With the recent event surrounding Hoenn-based Pokemon inPokemon GO, many players looking to complete their Pokedex may have noticed that the mysterious member of the Nincada line is nearly impossible to find. However, this event also provides a new opportunity to catch this specialPokemonand opens up the possibility of seeing it for future events.
As Nincada and Ninjask are based on a cicada nymph and a fully grown cicada respectably, Shedinja is based on a discarded cicada shell. This is what gives Shedinjaits dual bug and ghost typing. Going along with this theme, Shedinja can be obtained in the mainlinePokemongames by evolving Nincada while the player has an extra empty Pokeball and an extra empty slot in their party. This will allow Shedinja to appear from Ninjask’s presumed old shell.
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But due toPokemon GOfunctioning differently from mainlinePokemontitles, simply having an extra space for a Pokemon and an extra Pokeball while evolving Nincada isn’t enough to get Shedinja. In fact, it remains exclusive to encounters via task completion. The last time players had the opportunity to complete a task withShedinja inPokemon GOas an encounter reward was all the way back in October 2018.
Updated July 19, 2025, by Stephen LaGioia:Amongst an expanding sea of Pokemon, the Ghost-Bug Shedinja remains a standout for its curious features and its rarity by by of its special evolutionary status from Nincada. There are a number of Pokemon that remain difficult, and sometimes near impossible to obtain, and Shedinja is one such example. However, in light of shifting circumstances, we thought we’d revisit this topic.
About Shedinja
Shedinja has always been a strange Pokemon, from the way it’s obtained to even its Pokedex entries. Many of the entries describe how it doesn’t breathe and how any poor trainer to look into the hole in its back willhave their soul stolenfrom their body. Luckily forPokemon GOplayers, phone screens seem to serve as a good protector from having souls stolen.
This hollow creature resembles a cicada’s exoskeleton that has already been shed, hence its name.Being part Ghost-type, the Pokemon is able to live without internal organs and is even able to inhabit an empty Pokeball. Naturally, its hard shell grants it great defense, though it is quite slow.
It is thespecial evolutionof Nincada, with the primary evolution being Ninjask starting atlevel 20.Only when evolved into Ninjask can Shedinja emerge, assuming players have an empty slot in their party and an extra Pokeball. Given these unique conditions, this means playerscannot evolve a Nincada/Ninjask into a Shedinha inPokemon GO.
Previous Events With Shedinja Encounters
Despite rumors that Shedinja can be obtained the same way as it can be in the mainlinePokemongames, these rumors are untrue. The only way to get Shedinja is through research tasks that are connected to specific events. Players will want to stay alert for any upcoming events that may feature this elusive Pokemon.
Other Ways To Obtain Shedinja
As of this writing, the only known way to get Shedinja is by trading with another Pokemon Trainer who already has the Pokemon. It currentlycan’t even be found in the wild.This will cost a fair bit of Stardust to trade, though some may find it worth it — given how rare it is. Players can opt for an online trading forum such asThesilphroad to locate potential trainersin the area willing to trade.
Drawing on accounts of some gamers, and with the history of Shedinja appearing inOctober and November events,it would also seem likely this Pokemon will again be an encounter around Halloween, so keep a look out!
To help in this quest, players can keep track of current encounters usingTheSilphroad’s research tasks sectionto keep an eye out for potential Shedinja sightings via task encounters.
Pokemon GOis available now in select regions on Android and iOS devices.
