Shiny Hunting vs RNG

Started by Squirrel May 9th, 2012 6:01 AM
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  • 49 replies

Squirrel

Age 28
Male
Seen 1 Week Ago
Posted July 10th, 2021
9,551 posts
11.7 Years
This is a debate that has been going on for a long time; which is better, shiny hunting or RNG?

Shiny hunting is the act of finding shiny Pokemon through the use of random encounters and soft resetting. Essentially the idea is to encounter as many Pokemon as possible in the hopes of one of them being shiny. It's considered a much slower and more tedious method of obtaining shiny Pokemon than RNG, and the Pokemon you obtain don't necessarily have good IVs or natures, but its considered a fairer and easier way of obtaining the shiny Pokemon you want and has been referred to as a more honest way of finding the Pokemon.

RNG is the act of manipulating the game's internal clock and using methods of frame advancement in order to make certain Pokemon appear. This method can easily yield flawless Pokemon with whatever traits you desire, but it takes a lot of skill to get it right and it can be very hard to work with, sometimes taking days to perform just one RNG.

So the question is: which do you prefer?
Seen November 21st, 2014
Posted June 21st, 2014
9,522 posts
11.8 Years
Personally as most everyone should know, I prefer RNG abuse because to be honest, I do not have the patience to shiny hunt and I'd hate the shiny because it would have a random nature and IVs, which is totally undesirable to me. This is not saying that I'd toss a random shiny if I ever saw one, but I have never seen one. xD It takes a lot of time and patience to shiny hunt, so more power to the people that can do it, in my opinion. RNGing takes time to learn but after you get it down it's wonderful, easy, and quite fun. ^^

Sydian

fake your death.

Age 30
they/them
Georgia
Seen May 22nd, 2022
Posted November 29th, 2021
33,354 posts
15.2 Years
RNG definitely. It's fun, doesn't take as long, and you get the results that you want. Plus I like doing bps/cps for people cause giving someone a desired Pokemon can make their day. You never know! Shiny hunting...takes too long for my taste. I gave up on SRing for a shiny Kyogre in Sapphire lol. And I think it's ridiculous to run around in the grass all day waiting on a shiny. It seems tedious and boring, but that could also be said about RNG by someone that doesn't know how.
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Gonzo

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Female
Poland, Rzeszów
Seen May 16th, 2016
Posted July 11th, 2015
542 posts
12.7 Years
I disagree that shiny hunting is easier. OK, you need no skills, but it takes LOADS of time. Learning RNG in 5th Generation with a good guide takes max. 3-4 hours so not a big deal, really. Also, Shiny hunting is some kind of manipulating game. You reset to get a shiny. Technically, the only difference between RNG and hunting is that in RNG, you know exactly what and when you have to hit and in hunting you do exactly the same thing but blindfolded.

My answer is: can't be bothered to waste months on shiny. I RNG them. Also, I play competitively, so IVs are important to me and IV hunting is also time consuming, so nothx.

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Melinda

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Seen September 17th, 2022
Posted November 27th, 2019
2,276 posts
14.4 Years
Shiny hunting is much too tedious in my opinion. I know RNG is pretty difficult too, but I could do in 30 minutes to an hour what would take days/weeks with shiny hunting. Plus RNG yields much better results if you know what you're doing. o3o
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twistedpuppy

Siriusly Twisted

Seen July 18th, 2015
Posted May 21st, 2015
1,352 posts
14.5 Years
It's considered a much slower and more tedious method of obtaining shiny Pokemon than RNG...but its considered a fairer and easier way of obtaining the shiny Pokemon you want and has been referred to as a more honest way of finding the Pokemon.
Slower, tedious, and easier? If it's slower and more tedious, it's not easier.

My personal preference is RNG. I know what I'm after, I know how to get it, and I always get it. As to why it's referred to as a "more honest way" of finding a shing, I don't see why some people choose to say, but you know they don't have a problem when taking an RNG'd Pokémon. RNG and shiny hunting are two sides of the same coin. They're essentially both manipulating the game (resetting for a shiny / hitting a frame or delay). The only difference between the two methods are the players themselves. Someone who can RNG knows exactly how to obtain the shiny they're after by simply knowing when to enter the game. That's all there is to it.

TheGr8

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Male
Sinnoh Region
Seen December 10th, 2015
Posted January 21st, 2014
529 posts
12.9 Years
I used to do shiny hunting mainly before I really got into RNG. I remember spending so much time SRing for a Snivy that I never finished because I was too lazy to keep going after like 3,000 SRs. Once I learned how to RNG it became so easy to obtain shiny and flawless pokemon. You lose some of the surprise element but I would much rather have many shinies than just one in forever.


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Wiilio

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Male
North Carolina
Seen August 9th, 2014
Posted March 20th, 2014
63 posts
11.5 Years
For time's sake, I do RNG if I want a shiny (which I usually don't nowadays; shinies have kinda lost their special appeal, and now it's just down to color preference, and I usually prefer regular colors). It is easier, for sure.

However, it's just something about actual hunting that takes the color preference and makes it special again. You actually have to work for it. And yeah, it is hard. That, to me, just makes it more special.

For example, I have a bunch of shinies I've RNG'd on Pokecheck in a box called "Trophy Case." They're cool and all, I guess.

But my only random encounter shiny that I still have, my Garchomp, is sitting right on my in-game team in White, just because it means a lot to me.
(It helps that it's Jolly with 31 Speed too :3)

And when I used to chain, my heart always skipped a beat when I saw that one patch sparkle. It was just awesome to see. When I run through Platinum again, I'll probably get into chaining after I get my Uxie.


So, in short, I prefer RNG for convenience, but when I want to make it special, I'd rather shiny hunt.

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Perriechu

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Age 27
Male
England
Seen December 11th, 2021
Posted August 12th, 2020
4,076 posts
14.1 Years
RNG >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Shiny hunting. I just cannot with Shiny Hunting. ):< It's so frustrating and ugh! With RNG you can choose the Pokemon you're getting. You can basically twist the game to your liking, in a sense. Shiny hunting is just a random mess. I used to shiny hunt in GSC. And then I tried in RSE. The latter is where I gave up for good because of nothing. I loved it in GSC. I did a few SR's in 4th gen just for lolz. and ended up getting 3 shinies but still!









VoxynZ

Jak And Daxter Fanboy

Age 32
Male
North Carolina
Seen August 18th, 2012
Posted May 27th, 2012
11 posts
11.9 Years
I've never sat down and hunted for shinies, but finding one randomly in your game is an awesome feeling. That being said, the 3 shinies I've found this way, Diglett in Crystal, Golbat in Ruby, and Patrat in Black, are not extraordinary in any other way. I won't make an RNG Pokemon shiny unless I like the alternate colors. I'm still torn between shiny Milotic and regular Milotic...


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Male
Seen May 27th, 2012
Posted May 22nd, 2012
5 posts
11 Years
Im used to finding shiny Pokemon because it will take up the time and it makes more sense to find one randomly in nature than use somthing to find it. if im correct i never really actually used RNG but im pretty surtain its a man made item. if im not correct you could take this down but i have more fun training in wild grass then POP Twinkle Twinkle i found a shiny pokemon. The first shiny pokemon i caught was a shiny raticate. Altho it was usless to me at the time i learn that its good pokemon. In pokemon Crystal i was walking in the grass by newbark town to catch a sentret because i havent caught one for the pokedex and then a shiny entei with a blue colored star mouth...thing i dont know what part that is on a Entei but i knew it was shiny because of the twinkling that occured as soon as i encountered it. Altho i would have caught it if i tried i did not have scary face or any other moves that would help me. i threw a heavy ball and it shook 2 times and got loose on the 2nd one. my heart stoped when i thought i was about to catch it and i screamed at the top of my lungs at my unsuccesful capture.

I like the old style shiny capture better.

Sydian

fake your death.

Age 30
they/them
Georgia
Seen May 22nd, 2022
Posted November 29th, 2021
33,354 posts
15.2 Years
^ Yeah but shiny hunting =/= finding a random shiny. When you shiny hunt, you're constantly looking for a shiny Pokemon basically. When you randomly find one, it's just that. Random. You weren't on the prowl for it and it was completely unexpected. idk. To me, there's a difference in finding a shiny and actually looking for a shiny, the former of which is not really considered shiny hunting.
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Seen May 24th, 2012
Posted May 23rd, 2012
15 posts
11 Years
i have done both shiny hunting and rng. chaining is fun but if you miss your mark, your gonna wanna break the ds. lol. but also, 5th gen rng is very complicated. 4th gen platinum rng is easy. to me, its rewarding either way, to see the shiny appear on screen with no action replay in the ds.
Male
Exiled
Seen October 2nd, 2015
Posted October 2nd, 2015
344 posts
11.9 Years
RNG by far is my preference, however, I've had more luck finding random Shiny Pokémon in the wild than that of RNG abuse. It's not like I set out to find the Shiny Pokémon either. In Pokémon Emerald, I found a Shiny Tentacool. Then in the Safari Zone I found a Shiny Ledyba. Later in Pokémon SoulSilver, I found a Shiny Zubat and in the Safari Zone I found a Shiny Gloom. I have some sort of luck with Safari Zones too, because not once did either Pokémon break free. Anyways, I certainly don't like random encounters because I'm either not prepared or they are much too tedious.
None

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Neverland
Seen January 3rd, 2015
Posted August 3rd, 2014
37 posts
11 Years
I dislike both of them because I can't understand them. I chain shinies and it takes forever. I breed for shinies and it takes forever. I spend about 7 hours looking things up and trying how to use the RNG reporter and it takes forever. All the guides or either for BW or were made in 2009. Can anyone help me? I'm on pearl and I just want a shiny pokemon. I don't care about IV's or anything.
I love battling (though i'm no good) and Shiny hunting. ^^

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Greenbeans

Guardian of Le Foret

Age 28
Male
In your dreams....
Seen November 22nd, 2016
Posted March 2nd, 2016
423 posts
13.9 Years
I must say rng'ing is the best way to do it, shiny hunting takes forever, where rng abuse can only take a few hours to learn then your set, its pointless to shiny hunt when you can get shinys from rng abuse!!


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greg0915

Tomorrow is a new day

Age 28
Male
England
Seen January 9th, 2018
Posted August 9th, 2013
545 posts
12.3 Years
Hmmm..... RNG'ing is far quicker, far less tedious and far more efficient. Wild shinies are very rarely a beneficial nature and as for IV's the odds are massively against you. Although to me wild encounter shinies are more special and are more exciting! However I wouldn't go hunting for shinies because well I can RNG...

NavySealGR

Age 28
Male
Greece
Seen October 29th, 2017
Posted July 6th, 2012
17 posts
11 Years
I think RNG is better.I think it actually is the easy way,it maybe sound strange but yes.Breeding it with the means provided by the game is quite hard and needs patience.RNG takes skill,and time to master,it requires big knowledge,and being updated,but after you master it,its a piece of cake to crank out flawless shinies.Anyway,i think RNG is easier after you learnt it,and cool,so i choose that :3
Male
Seen September 1st, 2013
Posted September 22nd, 2012
2 posts
10.9 Years
Still cant figure out how to do RNG myself AND everything ive read says i need a program thats solely for Mac and i dont got a Mac so i cant do it. However shiny hunting can get awfully boring too so if i could learn how to do RNG id prob do it simply coz of all the people saying how simple it is to do once u learnt it
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twistedpuppy

Siriusly Twisted

Seen July 18th, 2015
Posted May 21st, 2015
1,352 posts
14.5 Years
Still cant figure out how to do RNG myself AND everything ive read says i need a program thats solely for Mac and i dont got a Mac so i cant do it. However shiny hunting can get awfully boring too so if i could learn how to do RNG id prob do it simply coz of all the people saying how simple it is to do once u learnt it
We have an RNG guide located here in the Art of RNG thread. It's fairly simple to understand. You just need to have patience and read everything carefully.

As for the program, while a Mac does require a special RNG program, there is another program for Windows users called RNG Reporter. It can be found on Smogon's Wi-Fi forum.
Male
Belfast
Seen August 13th, 2012
Posted August 11th, 2012
43 posts
14.4 Years
I'm an old user that recently found his DS and Platinum. Remembered this forum as well and I see a lot has changed. The Masuda Method was what I based my Shines off, pain in the ass though, think I spent 2 month gaining 20 shinies.