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Home » Game Guides » Pokémon Sword & Shield » Pokemon Sword and Shield: Encounter Chaining Explained

Pokemon Sword and Shield: Encounter Chaining Explained

November 20, 2019 by imbroken963 28 Comments

This Pokemon Sword & Shield Guide explains everything there is to know about Encounter Chaining to improve your odds at catching a Shiny Pokemon. This is a chapter of our complete Shiny Hunting Guide, so be sure to check out the main guide for even more optimizations with Shiny Catch Rates.

What is Encounter Chaining?

Encounter Chaining is when you encounter the same Pokemon over and over again while attempting to hunt a Shiny Pokemon of that specific Pokemon. To properly increase your Encounter Chain you need to defeat the same Pokemon over and over without fainting another Pokemon that isn’t the one you are Chaining. Each Encounter the game will “roll” (randomly decide) whether or not your encounter will be a shiny. The reason you want to build up these encounter chains is to vastly improve your odds at finding a Shiny Pokemon (a differently colored version) of the Pokemon you are “chaining”.

What continues or breaks the chain?

Encountering and fainting the same Pokemon over and over will increase your chain. Encountering another Pokemon while in a chain will not disrupt the chain unless you catch or faint the Pokemon that is not the one you are chaining. Running away from an encounter whether it’s the Pokemon you are Chaining or not will not disrupt the Chain but will not increase it either.

What does the Chain need to be to increase odds of finding a Shiny Pokemon?

The higher your chain the better the chance of getting a Shiny. The maximum chain that will boost your chances of a Shiny Pokemon are after having defeated 25 of that Pokemon in a row.

Is there a counter for your current Chain?

Unfortunately no, this is something you are going to have to track manually or through writing down the starting number and checking the Pokedex entry of that Pokemon to see how many more Battles against that Pokemon you have had.

Is the current chain the only thing that affects the shiny chance?

No, the Chain just increases your chance that the encounter will “reroll” the chance at being shiny. The number of times you have battled the Pokemon you are Chaining will determine the amount of “rerolls” you get which increases the odds.

How do the Chain Count and Number of times you have battled a Pokemon work together?

Every time you encounter a Pokemon you have a chance at rerolling the encounter to be a Shiny Pokemon. The higher the chain the higher the chance at rerolling the chance at the Pokemon being shiny. The number of battles you have completed against that Pokemon will determine the amount of rerolls that you can get from hitting the chance at the reroll.

Breakdown of the odds:

Knowing that the Encounter Chain and Number of times affects the shiny odds here are the chances and odds of each encounter:

  • Pokemon Battled 1-19 Times: 1 reroll increases chance to 1 in 2048
    • 0-3 Chain – 1.5% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 4-7 Chain – 3.5% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 8-15 Chain – 6.5% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 16-24 Chain – 13.5% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 25+ Chain – 31.5% Chance at 1 reroll
  • Pokemon Battled 20-49 Times: 1 reroll increases chance to 1 in 2048
    • 0-3 Chain – 2% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 4-7 Chain – 4% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 8-15 Chain – 7% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 16-24 Chain – 14% Chance at 1 reroll
    • 25+ Chain – 32% Chance at 1 reroll
  • Pokemon Battled 50-99 Times: 2 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 1365.3
    • 0-3 Chain – 2.5% Chance at 2 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 4.5% Chance at 2 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 7.5% Chance at 2 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 14.5% Chance at 2 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 32.5% Chance at 2 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 100-199 Times: 3 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 1024
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 3 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 200-299 Times: 4 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 819.2
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 4 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 300-499 Times: 5 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 682.6
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 5 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 500+ Times: 6 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 585.1
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 6 rerolls

Odds with the Shiny Charm:

The Shiny Charm (see How to Get Shiny Charm) will give a base +2 rolls. Here is a listing of the odds with the Shiny Charm having been obtained:

  • Pokemon Battled 1-19 Times: 3 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 1024
    • 0-3 Chain – 1.5% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 3.5% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 6.5% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 13.5% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 31.5% Chance at 3 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 20-49 Times: 3 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 1024
    • 0-3 Chain – 2% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 4% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 7% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 14% Chance at 3 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 32% Chance at 3 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 50-99 Times: 4 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 819.2
    • 0-3 Chain – 2.5% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 4.5% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 7.5% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 14.5% Chance at 4 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 32.5% Chance at 4 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 100-199 Times: 5 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 682.6
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 5 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 5 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 200-299 Times: 6 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 585.1
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 6 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 6 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 300-499 Times: 7 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 512
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 7 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 7 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 7 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 7 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 7 rerolls
  • Pokemon Battled 500+ Times: 8 rerolls increases chance to 1 in 455.1
    • 0-3 Chain – 3% Chance at 8 rerolls
    • 4-7 Chain – 5% Chance at 8 rerolls
    • 8-15 Chain – 8% Chance at 8 rerolls
    • 16-24 Chain – 15% Chance at 8 rerolls
    • 25+ Chain – 33% Chance at 8 rerolls

That’s all there is to know about Chaining Pokemon Encounters in Sword and Shield. There are other ways to improve your Shiny Hunting odds, please refer to our full Pokemon Sword & Shield Shiny Hunting Guide for all optimization methods.

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Comments

  1. Ethan says

    November 22, 2019 at 4:08 am

    Thanks very much for sharing this, really helpful stuff!

    Reply
  2. Scott says

    November 26, 2019 at 10:40 pm

    So if I am chaining a pokemon and at some point save and leave the game (turn it off). When I go back in will the chain still be there or will it reset?

    Reply
    • IA says

      December 15, 2019 at 2:30 am

      it’ll reset

  3. James says

    December 2, 2019 at 7:35 am

    Does hatching an egg break the chain?

    Reply
  4. Tyson says

    December 5, 2019 at 4:35 am

    When I was trying for a shiny Combee today, I saved in between to save progress. A total of 113 tries, I met shiny male Combee. So yes, you should be fine.

    Reply
  5. hamza says

    December 15, 2019 at 3:55 am

    if you catch a pokemon that you are chaining then u faint it does it affect the chain by resetting or increase the chance of shiny

    Reply
  6. Daniel says

    December 15, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    How to you know if it’s been rerolled ? I’ve battled encountered about 87 times now.

    Reply
  7. DrMegaSteve says

    December 21, 2019 at 10:45 pm

    Will camping reset it? And do I have to catch it

    Reply
    • Alex says

      July 11, 2020 at 11:29 pm

      No clue about camping, but no, you don’t have to catch it. Fainting the Pokémon is enough to continue the chain.

  8. Philipp says

    January 11, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    Will chaining a Pokemon increase its chance to spawn if its rather rare on the route?

    Reply
    • Alex says

      July 11, 2020 at 11:28 pm

      Yes

  9. Max says

    January 15, 2020 at 10:12 pm

    Im quite sure there is no reset on your counter but your shiny rates increase every hundred by 1 capped out on 500

    Reply
    • Legoguy says

      February 5, 2020 at 11:18 pm

      Yes

  10. SkillsH0T says

    January 26, 2020 at 1:28 am

    Can I go to the Pokemon-Center, without loosing the chain?

    Reply
  11. Legoguy says

    February 5, 2020 at 11:07 pm

    Does anyone know if this method works with Pokemon not in the over-world but Pokemon only encounter-able from the rustling grass?

    Reply
  12. kaerfemag says

    February 5, 2020 at 11:38 pm

    does fighting a different stage of that pokemon break the chain? say chaining 8 dreepy then fighting a drakloak

    Reply
    • oliver malkus says

      March 31, 2020 at 9:33 am

      if youre trying to fight dreepys in the wild you are just better off hatching eggs

  13. Lj says

    April 9, 2020 at 6:16 am

    If you get the chain to 25 then catch something esle will the chain go

    Reply
    • Alex says

      July 11, 2020 at 11:28 pm

      No. It will break the chain

  14. Corviknight says

    August 28, 2020 at 9:36 pm

    If you leave the area, will the chain break?

    Reply
  15. Michael says

    October 25, 2020 at 3:27 am

    I’ve just used the chain method in Hope’s of getting a shiny regieleki and at 500+ battles and 455 after that I didnt get a shiny does this prove that the info is false

    Reply
    • Samwise says

      October 25, 2020 at 2:38 pm

      No, the odds will be reduced however it doesn’t mean you are garunteed a shiny after X amount of encounters.

    • Samwise says

      October 25, 2020 at 2:40 pm

      Also I am not sure if you can knock out or catch 500+ legendaries, in that case you will be at full odds or if you have the shiny charm slightly reduced

    • Ismael E says

      October 26, 2020 at 7:01 pm

      You can faint the regieleki as many times as you want as it will keep allowing you to encounter it until you capture it. So the chaining does work for it. Im currently at 364 encounters and 25 chained max. No shiny lol. Also great way for xp and speed ev points

    • Ismael E says

      October 26, 2020 at 7:11 pm

      And shiny charm.

    • Aria says

      November 15, 2020 at 10:11 pm

      I don’t think the chaining part of the method works for static encounters. But you should still get the increase from Dex encounters.

    • Ginga says

      February 16, 2021 at 10:09 pm

      I was under the impression that legendaries were static. Meaning if you encounter it once and it’s not shiny, it will never be shiny on that save file

  16. wikiboy says

    January 26, 2021 at 12:51 pm

    does this affect the odds in the medusa method so lower the odds even more

    Reply

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