Why do some Pokemon glow in Pokemon Sword

Q: What does it mean when a Pokémon is glowing in the wild?

Pokemon Sword and Shields Brilliant Pokemon are a higher level than average Pokemon in the area, will typically come equipped with an unusual move, will earn you Watts for catching (or defeating them), and will have the highest possible score for at least two of their stats.

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How to find glowing Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield
How to fish for Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield
What does it mean when a Pokémon is glowing in the wild?
Are Glowing Pokémon stronger?
What does the gold aura mean Pokémon sword?

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Have you spotted any glowing Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield? There's plenty of them scattered throughout the Galar and they are highly coveted. These Brilliant Pokemon are some of Pokemon Sword and Shield rarest Pokemon, offering different bonuses to the standard creatures you find out in the world. That's why you should keep your eye on glowing wild Pokemon in Sword and Shield, as they will be a fantastic addition to your party.

Pokemon Sword and Shield's Brilliant Pokemon are a higher level than average Pokemon in the area, will typically come equipped with an unusual move, will earn you Watts for catching (or defeating them), and will have the highest possible score for at least two of their stats. So keep reading to learn more about glowing Pokemon and where to find the best Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield.

How to find glowing Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield

Pokemon Shield

(Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

The easiest way to encounter glowing wild Pokemon in Sword and Shield is to simply walk through the long grass and keep your eyes peeled for one wandering about with the yellow aura. As you defeat or catch more of a specific Pokemon species, the more likely you are to encounter a Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield (or even the rarer Shiny Pokemon variant) of that same species. Thankfully, that doesn't mean consecutively, and you can check how many times you've encountered each species by checking its entry in the Pokedex.

Number of battles	Effect on future encounters
At least one	Brilliant Pokemon may appear
At least 20	Brilliant Pokemon have 1.3x the likelihood of appearing
At least 50	Brilliant Pokemon have 1.6x the likelihood of appearing
At least 50	Shiny Pokemon have 2x the likelihood of appearing
At least 100	Brilliant Pokemon have 2x the likelihood of appearing
At least 100	Shiny Pokemon have 3x the likelihood of appearing
At least 200	Shiny Pokémon have 4× the likelihood of appearing
At least 300	Shiny Pokémon have 5× the likelihood of appearing
At least 500	Shiny Pokémon have 6× the likelihood of appearing

It's worth noting that after encountering 100 of each species, you'll max out your chance of finding a Brilliant Pokemon of that species – it'll be locked at double the original odds. Plus, every time you defeat a Pokemon in the wild, you'll be much more likely to see that same Pokemon species appear in the game for a while.

How to fish for Brilliant Pokemon in Sword and Shield

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Unlike trying to find a Brilliant Pokemon in the grass, getting one via fishing is a little more complicated. Not only does the matter of times you've battled any one species not matter, but you will have to defeat as many underwater foes as possible, consecutively, in order to boost your odds. Thankfully it doesn't matter which Pokemon you battle, just a load from a single fishing area in one chain. Here's how the odds change:

Successful Hooks	Effects on future encounters
0-2	Brilliant Pokemon may appear
3-6	Brilliant Pokemon have 1.3x the likelihood of appearing
7-14	Brilliant Pokemon have 3.3x the likelihood of appearing
15-24	Brilliant Pokemon have 6.6x the likelihood of appearing
25+	Brilliant Pokemon have 16.6x the likelihood of appearing

However, there's a catch – literally. If you fail to reel a Pokemon in, catch a Pokemon, run away, leave the area, or turn off your game you'll break your chain. You have to keep defeating Pokemon in order to build up this 'successful hooks' and increase your chance of getting a Brilliant Pokemon spawn.

Looking for something new to play? Nintendo says Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to launch in 2022, just months after the release of the brilliant Pokemon Legends Arceus.

Sam Loveridge is the Global Editor-in-Chief of GamesRadar, and joined the team in August 2017. Sam came to GamesRadar after working at TrustedReviews, Digital Spy, and Fandom, following the completion of an MA in Journalism. In her time, she's also had appearances on The Guardian, BBC, and more. Her experience has seen her cover console and PC games, along with gaming hardware, for over seven years, and for GamesRadar, she is in charge of reviews, best lists, and the overall running of the site and its staff. Her gaming passions lie with weird simulation games, big open-world RPGs, and beautifully crafted indies. Basically, she loves all games that aren't sports or fighting titles!

With contributions from

Josh WestUK Managing Editor, GamesRadar+

What does it mean when a Pokémon is glowing in the wild?

Are Glowing Pokémon stronger?

Pokemon with gold glowing auras have better statistics (IVs) than their non-glowing counterparts. In fact, they're guaranteed to have 3 best stats.

What does the gold aura mean Pokémon sword?

This golden coloured aura signifies that it has a special boost over certain Pokémon. The ability to find a Pokémon with a Brilliant Aura is completely random, but does increase as you capture more Pokémon. The more Pokémon you catch, the more likely you are to find one.