Meloetta has one of the most unique encounter methods in all of Pokémon, but there might be some additional restrictions that players can’t see. With how Shiny-locking is prevalent throughout Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk, the question is—does it apply to Mythical Pokémon?
You can never tell at face value if a Pokémon is Shiny-locked in any Pokémon game, but there are plenty of ways to get that information without visually seeing it. This is especially important for Legendary and Mythical Pokémon, which Game Freak tends to Shiny-lock at random depending on which game they appear in.
Can you catch a Shiny Meloetta in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk?
As soon as Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk released, dataminers were quick to dig around in the game’s files to see what information they could find that would not be available to average players. That included information like which Pokémon are Shiny-locked.
They found that every new encounter with a static element, meaning the Pokémon will always spawn in a set area or after completing a specific task, is Shiny-locked. This includes Meloetta, despite the unique nature of how you locate and catch it.
This means you can’t catch a Shiny Meloetta in The Indigo Disk. It means Meloetta is one of a handful of Pokémon that have never been obtainable as a Shiny, which includes almost every Mythical Pokémon from Gen V onwards—outside of a few exceptions. The list also includes the other Legendary Pokémon encounters in The Indigo Disk, along with new Paradox Pokémon like Gouging Fire.
