Best tips and tricks for Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Mass Outbreaks have become a big part of the shiny hunting metagame in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. These events occur randomly across the overworld and feature a significantly increased spawn rate for species normally found in the area. For this reason, players who want to get into shiny hunting may want to learn about these phenomena.

While Mass Outbreaks may seem very simple at face value, there are tons of different strategies that players can use to make the best use of them. Even for casual trainers who are not interested in shiny hunting, these events can reward various materials that can be used for crafting TMs.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer

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How to make the most of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Mass Outbreaks

Wiglett, as seen in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via Game Freak)

The Mass Outbreak events in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are very similar to those in Pokemon Legends: Arceus.

Small markers will appear on the player's map in different areas, signifying that a Mass Outbreak is occurring. Once trainers reach this destination on the map, they will receive a small notification on their screen saying that a Mass Outbreak is taking place. A multitude of the same species will then start spawning, and the grind can begin.

One of the most commonly used strategies by shiny hunters is saving before encountering the Mass Outbreak and turning off the auto-save feature from the settings menu. This will allow players to reset the outbreak until they get whatever they are after.

For players looking to stock up on materials, bringing a creature that is at a significantly higher level than the wild Pokemon in the area is advised. This will allow trainers to use the auto-battling feature with no consequences. This can also help with rerolling spawns for those who are shiny hunting.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's sandwich mechanic can also be a great help for both material hunting and shiny hunting. By crafting a sandwich with Sparkling Power and Encounter Power, players can flood the spawn rate of the Mass Outbreak creature even further. The Sparkling Power effect grants a better chance for shiny species to spawn.

To find the ingredients needed to make some of these sandwiches, players will need to find Herba Mystica. These items can be obtained by completing high-level Tera Raids after finishing all of the stories available in the base game. By mastering how different ingredients synergize with one another, players can make perfect sandwiches that grant both of these buffs for an extended period.

Overall, Mass Outbreaks in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are fairly easy to grasp after the first few attempts. Saving often and learning sandwich recipes are key to having successful attempts at shiny hunting and material farming (when these occurrences pop up on a player's map). The auto-battle feature also helps during these excursions.