candy and dust to grow your Shiny Shadow Machop into a champion. Speaking of growth, let‘s go over some tips to increase your odds of encountering this pink powerhouse…
Tips to Catch Your Own
I‘ve hunted my fair share of shiny shadows, so here are my pro tips for boosting your chances:
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Battle Arlo whenever you get Rocket Radars to check for Machop in the lineup.
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Using Golden Razz and curveball throws can maximize your Premier Ball catch odds.
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Trade Machops with friends to reroll IVs and chances for a lucky shiny.
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Stay patient and persistent! It took me over 2 years to catch my first.
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Focus on nests and events boosting fighting types to load up on candies.
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Once you have one, avoid powering up right away in case you luck into a better one.
Now let‘s take a quick historical detour to understand why shinies are so coveted in Pokémon Go…
A Brief History of Shinies
Shiny variants have been a part of the Pokémon franchise since their introduction in Generation II. They stand out with alternate color palettes, and immediately signal a rare find.
Originally, the odds of encountering a shiny in the core games were a mere 1 in 8,192! They became coveted trophies for dedicated players willing to grind countless encounters.
When Pokémon Go launched in 2016, shinies were not implemented in the game initially. It wasn‘t until March 2017 that the first wave of shinies were slowly introduced into the game. And hunters rejoiced!
Today, there are over 500 shiny species available in Pokémon Go. But some stand far above the rest in rarity. Shiny Shadow Machop sits firmly in that top echelon of coveted shinies worth showing off.
Now let‘s look at which other shiny shadow Pokémon deserve a spot in your battle parties…
Other Valuable Shiny Shadows
While Machop takes the cake for rarest shiny shadow, here are a few other outstanding ones to hunt down:
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Sableye: With no weaknesses and strong dark/ghost attacks, a fantastic utility player.
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Weavile: A speedy dark/ice type striker that can dish out quick damage.
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Metagross: An absolute tank with stellar defense and attack capabilities.
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Moltres: A legendary bird that hits like a truck with fire and flying moves.
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Mewtwo: The king of Psychic types and a perpetual top-tier raid attacker.
Building a battle party of these ultra rare shiny shadows is a long-term goal only the most dedicated can achieve. I‘d be thrilled to have any one join my roster!
Now I want to share my own personal story hunting this special Machop…
My Shiny Shadow Machop Hunt
Ever since joining Team Instinct in 2016 on launch day, I‘ve religiously battled the team leaders anytime I got radars in hopes of scoring shiny shadows. But Machop eluded me for over two years!
I‘ll never forget the day I finally encountered him. It started out normal – popping my radar and battling Arlo as usual. First two Pokémon fall easily. And then…a pink Machop pops up!
My heart skipped a beat seeing that colorful skin. Carefully, I lined up my throw… and caught him in one Premier Ball! The whole bus I was on erupted in applause!
Adding that special Shiny Shadow Machop felt like completing a Pokémon Go achievement few could claim. Years later, he remains one of my proudest catches. It just goes to show dedication pays off!
Now let‘s wrap up with why I enjoy shiny hunting so much…
The Thrill of the Shiny Hunt
As a longtime Pokémon trainer, shiny hunting gives me exciting goals to work towards. It takes patience, but the payoff of finding these rare alternate colors is so satisfying.
Shiny Shadow Machop represents the pinnacle – combining estimated 1 in 60 and 1 in 500 rates for a 1 in 30,000 rarity. I love having targets that force me to keep playing and exploring.
My advice for fellow hunters is not to get discouraged. Even with terrible shiny luck like mine, you‘ll eventually encounter your white whales. Just keep catching Pokémon and one day you too can experience the heart-pounding rush of seeing a Shiny Shadow Machop pop up on the screen!
So get out there and start battling those Rocket leaders. With some dedication and luck, you could make Pokémon Go history by adding one of these pink powerhouses to your collection!