Incense Day: Are Shinies More Likely To Appear?

are shiny rates boosted for incense day

Incense Day is a six-hour window event in the ARG mobile game Pokémon GO where players can increase the appearance of particular Pokémon and boost their shiny drop rates. While the shiny rates are usually boosted during these events, there have been instances of the rates not being increased, such as during the Beldum Incense Day in March. During the Incense Day event starring Gen III's Carvanha, players in the Oceania region reported that the shiny drop rates were not increased until the event was almost over in their locations.

Characteristics Values
Are shiny rates boosted for Incense Day? Yes, Niantic has been known to boost the rates for Incense Day events. However, there have been instances where players have reported no increase in shiny rates.
Pokemon with confirmed boosted shiny rates Sentret, Carvanha, Mareep
Average shiny rate for Incense Day 1 in 133

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Sentret confirmed as boosted by NianticIndigo

It appears that Sentret was the only Pokémon with a boosted shiny rate during a particular Incense Day event. A user on a Pokémon GO discoveries and research forum confirmed that Sentret was boosted by NianticIndigo, while the other Pokémon probably were not. The same user also mentioned that they had caught two shiny Sentret during the previous Incense Day.

Incense Day is a grassroots network of trainers whose communities span the globe. It hosts resources to help trainers learn about the game, find communities, and hold in-person PvP tournaments. Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, regularly increases the appearance of particular Pokémon during Incense Day events and boosts their shiny drop rates. The shiny drop rate for the Incense Day event in Oceania was not increased until the event was almost over in the region. This led to disappointment among players in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

Sentret is a Normal-type Pokémon introduced in Generation 2. It is the unevolved form of Pokémon and evolves into its First Evolution using 50 Candy. In Generations 2-4, Sentret has a base experience yield of 57, and in Generations 2-7, it has a base Friendship value of 70. The base catch rate for Sentret in Pokémon GO is 16.74%, calculated for a Level 20 with no berries.

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Incense Day starred Gen III's Carvanha

On Sunday, May 17, 2020, Niantic hosted a six-hour Incense Day event featuring Water-type and Dark-type Pokémon, notably Gen III's Carvanha. During this event, players could use incense to attract Carvanha, with the possibility of encountering its Shiny form. The debut of Shiny Carvanha was the main attraction of the event, with its appearance rate boosted compared to its normal coloring. The regular odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon are approximately 1 in 450, which is further lowered when considering that players may encounter other species of Pokémon during their search. Niantic typically increases the appearance of featured Pokémon during Incense Day events and boosts their Shiny rates to about 1 in 133.

However, the event was marred by reports of a broken Shiny drop rate, particularly in the Oceania region, which includes Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. Players in these areas experienced a significant delay in the increased Shiny drop rate, with the boost only applied towards the end of their six-hour event window. This issue left many players disappointed and feeling that their time had been wasted. Some defended Niantic, arguing that players are not "entitled" to a Shiny Pokémon simply for participating in an event, but it was generally acknowledged that the Oceania region had been unfairly affected by a developer oversight.

While there were some reports of players successfully obtaining Shiny Carvanha, the overall impression was that Carvanha's Shiny rate was not adequately boosted during the event. Some players compared the situation to a previous Sentret Incense Day, where its Shiny rate was confirmed to be boosted. The inconsistency in Niantic's decisions to boost certain Pokémon's Shiny rates during specific events, like Sentret, but not others, like Carvanha, caused frustration among players.

Despite the issues with the Shiny drop rate, the event provided players with an opportunity to encounter and catch the rare Shiny Carvanha, which features a unique color palette compared to its normal appearance. It also offered a chance to engage with other Water-type and Dark-type Pokémon that appeared more frequently during the event.

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Players in Oceania experienced low shiny drop rates

The excitement of players in Oceania to catch new shinies during the Incense Day event was dampened as they experienced low shiny drop rates. The event starred Gen III's toothy water-dark type Carvanha, and players worldwide were excited for their region's six-hour window to activate incenses and fish for new shinies. However, players in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, which are all part of the Oceania region, reported that the shiny drop rates were not increased until the event was almost over in their locations.

The frustration of players in Oceania is understandable, given the innate desire of Pokémon players to collect ultra-rare shinies. The regular drop rate of shinies in the game is approximately 1 in 450, which is even more challenging when considering that players are often searching for a specific species of shiny Pokémon. The low shiny drop rate during the Incense Day event in Oceania resulted in players feeling disappointed and frustrated, as they had invested time and effort into the event with the expectation of increased shiny rates.

While some players defended Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, arguing that no player is "entitled" to a shiny Pokémon simply for participating in an event, it is undeniable that the Oceania region was unfairly affected by a developer oversight. Incense Days are meant to engage players worldwide, especially those who live in inland regions or different climates and geographical areas where certain Pokémon are not typically found. The disappointment of players in Oceania is compounded by the fact that they missed out on the opportunity to catch not only shiny Carvanha but also other event Pokémon that are exclusive to such events.

It is important to note that Niantic has previously been criticized for similar issues. Some players have expressed their frustration with the low shiny drop rates in the game, feeling that shinies are the only new content being offered, which can lead to a negative playing experience and reduced playtime. While it is true that shinies are meant to be rare, it is essential for developers to strike a balance and ensure that all players have a fair chance at obtaining them during special events.

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Rare Pokémon from incense events are never too rare

Incense events are a great opportunity for Pokémon Go players to increase their chances of finding rare Pokémon. While the base rate of encountering a shiny Pokémon is approximately 1 in 450, the odds are evened out by the use of wild Pokémon-attracting Incense. Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go, regularly increases the appearance of particular Pokémon during Incense Day events and boosts their shiny drop rates to about 1 in 133.

However, there have been instances of broken shiny drop rates during Incense Day events, causing frustration among players. One notable example is the Carvanha Incense Day, where the shiny drop rates were not increased for players in the Oceania region until the event was almost over. Despite these occasional setbacks, players have reported success in obtaining rare Pokémon during Incense events.

For example, during a Mareep incense event, one player reported catching one shiny Mareep within the first 30 minutes of the event. Another player from Australia caught three shiny Mareep on one account and four on another, demonstrating the increased chances of obtaining rare Pokémon during these events. While there may be variations in drop rates and some events may be more successful than others, rare Pokémon from incense events are never too hard to come by for dedicated players.

Additionally, certain Pokémon have been confirmed to have boosted rates during Incense Days. For instance, Sentret was confirmed by NianticIndigo to have an increased shiny rate during one of the events. While not every Incense Day features boosted rates for the featured Pokémon, these events still provide players with a higher chance of encountering rare Pokémon compared to regular gameplay.

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Incense Days are exciting events for Pokémon GO players, especially those who live in geographical locations where certain Pokémon are not typically found. During these events, players can activate Incenses to attract the featured Pokémon. While encountering a "shiny" Pokémon is usually a rare occurrence, Incense Days are known to boost the odds of finding these rare variants.

In the world of Pokémon, "shiny" Pokémon are highly sought-after variants that feature a different colour palette from their regular counterparts. These special Pokémon are notoriously difficult to come across, with odds of approximately 1 in 450 in the Pokémon GO mobile game. However, during Incense Days, the odds of encountering a shiny version of the featured Pokémon increase significantly, improving to about 1 in 133.

While not every Incense Day guarantees a boosted shiny rate, it is a frequent occurrence. For example, during a Sentret Incense Day, players reported catching multiple shiny Sentret, indicating a boosted rate for that specific Pokémon. Similarly, during a Mareep Incense Day, players in Australia experienced boosted shiny rates for that Pokémon, increasing their chances of obtaining a shiny Mareep.

It's important to note that boosted shiny rates during Incense Days are not always explicitly mentioned or guaranteed. However, based on community reports and player experiences, it appears that Incense Days often provide improved odds for encountering shiny versions of the featured Pokémon. These boosted rates encourage players to participate actively in Incense Days, hoping to add rare and desirable shiny Pokémon to their collections.

Frequently asked questions

Incense days usually have a boosted shiny rate for the featured Pokemon, even if it is not explicitly mentioned. However, there have been instances where the shiny rates were not boosted, such as the Beldum Incense Day in March.

During an Incense Day event featuring Sentret, players reported catching multiple shiny Sentret. Another example is the Incense Day event featuring Carvanha, where players in some regions experienced increased shiny drop rates.

The odds of encountering a shiny Pokemon during an Incense Day event are typically increased to about 1 in 133, compared to the usual odds of approximately 1 in 450.

Some players have reported using wild Pokemon-attracting Incense in combination with Incense Day events to further increase their chances of encountering shiny Pokemon.

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