Xerneas is one of the many Legendary Pokémon Trainers can catch inPokémon GO, but its Shiny Form is significantly rarer. The Legendary Fairy-Type Pokémon was introduced asPokémon X’smascot and made its first appearance inPokémon GOas a five-star Raid Boss in 2021. Since then, Xerneas has only occasionally reappeared in Raids, making Shiny Xerneas one of the game’s rarest Pokémon.
Xerneas was first added duringPokémon GO’sLuminous Legends eventalong with Yvetal, its counterpart fromPokémon Y.Luckily for Trainers, the next opportunity to catch Xerneas is during the game’s August Update, where it will appear in five-star Raids.Trainers should take advantage of this unique opportunity to catch Xerneas and Shiny Xerneas, as it’s unlikely that Xerneas will reappear again before 2025.
Pokémon GO: Xerneas Five Star Raid Guide (Best Counters & Weaknesses)
A new 5-Star Raid Boss soon coming to Pokémon GO is Xerneas, a Fairy-type stag that can be subdued using Steel- and Poison-type Movesets.
Is Shiny Xerneas Available In Pokémon GO?
How To Catch Xerneas' Shiny Form
Shiny Xerneas has been available inPokémon GOsince 2022, andit has a small chance of appearing wherever Xerneas appears.In this case, you’ll need to defeat it in a five-star Raid Battle, and once you head to the catch screen, you’ll find out whether it’s a Shiny version or not.
Catching ShinyPokémoninPokémonGOis generally quite difficult, as spawn rates for Shiny Pokémon are typically very low outside events such as Community Days and Raid Days. Luckily, as Xerneas will be available in five-star Raids, this means the chances of Shiny Xerneas appearing are slightly higher than usual.
To stand a chance of catching Xerneas and Shiny Xerneas,Trainers will need to join in these five-star Raids between August 21 and July 02, 2025: the dates listed by the officialPokémon GO account on X.
Raids are Gym Battles against extremely powerful Pokémon known as Raid Boss Pokémon. Beating these time-limited challenges requires multiple Trainers to cooperate and field teams of Pokémon in order to bring the Raid Boss down,at which point they earn the chance to capture it for themselves.
The best way to participate in a Raid Battle against Xerneas is to bring somehighly effective Raid counters:Pokémon with Steel and Poison-type moves, which are super effective against the Fairy-type Xerneas.
In summary, Shiny Xerneas is available inPokémon GO,but Trainers have a limited timeframe to catch it. Due to the rarity of Shiny Pokémon, they will likely need to participate in multiple Raid Battles to stand a chance of catching it.
What Does Shiny Xerneas Look Like?
How To Spot Xerneas' Shiny Form
All Shiny Pokémon have a distinct appearance, usually an alternate color scheme that makes them stand out.Shiny Xerneas can be seen in the image above, and has a white and light blue body.In contrast, Xerneas' body is usually black and dark blue.
Trainers should note that Xerneas also has two basic forms: Neutral Mode and Active Mode. It only takes on its Active Mode form with glowing horns when battling.
As such, the solution to catching Shiny Xerneas inPokémon GOis clear. Trainers should head to the nearest Gym, obtain a Raid Pass, and battle Xerneas in as many five-star Raid Battles as time allows.
