Common Pokemon Go mistake will cost you the best attackers
NianticPurifying a Shadow species to a Hundo seems to be an obvious move in Pokemon Go but players have pointed out that this is a huge opportunity gone amiss.
A Shadow Pokemon gets a 20% boost to its damage output while losing the same amount in bulk. But, this buffed offensive power makes even a zero IV version better than a 100 IV non-Shadow species.
Most trainers weren’t aware of this perk and one of them is Reddit user ‘Soda_Coke_Addict’ who asked the community about their “purified regrets.”
Users mentioned that they had no idea about the benefits of Shadow Pokemon and went on to purify some extremely rare and powerful captures.
One of them purified about their 15-14-14 IV Shadow Gible, leading to fellow players trolling the player for sacrificing a “crazy” strong Shadow Garchomp.
Some trainers were baffled at how a 100 IV was weaker than a lower IV Shadow variant. To this, a fan explained: “IVs don’t make that big of a difference. You should basically almost never purify shadow Pokemon as it’s not worth it.”
As such, even with zero Attack IV, the 1.2x multiplier to damage output makes Shadows surpass a perfect stat species. This comes in handy when using Fast Moves in the Go Battle League or in Raids where there’s a timer involved.
While Shadow versions are way more expensive to power up in terms of Stardust, fans felt that it’s “worth it” as maxing them out is extremely rewarding. For instance, a Shadow Mamoswine can solo a Rayquaza Raid with Revives.
Aside from being powerhouses in the meta, Shadow shinies are rare and some of the best collectibles in the game. That said, keep in mind that they can’t be traded.
If you’re looking for some good Shadow catches in Pokemon Go, you need to beat Team Go Rocket Grunts, Leaders, and their Boss, Giovanni.