Should You Purify Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO? The Definitive Guide
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The million-dollar question: Should you purify your Shadow Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO? The answer, as with most things in life, isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s a resounding “it depends!” Purifying a Shadow Legendary can feel like a momentous decision, and it is! It hinges on your individual play style, resources, the specific Pokémon in question, and its Individual Values (IVs). Let’s dive deep into the factors that influence this crucial choice.
The Allure of Shadow Pokémon
Shadow Pokémon are, at their core, angrier, more powerful versions of their regular counterparts. They boast a significant 20% attack boost, making them glass cannons capable of dealing immense damage in raids and battles. However, this comes at a cost: a 20% decrease in defense. This fragility makes them riskier to use, demanding strategic gameplay and a solid understanding of type matchups.
The most important thing to understand about Shadow Pokémon is that this 20% attack boost often makes them the top DPS (Damage Per Second) attackers of their type. In other words, a Shadow Pokémon, even with mediocre IVs, can often outperform a regular Pokémon with perfect IVs. This is especially true for Legendary Pokémon, which already have high base stats.
The Temptation of Purification
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon transforms it into a regular Pokémon with a few key benefits:
- Improved Appraisal: Purifying adds +2 to each of the Pokémon’s IVs (Attack, Defense, and HP). If any of these stats were already at 13 or 14, purification can push them to the coveted 15, potentially resulting in a “hundo” (100% IV Pokémon).
- Reduced Costs: Powering up, evolving, and learning new attacks becomes significantly cheaper with a Purified Pokémon. This can save you a considerable amount of Stardust and Candy, particularly valuable resources for Legendary Pokémon.
- Exclusive Move: Purified Pokémon learn Return, a Normal-type Charged Attack. While Return can be useful in some niche PvP situations, it’s generally not a top-tier move for raids or Gym battles.
- Level Boost: A Purified Pokémon’s CP level is boosted to level 25. This is beneficial in the event powering up a Shadow Pokémon past that level is resource-consuming for the player.
The Legendary Conundrum: Should You Purify?
When it comes to Legendary Pokémon, the decision to purify becomes even more complex. Here’s a breakdown of the factors to consider:
- IVs Matter (But Not As Much As You Think): If your Shadow Legendary has terrible IVs (very low Attack, Defense, and HP), purification might be worthwhile in the hopes of improving them. However, remember that even a low-IV Shadow Legendary can be incredibly powerful due to the attack boost. If your Shadow Legendary has decent IVs, particularly in Attack, strongly consider keeping it Shadow.
- Resource Scarcity: Legendary Pokémon are expensive to power up. If you’re struggling with Stardust and Candy, purifying a Legendary can alleviate some of that strain. However, prioritize the cost savings against the attack bonus.
- Move Sets: Consider the available move sets for both the Shadow and Purified versions of the Legendary Pokémon. Does the Purified version have access to a better move set for raids or PvP? Sometimes, the move set alone can justify purification.
- PvP Preference: Are you primarily a PvP (Player vs. Player) battler? Some Purified Pokémon with specific move sets and IV spreads excel in the GO Battle League. However, Shadow Pokémon also have their place in PvP, often as hard-hitting attackers that can quickly overwhelm the opponent.
- Personal Preference: Ultimately, the decision is yours! Do you prefer the aesthetic of a Shadow Pokémon? Do you enjoy the challenge of using a glass cannon? Or do you prefer the more balanced stats and easier accessibility of a Purified Pokémon?
Examples: To Purify or Not to Purify?
- Shadow Mewtwo: Generally, DO NOT PURIFY. Shadow Mewtwo is one of the best Psychic-type attackers in the game, and its Shadow form significantly outperforms its regular form.
- Shadow Lugia: Another strong contender for DO NOT PURIFY. Shadow Lugia is a powerful Flying and Psychic-type attacker with exceptional bulk.
- Shadow Registeel: DO NOT PURIFY. Shadow Registeel has incredible defensive stats, which will allow it to stay in the battle for extended periods despite the Shadow debuff.
- Shadow Regice: Generally, Purification is preferred. Furthermore, if trainers are hoping to power up and pick an optimal moveset for this Legendary Pokemon, then purification is preferred.
- Shadow Regirock: Purifying a Shadow Pokémon is a better idea than keeping it the way it is. Purifying gives the Pokémon a significant increase in Combat Power and it will cost less candies to evolve.
- Shadow Latias: Shadows are much better attackers and she would only gain +2 to each stat from purification. Definitely much better to keep her as she is (assuming you didn’t already purify).
Frustration and Its Removal
Shadow Pokémon initially have the Charged Attack Frustration, which is a weak move that cannot be TM’d away under normal circumstances. To replace Frustration, you need to wait for a special Team GO Rocket event where you can use a Charged TM to replace it with a different move. This is a crucial consideration, as a Shadow Pokémon stuck with Frustration is significantly less useful. The Games Learning Society website can provide more resources for you! You can visit GamesLearningSociety.org.
Making the Final Decision
Before you purify that Legendary, take a deep breath and ask yourself these questions:
- What are the IVs of the Shadow Pokémon?
- Do I have enough Stardust and Candy to power it up, regardless of its form?
- What role do I want this Pokémon to play in my team (raids, PvP, Gym defense)?
- Can I wait for an event to remove Frustration?
- Do I simply prefer the look and feel of a Shadow or Purified Pokémon?
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Weigh the pros and cons, consider your play style, and make an informed decision. There’s no right or wrong answer, only the best choice for you!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about purifying Legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO:
1. Is it always better to keep a Shadow Legendary Pokémon?
No. While Shadow Pokémon have a significant attack boost, a Shadow Legendary with poor IVs might benefit from purification to improve its stats. Resource scarcity and preferred move sets should also be considered.
2. What happens to the IVs when I purify a Shadow Legendary?
Each IV (Attack, Defense, and HP) increases by +2. This can potentially turn a mediocre Pokémon into a great one, or even a perfect “hundo.”
3. Does purifying a Shadow Legendary change its moves?
Yes. It will forget Frustration and learn the exclusive move Return.
4. Can I TM away Frustration from a Shadow Legendary at any time?
No. You can only TM away Frustration during special Team GO Rocket events.
5. Is Return a good move for PvP or raids?
Return is a niche move. It can be useful in PvP for breaking Protect Shields, but it’s generally not a top-tier move for raids.
6. Does purifying a Shadow Legendary make it cheaper to power up?
Yes. Powering up, evolving, and learning new attacks requires less Stardust and Candy for Purified Pokémon.
7. If I purify a Shadow Legendary and then power it up, will it be stronger than a regular Legendary with the same IVs?
No. A Purified Legendary and a regular Legendary with the same IVs will have the same stats at the same level.
8. Can I trade a Shadow Legendary Pokémon?
No, you can’t trade Shadow Pokémon.
9. Can I mega evolve Shadow Pokémon?
Clone or Shadow Pokémon cannot be Mega Evolved.
10. Can I reverse a purified Pokemon?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to reverse the process of (synergy) purification.
11. Is it worth purifying a Shadow Legendary just to get a perfect IV?
That depends on the Trainer. Shadow Pokemon are clearly an excellent opportunity to get high IV options, and if you’re really lucky the coveted perfect IVs.
12. Is Shadow Regice better than purified?
Having said that, if you wish to max out the potential of Regice, you are better off purifying it as it will lower the cost of upgrades and allow you to tailor its moveset according to your preference.
13. Is it good to leave Pokémon in gyms?
The Defender Bonus refers to free PokéCoins that are earned by leaving your Pokémon at a Gym to defend against challengers from other Teams. The longer your Pokémon is defending the Gym, the more PokéCoins you can earn. Feed your Pokémon treats to restore their CP and extend how long they’re defending the Gym.
14. Should I keep 1 of every Pokémon?
I keep one of each for posterity. There’s no in-game reason to keep many of the Pokémon.
15. Do Pokémon get stronger when purified?
A Purified Pokemon’s CP level is boosted to level 25. This is beneficial in the event powering up a Shadow Pokemon past that level is resource-consuming for the player.