The Shiny Charm in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is every shiny hunter’s dream item. It dramatically increases your odds of encountering shiny Pokémon in Lumiose City — turning what could be weeks of grinding into a far more rewarding hunt. But earning it isn’t easy. This guide breaks down everything you need to do to unlock the Shiny Charm fast, and how to make the grind as efficient as possible.
What the Shiny Charm Does
The Shiny Charm is a key item that boosts your chance of finding shiny Pokémon from 1 in 4,096 to 1 in 1,024. Once unlocked and equipped, it permanently improves shiny encounter odds in the overworld and Wild Zones.
If you plan to complete your Pokédex or hunt for rare variants like Shiny Gogoat or Shiny Eevee, this charm is practically essential.
How to Unlock the Shiny Charm
You’ll receive the Shiny Charm as a final reward from Mable’s Research tasks, which function similarly to the Research Level system from Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
To earn it, you must reach Research Level 50 — the maximum level. However, getting there requires significant effort:
- Complete the Pokédex for all available Pokémon
- Evolve multiple species using Evolution Stones and held items
- Catch Pokémon of every type across all Wild Zones
- Participate in café and bench interactions across Lumiose City
- Fulfill Mega Evolution Pokédex entries
- Battle and defeat over 1,000 trainers
You can track your progress via Mable’s Research tab in the main menu. Press L to view active tasks and claim rewards as you complete milestones.
Fastest Way to Grind to Research Level 50
You’ll naturally reach around Level 49 just by playing through the story and completing side quests, but the jump from 49 to 50 is where most players get stuck. That final level involves a massive battle requirement — 1,000 total trainer victories.
Here’s how to speed that up:
1. Grind Battles at Restaurants
The most efficient way to farm battles is through repeatable matches at Restaurant Le Nah or Restaurant Le Wow in Lumiose City.
Restaurant Le Nah (southeast Lumiose) is particularly fast — battles here cost a small fee but can be repeated endlessly.
Bring a powerful Pokémon capable of sweeping opponents in a single hit.
2. Use Lucario’s Extreme Speed Method
The community’s most efficient trick involves using a Level 100 Lucario with the move Extreme Speed.
- The animation for Extreme Speed is short, saving seconds per battle.
- Lucario’s combination of power and speed allows near-instant knockouts.
- For optimal results, EV/IV train Lucario and include Ice Punch and Thunder Punch for coverage.
You can catch:
- Riolu on Lumiose rooftops
- Alpha Lucario in Wild Zone 20
3. Focus on Z-A Royale Battles
Every victory in the Z-A Royale counts toward your 1,000-battle total. Ignore collecting coins or completing optional challenges — focus solely on defeating as many trainers as possible per run.
By optimizing routes, players report clearing 40+ trainers per run, compared to 20 in a standard attempt. When you run out of opponents, fast-travel to another Battle Zone, rest at a bench to reset time to night, and continue grinding.
Alternate Methods (If You’re Burnt Out)
If restaurant farming starts feeling repetitive, consider mixing in Battle Zones. Nighttime battles are ideal for variety and allow you to train lower-level Pokémon to evolve for Pokédex completion. While slower than the Lucario method, it keeps the process from feeling monotonous.
How Long It Takes
If you battle casually, earning the Shiny Charm could take dozens of hours.
Using the Lucario + Restaurant method, players can complete the requirement in 2–3 hours of efficient grinding — making it the fastest route by far.
Farming Tips for the Shiny Charm
- Rest at benches to reset trainer spawns faster.
- Stock up on healing items — Lucario may not need much, but long sessions add up.
- Use Turbo Mode (if available on your controller or emulator) to fast-forward animations.
- Avoid battling Wild Pokémon — only trainer victories count toward the 1,000 total.
Once you unlock the Shiny Charm, every shiny hunt becomes smoother. Combined with Lumiose City’s dense Wild Zones and fast-travel system, you’ll have some of the best shiny hunting conditions in any Pokémon game to date.
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- Pokemon Legends Z-A Leaks: All New Mega Evolutions, Story, and Gameplay Changes
You’ll soon be spotting those sparkling animations and hearing that signature shiny chime far more often — all thanks to your hard-earned charm. Play Now!
