How Do Mass Outbreaks Work in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Players can catch and defeat Pokemon during Mass Outbreak events in Scarlet and Violet and even increase their chances of finding a shiny.

Mass Outbreaks in Scarlet and Violet work slightly differently from how they functioned in Pokemon Legends Arceus.

Fans will now be able to find these clusters of specific Pokemon all across the world and at frequent rates. However, finding them and then utilizing them efficiently takes skill. Fortunately, we’re here to help.

What Are Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Mass Outbreaks are large gatherings of specific Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet that are ideal for players who want to gain a lot of experience and increase their chances of finding a shiny Pokemon.

The randomly chosen Pokemon that appear in a Mass Outbreak will continually spawn until you’ve defeated or caught all of them.

It is worth noting that simply making a Pokemon in a Mass Outbreak flee will not count towards clearing that Outbreak.

Of course, if the Pokemon that appear in a Mass Outbreak near your location aren’t to your liking, then you should check out how to reset wild Pokemon spawns in Scarlet and Violet.

How to Increase Shiny Chance & Earn XP From Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

You can increase your Shiny Chances via Mass Outbreaks in Scarlet and Violet by defeating Pokemon. If you defeat upwards of 50 Pokemon in a Mass Outbreak, your Shiny chances will increase by x3.

Additionally, Mass Outbreaks are a great way to grind XP. If you know how to use the auto-battle feature, you can gain a lot of XP.

The way to increase your Shiny Chance through Mass Outbreaks is as follows:

• Defeat 20-30 Pokemon to improve your Shiny Chances by 50%. This means it will go from 1-in-4096 to 1-in-2048.
• Defeat 50-60 Pokemon to make your Shiny Chances increase by x3 or 66%. This will make your Shiny Chances 1-in-1366.
  • You can also add the Shiny Charm (which is earnt by completing the entire Pokedex) to increase your Shiny Chance by an additional 2x.

How to Find Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

You can find Mass Outbreaks by checking your map and searching for flashing heads with a pink glow around them.

If you’ve encountered the Pokemon in that Mass Outbreak, you’ll see its image. If not, it will just be a question mark (?) on top of the flashing icon.

To track their location, press A and set it as your location. It is possible to naturally stumble across them, and you’ll know when you have when you see a large group of the same Pokemon near each other.

To find Mass Outbreaks, follow these easy steps:

• Press Y to open your map.
• Locate the flashing icon with a pink glow.
• Press A to select them and then choose Set as Destination.
• Follow the marker on your minimap until you reach them.

How to Trigger Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Unfortunately, you can’t trigger a Mass Outbreak in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Mass Outbreaks happen across Paldea randomly, so it is just a case of finding one on the map.

However, you can reset Mass Outbreaks by placing a Picnic down in that area and then taking it away. This will restart the event, allowing you to catch more.

This method can also increase your chances of finding a Shiny Pokemon in that Mass Outbreak. However, you’ll need to defeat 60 Pokemon in the Mass Outbreak first in order for it to work.