But what's so special about a stick that can make Pokémon appear when you can meet wild Pokémon anyway?

Two things actually. The first is that using the Poké Radar is the only way to meet a few Pokémon in the game. The second is that through a long-winded and time consuming process, you can meet shiny Pokémon. Yeah, I thought that might catch your attention.

Before we discuss this method of meeting shinies - known as chaining - let's have a quick look at the Pokémon you can meet exclusively using the Poké Radar, and where to go to meet them:

Image	Pokémon	Location
	Nidoran (F)	Route 201
	Nidorina	Route 221 Lake Valor
	Nidoran (M)	Route 201
	Nidorino	Route 221 Lake Valor
	Venonat	Route 229
	Venomoth	Route 229
	Mankey	Route 225 Route 226
	Primeape	Route 225 Route 226
	Slowpoke	Route 211 West (Pearl only)
	Grimer	Route 215 South
	Tauros	Route 209 Route 210 South
	Ditto	Route 218
	Sentret	Route 202
	Togepi	Route 230
	Mareep	Valley Windworks
	Flaaffy	Route 222
	Hoppip	Route 205 North (Diamond only), Fuego Ironworks (Pearl only), Route 205 South
	Skiploom	Route 205 North (Diamond only), Fuego Ironworks (Pearl only)
	Sunkern	Route 204 North
	Wobbuffet	Lake Acuity Lake Valor Lake Verity
	Houndoom	Route 214 Route 215 (Pearl only)
	Stantler	Route 207 (Pearl only)
	Smeargle	Route 212 North
	Tyrogue	Route 208 Route 211 West
	Miltank	Route 209 Route 210 South
	Larvitar	Route 207 (Diamond only)
	Mightyena	Route 214 Route 215 (Diamond only)
	Swellow	Route 213
	Ralts	Route 203 Route 204 South
	Kirlia	Route 203 Route 204 South
	Nincada	Eterna Forest
	Loudred	Mt. Coronet
	Aron	Fuego Ironworks (Diamond only)
	Torkoal	Route 227 Stark Mountain
	Trapinch	Route 228
	Vibrava	Route 228
	Swablu	Route 211 East
	Baltoy	Route 206
	Kecleon	Route 210 North (Diamond only)
	Duskull	Route 224
	Dusclops	Route 224
	Snorunt	Route 216 Route 217 Lake Acuity
	Bagon	Route 210 North (Pearl only)

Chaining

Chaining is the method used to find shinies using your Poké Radar. It refers to the finding of the same Pokémon multiple times in succession. Although it's possible to find a shiny Pokémon whenever you use the Poké Radar, the more Pokémon you manage to chain together the greater the odds of finding a shiny. When the Poké Radar detects a shiny Pokémon, it'll tell you by showing sparking stars above the patch of grass you need to wade into to meet a shiny. Shinies start to become more common when you've made a chain of around 40 Pokémon.

To chain, use the Pokéradar to find a Pokémon. If you run from the Pokémon you'll break the chain - you need to either catch it or make it faint. Following this, more patches of grass will start to shake - simply make your way to one of them, and with any luck you'll meet the same Pokémon again. This can be repeated a potentially unlimited number of times - just remember that meeting any other Pokémon than the one you're currently chaining will break the chain. Application #20 on your Pokétch will display the number of Pokémon met in your current chain, as well as your top three chains (used to show off with to anybody who probably doesn't care). This is useful to help you keep track of when you've reached the magic 40 mark. Note that as long as you don't run off, the chain will remain intact. If after reaching a chain of 40 you wish to just search for shinies, you can keep recharging and reusing the Poké Radar until you see a patch of grass containing one.

Chaining Tips

• Use Repels - Imagine spending an hour getting a nice long chain, finally finding a shiny and walking towards it. You're one patch of grass away when suddenly, bam. A wild Pokémon appeared! Shiny gone. Repels can stop you from meeting other wild Pokémon apart from Poké Radar ones. Take the opportunity - it'll make it at least a billion times easier.
• Use high level Pokémon - You want to KO Pokémon as quickly as possible.
• Have a Pokémon that knows Super Fang or False Swipe with you - If you KO a shiny you'll want to kill yourself.
• Use the same kind of shaking patches - Some patches will shake quickly, others more slowly. Always go to the same types to maximise the odds of continuing the chain.
• Only go to the right pieces of grass - Allow me to explain.
  

  Assume you, the character, is "X". Everytime the radar is reset, the patches will always be on one of these rings. Always. The '4' ring is, of course, the safest area to go to, not the farthest patch like the old rule claims. This is also why many people's chains randomly break; a patch 6 steps away in the '3' ring is still technically closer than a patch 4 steps away in the '4' ring.

• Don't go to patches of grass which are bordered on more than one side by road or land that isn't a rock or a tree - This is to do with probability. If you go into a patch which is in a corner, or on the edge, there is less chance that the chain will continue, since there is less grass around to shake. The worst thing in chaining is getting to 39, and then seeing "The grass remained quiet".
• Only enter patches of grass if at least 4 patches are shaking - You can usually get away with not doing this early on in the chain, since it's easier to chain then. But once it gets to about 15-20+, you should always make sure there are 4 patches shaking.
• Be careful where you move - Don't be stupid and end up walking through another patch to get to the patch you want to get to, including directly upwards. You might break the chain and earn the title "Chaining Pillock". Additionally, if you're recharging the Poké Radar in the middle of chaining, I recommend you move back and forth between two patches of grass. Just make sure you move somewhere you know wasn't shaking.
• Register the Poké Radar as your Y Button - Not only will this be more convenient, but it'll stop you from accidentally getting on your bike and buggering everything up.
• Be patient - You thought finding Feebas was annoying? Ha.

Page by Typhlosion. Updated by TheHuntBegins and Dan Dan.

Page written by Typhlosion.

Digg this! | del.icio.us | Reddit | Stumble Upon | Facebook

Tags: None!