Special Challenge

A Special Challenge stage for Genesect.

A Special Challenge (Japanese: スペシャルチャレンジ Special Challenge) is a type of special stage in Pokémon Shuffle that usually features Pokémon which are also available in main stages or Expert Stages. These stages can be move- or time-limited, and tend to have different stage data from their main or expert counterparts. These stages cost Coins ×300 to play.

If the Pokémon in a Special Challenge has already been caught, it may drop a Personalized Skill Booster or (rarely) a Raise Max Level.

For the game's end-of-service period, Special Challenges began running on a consistent 24-week cycle, with a Special Challenge running on each even-numbered week, and lasting for one week.

During the game's live service period, 27 different Special Challenges were held. However, few of these were kept in the end-of-service events. Stage costs were unified to Coins ×300, rather than previous events' varied amounts of Coins or Hearts. The Mewtwo and Tyranitar stages were adapted into Shiny versions of the two (though keeping parameters such as HP and move count), making those versions of the Pokémon available for the first time in any format. A stage for Rayquaza was also added, based on one of its previous Great Challenge releases.

Drops

Main article: Drop (Shuffle)

If these Pokémon have already been caught, they have a chance to drop items:

• 25% chance to drop Personalized Skill Booster ×1
• 25% chance to drop Personalized Skill Booster ×1
• 1.5625% chance to drop Raise Max Level ×1

Drop rates can be increased if the Drop Rate Increase (DRI) effect is purchased from the Special Shop.

Default rates

Drop rates			Average drops/run
PSB ×1	PSB ×1	RML ×1
25%	25%	1.563%	0.5 PSB 0.016 RML

DRI rates

Drop rates			Average drops/run
PSB ×1	PSB ×1	RML ×1
43.75%	43.75%	3.10%	0.875 PSB 0.310 RML

Rotating stages

Week 2

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Xerneas	Fairy	11,555	16	13%	2%	5	N/A

Week 4

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Yveltal	Dark	8,606	16	7%	3%	5	N/A

Week 6

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Genesect	Bug	7,280	01:00	10%	2%	5	N/A

Week 8

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Mewtwo Shiny	Psychic	8,528	16	7%	3%	5	N/A

Week 10

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Tyranitar Shiny	Dark	8,060	18	11%	3%	5	N/A

Week 12

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Salamence	Flying	12,000	18	11%	3%	5	N/A

Week 14

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Rayquaza	Dragon	10,627	20	9%	3%	5	N/A

Week 16

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Luxray	Electric	5,500	00:40	7%	4%	5	N/A

Week 18

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Hydreigon	Dark	10,170	00:50	10%	3%	5	N/A

Week 20

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Porygon-Z	Normal	9,501	00:40	2%	4%	5	N/A

Week 22

Pokémon		Type	HP	Time	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Goodra	Dragon	7,804	00:40	11%	2%	5	N/A

Week 24

Pokémon		Type	HP	Moves	Catchability		EXP	Notes
					Base	Bonus
	Hoopa Hoopa Unbound	Dark	10,800	20	3%	3%	5	N/A

Live-service stages

Main article: Special Challenge/Live service period

Trivia

• Hoopa's stage has Dialga, Palkia, Reshiram, and Zekrom as its default supports, with Regigigas as a 5th support. All of these Pokémon appeared in Hoopa and the Clash of Ages.

In other languages

Language Title Japanese スペシャルチャレンジ French Défi spécial Italian Livello Speciale Spanish Fase Especial

Stages in Pokémon Shuffle Main stages Puerto Blanco • Sandy Bazaar • Night Festival • Isla Asul • Rainbow Park • Galerie Rouge Sweet Strasse • Silbern Museum • Mt. Vinter • Castle Noapte • Jungle Verde Wacky Workshop • Pedra Valley • Albens Town • Roseus Center • Desert Umbra • Violeta Palace Blau Salon • Graucus Hall • Nacht Carnival • Prasino Woods • Zaffiro Coast • Marron Trail Expert Stages Expert Stages Special stages Daily (Daily Pokémon • One Chance a Day!) Challenge (Great Challenge • Ultra Challenge • UB Challenge • High-Speed Challenge • Special Challenge) Resource event (Meowth's Coin Mania • Skill Booster M Stage! • Tons of Exp. Points) Competitive stage • Escalation battle • Pokémon Safari Retired special stages An Evolving Challenge! • Commemorative Event • Score Challenge • Try 'Em Items Stage Survival Mode Survival Mode 24-week event cycle 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.