Shiny Staryu Guide: A Shining Star Worthing Hunting

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Callum Marshall

Callum is POK Universe's Managing Editor and a long-time-fan of the Pokémon series. He's a Gen-One kid at heart with a huge bias towards the first three generations. However, after reengaging with Pokémon XY, he has caught up with the pack and has absorbed all there is to know with regards to Pokémon, including some very interesting fan-made ROM Hacks!

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Charmander, Bulbasaur or Squirtle? That was the question that was posed to many of us twenty-five years ago when the Pokemon series first penetrated popular culture and took over the video game industry. It was a question that divided opinions, was a hot topic for discussion on the playground and ultimately, acted as the beginnings of a huge adventure beyond our wildest dreams.

Since then, the series has grown exponentially, offering eight generations’ worth of new Pokemon starters and plenty of other fantastic beasts to collect and fill our Pokedex with.

However, with this unimaginable level of growth, it has led to nearly one thousand Pokemon joining the roster and means that if you want to know all there is to know about every aspect of these games, you really have your work cut out for you.

So with that in mind, we have taken the time to put together extensive handbooks about each and every Pokemon, giving you all the information you could ever need about each Pocket Monster.

In this Shiny Staryu guide, we take a look at one of the original 151, Staryu. We will take a look at the unique version of this favorite Cerulean Gym and give you every fine detail you seek. Without further delay, here is our essential handbook for the Pokemon, Shiny Staryu.

What is Staryu?

Firstly, before we get into the finer details of the shiny version of this Pokemon, we better establish what Pokemon Staryu actually is. This Pokemon is a water-type Pokemon that was first introduced in the very first generation of the Pokemon series.

This Pokemon is perhaps best known for its inclusion in the original anime as this Pokemon was part of Misty’s party and indeed one of the Pokemon that the player must battle at the Cerulean Gym.

In terms of appearance, this Pokemon is based on the real-life sea creature, the Starfish. This Pokemon has a hard, brown shell that is shaped like a star with the middle of the star being encased in a layer of gold armor. Then in the center of this golden armor is a red gem that acts as the source of power for this Pokemon.

This Pokemon does have natural predators such as Lumieon for example. However, Staryu has regenerative qualities that help it survive attacks. When it loses a leg, much like a Starfish, this Pokemon can grow its leg back rapidly and with ease so long as its red gem is unharmed.

Their red gems are very important not only to their survival but allow Staryu to align itself with the stars within the atmosphere. This Pokemon has a link with the distant planets in space and often, groups of these Pokemon will float to the water’s surface, line themselves up with stars in the sky and their gem will flicker in time with the stars.

As mentioned, Staryu is commonly found along the seafloor. However, it is not uncommon to find these Pokemon in river mouths as well. This Pokemon is number 120 in the Pokedex, is about 0.8 meters tall, weighs about 34.5 kilograms, has a slow leveling rate, and has a catch rate of 39.9%.

Here is a video of Staryu in action so you can see exactly what this OG water type has to offer:

What is a Shiny Pokemon?

Now, before we touch on Shiny Staryu, let’s address the term ‘shiny’. A shiny Pokemon is a version of an existing Pokemon that has the same stats, moves sets, attributes, and abilities as its standard version.

The one key difference between the two is that the shiny Pokemon has been altered in terms of appearance and will often have a different color palette to the original design. In short, these Pokemon are aesthetic novelties but because they look so good, they are very much in demand within the Pokemon community.

However, not just anyone can go out there and grab a shiny version of their favorite Pokemon. The odds of encountering a shiny Pokemon are roughly about 4096/1, meaning you will have to be incredibly lucky just to come across a shiny Pokemon, let alone catch it.

You can drop these odds with a series of techniques but we will elaborate more on that later.

What is a Shiny Staryu?

So now that you are up to speed, let’s talk about Staryu and what makes this shiny Pokemon unique when compared to its standard counterpart. This Pokemon has the same star-shaped composition and also has the same gold armor protecting its hard shell.

However, that is where the aesthetic similarities end as this Pokemon’s outer shell is a creamy white color and the gem that acts as this Pokemon’s power source swaps its red hue for a baby blue color.

It is also worth noting that within the popular mobile game Pokemon Go, Shiny Staryu has the subject of a strange glitch. When this model was introduced to the AR friendly title, the model that players acquired was an amalgamation of the standard and shiny model.

Players would still get a Staryu with a creamy white outer shell, but the Pokemon’s gem would be the original red color. This is the one and only time where this shiny design has been altered and is a rare chance to see three versions of the same Pokemon.

This Pokemon has been around in just about every single Pokemon game going, making its first appearance in Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow when shiny odds were much higher at approximately 8000/1. However, there were plenty more chances to obtain this Pokemon and encounter it within the wild.

In fact, Pokemon Fire Red, Pokemon Y, Pokemon Sword, and Pokemon Shield are the only games in which the player cannot obtain a Staryu through natural play. So with this in mind, we would say that, while no shiny Pokemon is inherently common, this is a fairly common shiny Pokemon when compared to the rest of the pack.

How to Catch a Shiny Staryu

As mentioned above, this Pokemon is one of the best examples of a Pokemon that rarely misses out on the main game releases. There is plenty of the original one hundred and fifty-one Pokemon that are such fan favorites that the developers wouldn’t give to leave them out of the line-up and it seems Staryu is one such Pokemon.

By telling you what games this Pokemon missed out on, you, therefore, know where to find this Pokemon. However, you may not be aware of the best methods you can use to hunt this Pokemon. So with that in mind, we have come up with a list of great shiny hunting methods that will help players catch shiny Staryu and be the envy of all their pals. Check these helpful tips out below:

Masuda Method

While breeding Pokemon may offer the same 4000/1 odds that a standard encounter does, there is a way to lower your odds significantly. If the player acquires two Pokemon that are from two different real-world regions. Such as Europe and North America for example. The chances of hatching a shiny version of this Pokemon drop to 600/1.

Dexnav hunting

Another option is Dexnav hunting which was a feature exclusive to Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. This allowed players to chain encounters and gradually bring the odds of capturing a shiny down to very respectable odds. The only caveat is that all Pokemon have to be encountered through the Dexnav and you have to KO every Pokemon you face. So if you want Staryu, crack open that dexnav and get to work.

Catch/Battle Combos

These are features that belong to Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee and Pokemon Sword/Shield, respectively. This allowed players to drop their odds through either catching or battling the same Pokemon in Succession. It’s a little less easy to manage than the Dexnav but if you do things right, you can hit odds as low as 1/270.

This Pokemon is one of the rare members of the current Pokemon roster can say they have featured in both games. So if you have either one of these titles, this method is ideal.

Shiny Charm

Then lastly, you can make use of the shiny charm, a held item that cuts the odds of receiving a shiny Pokemon encounter by 66%. Dropping the odds to about 1/2732. This item can be stacked with other components in this list to bring odds down even further.

Does This Pokemon Evolve?

Yes, this Pokemon evolves into Starmie. This Pokemon is a Water and Psychic dual type and is generally considered the tougher of these two evolutions. To evolve Staryu into a Starmie, all the player has to expose their Staryu to a Water Stone. Then the evolution will automatically take place.

Should I Stick With Shiny Staryu or Evolve For a Shiny Starmie?

This really depends on if you are coming at this discussion from a visual or a competitive standpoint. If it is the former, then we would have to give it to Staryu. Yes, Shiny Starmie is still rather beautiful in its own way, with the purple shell being swapped for a navy-colored one and the red gem being swapped for a purple one.

Not to mention the gold being swapped out for a tasteful rose gold armor. However, if you ask us, it’s very hard to aesthetically compete with a Pokemon that has a luxurious white complexion and for that reason, we think Staryu is the better-looking shiny.

However, if you are talking about competitive battling capabilities, rather predictably Starmie comes up with the goods. Staryu has its place within the Little Cup category and thanks to its Rapid Spin, Hydro Pump and analytic abilities, it can be a formidable force. However, Starmie has all of those tactical options and more.

Its superior speed makes it a match for Pokemon like Infernape, Latias and Terrakion. Plus, this Pokemon is a very capable recovery Pokemon, meaning it can get in, make the first move, recover and then repeat until the job is done.

So in summary, for looks and style go with Staryu, but for a battle-ready option with substance, go for Starmie.

The Shining Staryu

As you can see from the information above, Shiny Staryu is definitely worth seeking out with a trusty fishing rod.

This Pokemon is aesthetically stunning, has the capacity to evolve into a great competitive battler and this Pokemon is also one of the most common shiny Pokemon on the roster so it can be a great place to start for more novice hunters. So if you want to tip your toes into the shiny hunting scene, Staryu is the Pokemon for you.

Shiny Staryu Guide: FAQs

So that is our essential handbook giving you all the information you could possibly need about the Pokemon, Shiny Staryu. What did you make of this guide? Was this helpful and informative for you? What other shiny Pokemon would you like to see us cover next? Let us know in the comments section below and as always, thank you for reading.