When it was revealed that Niantic was adding moredragon- and flying-typepocket monsters toPokémon GO,many players may have been excited about Salamence and Rayquaza. Another dragon/flying type joining the game, although it is lesser recognized, is Altaria, the evolved form of Swablu. To ensure this Pokémon is acknowledged, despite the bigger powerhouses, it seems Niantic added something special for the Pokémon.
Each Gen 3 wave of Pokémon added a shiny to the roster, and this latest addition toPokémon GOis no different. In this latest wave, it is Swablu and its evolved form that get the shiny treatment, turning the typically blue-bodied Pokémon into a gold-bodied Pokémon. However, like most shiny Pokémon, catching a shiny Swablu will not be easy to catch.
Right now, the Pokémon is a tier 1 raid boss or it can be caught in the wild. If a trainer does manage to catch a shiny Swablu, then it’s worth noting that 400 candies are required to evolve it into a shiny Altaria. Without any Pinap berries, that’s over 100 basic catches in the wild, so it’s no simple feat. Check out Swablu’s shiny form below:
Swablu and Altaria join an already extensive list of shiny Pokémon in the game (Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu, Magikarp, Gyarados, Absol, Mawile, Sableye, Snorunt, Glalie, Duskull, Dusclops, Shuppet, Banette, Aron, Lairon, and Aggron). Luckily, Absol and Mawile are the only two Pokémon that can’t be caught in the wild. Like previous releases, however, Swablu and its evolved form are the only Pokémon on the list oflatest gen 3 additionsto have a shiny form, so it remains unique in its introduction.
It doesn’t seem, however, that Swablu and Altaria are the only new Pokémon to get the special treatment.Rayquaza, the legendary dragon/flying Pokémon, is sure to be a powerful raid boss, and moreover, Illumise, Volbeat, and Tropius are each exclusive to specific regions. But none of them are a golden bird, so that’s still something unique.
Pokemon GOis available now for Android and iOS devices.
