The most recent batch of events to hit Pokemon GO has Pokemon Trainers fighting an airborne invasion of nefarious Team GO Rocket Grunts. One of the many shakeups attributed to the recent event is the opportunity to fight Team GO Rocket Boss, Giovanni, and capture his Shadow Suicune.
Up until today, players have had the chance to challenge a version of Giovanni with a Shadow Entei on his team, but the recent Team GO Rocket Balloon event has introduced changes to his lineup. Namely, the swapping out of Shadow Entei for Shadow Suicune. Despite being a Legendary Pokemon, Suicune is a fairly straightforward challenge thanks to its being solely a Water-type.
For a brief overview of Shadow Suicune's current stats in Pokemon GO, see below:
Shadow Suicune
- Water-type Pokemon
- Weaknesses: Grass, Electric
- Potential Fast Attacks: Ice Fang (Ice), Snarl (Dark), Extrasensory (Psychic)
- Potential Charged Attacks: Hydro Pump (Water), Water Pulse (Water), Bubble Beam (Water), Ice Beam (Ice)
Water-type Pokemon are resistant to Steel, Ice, Fire, and Water-type moves, but they take double damage from Grass and Electric-type moves. Water-type moves, on the other hand, deal double damage to Fire, Rock, and Ground-type Pokemon, while dealing half damage to Water, Grass, and Dragon-type Pokemon. So while Pokemon like Venusaur may seem like good counters, players should keep an eye out for more than water considering the fact that Shadow Suicune's potential Fast Attacks are Ice, Dark, and Psychic-type moves.
This means that Trainers should challenge Suicune with Grass and Electric-type attacks, while ideally, also avoiding type disadvantages to Suicune's potential Water, Ice, Dark, and Psychic-type attacks. Practically speaking, this means that Grass-type Pokemon are generally a risky choice - Ice Fang and Ice Beam leave players with the possibility of facing off against a Suicune with two Ice-type attacks, which would tear right through any Grass-type Pokemon.
If Pokemon Trainers are facing a shortage of bulky Electric-type Pokemon like Magnezone, or the recently arrived Legendary dragon, Zekrom, then a Grass-type may be unavoidable. Still, Trainers should be particularly wary of Pokemon like Breloom, Venusaur, and Roserade, whose secondary Fighting and Poison-typings, respectively, would make them vulnerable to Suicune's Psychic-type Extrasensory as well.
Now, for Pokemon Trainers who are through with the theoretical, here are some tangible battle suggestions:
- Electric-type counters: Raikou, Zekrom, Electivire, Ampharos, Magnezone*
- Grass-type counters: Sceptile, Tangrowth, Leafeon
- General counters: Giratina (Origin Forme), Dialga, Mewtwo, Sirfetch'd
*The Electric and Steel-type Magnezone, is outclassed by others' attack power, but its Steel-typing makes it an outstanding defensive choice if there's trouble surviving the fight.
Of course, the fact that this particular Suicune is accompanied by Giovanni's other two Pokemon also complicates the situation. Any Trainers who can't afford to dedicate more than one teammate to countering Giovanni's Shadow Suicune should take particular note of the general counters. For example, the Steel-type powerhouse, Dialga, can help out against Giovanni's other Pokemon, like Persian, while still providing outstanding general effectiveness against Suicune. Bearing all this in mind, the biggest changes to Suicune's counter-pool this time around is simply the availability of titans like Zekrom and Dialga.
Pokemon Trainers should also note that Pokemon attack moves ultimately matter more than overall typing. That is, for example, an Electivire would only be a viable counter if it actually has access to Electric-type moves - an Electivire with Low Kick and Ice Punch would be a terrible choice against Suicune. So, players are highly encouraged to get creative and work with what they've got - a thoughtfully trainer Jolteon with double Electric-type moves may easily outclass an under-trained Zekrom with just-alright moves.
Pokemon GOÂ is available now on the App Store and Google Play.