Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (2024)

Disclaimer

This guide would require some way of playing edited ROMs (such as a flash cart, NDS emulator etc). This guide assumes you already know how to dump your own ROM legally, and how to play the edited ROMs. As such, this guide will not entertain such questions, as it is not the point of this guide. This method works for any language'd variant of Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, SoulSilver, Black, White, Black 2, and White 2.

Note: the shinies obtained via this guide will only appear shiny. When the save is viewed in PKHeX, and when shiny Pokémon (resultant of this modification) is transferred forward, chances are they will not be shiny. Additionally, this guide will not give you 100% shiny encounters.
However, the shiny odds for these fake/temporary shinies are still higher than base rate, and may interest people that do not intend to transfer forward nor trade to vanilla games.

Anyhow, we will not be providing any arm9.bin or modified ROMs, as linking to or providing data files extracted from ROMs are against our forum's rules.
However do not fear, as the steps regarding how to extract the arm9.bin from your own dump and then re-injecting them, are included in this guide.

The 3 easy steps:
1. Extracting the decompressed version of the arm9.bin
2. Performing the edit
3. Injecting the edited arm9.bin back into your game

Extracting the decompressed version of the arm9.bin

Spoiler

1. Install CrystalTile2 onto your computer
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (1)

2. Make a copy of the game you intend to edit, name it <game name> - shiny test.nds
Besides being named in a way that would provide clarity, it is also very important that you're viewing the copy, not your main dump.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (2)

3. Launch CrystalTile2.
Certain text might appear illegible, and certain UI parts may appear blank. That is fine. What is important is that the program launches, and you can see the text of the main UI itself.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (3)

4. Go to File > Open and select the game you intend to edit.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (4)Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (5)
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (6)


5. Go to Tools > NDS File System
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (7)
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (8)

6. Select arm9.bin, then right click on it and select Extract(U)...
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (9)

Note: If the Extract (U)... option does not exist, use Export instead.
It's important to opt for Extract (U)... when it exists.

(If I'm not mistaken, the Extract (U)... option appears for games HGSS BW B2W2)

7. Name it appropriately. Then click on save to extract it properly.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (10)

8. Leave CrystalTile2 with the ROM loaded open. Not necessary to close it.
Also keep the NDS File System tab open.

You now have a properly decompressed extracted arm9.bin

Performing the edit

Spoiler

1. Download a Hex Editor. I'll be using the program HxD

2. Open the extracted arm9.bin in the Hex Editor.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (11)
(this image is an example of it being open in HxD)

3. Go to the Find/Search tool. In HxD, it can be found at Search > Find.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (12)

4. In the Find/Search page, look for this string, in Hex Values/Bytes
The Hex value String:
08 28 01 D2 01
(Tested on ENG games)
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (13)

Note:
If you're editing JPN DP, the search term is instead 08 2D 01 D2 01.

If you're editing KOR HGSS, the search term is instead 08 28 01 D2.
(also consider using08 28 01 D2 as the search term if you're editing any other language'd game, beyond what I mentioned. I've not tested the other languages past ENG/JPN/KOR, but theoretically if should be possible.)

5. Once found, the entry will be highlighted.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (14)

If you don't find it, you probably did something wrong. Reread this guide, redo all the steps.

6. Replace the 08 of the lead of the searched term with FF
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (15) -> Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (16)

7. Now save the progress into the arm9.bin. From this point onwards, this file will be referred to as the edited arm9.bin.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (17)

Injecting the edited arm9.bin back into your game

Spoiler

1. Interact with the CrystalTile2 window that you left open.
(If you closed it, Open the program, load the ROM, go to NDS File System)

2. Select arm9.bin in the tab, then right click on it, and select Import.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (18)

edit: if you have to use “Extract” in the earlier part of the tutorial, use “Compression” instead of “Import”.

Make sure you select the edited arm9.bin for this step.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (19)

4. When importing the edited arm9.bin, you may get a prompt mentioning "File size too small", as well as a recommended location.
There is no need to cancel. There is no need to enter a new location. Just use the location they recommended, then hit OK.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (20)

Note: this prompt only appears if you had to use Extract (U)... earlier.

5. Now just close CrystalTile2. You'll receive a prompt like this:
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (21)

Select Yes.
(The changes were already written to the file, so no harm in closing it without saving. Plus the saving option isn't really there anyway)

Additionally, this prompt may show up twice.
It is fine to click Yes both times.

Extra: Testing whether the modification works

Spoiler

This is not a step that is really needed, but good for people who are unsure they actually managed the edits right.

Basically, all you gotta do is edit your save file to contain this mon:
PSV 0426 Gengar (with TSV 0427)

This Gengar will be regular non-shiny in PKHeX, but will appear shiny if the game was edited correctly.
Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (22)Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (23)

If so, congratulations, you've edited your save to have a higher chance of encountering fake shinies!

FAQs and Explanations:

Spoiler

Why these shinies are fake; why are they only shiny in appearance?

For the record, this method doesn't make your Pokémon truly shiny. This method basically edits the xor threshold for them to *appear* shiny.

Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (24)
(Image is a snapshot of Bulbapedia's text)

Focus on the 8/65535 part. Now, recall that you've modified an 08. That's what you changed.
So by changing the value away from 8, you're merely increasing the range of Pokémon that would appear shiny in your game (even if they weren't)

So with that same PID, if the mon was transferred/traded away to other unmodified games, they'll continue to be non-shiny.

Hence why the Gengar that is in the spoiler above appears non-shiny in PKHeX, but shiny in an edited game

Why does this method not give 100% shiny encounters?
As mentioned above, the xor threshold is 8/65535.

The value you edited is a byte, which the maximum is 0xFF (which is also what you edited).
0xFF -> 255
Which means 255/65535 = ~0.39%

Thus, without significant editing of the ROM's structure, you probably can't bring the value higher than that.
The edits we did adhere to the ROM and arm9 structure.

This method does not change any in-game generation of stats (such as PID IVs etc). To reiterate, all it changes it whether a mon is seen as shiny in the game, based on the PID. (also referred to as the shiny xor threshold)


I'm not very technically capable. Is there an easier way to perform these edits?
This guide is as simplified as possible. Just read through the steps, look at the images, and go through the process very slowly.
If you're still struggling, then I'm sorry to say, no. I do not know of an easier way to perform these edits.

Is there a method for "non-fake" shinies and/or 100% shiny encounters?
As far as I know, no such method exists.


Sources (that I remember):
Bond697's original work to increase the shiny xor threshold on Pokemon Black 2
Me expanding on Bond697's work to find a working offset for Black/White
My explanation for why the shiny is fake/temporary
Bulbapedia's page on Shiny Pokémon


View full tutorial

Gen 4 & 5 - Shiny Rate Modification (2024)

FAQs

How to increase shiny odds in Pokémon Gen 4? ›

One is the Masuda Method. If you have access to a Gen IV game from a different region and language of the world, you can trade a Pokemon from that game to your game. When two Pokemon from two different regions of the world breed, the eggs hatched have a higher shiny chance than regular eggs.

How to increase shiny odds gen 5? ›

In Fifth gen there's a key item called Shiny Charm, that increases the chance of encountering a Shiny Pokémon, both in the wild and through breeding. You can receive that item from Professor Juniper after obtaining all the Pokémon in the National Pokédex, with the exception of event Pokémon.

What are the odds of getting a shiny in Gen 5 Shiny Charm? ›

Generation V

This is done by generating two extra personality values to attempt to find one that is Shiny, effectively resulting in a tripled chance to find Shiny Pokémon compared to the base chance; from 1/8192 to approximately 3/8192 (roughly 1/2731).

How rare is a shiny in Gen 4? ›

Shiny Pokémon rates
Gen. IIGen. IV
Base rate1/8192
Breeding a Shiny Pokémon if the offspring is the opposite gender1/64
Masuda method5/8192 or 1/1638.4
Poké Radar chaining (single patch): ≥4041/8192
14 more rows

How do you increase shiny catch rate? ›

The easiest way to find Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet is through mass outbreaks, a phenomenon in which many of the same species of Pokémon appear in one location. As you battle and catch the Pokémon appearing in these mass outbreaks, your chances of encountering a Shiny Pokémon increase.

How rare is a 6 IV Shiny Pokémon? ›

Or a 0.00002289377 (or . 002%) chance of a shiny 6 IV pokemon.

How rare is a shiny in Gen 5? ›

Masuda Method (Gen IV)

Using this method improves the odds of hatching a shiny Pokémon from 1/8192 to 1/2048 or 1/1365.3, in Generation IV or Generation V, respectively. This method was the brainchild of Junichi Masuda, director of GameFreak.

Does the cute charm glitch work in Gen 5? ›

This has been fixed in Generation 5 and onwards, and doesn't work for Generation 3. Cute Charm only works on Pokémon that can be both genders, meaning it will not work on Pokémon that are 100% male ratio, 100% female ratio, or are genderless.

How do you increase shiny odds without Shiny Charm? ›

So heres how it May work, so you gotta beat a full gyms for that region (My ex for now is Kanto) and finish the NORMAL only pokedex, and you get a shiny charm randomly placed in your account that boosts shiny odds by like 25% and finding a legendary odds to 25%~ and rares 25%~ so it is easier to find a mewtwo with it ...

What is the shiny hunting method in Gen 5? ›

Introduced in Generation V, the Masuda Method is one of the most popular ways to nab a Shiny, and for good reason. It ups the Shiny rate for Eggs by a ton, all the way from 1/8192 to 1/1638, and since it deals with Eggs, the method can be used with any breedable Pokémon.

Do you need both Koraidon and Miraidon for shiny charms? ›

If you have all of the Pokémon in the Paldea Pokédex in your HOME and transfer them into a new game of Scarlet/Violet, the earliest you can get the Shiny Charm is right after you get Koraidon or Miraidon, according to users on Reddit.

What are the odds of getting a shiny egg in Gen 4? ›

The Masuda method increases the number of attempts the game makes to see if the Pokémon is Shiny, and the amount it increases it by varies by game. In Generation IV, it adds +4 to the chances of an egg being Shiny: 5 in 8192, or 1 in 1638.

What are the odds of getting a shiny starter in Gen 4? ›

Your odds are a fixed 1 in 8192 in Generation II–V games and 1 in 4096 in Generation VI–VII games. The Shiny Charm does not apply here as you cannot legitimately receive the Shiny Charm before obtaining your first Pokémon, silly.

Is A shiny rarer than a legendary? ›

Although there are various methods for increasing this chance, like Mass Outbreak hunting, the Masuda Method, or Dynamax Lairs, Shiny Pokemon will always be the rarest Pokemon you can catch in any game, and at the very least, much rarer than legendaries.

What is the ability to increase shiny odds in Pokémon? ›

Get the Shiny Charm from Jacq

There is also the Shiny Charm, which increases your odds of finding a Shiny Pokemon from 1/4096 to 1/1365. Combined with the Sparkling Power Lv. 3 Sandwich, your odds will increase further to 1/683. To get the Shiny Charm, however, you'll have to complete the Pokedex first.

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