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Shadow Pokémon

Shadow Pokémon are mysterious Pokémon that Team GO Rocket members leave behind after they lose the battle. They are distinguished from normal Pokémon by a burning purple aura, glowing red eyes and often more menacing expression. Shadow Pokémon can be cured by purifying them to become Purified Pokémon with Stardust and Candy. All Shadow Pokémon that are captured will know the attack Frustration. This feature is only available to Trainers who are Level 8 and above.[1]

For a list of Shadow Pokémon, see List of Shadow Pokémon, List of Shadow Pokémon by release date, List of Shadow Event Pokémon. For purification cost, see List of purification cost.

Traits of Shadow Pokémon[]

Other than visual changes to Shadow Pokémon, they have several unique traits when compared to normal Pokémon:

  • The Attack of Shadow Pokémon is multiplied by 1.2. This "Shadow Bonus" are shown on their attacks, similar to a weather bonus. This feature were introduced on March 2nd, 2020 to make them stronger.[2] Shadow Bonus applies to all Gym, Raid and Trainer Battles. The attack bonus can be stacked with weather bonus.
  • The Defense of Shadow Pokémon is multiplied by 0.833.
  • The Charged Attack of Shadow Pokémon is always Frustration, which cannot be changed with Charged TM unless on certain events.
  • The cost of power up and the second Charged Attack is multiplied by 1.2, thus requiring more Stardust and Candy.
  • Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded.
  • Shadow Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon HOME.

Purifying the Shadow Pokémon will change or remove these traits.

Obtaining Shadow Pokémon[]

The first way to obtain Shadow Pokémon is to defeat any member of Team GO Rocket (including Grunts, Leaders or Giovanni) and participate in a Rescue Shadow Pokémon challenge that is similar to the Bonus Challenge in Raid Battles. The other way is to defeat a Shadow Raid Boss and catch it from there.

When attempting to capture Shadow Pokémon, they attack far more often than normal, making themselves especially hard to catch. A Nanab Berry can be helpful with this.

See Team GO Rocket#Rescuing Shadow Pokémon for more information on the Rescuing Shadow Pokémon.

Shiny Shadow Pokémon[]

Shadow Pokémon become available shiny the first time they are available from the three Rocket Leaders or Jessie and James, after which they become available shiny from Shadow Raids and (since March 25th, 2023) Grunts as well. Shadow Legendary Pokémon are available shiny the first time they appear in Raid Battles.

The following instances have occurred in the game where Pokémon could be shiny from Grunts before March 25th, 2023:

  • Shadow Scyther around November 7th, 2019, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Arlo in others.
  • Shadow Lapras around July 10th, 2020, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Sierra in others.[3]
  • Shadow Drowzee and Omanyte around October 12th, 2020, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Sierra and Cliff in others.[4]
  • Shadow Aerodactyl around February 2nd, 2021, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Cliff in others.[5]
  • Shadow Grimer around May 17th, 2021.[6]
  • Shadow Venonat around May 18th, 2021, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Arlo in others.
  • Shadow Swinub and Snubbull around September 21st, 2021.[7]
  • Shadow Nidoran♀ around November 9th, 2021, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Sierra in others.
  • Shadow Teddiursa around January 24th, 2022, because it was available from Grunts in some timezones, while available from Cliff in others.
  • Shadow Exeggcute during Spring into Spring 2022, because it was available from both Grunts and Arlo.[8]

Apex Shadow Pokémon[]

Apex Shadow Pokémon refer to special event forms of certain Legendary Pokémon. These are unique due to their special shadow aura effect and special box sprites. Apex Shadow Pokémon also had special stronger versions of certain moves when caught, denoted by a '+'.

The following Apex Shadow Pokémon have been released:

Purification[]

Main article: List of purification cost

After capturing a Shadow Pokémon, there will be an option to purify the Pokémon with a combination of Stardust and Candy. Evolving a Shadow Pokémon does not affect the cost, which appears to be based on Buddy Pokémon walking distance.

Purifying a Shadow Pokémon have the following effects:

  • CP is boosted to level 25. If the Shadow Pokémon has been powered up past level 25, it would stay at the higher level.
  • Amount of Stardust and Candy required to power up, evolve, or to learn the second Charged Attack will be reduced (see Improvement costs below).
  • The Charged Attack, Frustration, will be replaced with the exclusive Charged Attack called Return, and later can be changed anytime with Charged TM.
  • Each Individual Values of the Pokémon will increase by 2.[9]
  • Shadow Bonus will no longer be in effect.
  • Visually, Shadow Pokémon's dark purple aura will change to a bright, luminous aura.[1]
  • Purified Pokémon can be traded, but it will be considered as a Special Trade.
  • Purified Pokémon can be transferred to Pokémon HOME.

Purifying a Shadow Pokémon increases the rank of the Purifier medal.

Improvement costs[]

The following table shows the multipliers for powering-up, evolving, or adding a second attack to Pokémon.[9] The Stardust cost reduction stacks multiplicatively with Lucky Pokémon (-50% cost); a Pokémon that is both Lucky and Purified costs 45% the normal amount of Stardust to power up.

Pokémon Power-Up Evolve Second Charged Attack
Shadow
Purified

The number of Candy required for Power up is subject to the multipliers above, but the result is rounded up to the nearest number after the multiplication for each individual Power Up half-level. This means that at lower levels, powering up will use more Candy than the multiplier would suggest for both Purified and Shadow Pokémon due to the rounding up of small numbers. For example:

  • Powering up Shadow Pokémon from Level 8 to Level 20 requires 42 Candy when normal but 66 Candy when Shadow (57% more Candy).
  • Powering up Purified Pokémon from Level 25 to Level 35 requires 102 Candy when normal and also 102 Candy when Purified (0% less Candy).

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Shadow Pokémon were introduced in July 22nd, 2019 with the launch of Team GO Rocket.[10]
    • However, the feature was suspended one day later.[11] It was found that the adjustments include reduced catch rate, increased attack and dodge rate and Shadow Pokémon are banned from trading.[12]
  • According the official blog:
    • Shadow Pokémon look unusual and behave strangely because Team GO Rocket tried to make them stronger through unnatural means.
    • Purification help Shadow Pokémon return to a more normal state, but Purified Pokémon can also become stronger than their normal counterparts due to the gratitude they feel toward the Trainer who saved them.[13]
  • Shadow Pokémon was released again on July 25th, 2019. After a few days, the Candy and Stardust purification costs were adjusted to current values (it was previously not based on walking distances, and evolved Shadow Pokémon of the same family can have different costs, e.g. Wartortle costed more than Squirtle). In most cases, it is a reduction; exceptions include Squirtle, Charmander and Bulbasaur, which used to cost 2 Candies and 2000 Stardust but now costs 3 and 3000.
  • The number of each Pokémon a Trainer has purified is tracked in the standard Pokédex. There are also Shadow and Purified Pokédex.
  • Shadow Pokémon all share a unique background not based on Types. It is dark purple and a silhouette of the Pokémon can be faintly seen.
  • The animation for purification is similar to Evolution. Similar to the latter, purification can be done even if the Pokémon has fainted, and would revive them to full or near full health.
  • The number of Premier Balls you obtain is increased by 1 upon your tenth defeat of a Rocket Grunt, even though technically you don't gain the badge until after the catch.
  • It has been observed that purified Turtwig does not offer a reduced cost in evolution, but the cost is still reduced for unlocking a second charged attack. This difference may be only during Turtwig's Community Day on September 15, 2019 and was later fixed.
  • Shadow Pokémon cannot learn event Charged exclusive moves. They will keep Frustration after evolving. Trainers must purify first in order to learn exclusive moves, which replace Return.
    • Unlocking the second Charged Attack has no effect on this.
    • However, Frustration can be removed with Charge TMs during some events, which would allow Shadow Pokémon to obtain exclusive moves.
  • Previously, all Shadow Pokémon had a deep orange or even red ring (even for common, low-level Pokémon). The capture rate was often not as low as the ring implied, and it was fixed after a while.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Team GO Rocket & Shadow Pokémon. Helpshift – Niantic. Retrieved on 2019-07-24.
  2. Team GO Rocket is making Shadow Pokémon stronger!. Pokémon GO Live. Retrieved on 2020-03-03.
  3. Shiny shadow from a grunt..Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  4. Verification: Shiny Drowzee can be caught in a Grunt Battle..Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  5. Shadow shiny Aerodactyl from a rocket grunt in the US - Event started in Asia..Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  6. Shiny shadow Grimer from grunt.Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  7. Since when are shiny shadow swinub available from grunts? (not my photo, from local discord).Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  8. Shiny shadow Snubbull from Rocket grunt confirmed? (Not my photo).Reddit. Retrieved on 2020-05-31.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Quick & Dirty Team Rocket Invasion Infographic. /r/TheSilphRoad. Retrieved on 2019-07-24.
  10. PokemonGoApp. Trainers, we have an incoming message from Professor Willow: “I’ve noticed an alarming number of reports from Trainers who have found PokéStops that look...discolored?”. Twitter. Retrieved on 2019-07-24.
  11. PokemonGoApp. Professor Willow has noticed that sightings of discolored PokéStops and Pokémon enshrouded in a shadowy aura have...suddenly stopped?. Twitter. Retrieved on 2019-07-24.
  12. Few changes for Shadow Pokémon !. /r/TheSilphRoad. Retrieved on 2019-07-27.
  13. Team GO Rocket invades Pokémon GO!. Pokémon GO Live. Retrieved on 2019-07-27.
  14. Lucky Shadow has no shiny background, check the text before transfer!. /r/TheSilphRoad. Retrieved on 2019-07-27.
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