How to get Shiny Azelf in Photo Safari in Pokémon Go – Learn all the tips and tricks for finding and catching the rare sparkly variant of the Legendary Lake Guardian Azelf when it appears in Pokémon Go’s special raid events.
This in-depth guide covers everything from Azelf raid basics and ideal counter Pokémon to maximizing Shiny Azelf catch odds during the limited-time Photo Safari windows featuring it. Find out when the next Shiny Azelf raids occur, where the Psychic-type Legendary appears globally, expected Shiny rates, premier ball strategies, movesets and stats if you catch one.
Getting Shiny Azelf requires planning, amassing raid resources and persistence. Use the step-by-step instructions provided to successfully catch this elusive navy blue shiny form of Azelf in Pokémon Go the next time it swoops into 5-star raids for special weekends. You’ll stand the best chance at adding this iconic Sinnoh Legendary in extremely rare sparkly coloration to your roster.
How to Catch Shiny Azelf in Pokémon Go Photo Safari
Introduction
Azelf is a Legendary Psychic-type Pokémon first discovered in the Sinnoh region games. Azelf has two other counterparts, Uxie and Mesprit. These three Pokémon collectively make up the Lake Guardian trio.
Azelf is known for being a bringer of willpower to humans and Pokémon. It has a small, grayish blue body with extensions that resemble tails and hands coming out of its headpiece. Shiny Azelf has a darker blue coloration with bright blue accents. Its gem and the circles around its body turn pink rather than yellow in the shiny form.
Pokémon Go occasionally features special Photo Safari events that increase spawn rates for certain Pokémon to make it easier for players to catch them. Shiny Azelf has been featured during some of these Safari Zone events.
Many players seek out the rare sparkly Azelf variant when it’s available because shiny Pokémon have different color schemes. Let’s discuss the ins and outs of finding and catching shiny Azelf in Pokémon Go when it appears in Photo Safari events.
When and Where to Find Shiny Azelf
Shiny Azelf first became available on January 25, 2023 as a rare reward from 5-star raids. It has so far only appeared in select regions during Safari Zone events and raid hours:
- Seville, Spain (Europe) – January 27-29, 2024
- Perm, Russia (Europe) – February 3-5, 2024
Additional Azelf raid events will likely happen in the future. Pay attention to Niantic’s blog and social media to find out when Azelf will be featured again.
These Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon will be located in 5-star raids in the following areas when events are active:
- Americas region
- Asia-Pacific region
- Europe, Middle East, Africa region
Azelf activity seems to increase later at night from 6 pm to 9 pm local time based on past raid patterns. Using scout accounts or asking local players can help you locate eligible Azelf raids. Coordinate with friends or find large public raid groups for the best shiny chances.
Catch Basics for Azelf
Shiny Azelf retains the same Psychic typing as the normal form and shares its weaknesses:
- Weak To: Ghost, Bug, Dark
- Resists: Fighting, Psychic
Some of the best options to counter Azelf include:
- Mega Gengar – Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball
- Darkrai – Snarl + Shadow Ball
- Chandelure – Hex + Shadow Ball
- Weavile – Snarl + Foul Play
Aim for trainer level 30 or higher to effectively participate in these 5-star Azelf battles. Gather at least 5-8 players together to take Azelf down.
The base catch rate for Legendary Raid Pokémon is currently set at around 2% per standard throw with no modifiers or throw bonuses. Using curveballs, Golden Razz berries, smaller target rings, raid catch bonuses, and medals can all push your odds up significantly.
Increasing Shiny Odds
All Legendary Pokémon in 5-star raids have approximately a 1 in 20 chance of appearing in shiny form. This means each Azelf raid encounter rolls a 1 in 20 chance of being shiny. Here are some tips to improve your sparkly Azelf luck across multiple raids:
- Use Golden Razz berries before every throw attempt
- Raid in large groups to earn more Premier balls
- Check with everyone before battle if they already have the shiny
- Raid frequently during the entire event window
- Try common tricks like waiting 2 mins when encounter starts
The more raids and Premier ball attempts, the better your cumulative probability of finally encountering a shiny Azelf. Patience and persistence is key.
How to Catch Azelf
When you finally encounter a sparkly Azelf, you want to make every single Premier ball count!
- Use Golden Razz berries each throw
- Only use Pokeballs for practice throws
- Time your throws carefully for the best chance
- Set the attack target ring then wait for Azelf’s attack animation to finish
- Spin the ball and aim for great or excellent curveball throws
- Remember Azelf will likely take multiple catches even with perfect throws
- Stay positive, don’t rush throws in frustration
If you catch this rare variant of Azelf, rejoice with your raid party! Favoriting shiny Pokémon will prevent accidental transfers.
Evolving and Powering Up Shiny Azelf
As a Mythical Pokémon, shiny Azelf cannot evolve into any other forms. However, with enough resources, dedicated trainers can power up their new Shiny Azelf and unlock a second charge move.
- Requires 225 Azelf candy
- 75,000 Stardust to unlock 2nd charge move
- 311,312 Stardust to max a perfect IV Azelf to Level 50
Shiny Azelf’s best attacks are Confusion (fast move) paired with Future Sight and Dazzling Gleam (charge moves).
Compared to normal Azelf, the sparkly variant delivers all the same combat performance. The only difference is its unique color. Both versions reach the same maximum 3670 CP.
Powers and Qualities of Azelf
This Table summarizing some key qualities/powers of Azelf:
| Quality | Description |
|---|---|
| Type | Psychic (Legendary) |
| Region | Sinnoh |
| Classification | Willpower Pokémon |
| Height | 1’00′′ (0.3m) |
| Weight | 0.7 lbs (0.3 kg) |
| Abilities | Levitate |
| Weaknesses | Dark, Ghost, Bug |
| Resistances | Fighting, Psychic |
| Maximum CP | 3670 |
| Buddy Distance | 20 km |
| Catch Rate | 2% Base Catch Rate |
| Shiny Available | Yes |
| Shiny Odds | Approximately 1 in 20 |
| Fast Moves | Extrasensory, Confusion |
| Charge Moves | Future Sight, Swift, Dazzling Gleam |
| Event Appearances | 5-star raids, Safari Zone events |
Other Forms of Azelf
Azelf currently doesn’t have any alternate forms. The normal version features a dark bluish-gray body with yellow gemstones.
As you’ve learned, the rare shiny variant displays a richer navy blue body with bright pink gems and body rings instead, making it very visually distinctive.
This special coloration is the only differentiation between regular Azelf and Shiny Azelf in Pokémon Go at the moment.
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Best Moveset of Azelf
This table showing Azelf’s possible movesets in Pokémon Go:
| Fast Move | Charge Move 1 | Charge Move 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Extrasensory | Future Sight | Swift |
| Extrasensory | Future Sight | Dazzling Gleam |
| Confusion | Future Sight | Swift |
| Confusion | Future Sight | Dazzling Gleam |
Details on the moves:
- Fast Moves:
- Extrasensory (Psychic): Solid damage, generates energy quickly
- Confusion (Psychic): Slower move but deals heavy damage
- Charge Moves:
- Future Sight (Psychic): Strong STAB move, 100 damage
- Swift (Normal): Medium damage but never misses
- Dazzling Gleam (Fairy): Strong attack but expensive
The best moveset for raiding is Confusion paired with Future Sight and Dazzling Gleam to leverage STAB damage. For PVP battles, Extrasensory offers better energy gain. Azelf is very versatile!
Conclusion
Getting your hands on a Shiny Azelf in Pokémon Go takes planning, group coordination, resources, and perseverance during Azelf Photo Safari events.
Use these helpful tips to track down Azelf raids, build effective raid counters to beat the clock, and carefully catch this rare sparkly version using Golden Razz berries and excellent curveball throws.
With excellent throwing skills and enough raids attempted, you should eventually encounter a Shiny Azelf thanks to the boosted shiny rate. Good luck adding this elusive Lake Guardian to your collection!
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