Originally, Shadow Pokemon were a type of Pokemon in Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness. They were described as having had their emotions "closed off" by Cipher so that they would become fighting machines. They were unable to use attacks that weren't "Shadow" Moves, and would not gain any experience through battle. The only way to turn them back to normal was through a process called Purification, which would undo the final lock on the door to a Pokemon's heart.
Pokemon GO brings their own version of Shadow Pokemon that may draw some similarities to Colosseum/XD, but with enough differences to stand out on their own. The Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon GO are distinguished by their purple aura and red eyes. While they lack the Shadow-based Moves their Colosseum/XD counterparts have, GO's Shadow Pokemon attacks have a "Shadow Bonus," which deals an extra point or two worth of damage. If players manage to catch one from Team GO Rocket, then they can choose to Purify it, or keep it as a Shadow Pokemon. But which is the better choice?
Updated May 10, 2023 by Renri Seong: There are no shortage of Team GO Rocket-related Special Research in Pokemon GO. Completing each Special Research task will eventually grant players a Super Rocket Radar. This item is exclusive and allows players to battle Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni. For casual Pokemon GO players, snagging Giovanni's Shadow Pokemon is the easiest way to get Legendary Shadow Pokemon. While they can be purified much like any other Shadow Pokemon, some players may choose to keep them as Shadow Pokemon. The following guide has been updated to include a section about Legendary Shadow Pokemon and Purification.
Catching Shadow Pokemon
Unlike regular Pokemon, Shadow Pokemon cannot be found in the wild, nor are they "Surprise Encounter" rewards for completing Field Research or Special Research. Rather, players will need to defeat Team GO Rocket Grunts or Leaders in order to have a chance at catching one of their Shadow Pokemon.
Team GO Rocket can be challenged at black PokeStops, or by tapping any Rocket Balloons that may appear on the map. Team GO Rocket Leaders can only be challenged if players have and use the Rocket Radar. Finally, Giovanni (Team Rocket's Boss) can be encountered if players have a Super Rocket Radar. Defeating any of these opponents in battle will bring players to a "bonus stage" where they catch one of their opponent's Shadow Pokemon.
Most Pokemon can be caught as Shadow Pokemon, including Legendaries. However, Legendary Pokemon, such as Shadow Latios, are exclusive to Giovanni's team and won't be found on a common Grunt's team. Shadow Pokemon can only be caught with Premier Balls. There are several factors that go into the number of chances players will have when catching the Shadow Pokemon:
- The Grunt/Leader defeated
- Hero Medal Rank
- Purifier Medal Rank
- Pokemon remaining
All the Pokemon in Team GO Rocket's party are Shadow Pokemon, meaning they'll deal increased damage than Pokemon found in a regular Trainer Battle. Bring Pokemon with good IVs and high CP to have a chance at winning. If players lose, they can either have a Rematch or choose not to battle.
Are Shadow Pokemon Better?
While the obvious thing to do when catching a Shadow Pokemon is to purify it, purification is not required and players can choose to keep their Shadow Pokemon. There are both good and bad reasons why players should hang on to a Shadow Pokemon. For one, their Moves will inflict more damage at the cost of having lower defense. Shadow Pokemon can be left at Gyms and assigned as a Buddy just like regular/Purified Pokemon. However, they can't be traded to other players.
Reasons to keep Shadow Pokemon |
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Reasons to Purify Shadow Pokemon |
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One drawback that both Shadow and Purified Pokemon have the moves Frustration (Shadow) and Return (Purified).The latter is a Normal-type Move that has decent DPS and can be used well in PVP if players know what they're doing. On the other hand, Frustration/Return may not be worth keeping on a Pokemon with better Charged Moves.
A Normal-type like Snorlax will get better use out of these exclusive moves than a Pokemon with weak Attack IVs. Of course, the Frustration/Return move can easily be replaced by learning a move via a Charged TM, or by using Candy/Stardust to learn a new move. However, doing so can take time if players don't have enough resources, and these resources may be better off for evolving/powering up the Pokemon instead.
Should You Purify Legendary Pokemon?
Since Purification costs Candy and Stardust, purifying a Legendary Shadow Pokemon can be costly. It'll take 20 [Legendary Pokemon] Candy and 20,000 Stardust just to purify them. While the 20 Candy may not seem like a big number, it is for Legendary Pokemon. Most Candy can be farmed by catching the same species (and its evolutions) of Pokemon in the wild. Using Pinap and Silver Pinap Berries will double the amount of Candy upon obtaining the Pokemon.
Legendary, as their name indicates, are not common in the wild. Players will never see a Legendary on the overworld map outside of special Pokemon GO events. This means the only way to get Candy for Legendary Pokemon is to do the following:
- Assign the Legendary as a Buddy Pokemon (20km = 1 Candy for all Legendaries)
- Feed them Rare Candy (obtainable from Gifts, successful raid battles, or leage battles)
Once the Legendary has been purified, it will learn Return as its Charge Move like any other Purified Pokemon. Depending on the Legendary, Return is usually outdone by the Legendary's other Charge Moves. Thus, it's advised to start saving up more Candy to learn a second move, or use a TM to replace Return.
Due to the high investment pre- and post-purification, it may not be worth purifying the Shadow Pokemon to some trainers. However, a Shadow Pokemon will sometimes earn more IVs once it's been Purified. This can raise them up a ranking if players are lucky.
Pokemon GO is available for mobile devices.