Forms · Alternate coloration
SHINY CHARIZARD
Trade the orange for midnight black and light the tail a deeper red, and you have the series’ most coveted shiny. Here is how shiny Charizard looks, how rare it really is, and the fastest ways to land one.
The black dragon everyone wants
Few shinies carry the weight of a shiny Charizard. The standard dragon runs warm orange; the shiny version trades every scale for deep black, with the tail flame and wing membranes glowing a richer red against it. It is one of the most recognisable recolours in the whole franchise, and for plenty of collectors it is the final chase.
The payoff is saved for the last stage. Shiny Charmander and Charmeleon barely shift in tone, so trainers often have no idea what they are raising until the evolution reveals that unmistakable black Charizard. Earning it the slow way is a big part of why it feels special.
Because shininess is cosmetic, a shiny Charizard fights exactly like its orange twin, and the black palette carries beautifully into Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y and Gigantamax Charizard. Hunt it through foreign breeding, SOS chains or a Pokémon GO Community Day; however you land the black dragon, it is a milestone worth the grind.
The familiar Charizard: a warm orange body, cream underside and a blazing orange tail flame.
The shiny form turns jet-black across the body and wings, while the tail flame and wing membranes glow a richer red-orange.
Good to know: a shiny Pokémon is purely cosmetic — shiny Charizard has the exact same stats, types and moves as the standard form. Its value is in the rarity and the striking black palette, which carries over to Mega Charizard X & Y and Gigantamax Charizard too.
Shiny odds & boosts
Shiny Charizard is one of the most sought-after shinies in the franchise. These are the main-series rates — stack methods to shorten the hunt.
1 / 4096
A random encounter with no boosts (Generation VI onward; it was 1/8192 in Gen II–V).
1 / 1365
Complete the Pokédex to earn the Shiny Charm, which triples your base odds.
1 / 683
Breed two Pokémon from games of different languages — drops to 1/512 with the Shiny Charm.
1 / 315
Chain SOS battle call-ins in Sun/Moon; the longer the chain, the better the odds (with charm).
In Pokémon GO, shiny Charmander was released for its Community Day — the easiest route to a shiny Charizard is to catch or evolve a shiny Charmander during a boosted event.
Shiny across the evolution line
The shiny palette becomes more striking at every stage — Charmander and Charmeleon shift only slightly, while Charizard transforms completely.
Barely changes — a slightly more yellow-orange tint than the standard lizard.
Shifts from red to a warm golden-pink, the most subtle step in the line.
The dramatic payoff — a black body with glowing orange flame and wings.
How to hunt a shiny
Shiny hunting rewards patience. Stack boosts, pick the right method for your game, and the black dragon is yours.
Decide between random encounters, the Masuda Method (foreign breeding) or SOS chaining based on your game.
Complete the Pokédex to unlock the Shiny Charm — it boosts the odds for every method you use.
Breed with a foreign parent or keep an SOS chain alive; consistency matters more than luck.
A shiny Charmander line shows a subtle tint — but a shiny Charizard is unmistakably black. Watch for the sparkle animation.
Frequently asked
What color is shiny Charizard?+
Shiny Charizard has a black body and wings instead of the usual orange, with the tail flame and wing membranes glowing a richer red-orange.
Is shiny Charizard stronger than normal?+
No. Shininess is purely cosmetic — shiny Charizard has identical stats, types, abilities and moves to the standard form. Only its coloration is different.
What are the odds of a shiny Charizard?+
Base odds are 1/4096 in modern games. The Shiny Charm improves this to about 1/1365, the Masuda Method to 1/683 (1/512 with the charm), and SOS chaining can reach roughly 1/315.
Can I get a shiny Charizard in Pokémon GO?+
Yes. Shiny Charmander was released for its Community Day, so catching or evolving a shiny Charmander during a boosted event is the easiest route to a shiny Charizard.
Do shiny Mega and Gigantamax Charizard stay black?+
Yes. The shiny black palette carries over to Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y and Gigantamax Charizard.