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Understanding the Method: SOS Chain Hunting
The method I am going to be primarily using is the SOS Chain Method. This is a method exclusive to the Alola games, as Pokémon there are more conducive to calling allies to the battle if they are in one. And guess what kind of Pokémon they can call too? That's right, shiny Pokémon! By keeping the SOS chain going (which means to ensure an ally Pokémon keeps getting called), our chances of encountering a shiny increases! Think of it like horde battles from Gen 6 games, but now on more of a queue. This is a really good guide I encountered, and I recommend to you all for a quick read. I am just going to highlight things here, so this is more comprehensive.
So with SOS chains, there are two things to take note of! These are quite crucial to know and fundamental if you want to do well in shiny hunting with the SOS chain method:
1. Not all Pokémon call for allies. Some Pokémon will call allies, and some will not. Obviously, those that do not call for allies cannot be shiny hunted this way (with some exceptions!), and can be verified with this convenient list!
2. Some Pokémon call for allies more than other Pokémon. This is commonly referred to as ally call rate. Based on a multiple of 3 (with 3 being the least likely to call an ally, and 15 being the most likely to call an ally), this will show you how likely the Pokémon will get an ally to respond and enter the battle. Those with higher ally call rates will make the shiny hunting process faster and overall more streamlined, while those with lower ones will be longer and sluggish. You can also check this out with this convenient list!
This covers the fundamentals of SOS hunting. The primary goal here is to keep the chain going until you get a shiny Pokémon to be called, at which point you can go ahead and catch them! Sounds simple enough right? That's because it is!
However, one thing I want to share with you is multipliers. Even with a call rate of X, you can bolster this with the use of multipliers to further increase the chances of an ally Pokémon being called. So this means even if the Pokémon has a very low call rate, there is hope! This is a comprehensive list of them, but I will highlight some.
Before we end, remember that breaking the chain is a very real risk, so be on your guard! The chain will be broken if:
The method I am going to be primarily using is the SOS Chain Method. This is a method exclusive to the Alola games, as Pokémon there are more conducive to calling allies to the battle if they are in one. And guess what kind of Pokémon they can call too? That's right, shiny Pokémon! By keeping the SOS chain going (which means to ensure an ally Pokémon keeps getting called), our chances of encountering a shiny increases! Think of it like horde battles from Gen 6 games, but now on more of a queue. This is a really good guide I encountered, and I recommend to you all for a quick read. I am just going to highlight things here, so this is more comprehensive.
So with SOS chains, there are two things to take note of! These are quite crucial to know and fundamental if you want to do well in shiny hunting with the SOS chain method:
1. Not all Pokémon call for allies. Some Pokémon will call allies, and some will not. Obviously, those that do not call for allies cannot be shiny hunted this way (with some exceptions!), and can be verified with this convenient list!
2. Some Pokémon call for allies more than other Pokémon. This is commonly referred to as ally call rate. Based on a multiple of 3 (with 3 being the least likely to call an ally, and 15 being the most likely to call an ally), this will show you how likely the Pokémon will get an ally to respond and enter the battle. Those with higher ally call rates will make the shiny hunting process faster and overall more streamlined, while those with lower ones will be longer and sluggish. You can also check this out with this convenient list!
This covers the fundamentals of SOS hunting. The primary goal here is to keep the chain going until you get a shiny Pokémon to be called, at which point you can go ahead and catch them! Sounds simple enough right? That's because it is!
However, one thing I want to share with you is multipliers. Even with a call rate of X, you can bolster this with the use of multipliers to further increase the chances of an ally Pokémon being called. So this means even if the Pokémon has a very low call rate, there is hope! This is a comprehensive list of them, but I will highlight some.
- The lower a Pokémon's health is, they feel more in danger, so they will be more likely to call for an ally.
- Using an Adrenaline Orb will make them nervous, and more likely to call an ally.
- Hitting the called ally with a supereffective (SE) move will make the caller scared, and more likely to call for an ally.
Before we end, remember that breaking the chain is a very real risk, so be on your guard! The chain will be broken if:
- Target Pokémon faints (and nobody else is with them, so it ends the encounter)
- Target Pokémon faints and their ally has a call rate of 0 (so they won't call for more allies, thus ending the chain)
- Catching the Pokémon (for obvious reasons)
- Fleeing the battle (for also obvious reasons)