Over the past several games, no Pokemon titles have built quite the zeitgeist that Pokemon Sword & Shield now command. The latest expansion, Isle of Armor was well received for the most part, and the games continue to enjoy an active community, as evidenced by Isle of Armor fan art.
One of the major features that has impacted every part of Pokemon Sword & Shield is Dynamax. Allowing Pokemon to grow to giant size and power, it is utilized heavily in the story. It has also given rise to the new Max Raids, which let players team up to take down a Dynamax'd Pokemon. These co-op raids add an element to Pokemon the series has never had before and opens new possibilities.
One of those possibilities surfaced recently, with the Zeraora Max Raid. This allowed players to catch the mythic (read: event only) Pokemon Zeraora in a Max Raid, something never done before. This opened several possibilities, including the distribution of mythic Pokemon in an easier, more meaningful way. It seems Game Freak has decided not to stop with these, as there is, temporarily, a tantalizing new possibility in Max Raids. From now until midnight on Sunday, July 19, players will have a chance to find a Shiny Wailord in Max Raids.
On top of water Pokemon appearing more often in Max Raids during this time, there is a chance hovering around 2% that a shiny Wailord will appear. That may not sound like much, but it is significantly higher than the normal odds for finding a shiny Pokemon. Add to that the fact that players know where to look (Max Raids), and it's a perfect opportunity to catch one of Pokemon's most majestic and inconsistent creatures. Blue is Wailord's common color, but if a player stumbles across one that's purple, they've officially struck gold.
This is one of the closest guarantees for a shiny Pokemon that has ever occurred in any game, with only a few exceptions. One is the famous Red Gyarados from Pokemon Gold/Silver, which could be caught as part of the story. The other was more recent, and tied in with the Zeraora raid. Since players around the world completed over one million Zeraora raids, all Sword & Shield players could claim a shiny Zeraora. It was a great gift for the community coming together for a major event.
The same shiny Zeraora reward later made its way to Pokemon Home. It's safe to say that getting that shiny, purple Wailord will be tougher since it can only be caught this weekend and in Max Raid battles. Now is the time to chase those pillars of red and purple light and find the biggest, purplest Pokemon. Good luck trainers!
Pokemon: Sword & Shield are available for Nintendo Switch.
Source: Nintendo Life