Evolving Purified Pokémon: To Purify or Not to Purify?
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The age-old question plaguing Pokémon GO trainers: is it better to evolve purified Pokémon? The short answer is…it depends! There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, as the optimal strategy hinges on your specific goals and the Pokémon in question. Generally, evolving purified Pokémon offers benefits such as reduced candy costs and improved appraisals, but you also need to consider the trade-offs in attack power compared to Shadow Pokémon. Keep reading to explore the nuances.
Understanding Purified vs. Shadow Pokémon
Before diving into evolution strategies, let’s clarify the key differences between purified and shadow Pokémon:
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Shadow Pokémon: Possess a significant 20% attack bonus but suffer a corresponding defense penalty. They also require considerably more Stardust and Candy to power up, evolve, and learn new moves. This makes them powerhouses in raids and PvP, where maximizing damage output is critical. However, they come with the move Frustration, which can only be removed during special events.
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Purified Pokémon: Gain +2 to all IVs, potentially turning a weak Pokémon into a decent one. They also enjoy reduced Stardust and Candy costs for powering up and evolving. Purified Pokémon learn the move Return, a Normal-type charge move, which can be situational. Purifying also removes the Shadow bonus.
Is Evolving Purified Pokémon the Right Move?
Here are the scenarios to consider when evolving purified Pokémon:
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Candy and Stardust Savings: If you are Stardust poor or working on a Pokédex entry where the power of the Pokémon is not important, purifying for the Candy and Stardust discount will be the best option.
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IV Improvement: If you have a low-IV Shadow Pokémon that, after purification, could reach 3-stars or even become a hundo (perfect IV), purifying and evolving might be worthwhile, especially if it is a Pokémon you like, but do not need to be competitive.
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PvP Considerations: Some purified Pokémon are valuable in PvP because they have access to Return, a fast-charging move that can apply shield pressure. In certain scenarios, this can make them unpredictable and difficult to counter. Research the specific Pokémon and its potential in PvP before purifying solely for this reason.
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The Pokémon’s Usefulness: Consider if you really need the Pokémon. Is it a legendary that you will use to raid? Or is it a common Pokémon that you are only evolving for the Pokedex entry.
Should You Purify Before or After Evolving?
The general consensus is that it’s better to purify a Pokémon before evolving it. Purifying first ensures that you take advantage of the reduced candy and stardust costs for both evolution and power-ups. Purifying it afterwards will not make the evolved form require less resources.
Exceptions to the Rule
There are exceptions to this general rule. For instance, some trainers may want to evolve a Shadow Pokémon first to secure a legacy move unavailable on the purified version. However, this is a niche scenario for experienced players who know the specific movesets and values of each Pokémon.
Exclusive Moves and Frustration
Keep in mind that Shadow Pokémon start with the move Frustration and purified Pokémon learn Return. There is no move called “Purify” that is used to purify a Pokémon. Trainers must purify first in order to learn exclusive moves, which replace Return.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, deciding whether to evolve a purified Pokémon requires careful consideration of your in-game resources, goals, and the specific Pokémon in question. If your priority is saving resources and obtaining a decent Pokémon, purifying and evolving is a solid strategy. If you’re chasing maximum damage output, preserving the Shadow bonus is usually the better option.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about evolving purified Pokémon:
1. Does purifying a Pokémon change its moveset?
Yes, purifying a Shadow Pokémon replaces the move Frustration with the move Return. Purifying first allows you to learn exclusive moves, which replace Return.
2. Does purifying affect a Pokémon’s CP?
Yes, it will slightly affect the CP by increasing the stats of the Pokémon by 2 IVs.
3. Can a purified Pokémon become a perfect (100% IV) Pokémon?
Yes, purified Pokémon can become perfect. When purified, a Shadow Pokémon will receive +2 to all its stats. This makes them more likely to have high individual values.
4. What are the benefits of purifying a Shadow Pokémon?
Purifying will improve their appraisal and reduce the amount of Stardust and Candy required for them to Power Up, Evolve, or learn a new attack.
5. What is the benefit of not purifying Shadow Pokémon?
The benefits of not purifying Shadow Pokémon are that their Moves will inflict more damage at the cost of having lower defense.
6. Is a 0-star Shadow Pokémon good?
Yes, it can still be good, but it depends on the Pokémon and how you plan to use it. Shadow Pokemon that are Purified will sometimes have their Appraisal increased. It will also lose the Shadow Bonus effect. So, if a Shadow Pokemon is 0-stars but has decent Attacks and CP, it’s better to leave it unpurified for future battles.
7. Is it better to keep Shadow Pokémon or purify them?
Shadow Pokémon have a 20% attack boost, making them powerful attackers, particularly in raids. Purified Pokémon have better IVs and cost less to power up/evolve. If you need strong attackers, keep them as Shadow. If you need affordable Pokémon or want to gamble on improved IVs, purify them.
8. What’s the point of purified Pokémon?
Purified Pokémon cost less candy to evolve and less dust to power up. They also know Return, a normal-type attack. Purified Pokémon also get IV boosts when powered up.
9. Does purifying a Pokémon increase its XP?
Purifying a Pokémon itself doesn’t directly give XP. Battling a grunt/leader, saving the Pokémon, and then purifying it only gives XP when you catch the ‘mon.
10. Is it worth purifying a 3-star Shadow Pokémon?
Generally, no. A 3-star Shadow Pokémon is already quite strong due to its high IVs and the Shadow attack bonus. Purifying it would erase the attack bonus and only slightly improve its IVs further.
11. Are purified Pokémon easier to evolve?
Yes, purified Pokémon cost less candy to evolve.
12. Why is it better to not purify Pokémon?
It is better to not purify Pokemon because 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.
13. Do Shadow Pokémon get stronger when purified?
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon will also make it stronger and reduce the amount of Stardust and Candy required to Power Up, Evolve, or learn a new attack.
14. Should I purify a 4-star Shadow?
It is typically not recommended to purify a 4-star Shadow. Due to the high investment pre- and post-purification, it may not be worth purifying the Shadow Pokemon to some trainers.
15. What happens if you purify a maxed Pokémon?
A 100% IV Pokémon has the best possible combination of individual values for its species, meaning it has maximum potential in terms of base stats. Purifying it will not improve its IVs beyond the already perfect 15/15/15 combination.