Is It Okay to Transfer Shadow Pokémon? A Comprehensive Guide
The short answer is: yes, it is okay to transfer Shadow Pokémon, but it’s a decision that should be made carefully, with an understanding of the implications. Unlike regular Pokémon, Shadow Pokémon come with a unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Simply put, you can transfer them to Professor Willow for candy, just like any other Pokémon. However, doing so might mean losing out on a powerful combatant or a rare collectible, so understanding when and why to transfer (or not to) is crucial for any serious Pokémon GO trainer.
Understanding Shadow Pokémon
Before deciding whether to transfer your Shadow Pokémon, let’s delve into what makes them different. Shadow Pokémon are corrupted Pokémon, initially encountered through battles against Team GO Rocket. They are characterized by a shadowy aura and possess distinct traits that make them highly sought after by strategic players.
The Unique Advantages and Disadvantages of Shadow Pokémon
Shadow Pokémon have a significant advantage: they inflict more damage in battle. Specifically, their attack stat is boosted by 20%, making them formidable attackers. However, this power comes at a cost. They also suffer from a 20% reduction in defense, making them more vulnerable in battles. Additionally, Shadow Pokémon cost 20% more Candy and Stardust to power up and unlock their second charge move compared to their regular counterparts.
Shadow Pokémon and Transfer Limitations
While you can transfer Shadow Pokémon, there are specific limitations. First, Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded. If you wish to trade a Shadow Pokémon, it needs to be purified first. Second, as noted earlier, you can’t send Shadow Pokémon to Pokémon HOME directly. They must be purified before they can leave the Pokémon GO ecosystem. These restrictions mean that your options for what to do with a Shadow Pokémon might be more limited compared to regular Pokémon.
When Should You Consider Transferring a Shadow Pokémon?
While the allure of a stronger attack is undeniable, there are situations when transferring a Shadow Pokémon might be acceptable, or even beneficial.
Low IV Shadow Pokémon
Individual Values (IVs) play a major role in how powerful a Pokemon is, and even Shadow Pokémon with no stars (low IVs) still get the Shadow boost. However, if a Shadow Pokemon is both low on stats and not a very useful species, and you just need to clear space in your Pokémon box, it’s fine to transfer it. If you have a particularly useful Pokemon as a Shadow, like a Shadow Mewtwo, Shadow Mamoswine, or Shadow Machamp, it might be better to hang on to it, even with poor IVs, due to the potential for damage output.
Duplicate Shadow Pokémon of Less Important Species
If you have multiple Shadow Pokémon of the same species, especially a less useful species, transferring some of them to Professor Willow can help you manage your storage space. For instance, if you have multiple Shadow Rattata or Shadow Zubat, it’s likely fine to send a few over to the professor for the additional candy.
If you’re Running Out of Storage Space
Managing your Pokemon storage is a constant challenge in Pokémon GO. If your box is overflowing, and after carefully reviewing your options and considering the pros and cons of keeping each, transferring duplicates or lower-tier Shadow Pokémon is a viable option. This is especially true if you’re anticipating an event, Community Day, or big raid day and need additional space to catch and store new Pokemon.
When Should You NOT Transfer a Shadow Pokémon?
There are numerous compelling reasons to hold onto your Shadow Pokémon, even if their IVs aren’t perfect.
High-Tier Shadow Pokémon with Good Stats
As mentioned above, Pokemon like Shadow Mewtwo, Shadow Mamoswine, Shadow Weavile, Shadow Machamp, and Shadow Moltres (among others) are incredibly valuable due to their boosted attack stats. These are arguably some of the best attackers in the game and should be kept, even with less than ideal IVs. Even a 0 IV Shadow Pokemon has a higher damage output than a 100% IV normal Pokemon.
Shiny Shadow Pokémon
Shiny Shadow Pokémon are incredibly rare. The odds of finding one are exceptionally low, and the odds of a “ShaShundo”, a Shiny Shadow Pokemon with perfect IVs, are astronomical. Transferring a Shiny Shadow Pokémon is essentially the equivalent of throwing away a legendary, as they are highly sought after and valuable to collectors. You should never transfer a Shiny Shadow Pokémon unless it is an accidental click.
Shadow Pokémon with Potential for Future Use
Even if you don’t have a immediate use for a specific Shadow Pokémon, keeping it for future use might be worthwhile. The meta in Pokemon GO is constantly shifting, and a Pokémon that isn’t useful today could become a top-tier option in the future.
Shadow Pokémon for Specific Battles
In the future, you might find that you need a specific Shadow Pokemon for a particular raid boss or gym battle. With the increased damage output, Shadow Pokemon can make a big difference in certain battles.
The Purify Option
Keep in mind that you always have the option to purify a Shadow Pokémon. Purifying a Shadow Pokémon increases its IVs, reduce the cost of power ups, and teaches them the exclusive move Return. However, purification removes the Shadow boost. This is a trade off between raw damage and better all round stats. Therefore, if you intend to do this make sure that this is what you want.
Considering Purify over Transfer
If you’re unsure whether to transfer a Shadow Pokémon, consider if you might prefer to purify it. If a Shadow Pokémon has high IVs but is not top-tier, you can purify it, and it may gain very high IVs, and reduce the cost of investment.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to transfer a Shadow Pokémon is a nuanced one, and should be considered on a case-by-case basis. While it is okay to transfer them for candy, it’s crucial to evaluate their potential value, rarity, and overall usefulness before sending them to Professor Willow. Remember that once transferred, they’re gone for good, so weigh the pros and cons carefully before you proceed. In short, treat Shadow Pokémon differently to standard Pokémon; if you’re in doubt, keep it!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to help you better understand Shadow Pokémon and how to manage them effectively:
1. Can I transfer a Shadow Pokémon to Pokémon HOME?
No, Shadow Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon HOME. They must be purified before they can be transferred.
2. Can I trade a Shadow Pokémon?
No, Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded. You must purify them first if you want to trade them.
3. What are the benefits of keeping a Shadow Pokémon?
The primary benefit of keeping a Shadow Pokémon is their 20% increased attack stat. This makes them excellent offensive threats in battles.
4. What are the disadvantages of keeping a Shadow Pokémon?
The main disadvantage of keeping a Shadow Pokémon is their 20% reduced defense stat, making them more vulnerable. They also cost more candy and stardust to power up.
5. Is it better to keep a Shadow Pokémon or purify it?
It depends on your strategy. Purifying improves the Pokémon’s stats and reduces power-up costs, but it removes the Shadow bonus. Top-tier Shadow Pokemon should be kept as Shadow, while some less optimal Shadow Pokemon might be better purified.
6. How do I remove Frustration from a Shadow Pokémon?
You can remove Frustration during special events like Team GO Rocket Takeovers using a Charged TM. These events are usually announced on the official Pokemon GO Blog.
7. Is it okay to evolve a Shadow Pokémon?
Yes, you can evolve a Shadow Pokémon. It will retain its shadow aura and its attack boost upon evolution.
8. Should I purify a Shadow Pokémon before or after evolving it?
It’s generally better to purify a Shadow Pokémon before evolving it if you decide to purify, as it reduces the cost of evolving.
9. Can a purified Pokémon become Lucky?
Yes, a Purified Pokémon can become Lucky. Lucky Pokémon have IV floors of 12/12/12, and Purified Lucky Pokemon will have an IV floor of 14/14/14.
10. What is the exclusive move that purified Pokemon Learn?
Purified Pokemon learn the exclusive move Return when they are purified.
11. Is it better to use the move Return in PvP or PvE battles?
Return does more damage in PvP than it does in PvE and also useful to chip away at Protect Shields, making it more useful in PvP.
12. Are Shiny Shadow Pokémon rare?
Yes, Shiny Shadow Pokémon are very rare and highly sought after by collectors.
13. Should I keep a 0-star Shadow Pokémon?
If it’s a top-tier Shadow Pokémon with good attacks, it’s still worth keeping, even with poor IVs, due to the Shadow boost. Consider keeping Pokemon like Shadow Mewtwo or Shadow Mamoswine.
14. Is it okay to use Elite TMs on Shadow Pokemon?
Yes, you can use an Elite Charged TM on a Shadow Pokemon to learn a different move. You can unlock a second move and then use an Elite TM to change it.
15. Can a Shadow Pokémon learn two Charge Moves?
Yes, you can use the standard amount of Candy and Stardust to unlock a second charged move on a Shadow Pokemon.