If you’re exploring the Bubbly Basin DLC in Pokémon Pokopia, you’ll eventually run into a resource that looks simple but works a little differently from the usual materials: Shiny Pearls. These shimmering crafting materials are tied to several important requests, construction projects, and exclusive DLC recipes, so knowing how to get them early can save you a serious headache later.
The catch? You can’t simply walk around Bubbly Basin and pick up Shiny Pearls from the ground. Instead, you’ll need to hunt down Grubby Pearls, then hand them over to Pokémon with the Scrub Specialty. These Pokémon polish the dirty pearls for you, transforming them into the valuable Shiny Pearls you actually need.
You’ll start running into Shiny Pearl requirements while tackling some of Bubbly Basin’s major objectives. They’re needed for Mareanie’s request, the Build the Beautiful Building Important Request, rebuilding the Pokémon Center, and crafting a variety of seashell-themed furniture and other Bubbly Basin-exclusive items. So, if you’re planning to complete the DLC properly, setting up a steady Shiny Pearl supply early is absolutely worth it.
Here’s exactly how the system works, where to find Grubby Pearls, which Pokémon can scrub them, and how to farm Shiny Pearls efficiently.
More Pokopia Guides: Before diving into pearl farming, it helps to know how you access this content in the first place. Our guide on Pokémon Pokopia Bubbly Basin DLC Unlock Guide covers this in detail.
How to Get Shiny Pearls in Pokémon Pokopia
Here’s the key thing to remember: Shiny Pearls don’t naturally spawn in Pokémon Pokopia. You can’t find them sitting around Bubbly Basin waiting to be collected.
Instead, every Shiny Pearl starts life as a Grubby Pearl. You collect those dirty pearls and then give them to a Pokémon with the Scrub Specialty. Once that Pokémon finishes cleaning them, you’ll receive your Shiny Pearls.
The process is pretty straightforward:
- Collect Grubby Pearls.
- Find a Pokémon with the Scrub Specialty.
- Ask the Pokémon to scrub your Grubby Pearls.
- Wait while the Pokémon processes them.
- Return later and collect your finished Shiny Pearls.
The system itself is easy to understand, but farming efficiently makes a huge difference. If you’re chasing multiple construction projects or trying to craft the entire DLC furniture collection, you’ll want to keep your Scrub Specialty Pokémon working while you explore.
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Where to Find Grubby Pearls
Before you can get Shiny Pearls, you’ve got to get your hands dirty—literally.
Grubby Pearls appear as small, brown, pearl-like objects sitting in little piles of dirt. Once you know what you’re looking for, they’re relatively easy to recognize while exploring Bubbly Basin.
You can find them in several locations:
- Throughout Bubbly Basin, including underwater areas and small stretches of land.
- Inside the cave near the mine entrance, an area many players visit early while working through Mareanie’s request.
- On Starmie Doll Dream Island.
One of the best things to remember while farming is that Grubby Pearls often spawn in clusters. So, if you spot one, don’t instantly run off to another area. Search the surrounding area first. There’s a good chance another pearl is hiding nearby.
Your options for obtaining Grubby Pearls also expand as you progress through the DLC. Some Pokémon can occasionally gift you Grubby Pearls, giving you extra materials without requiring another gathering trip.
You can also increase your Environment Level. Eventually, doing so unlocks the ability to purchase batches of Grubby Pearls from the Pokémon Center shop. This becomes particularly useful if you’re crafting lots of items or working through every construction project in Bubbly Basin.
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Which Pokémon Have the Scrub Specialty?
Finding Grubby Pearls is only step one. Now you need the Pokémon capable of turning those dirty pearls into Shiny Pearls.
The currently known Pokémon with the Scrub Specialty are:
- Shellder
- Cloyster
- Sharpedo
- Alomomola
- Primarina
Not sure whether you’ve already unlocked one? No problem. Open your Pokédex and use the Filter function to sort Pokémon by Specialty.
For players just getting started with the Shiny Pearl system, Shellder is one of the earliest and easiest Scrub Pokémon to unlock, making it a particularly useful choice for starting your pearl operation.
Sharpedo and Cloyster are also commonly obtained during the early stages of the Bubbly Basin questline. Primarina, meanwhile, generally becomes available later after you’ve unlocked its habitat.
And here’s where things get interesting: you don’t have to rely on just one Scrub Pokémon.
If you’ve unlocked multiple Pokémon with the Scrub Specialty, you can have them process separate batches of Grubby Pearls simultaneously. That means you can keep exploring while several Pokémon work on your pearl supply in the background.
Speaking of Pokémon-Adjacent Games: Building relationships with creatures isn’t unique to Pokopia either. Our guide on Beast of Reincarnation Koo Rapport Guide has the full rundown.
How to Turn Grubby Pearls Into Shiny Pearls
Once you’ve got a Scrub Specialty Pokémon ready, the actual conversion process is incredibly simple.
Talk to the Pokémon and select these dialogue options:
- Choose “Look at this!”
- Select your Grubby Pearls.
- Choose “Scrub this for me, please!”
- Select how many Grubby Pearls you want the Pokémon to process.
Each Scrub Specialty Pokémon can handle up to 10 Grubby Pearls at once.
The best part is that the conversion happens at a one-to-one rate. One Grubby Pearl becomes one Shiny Pearl, so you don’t lose any materials during the cleaning process.
Because each Pokémon can take up to 10 at a time, it’s generally smarter to submit the maximum amount whenever possible. That way, you’re making fewer trips back and forth and getting the most out of each processing cycle.
And if you’ve got multiple Scrub Specialty Pokémon available? Even better. Assign Grubby Pearls to each of them and let several batches process at the same time.
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How to Collect Your Shiny Pearls
There’s one important catch: your Scrub Pokémon don’t finish the job instantly.
After submitting your Grubby Pearls, you’ll need to give them some time to process them. You can use that downtime to explore Bubbly Basin, complete requests, catch Pokémon, decorate your base, or gather other crafting materials.
Once enough time has passed, return to your Scrub Specialty Pokémon and talk to them again to collect the completed Shiny Pearls.
You don’t necessarily have to wait for an entire batch to finish, either. If only part of your order has been processed, the Pokémon will still give you the completed Shiny Pearls, allowing you to collect a partial batch and come back later for the rest.
Having trouble finding the Pokémon again? Honey can help make the Pokémon reappear in its habitat, which can be useful when you’re trying to track down your pearl-polishing helper.
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What Are Shiny Pearls Used For?
This is where all that pearl farming finally pays off.
Shiny Pearls are an important crafting material in the Bubbly Basin DLC, and you’ll need them for a variety of recipes, requests, and construction projects.
Their uses include:
- Crafting Seashell furniture.
- Creating various DLC-exclusive Workbench items.
- Constructing structures such as the Sharpedo Submarine.
- Completing Mareanie’s request.
- Progressing the Build the Beautiful Building Important Request.
- Rebuilding the Pokémon Center.
Because these requirements appear at different points throughout the DLC, you might suddenly find yourself needing several Shiny Pearls when you’re already busy with another objective.
That’s why starting your pearl farm early is such a smart move. Instead of scrambling to gather Grubby Pearls when a construction project blocks your progress, you can already have a supply waiting.
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Can You Get Shiny Pearls Without the Bubbly Basin DLC?
Unfortunately, no.
Shiny Pearls are exclusive to the Bubbly Basin Expansion Pass.
The complete system—including Grubby Pearls, Scrub Specialty Pokémon, and the recipes that require Shiny Pearls—is tied to the DLC.
Players who don’t own the expansion won’t be able to obtain or use Shiny Pearls.
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Best Ways to Farm Shiny Pearls Faster
If you’re aiming to complete every request, build every available structure, or craft the full seashell furniture collection, you definitely don’t want to rely on random pearl gathering whenever a quest asks for them.
The fastest approach is to turn the process into a routine.
First, always try to submit the maximum 10 Grubby Pearls to each Scrub Specialty Pokémon. There’s little reason to send smaller batches when you have enough materials available.
Next, unlock as many Scrub Specialty Pokémon as possible. Having several Pokémon processing pearls at the same time means you can dramatically increase your output without simply standing around waiting.
When you’re gathering, make one efficient route through Bubbly Basin, the cave near the mine entrance, and Starmie Doll Dream Island. Since Grubby Pearls can appear in clusters, thoroughly check the area around every pearl you find rather than rushing to the next location.
Your Environment Level is also worth investing in. Once the Pokémon Center shop starts selling batches of Grubby Pearls, you’ll have another reliable way to maintain your supply.
Don’t forget about Pokémon gifts, either. Some Pokémon can occasionally give you Grubby Pearls, providing free additions to your stockpile.
Finally, keep Honey in mind when you’re struggling to locate a Scrub Specialty Pokémon in its habitat.
With multiple Scrub Pokémon working, regular Grubby Pearl gathering, and the Pokémon Center shop eventually available as an additional source, you’ll be able to maintain a steady stream of Shiny Pearls instead of constantly stopping your adventure to farm them.
And honestly, once you’ve got the system running, Shiny Pearls go from being a frustrating quest requirement to just another resource you always have ready for your next big Bubbly Basin project.
Image Credit:
Nintendo / The Pokémon Company / YouTube (Purple Kyogre)
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