Can a Pokémon Turn Shiny When Purified? Unveiling the Truth
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No, a Pokémon cannot turn shiny when purified. If a Shadow Pokémon is shiny, it will remain shiny after purification. The act of purifying a Pokémon does not affect its shiny status; it only changes its attributes, such as IVs, CP, and moveset. Shiny Pokémon retain their shiny coloration regardless of whether they are in their Shadow or Purified form.
Understanding Shiny Pokémon, Shadow Pokémon, and Purification
To fully grasp why a Pokémon can’t become shiny through purification, it’s important to understand the fundamental differences between shiny Pokémon, Shadow Pokémon, and the purification process.
Shiny Pokémon: A Rare Aesthetic Variant
Shiny Pokémon are rare variants of regular Pokémon that feature a different color palette. Their existence is purely cosmetic; they have no inherent stat advantages over their non-shiny counterparts. The odds of encountering a shiny Pokémon in the wild are typically around 1 in 500, but this rate can vary depending on the event or species. Once a Pokémon is shiny, it remains shiny permanently. A shiny Pokemon cant lose it’s shininess period.
Shadow Pokémon: Corrupted by Team GO Rocket
Shadow Pokémon are Pokémon that have been corrupted by Team GO Rocket. They are characterized by a dark aura, red eyes, and an enhanced attack stat at the cost of defense. Shadow Pokémon can be caught after defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts and Leaders. A shiny Shadow Pokémon is even rarer than a regular shiny, making them highly sought after.
Purification: Reversing the Corruption
The purification process involves using Stardust and Candy to remove the Shadow corruption from a Pokémon. This results in several benefits, including:
- Improved IVs: Each IV stat (Attack, Defense, HP) receives a +2 boost.
- Increased CP: The Pokémon’s Combat Power (CP) increases.
- Move Change: The Pokémon learns the move Return and loses the move Frustration.
- Reduced Costs: The Stardust and Candy costs for powering up, evolving, and learning new moves are reduced.
The Immutability of Shiny Status
The shiny status of a Pokémon is determined at the moment of encounter. Whether it’s a wild spawn, a raid encounter, or a Shadow Pokémon from a Team GO Rocket battle, the game generates a random number to decide if the Pokémon will be shiny. Once this determination is made, it remains fixed. Purification doesn’t trigger a new roll for shiny status, so a non-shiny Shadow Pokémon will not become shiny upon purification, and vice-versa.
Should You Purify a Shiny Shadow Pokémon?
The decision to purify a shiny Shadow Pokémon is a strategic one. Here’s a breakdown to consider:
Pros of Purifying
- Improved Appraisal: The shiny Purified Pokémon will have better Appraisal and receive 2 points towards all their IVs.
- CP Boost: Purified Pokémon will receive a significant boost in Combat Power (CP).
- Reduced Costs: The Stardust and Candy costs for powering up and evolving are reduced.
- Learn Return: When Purified, a Shadow Pokémon will forget Frustration and learn Return, a Charged Attack that’s exclusive to Purified Pokémon.
Cons of Purifying
- Loss of Shadow Bonus: Purified Pokemon lose the 20% damage bonus made available to Shadows.
- Strategic Advantage: The 2 IV increase is often dwarfed by the Shadow damage boost. There are exceptions, but the boost is largely preferred.
- Rarity Trade-off: A shiny Shadow Pokémon is incredibly rare. Purifying it makes it less unique.
For most players, it’s generally recommended to keep shiny Shadow Pokémon unpurified due to the significant damage boost they provide. The trade-off in increased damage output often outweighs the benefits of slightly improved IVs and reduced costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What happens if you purify a shiny Shadow Pokémon?
Purifying a shiny Shadow Pokémon will improve their appraisal and reduce the amount of Stardust and Candy required for them to Power Up, Evolve, or learn a new attack. When Purified, a Shadow Pokémon will forget Frustration and learn Return, a Charged Attack that’s exclusive to Purified Pokémon. However, it will lose its Shadow bonus and remain shiny.
2. Should I keep a shiny Shadow Pokémon?
Yes. Shadow Pokemon works as angry Pokemon and will deal damage more faster then Normal or Purified Pokemon. The attack power of a Shadow Pokemon is boosted by 1.2x or 20%, making its fast attack hit significantly harder.
3. Is it better to keep Shadow Pokémon or purify?
Purified Pokemon lose the 20% damage bonus made available to Shadows. The 2 IV increase is often dwarfed by the Shadow damage boost.
4. Is a 0-star Shadow Pokémon good?
If a Shadow Pokemon is 0-stars but has decent Attacks and CP, it’s better to leave it unpurified for future battles, due to the attack bonus.
5. Should I purify a 3-star Shadow Pokémon?
Even a Shadow Pokemon with 3 stars is generally best left as a shadow, due to the significant damage boost it receives.
6. How rare is a shiny Shadow Pokémon?
The rate appears to be eight times higher – a 1 in 62.5 chance, or 1.6% – for very rare wild spawns, certain Shadow Pokémon, and certain raid Pokémon.
7. How rare is a perfect shiny Shadow Pokémon?
According to Bulbapedia, apparently odds of a shiny shadow pokemon are mostly 1.6%, or 0.016. That makes the odds of getting a “ShaShundo” (that is, a Shadow Shiny Pokemon with Perfect IVs) 0.00000390625. If you round that up to an even 0.000004, that’s 1 in 25,000,000.
8. Is lucky or purified Pokémon better?
The Stardust cost for powering it up will be reduced by 50%, which means they can reach a higher CP much faster than other Pokémon. This cost reduction stacks with that of being Purified, making a Lucky Purified Pokémon far cheaper to upgrade.
9. Can a Pokémon lose its shiny status?
No, a shiny Pokemon cant lose it’s shininess period.
10. Should I power up before evolving?
The thing is, it is better to evolve and then power the Pokemon up if it should have strong moves.
11. Can you mega evolve Shadow Pokémon?
Clone or Shadow Pokémon cannot be Mega Evolved. Purified or costumed Pokémon can be Mega Evolved, but they do not have their white aura or costume while Mega Evolved.
12. Is it worth keeping multiple shiny Pokémon?
Since they are so hard to come by, it is completely worth keeping shiny pokemon.
13. Are shiny Pokémon stronger than normal Pokémon?
No. Unless you’re playing in Pokémon Gold, Silver, or Crystal, the answer is a definite no, Shiny Pokémon are not any stronger or weaker than normal Pokémon!
14. What is the rarest shiny Pokémon?
Pokemon Go: 9 Rarest Shinies From Go Fest 2023
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Unown.
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Heracross.
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Pawniard.
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Shellos (East & West)
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Foongus.
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Wurmple.
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Joltik.
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Fomantis.
15. Can you trade shiny Pokémon?
Yes, you can. If you are trading Legendaries and Shinies you both own, the cost is the same as a Standard Pokémon you don’t own, such as a regional or a Unown form. But if one of you don’t have a Legendary or Shiny in a trade, then the cost jumps up massively.
The world of Pokémon GO is constantly evolving, and understanding the nuances of shiny Pokémon, Shadow Pokémon, and purification is crucial for making informed decisions about your team. Remember, whether to purify a shiny Shadow Pokémon is a personal choice based on your play style and priorities. Consider the trade-offs carefully before making your decision. To further explore topics related to game-based learning and the impact of games on education, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/. The GamesLearningSociety.org offers valuable resources and insights into the intersection of games and learning.