Shiny hunting has always been one of the most rewarding endgame experiences in any Pokémon title, and Pokémon Legends ZA is no exception. But what if you could catch a shiny Bagon or even an alpha shiny Salamence without using any shiny charm or complicated setup? Thanks to a clever trick shared by players, there’s now an efficient AFK method that lets you farm shiny Pokémon passively while doing almost nothing.

Finding the Right Spot for Shiny Hunting

The key to this method lies in Zone 18, where both alpha Salamence and wild Bagon can spawn in the same area. You’ll recognize this spot by a visible construction site on the map. Head there and climb to the top of the structure. From this elevated position, you can easily oversee all nearby Pokémon spawns, including Bagon and Salamence.

At the top, you’ll find two benches — these are crucial for the farming method. The goal is to repeatedly rest between day and night cycles, causing Pokémon in the area to respawn. Each cycle offers a new chance for a shiny to appear.

Automating the Process with a Turbo Controller

Here’s where the trick becomes effortless. By using a turbo controller, you can automate the rest cycles without needing to press any buttons yourself.

1. Set your turbo controller to continuously press the A button.

2. Use a rubber band to secure your left Joy-Con so your character remains in position.

3. Leave your game running for at least an hour or two — you can literally go AFK.

When you return, you’ll have triggered dozens of day/night resets, effectively giving yourself multiple chances to spawn shiny Pokémon without any manual effort.

Capturing and Managing Your Shiny Pokémon

Once you come back, check the area around the construction site for shiny Pokémon. Because shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Legends ZA don’t despawn when you reset the area, you can safely return and catch them at your own pace.

Players have reported impressive results using this strategy — for example, spawning three shiny Bagon and even a shiny Alpha Salamence after just a few AFK sessions. The longer you let the process run, the better your odds of getting multiple shiny spawns, including rare alpha variants.

When you’re ready to catch your shiny Pokémon, make sure to defeat or clear out non-shiny Bagons and Salamence first. This helps refresh the spawn pool, increasing the likelihood of new shiny appearances in subsequent cycles.

Why This Method Works So Well

This technique takes advantage of the game’s respawn mechanics tied to time-of-day changes. By resting repeatedly, the environment resets its spawn table, offering fresh Pokémon each time. Using automation tools like a turbo controller saves countless hours of repetitive input — turning what’s usually a tedious grind into a passive background task.

For players looking to expand their shiny collection without investing endless hours, this method is a game-changer. Whether you want to buy alpha shiny Pokémon to fill specific gaps in your team or prefer to hunt them yourself, this strategy makes shiny hunting accessible and efficient. And for collectors seeking cheap shiny Pokémon ZA alternatives, it’s worth noting that farming them manually with this method is often faster and more satisfying than trading or buying from other players.

This shiny hunting method in Pokémon Legends ZA strikes the perfect balance between efficiency and fun. By leveraging the game’s natural spawn system and a bit of automation, players can obtain rare shiny and alpha shiny Pokémon with minimal effort. It’s one of the most practical tricks for anyone aiming to complete a shiny collection or simply show off a rare team in the overworld.