Pokémon games have had shiny Pokémon - species with a different natural color - since the second generation. Methods for finding these Pokémon, however, can be rather difficult and time-consuming.
For those that want easier and quicker shinies in the newest entries, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, look no further than the Picnic Reset Method.
What Is The Picnic Reset Method?
The Picnic Reset Method is a shiny hunting method that involves setting up picnics in an area with Pokémon around. Doing this has the side effect of resetting the pool of Pokémon around you, causing a new set to spawn. Doing this in a mass outbreak allows you to take advantage of better shiny odds to potentially spawn shiny Pokémon.
The Picnic Reset Method is limited to Pokémon that can only appear in mass outbreaks. It can also be limited further by the mass outbreaks that are in certain areas; if there's a mass outbreak in a spot where you can't set up a picnic, then you can't do this method. So if you want any shiny starters, this isn't for you. Read further on how to use this method if you're still interested.
Step 1: Find A Mass Outbreak
The first step is to find a mass outbreak to hunt shiny Pokémon in. You can find these by looking on your map. Pokémon that are available in a mass outbreak will appear on the map with a flashing red symbol below them (such as the Buizel and Magikarp in the above image). Pokémon that you haven't encountered will show up as a question mark with the flashing red symbol instead.
The available mass outbreaks of Pokémon change every day, at midnight. If you aren't satisfied with the current mass outbreaks of Pokémon you have, all you need to do is change your Nintendo Switch's clock. In order to do this, you must first go to the System Settings, then scroll all the way down to the System section. Within it will be the Date and Time option.
Change the time to 11:59 PM (turn off the clock synchronization if you need to). Then return to your game and wait till the minute is over. Once it is, you'll get two notifications in the top right corner: one telling you that the outbreaks you have are gone, and another telling you that new ones are occurring. You can do this as much as you'd like, but keep in mind that only certain Pokémon will appear in mass outbreaks. Check out this link on Serebii for the full list of Pokémon that are available in it.
Step 2: Head To The Outbreak And Decrease Their Numbers
Once you have a mass outbreak of the Pokémon you want, head to it and start battling the Pokémon there. Battling a certain amount of Pokémon will increase your odds, whether the battle ends in making the Pokémon faint or capturing them. You can keep track of this with an online counter of sorts (this one is recommended for keeping count of multiple mass outbreaks - especially helpful when taking a break from mass outbreaks that only appear during certain times of the day).
The goal is to go for 60 defeated Pokémon, as that will give you the most boosted chances of finding a shiny in an outbreak. You can achieve this quickly with the Auto-Battle feature. As long as you use a Pokémon that isn't at a type disadvantage, you won't have to worry about them getting worn out. Don't worry about defeating any Pokémon that aren't part of the outbreak either If you get notifications about the Pokémon outbreak's numbers getting lower, that's your indicator that you are doing things correctly here.
If you ever find yourself needing to take a break, the boosted odds will be the same as long as the outbreak is active. You can take the time to do anything else or try to go for Pokémon in other outbreaks as well.
Step 3: Set Up A Picnic And Pack It Up
This is where the method gets its name. After you've gotten to 60+ battles won, save your game and look around and see if a shiny Pokémon has spawned (it's recommended that you turn off auto-saving). If not, set up a picnic and pack it up afterward. This will reset all the surrounding Pokémon, each one having the boosted chances of being shiny.
Be mindful of the placement of the outbreak. Remember, this method works best if you have somewhere close to the outbreak where a picnic can be set up. A great place would be where you can see the most prevalent spawn points of the outbreak Pokémon as they come in. That way you won't have to worry about moving too much and missing a shiny Pokémon.
Step 4: Search The Outbreak
After you've packed up the picnic, all you need to do is search through your new spawns of Pokémon for the shiny. If you don't have the shiny you're looking for, all you'll need to do is repeat Step 3 and 4 until it's found.
Unfortunately, shiny Pokémon in this game don't sparkle in the overworld like they do in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. This makes it very hard to know if shiny Pokémon are around you, since there's no immediate visual or auditory que for them. You'll have to rely on your eyesight to spot the color differences of the shiny amidst the outbreak.
An alternative method is sending out your Pokémon to Auto Battle a wild Pokémon that you suspect to be a shiny. The mechanic doesn't work on shiny Pokémon, so you don't have to worry about making it feint this way.
Once you come across the shiny you're looking for, make sure to save your game again before attempting to catch it. That way, you can close the game if something goes wrong and the shiny Pokémon will still be there. Also, there's no limit to this method; you can use it to farm shinies in the same outbreak after you've caught one, as long as it's active.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your odds of finding a shiny through this method (and others) can be boosted even further with sandwich recipes. Recipes that increase the Sparkling Power and Encounter Power of a certain type of Pokémon would be great to use here. However, they require Herba Mystica which can be found in five- or six-star Tera Raid Dens. Of course, the Shiny Charm can increase your odds as well.