Can Cobalion be shiny in Pokemon GO? (December 2022)

With the Winter Holiday event in Pokemon GO just a few days away, players are gearing up to catch some of the creatures that will have a heightened encounter rate throughout the celebration's duration. It will also feature new Raid Bosses, with the occasion marking Mega Glalie's debut.

However, what some trainers may be looking forward to in this event is another opportunity to catch one of Unova's Legendary Pokemon, Cobalion. However, some players may not be content with just having any standard variant of this critter in their collection and may pursue the rare shiny version.

Niantic is notorious for being wishy-washy with their shiny releases. Some are only available through certain methods, some are only available for a limited time, and some are not even in the game at all. Before players embark on a shiny hunt for Cobalion's rare variant, they will need to know if it will be available. Fortunately, yes, it is.

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Tips for finding Shiny Cobalion in Pokemon GO

According to the Pokemon GO Live official site, Niantic has confirmed that Shiny Cobalion will be available throughout the duration of the Winter Holiday event. However, this comes with a bit of bad news as the only way players will be able to encounter it is through 5-Star Raid Battles.

This is a bit of an issue since Raid Battles cost Raid Passes to enter. While players can get one for free once per day by spinning the photo disc at a Gym, finding a Shiny Pokemon can take upwards of hundreds of tries. This makes shiny hunting for Legendary Pokemon either the most expensive or time-consuming thing a player can do in Pokemon GO.

Fans can also earn Pokecoins by defending Gyms, which is the currency used to buy items from the in-game shop. These coins can then be used to purchase a Remote Raid Pass that can then be used to enter a Cobalion raid. Players can purchase 100 Pokecoins to exchange for a Raid Pass for around $1 USD.

Since Cobalion will only be present in Raid Battles, players who want to go on a shiny hunt for one will need a few tips so that they can complete a repeated number of them. Therefore, some information regarding the Legendary will go a long way to help ensure victory.

The first thing players should know is that Cobalion is a Steel and Fighting-type.

Some helpful counters to bring for this raid are Chandelure, Reshiram, and Mega Charizard. However, there is a chance that Cobalion will have the Stone Edge charged attack. So, players should prepare for this battle by bringing an even spread of Ground, Fire, and Fighting-types. Medicines like Potions and Revives will also be useful.

Overall, shiny hunting for Cobalion in Pokemon GO is not recommended as it can be quite costly. With Raid Passes becoming harder to come by, players who are actively going out of their way to find a Shiny Cobalion may find themselves spending a hefty amount of pocket cash to keep buying these passes.

Those who are looking forward to participating in these Cobalion raids in Pokemon GO can expect them to go live on December 15 at 10:00 AM local time.