Alolan Sandshrew 100% perfect IV stats, shiny Alolan Sandshrew in Pokémon Go

This week’s Spotlight Hour in Pokémon Go focuses on the less popular Kantonian Mouse Pokémon, along with its more appealing Alolan counterpart. It’s the perfect opportunity to catch a perfect Sandshrew and Alolan Sandshrew!

While Sandshrew and its Kantonian evolution, Sandslash, are not particularly strong in Pokémon Go, Alolan Sandslash seems to hold its own in the Go Battle League. However, if competitive play isn’t your focus, the real highlight of this Spotlight Hour is the enticing bonus of double transfer candy and an increased chance of Candy XL.

Update: The increased chance of Rare Candy XL was a mistake; instead, players will enjoy a greater chance of earning Candy XL from transferring Pokémon.

Alolan Sandshrew 100% Perfect IV Stats in Pokémon Go

This week’s Spotlight Hour presents a fantastic chance to capture an Alolan Sandshrew with perfect IV stats.

‘Perfect’ in Pokémon Go signifies two things based on your usage of the Pokémon. There’s the maxed out, 100% IV version (15/15/15) which is ideal for your Pokédex, raids, and Master League. However, due to how CP is calculated using three stats, a perfect IV Pokémon is typically best suited for the Master League.

Although you can’t see a Pokémon’s IV until after catching it, you can identify a potential perfect Alolan Sandshrew by its CP. If you’re at Level 30 or higher, look for the following CPs for a perfect 15/15/15 Sandshrew:

• Level 30 (wild CP maximum) – 1081 CP
• Level 35 (weather-boosted wild CP maximum) – 1171 CP

For a perfect 15/15/15 Alolan Sandshrew, the ideal CPs are:

• Level 30 (wild CP maximum) – 1108 CP
• Level 35 (weather-boosted wild CP maximum) – 1201 CP

These wild CP values align with your Trainer Level until reaching Level 30, which is why they are specified for higher levels.

Is Alolan Sandslash Good in PVP?

Alolan Sandslash performs decently in the Great League and is acceptable in the Ultra League. While Ice-type Pokémon excel in the Master League, Alolan Sandslash does not quite reach the same level of competitiveness.

If you choose to use this Pokémon, you’ll want to rely on a moveset of Shadow Claw, Ice Punch, and Drill Run in the lower leagues, while Powder Snow, Ice Punch, and Drill Run can be utilized in the Master League. However, it’s advised against using it in the Master League due to its limitations.

Alolan Sandslash is a bulky Pokémon with a reasonable moveset. In the Great League, Ice Punch is effective against Dragon-types like Altaria, while Drill Run provides excellent coverage against Pokémon such as Bastiodon and Azumarill. The main threats to Alolan Sandslash include Talonflame, Whiscash, Skarmory, Lickitung, and Lanturn.

In the Ultra League, Alolan Sandslash’s effectiveness diminishes further, winning against Steelix, Cresselia, and Giratina, but facing losses against several powerful Pokémon like Virizion and Cobalion. Its max CP of 2750 means it struggles in the Master League, where many better Ice-type options exist.

Is There a Shiny Sandshrew in Pokémon Go?

Yes, both Sandshrew and Sandslash can be shiny! Kantonian Sandshrew was introduced during the Tottori Festival in December 2018, while Alolan Sandshrew was released in June 2019 during the third anniversary event. Both Pokémon have appeared in shared Community Days since then, making shiny variants relatively common.

Unlike Community Days, Spotlight Hours do not feature a boosted shiny rate. As you pursue a shiny Alolan Sandshrew, you will be dealing with regular shiny rates, so make sure to maximize your time during this hour!

What Does Shiny Sandshrew Look Like?

Shiny Sandshrew appears as if it’s been caught in the rain, acquiring a layer of moss, which is ironic for a Pokémon that dislikes water. Shiny Sandslash, on the other hand, takes on a punk rock appearance with its quills dyed red. Shiny Alolan Sandshrew adopts a cool blue hue, fitting its icy theme, but its evolution, shiny Alolan Sandslash, is somewhat disappointing, simply presenting a more pronounced version of itself.

Other Tips for This Spotlight Hour

In addition to hunting for a perfect shiny Alolan Sandshrew, there are several other reasons to participate in this week’s Spotlight Hour. Many players will join for the hour-long special bonus:

• The primary incentive is the double transfer candy. This bonus applies to all Pokémon, making it an excellent opportunity for lower-level trainers to enhance their Pokédex. To maximize this, create a Tag in your Pokémon storage specifically for this purpose.
• Consider creating a tag named ‘Transfer’ to store Pokémon you don’t need. Instead of transferring them immediately after catching, save them for the event to bulk transfer and gain more Candy, especially beneficial for high-value Pokémon like Mewtwo.
• A revised chance of getting Candy XL will also be available when transferring Pokémon, following the correction regarding Rare Candy XL.
• For newcomers, this Spotlight Hour is an ideal time to gather enough Sandshrew candy to fully evolve and register Sandslash in your Pokédex.
• Catching Alolan Sandshrew, being an Ice and Steel-type, will contribute to your catch bonus medals.

Remember, Spotlight Hour events last only for one hour, from 6 PM to 7 PM local time. While next month’s Spotlight Hours are yet to be announced, be sure to check back for updates on future featured Pokémon!

Good luck in your quest to find a perfect shiny Sandshrew and Alolan Sandshrew!