How to get a guaranteed shiny Ponyta in Pokémon Legends: Arceus

This “Peculiar Ponyta” is a guaranteed shiny encounter for everyone

Danielle Rose

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A brief while into Pokémon Legends: Arceus, you’re introduced to Requests – optional challenges that you can get from some of the Hisui region’s NPCs to earn bonus rewards. And while shiny hunting can be a tough challenge, one of these Requests will lead you to a guaranteed shiny Pokémon. So if you’re after a head start on your Pokémon Legends Arceus shiny hunting, let’s look at how you can get your hands on this Peculiar Pokémon.

Getting access to Pokémon Legends Arceus Requests

Very early into Pokémon Legends: Arceus – shortly after you pass your Galaxy Team entry trial – you’ll be left to roam Jubilife Village, and will find you are able to talk to some of the area’s NPCs. By interacting with these NPCs, you will be able to take on simple requests, such as catching a Wurmple or a Starly, and earn small rewards for your time.

Yota’s Peculiar Ponyta

The Request that you need to take on in order to obtain the shiny Ponyta encounter is “A Peculiar Ponyta”, and you will not be able to get this Request right away. Instead, you’ll need to complete The Frenzy of the Lord of the Woods, a main mission in the story of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. After your battle with the Warden Lian, you’ll gain access to a blackboard in Professor Laventon’s office on which Hisui resident’s leave their requests. On here will be NPC Yota’s side-quest, in which you’ll need to catch the Peculiar Ponyta for Yota. Don’t worry, though, he just wants to see it, and he’ll let you keep it once you’ve proven your success at catching it.

Once you’ve accepted the request from the blackboard, you’ll be able to follow the marker on your Arc phone map to get to the specific part of the Obsidian Fieldlands where this Ponyta can be found – Horseshoe Plains. Here, you won’t be able to miss the special Pokémon as it will be shown to you in a cutscene, and you can go ahead and catch it as you would any other Pokémon. If you knock it out in battle, you will be able to encounter it again, you’ll just need to go back to the blackboard and re-accept the Request.

Catch it, show it to Yota, and then this blue-flamed Ponyta will be yours to keep, add to your party, and even evolve into a shiny Rapidash.

More Pokémon Legends Arceus shiny hunting

We take a deeper look at how to increase your shiny-finding odds, and how to build up your shiny-dex once you’ve grabbed this pretty Ponyta, in a guide to shiny hunting in Pokémon Legends Arceus. Check it out if you want to find out how to add more valuable shinies to your Hisuian Pokédex, particularly if this Ponyta encounter is a little too easy for your liking!