Should I Purify a Pokémon to Make it Perfect? A Comprehensive Guide
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The burning question: Should you purify a Shadow Pokémon to achieve that coveted perfect IV (100 IV) status? The short answer is: it depends. While purification does indeed boost a Pokémon’s IVs, guaranteeing a perfect specimen if its Shadow form has decent stats, the decision is rarely that simple. It hinges on your play style, collection goals, and the specific Pokémon in question. In most cases, the raw power of a Shadow Pokémon outweighs the allure of a perfect purified one. Think carefully before hitting that purify button!
Understanding Shadow Pokémon and Purification
The Power of Shadow
Shadow Pokémon are essentially Pokémon fueled by rage, granting them a significant 20% attack boost but at the cost of a 20% reduction in defense. This trade-off makes them glass cannons – dealing incredible damage but being more vulnerable to attacks. In many raid and gym battle scenarios, the increased damage output of a Shadow Pokémon makes it far superior to its normal or purified counterpart. This is especially true for Pokémon with already high attack stats, where the boost is most impactful.
The Allure of Purification
Purification transforms a Shadow Pokémon back to its normal state, removing the attack boost and defense penalty. Critically, it also increases each IV (Attack, Defense, HP) by +2. This is where the potential for a perfect Pokémon comes in. If your Shadow Pokémon has at least 13 in each IV stat, purification will bump them all to 15, resulting in a 100% IV Pokémon. Furthermore, purified Pokémon learn the move Return, a Normal-type charged attack, and require less Stardust and Candy to power up.
When to Purify: A Few Key Considerations
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Completing Research Tasks: Certain research tasks or challenges require you to purify a certain number of Pokémon. In these instances, purifying cheaper Pokémon like Rattata, Zubat, or Magikarp is a good option.
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Collection Purposes: Some players prioritize having a complete collection of perfect IV Pokémon. If this is your goal, and you have a Shadow Pokémon that is guaranteed to become a hundo upon purification, then go for it!
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Return as a PvP Move: While Return isn’t generally considered a top-tier move, it can have niche uses in PvP (Player vs. Player) battles, particularly for breaking through shields or dealing significant damage with Normal-type Pokémon.
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Lower Resource Costs: Purified Pokémon cost less to power up and evolve. For players with limited Stardust or Candy, this can be a practical reason to purify.
The Case Against Purification: The Shadow Advantage
For many seasoned Pokémon GO players, the damage output of a Shadow Pokémon is too valuable to sacrifice. The 20% attack boost dramatically improves performance in raids and gym battles, often outweighing the benefits of higher defense or slightly better overall stats. A Shadow Pokémon with decent IVs will often outperform a perfect normal or purified Pokémon of the same species.
Shadow Pokémon in Raids
In raid battles, the primary objective is to deal as much damage as possible in a limited time. The 20% attack boost allows Shadow Pokémon to deal significantly more damage, helping you defeat raid bosses faster and more efficiently. The defense decrease is less impactful because the goal is to focus on offense, not survivability.
Shadow Pokémon in Gym Battles
Similar to raids, the increased attack power of Shadow Pokémon makes them excellent gym attackers. They can quickly take down defenders, even if they are a bit more fragile.
The Rarity Factor
Perfect Shadow Pokémon are incredibly rare. Obtaining a Shadow Pokémon with already high IVs, let alone a shiny one, is a significant achievement. Purifying it eliminates this rarity and transforms it into a more common perfect Pokémon.
FAQs: Purifying for Perfection and Beyond
1. Does purifying affect a Pokémon’s level?
Purifying a Pokémon does not directly affect its level. However, it typically levels down to level 25 (or level 30 if weather boosted).
2. Can you purify a Shadow Pokémon after evolving it?
Yes, you can purify a Shadow Pokémon even after it has been evolved.
3. Does purification guarantee a perfect IV Pokémon?
No, purification doesn’t guarantee a perfect IV Pokémon. It increases each IV stat by +2. A perfect IV Pokémon is guaranteed only if all the IVs of Shadow Pokemon are at least 13/15.
4. How many IVs does purification add?
Purification adds a fixed +2 to each IV stat (Attack, Defense, HP).
5. Is it better to evolve a Shadow Pokémon before or after purifying?
It doesn’t affect the final result, but purifying before evolving saves Stardust and Candy.
6. Is Return a good move for purified Pokémon?
Return can be useful in PvP for shield breaking or dealing Normal-type damage. Its effectiveness varies depending on the Pokémon and the specific battle scenario.
7. What are the best Shadow Pokémon to purify for research tasks?
For quick and cheap purification tasks, focus on Pokémon like Rattata, Zubat, Magikarp, or Purrloin, which require minimal Stardust.
8. Are 0-star Shadow Pokémon worth keeping?
Even with zero stars, Shadow Pokémon can be valuable due to their attack boost. However, low CP 0-star Pokémon may be less useful in higher-level content.
9. Can you get a 100 IV Shadow Pokémon naturally?
Yes, it’s extremely rare, but it is possible to encounter a Shadow Pokémon with perfect IVs naturally.
10. How rare is a perfect IV Shadow Pokémon?
The odds of encountering a perfect IV Shadow Pokémon are incredibly low, estimated to be around 1 in 4,096 (the standard odds for a perfect IV).
11. Does purifying Pokémon give XP?
You only get XP when catching the Pokemon before purifying.
12. What is the main downside of purifying a Pokémon?
The main downside is the loss of the 20% attack bonus that makes Shadow Pokémon so powerful.
13. Are Shadow Pokémon always better than their purified counterparts?
In most cases, yes. The attack boost typically outweighs the benefits of higher defense or slightly better stats.
14. Should I max out a Pokémon’s CP before evolving it?
The order doesn’t affect the final CP. However, powering up before evolving increases the cost as Pokémon CP increases.
15. What are Shadow Raids?
Shadow Raids are special events featuring Shadow Pokémon as raid bosses. These Pokémon are stronger than regular raid bosses.
Conclusion: Weighing the Pros and Cons
Ultimately, the decision to purify a Shadow Pokémon to make it perfect depends on your priorities. If you value raw power and performance in raids and gym battles, then keeping it as a Shadow Pokémon is generally the best choice. If you’re a collector aiming for a perfect IV Dex or need to complete a purification task, then go ahead and purify. Just remember that purifying a Pokémon is a permanent decision.
Understanding the nuances of Shadow and Purified Pokémon is a key aspect of strategic gameplay, echoing the complex decision-making processes found in other areas of learning and game design. Organizations like the Games Learning Society explore how games can be leveraged for educational purposes and critical thinking skills. You can learn more at GamesLearningSociety.org. So, weigh your options carefully and choose the path that best suits your play style. Happy catching!