Guide The PokéBeach SOS-Chaining Guide

[steffenka]

SOS-Chaining
The newest shiny hunting method in Pokémon Sun & Moon is the so-called “SOS-chaining”. But how does this work?​

The Basic SOS information:

With SOS-chaining a player can, through a chain, encounter Pokémon with better IVs, Hidden Abilities or Shiny Pokémon. A SOS-chain begin when a Pokémon calls in an ally, usually when it’s HP is low. Once the SOS-battle has begun simply knock out the called Pokémon to continue the chain.

How SOS-chaining works:

• Once you’ve found the Pokémon you desire, have a Pokémon use the move False Swipe on it and use an Adrenaline Orb (the order you do this in does not matter).
• When the Pokémon calls for help, and an ally appears, knock that ally out, if you wish to continue the chain.
• Once you’ve knocked about 30 allies out, knock the original Pokémon out, if it has called in an ally of the same species. Do not knock it out if it hasn’t called an ally or if the ally is of a different specie.
• Then False Swipe the new Pokémon, which in turn will continue to call on allies.

Note: If the Pokémon fails to call upon an ally, simply use another Adrenaline Orb, or any of the healing items. The orb/item will not be used, unless of course it heals your Pokémon of a Status Condition

What not to do:
When SOS-chaining there are a few things you shouldn’t do if you want your chain to continue. These include:

• Knocking out a Pokémon, if it’s the only one on the field.
• Using spread moves, such as Dazzling Gleam, Surf etc.
• Knocking out a Pokémon, if the ally is of a different specie than the Pokémon you’re chaining.
• Not switching between Pokémon and ally after ~30 moves. This will cause the Pokémon you’re chaining to run out of PP, which will make it Struggle and faint.

What are the odds?
According to this Reddit thread, the odds when SOS-chaining are as follows:

Amount of IVs:

• Chain length 0 to 4: No guaranteed perfect IVs
• Chain length of 5 to 9: 1 guaranteed perfect IV
• Chain length of 10 to 19: 2 guaranteed perfect IVs
• Chain length of 20 to 29: 3 guaranteed perfect IVs
• Chain length of 30 to 255*: 4 guaranteed perfect IVs

Hidden Abilities:

• Chain length of 0 to 9: 0% chance of Hidden Ability
• Chain length of 10 to 19: 5% chance of Hidden Ability
• Chain length of 20 to 29: 10% chance of Hidden Ability
• Chain length of 30 to 255*: 15% chance of Hidden Ability

Chance of Shinies:

• Chain length of 0 to 69: ???
• Chain length of 70 to 255*: Three extra rolls for a shiny spawn.

Once the chain reaches 70, the game rolls the Shiny chance 3 times, which means that the odds for a shiny goes from 1/4096 to 1/1024. However, should you have obtained the Shiny Charm the odds falls to a further 1/683. It can be presumed that the game rolls the Shiny chance 1 or 2 times when the chain is between 1 or 69, however it has yet to be discovered where in the chain this happens.

Once the chain reaches 255 it resets, after which the chain basically starts over, which means all odds are reset.

Do however take these odds with a grain of salt, as there is some doubt from the original source, as to the accuracy of these numbers. The odds could be higher, or they could be lower - we simply do not know this yet.

Exclusive to SOS-chaining:
There are a few Pokémon that can be found exclusively through SOS-chaining. These do not only include evolutions, but also Pokémon in hunt/prey relationships, weather related combos and Pokémon with similar appearances. The following Pokémon are what’s exclusively available through SOS-chaining:

Spoiler: SOS Exclusives

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Notes:

• Sableye and Mareanie will attack Carbink/Corsola before attacking your Pokémon.
• Butterfree has a 1% chance of appearing outside of SOS-encounters in the Melemele Meadow and on Route 5
• Kangaskhan has a 1% chance of appearing outside of SOS-encounters in the Wela Volcano Park
• Dragonite can only be called upon in the Poni Gauntlet
• Shelgon will only be called upon in Kala’e Bay
• Salamence will only be called upon on Route 3
• Jangmo-o will not call other Jangmo-o, only its’ evolutions.

Magikarp Locations:
Hau'oli City, Melemele Sea, Seabreak Cavern, Kala'e Bay, Paniola Town, Brooklet Hill, Rt. 7, Rt. 8, Rt. 9, Akala Outskirts, Malie Garden, Secluded Shore, Rt. 13, Rt. 14, Rt. 15, Seafolk Village, Poni Wilds, Poni Breaker Coast, Vast Poni Canyon, Poni Meadow, and Poni Gauntlet

Barboach Locations:
Seabreak Cavern, Paniola Town, Vast Poni Canyon, Poni Meadow, and Poni Gauntlet

Weather related combos:
Note: The weather don't have to be natural, and can be introduced by a move or an ability.

Spoiler: Weather SOS Exclusives

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What Pokémon Can’t Be Chained?

• Oranguru/Passimian - When starting a SOS-chain with either of these two, they will call upon Trumbeak and Trumbeak only.
• Wimpod and Minior - Both appear to not be able to start SOS-battles in the first place, and will therefore not call for help.
• Pokémon found through the Island Scan.

What Items/Pokémon Do You Need?
You technically do not need any of these items, but they help making chaining a lot easier than it would’ve been without them:

• A Pokémon with the move False Swipe/Hold Back
  • The lower the HP, the more likely it is it’ll call for help
  • If you plan on chaining a Ghost-type Pokémon, get a Pokémon with Soak.That way you can still use False Swipe to get it’s HP low.
• Adrenaline Orbs
  • Will also make it so the Pokémon is more likely to call for help
• Healing Items
  • The stronger the Pokémon the more damage they’ll cause to your Pokémon.
  • Status conditions are also a thing, and can be very annoying.
  • Leppa Berries or Elixirs - you need to be prepared for the long haul when chaining, and watching your own Pokémon's PP is important as well!

Other related guides:
IV/EV

 

[Lorde]

This is awesome, and thanks for making this! The community would love to use it! But even though I've already caught 7 shinies, and I'm currently hunting an eighth, this is still really helpful, as I didn't know chains reset around 255. Explains why I've never gotten anything remotely near 255, 510, 765, etc. But I will use this with pleasure! Thank you!

 

[King Arceus]

One thing I'd like to note is that I had Vanillish show up while I was chaining Vulpix even though the weather didn't start out as hail. Maybe it showed up because Vulpix had Snow Warning?

 

[Equinox]

One thing I'd like to note is that I had Vanillish show up while I was chaining Vulpix even though the weather didn't start out as hail. Maybe it showed up because Vulpix had Snow Warning?

Huh, that's odd, but no, weather exclusives can't be called by weather summoned by ability

 

[Professor Palutena]

Huh, that's odd, but no, weather exclusives can't be called by weather summoned by ability

This is actually false.

Weather moves and abilities can trigger the weather SOS battles. It's the only way you'll get sun/sand/hail in Exeggutor Island, or rain/sun/hail in Haina Desert.

 

[King Arceus]

I actually had sun in Haina Desert and got to around a 40 chain, but no Castform. While I was chaining the Sandiles, I noticed that on turns that I had two female Sandiles on the field, one of them would use Swagger on the other. Territorial maybe?