Should You Keep 0-Star Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO? A Comprehensive Guide
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The burning question for many Pokémon GO trainers revolves around Shadow Pokémon, especially those with less-than-stellar appraisal ratings. Specifically, are zero-star Shadow Pokémon worth keeping? The short answer is: Absolutely, yes! Despite their lack of stars, these seemingly weak Shadows can possess significant value and strategic advantages. Let’s dive into why you should reconsider transferring that 0-star shadow and explore the fascinating mechanics that make them powerful assets.
The Power of the Shadow Boost
The core reason to cherish zero-star Shadow Pokémon lies in their inherent Shadow bonus. Unlike their regular or purified counterparts, Shadow Pokémon have a significant 20% increase in attack power while suffering a 20% reduction in defense. This means even with poor Individual Values (IVs), a Shadow Pokémon can output significantly more damage than a perfect IV regular Pokémon of the same species.
This damage boost translates into faster takedowns in raids, more efficient gym battles, and a serious edge in Trainer Battles. The raw offensive power makes Shadow Pokémon, even with zero-star appraisals, capable of punching above their weight class. The 1.2x multiplier on attack is a game-changer, making even common Pokémon like Shadow Rattata or Shadow Zubat surprisingly useful.
The Zero-Star Advantage
Many players are conditioned to prioritize high IVs, the number of stars, and shiny variants. While these are certainly desirable, the Shadow bonus often outweighs the IV advantage—especially when comparing a zero-star Shadow to a high-IV normal Pokemon. Remember, a zero-IV Shadow Pokémon does more damage per second than a 100% IV regular Pokémon.
Don’t be fooled by the initial low CP of a Shadow Pokemon and its lack of stars. Instead, consider that:
- The attack boost makes it much stronger in PVE (raids, gyms, Team Rocket battles).
- A Zero Star Shadow with good moves can still be incredibly useful and effective.
- The cost to power them up is often worth the return in sheer attack power.
When to Consider Purifying
While the primary recommendation is to keep Shadow Pokémon unpurified, there are specific situations where purification could be beneficial. Primarily, there are few times when Purification makes sense:
- Purification for PVP: If you specifically need the move Return for a Pokémon’s move set in Player versus Player (PVP) battles.
- High IV Shadow Pokémon: When you have a Shadow Pokémon with near-perfect IVs and you want to get a hundo (100% IV) or potentially get it ready for Mega Evolution.
- Collecting Hundos: Some trainers may want to purify for the sake of completing their collection of perfect IV Pokémon.
However, purifying will always remove the all-important Shadow bonus, weakening its overall attack output. The 2 IV increase gained from purification is often not worth the trade-off compared to a shadow with the bonus. It’s also worth noting that purifying a Shadow Pokémon also results in it losing the exclusive move Frustration and learning Return, which isn’t always as desirable.
Is it worth evolving a Shadow Pokemon?
Evolving a shadow pokemon will keep the shadow aura and the 20% attack boost. You should evolve shadow Pokémon before powering them up, but be aware that purifying a pokemon before evolving will significantly lower the candy cost.
Understanding the Trade-Offs
The trade-off is clear: you gain a massive offensive boost as a Shadow at the expense of some defensive capability. This is important to remember when deciding to keep your zero-star shadow:
- Shadow: 20% bonus to attack, 20% decrease to defense.
- Purified: Loses attack bonus, gains a slight IV increase, gets a cheaper power-up and evolution cost.
For PVE content such as Raids, you will generally find the 20% attack boost of shadow far more useful than the defensive benefits of purification. If you are interested in PVP, or looking for a “hundo”, purifying may be your only option.
FAQs: Deep Dive into Shadow Pokémon
Here are some frequently asked questions about Shadow Pokémon, diving deeper into nuances surrounding these unique creatures:
1. Are Zero-Star Shadow Pokémon really that much stronger than regular Pokémon?
Yes! The 20% attack boost is significant. Even with zero IVs, their damage output is notably higher than a comparable regular Pokémon.
2. Does the 20% attack boost apply to both fast and charged attacks?
Yes, the 20% attack boost applies to all attack moves of the shadow pokemon, both fast and charged.
3. Should I purify a shiny Shadow Pokémon?
This depends on your goals. For aesthetics, keep it a Shadow. If you prioritize functionality, purifying it is the best option. In general, it is far better to keep your shiny shadow pokemon as a shadow!
4. What’s better – a zero IV Shadow or a 100 IV purified Pokémon?
A zero IV Shadow Pokémon will generally perform better in terms of damage output due to the Shadow bonus. The 100 IV Pokémon may have better all-around stats, but the attack bonus is worth more in the long run.
5. Is it worth powering up a zero-star Shadow Pokémon?
Absolutely! The boost in damage can be game-changing for many scenarios. The stardust cost is often well worth it for their performance.
6. Why can’t I trade Shadow Pokémon?
Shadow Pokemon are non-tradable in Pokémon GO to prevent abuse of their superior offensive capabilities.
7. Can I evolve a Shadow Pokémon?
Yes, you can evolve a Shadow Pokémon and it will keep the Shadow aura and bonuses. It’s worth evolving a Shadow before you power it up, but keep in mind that if you purify a shadow before evolving, the costs will be reduced.
8. What happens when I purify a Shadow Pokémon?
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon removes its Shadow bonus, increases its IVs, and changes the charged move from frustration to return. It also will decrease the candy cost of evolving.
9. Is purifying always a bad idea?
No, but in most circumstances it is. Purifying should only be considered for specific PVP cases, high IV shadow Pokémon you intend to evolve into hundos, or simply for collecting.
10. Can Shadow Pokemon be lucky?
No, Shadow pokemon can not become lucky. However, purified pokemon can become lucky.
11. Does having low IVs make a Pokemon less rare?
No, IVs have a set of values (0-31) and have the same chance of occuring on any pokemon.
12. What are the chances of getting a perfect Shadow Shiny Pokemon?
According to Bulbapedia, the odds of a shadow shiny are around 1.6%. The odds of a perfect IV pokemon are roughly 1/4096. Combining these odds give you roughly a 1 in 25,000,000 chance of getting a perfect shadow shiny.
13. How does IV impact PVP?
Generally, lower attack is favored for PVP due to the complex CP formula, which causes defense to matter more. Therefore, zero-attack IV pokemon are highly sought after for PVP battles.
14. What is the best Shadow Pokémon to purify?
If you are simply after a quick purification medal, choosing low-cost shadow pokemon such as Rattata, Zubat, and Magikarp will be the most efficient.
15. Are there any shadow pokemon to avoid?
Certain shadow pokemon may not be worth the effort because their evolved forms aren’t as useful. However, most shadow pokemon are worth keeping, as the 20% attack boost is useful in many situations.
Conclusion: Don’t Discount the Zero-Star Shadow
In summary, zero-star Shadow Pokémon are valuable assets due to their significant attack boost. They may lack the prestige of high IVs or the shine of a rare variant, but their raw power can make them incredibly useful. Before you transfer that “useless” shadow, consider its potential and the damage it can unleash. Embrace the power of the angry Pokemon, and watch them dominate the battlefield in Pokémon GO.