Can Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan be shiny in Pokémon Go?

If you find a Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in the Pokémon Go wilds, does it have any chance to be shiny?

By Julia Lee

This article references relevant content from the polygon.com website. Original article link: [https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-go-guide/24147249/can-hitmonchan-hitmonlee-be-shiny-tyrogue-hitmontop]

Can Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan be shiny in Pokémon Go?
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Game Freak/Nintendo, The Pokémon Company

Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, the kicking and punching Pokémon from Kanto, can be found in the wild in Pokémon Go. Yes, both Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan can be shiny in Pokémon Go!

Tyrogue, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, and Hitmontop with their shiny forms in Pokémon Go. Tyrogue turns grey with blue clothes, Hitmonlee turns green, Hitmonchan turns a similar green with blue gloves, and Hitmontop gets pink accessories.

The whole Hitmon-family can actually be shiny! You can only obtain Tyrogue from eggs, since it’s technically a “baby” Pokémon, whereas the others can be found just hanging out in the wild, though we don’t see them around in the wild too often.

What is the shiny rate for Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan in Pokémon Go?

As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), the shiny rate for Pokémon on a regular day is approximately one in 500. Neither Hitmonchan nor Hitmonlee is a confirmed Pokémon that gets a “permaboost” (meaning that it’s a rare spawn and thus gets a boosted shiny rate).

Not much, unfortunately. It appears to be random chance. Shiny Pokémon catch rates are set by developer Niantic, and they are typically only boosted during special events like Community Days or Safari Zones, or in Legendary Raids. There are no consumable items that boost shiny Pokémon rates.

LeekDuck keeps a list of currently available shiny Pokémon. It’s a helpful visual guide that illustrates what all of the existing shiny Pokémon look like.

For more tips, check out Polygon’s Pokémon Go guides.