Shadow Pokémon (GO)

A Shadow Charmander (left) and the same Charmander immediately after purification (right)

Shadow Pokémon (Japanese: シャドウポケモン Shadow Pokémon) are Pokémon in Pokémon GO that have been modified by Team GO Rocket through unnatural means, resulting in them having dark, flaming auras (except Mewtwo, Apex Shadow Ho-oh and Apex Shadow Lugia) and angry, red eyes. By defeating members of Team GO Rocket, players can capture Shadow Pokémon and restore them to a more normal state through purification.

In the Pokémon Box, Shadow Pokémon have a icon at the bottom left of their image, and Purified Pokémon have a icon. Similar to Lucky Pokémon, the Pokédex will keep count of the number of Pokémon that the player has purified of that species; evolving a Purified Pokémon will not increment the evolution's purified counter.

The Charged Attacks Frustration and Return are exclusive to Shadow Pokémon and Purified Pokémon, respectively. Unlike all other moves, these are not re-rolled upon evolution. On Community Days, eligible Purified Pokémon may learn event-exclusive moves, replacing Return upon evolution, even if that Pokémon already knows a second Charged Attack. Shadow Pokémon can only learn their event-exclusive moves if Frustration is first forgotten, either by purification or using a Charged TM during certain events. Once forgotten, Frustration and Return cannot be relearned, even if an Elite Charged TM is used, or if it evolves. Apex Shadow Ho-oh and Apex Shadow Lugia will not have Frustration.

Characteristics

According to the research of Candela and Professor Willow, Shadow Pokémon are the result of having been artificially overpowered by Team GO Rocket, causing them frequent pain from their uncontrollable strength. Shadow Pokémon are surrounded by what looks like a purple fire, or in Mewtwo's case, surrounded by its Psychic power. Apex Shadow Ho-oh's aura looks like a spiral, while Apex Shadow Lugia's aura looks like a giant wisp with lightning. During a Team GO Rocket battle, Shadow Pokémon used by Team GO Rocket members have significantly inflated stats, especially in Attack, potentially attaining CP values much higher than the maximum possible by powering up. The CP of Team GO Rocket's Pokémon increases with each player's Trainer level. Their Shadow Pokémon's moves, including Charged Attacks, are randomly selected from the species' current move pool.

For further information about how CP is calculated for Team GO Rocket's Shadow Pokémon, see Team GO Rocket → Pokémon.

If a Team GO Rocket member is defeated, they will leave behind one of the Shadow Pokémon used in battle, which the player can then "rescue" by capturing it in a bonus challenge using Premier Balls. During the capture encounter, Shadow Pokémon attack more frequently than their normal counterparts. Although their target rings are colored red to indicate a 5% base capture rate, their actual catch rates appear to be no different from that of their normal forms. Since November 7, 2019, all Shadow Pokémon are caught at an initial Power Up level of 8, or 13 with a Weather Boost, and their IVs are randomly determined the same way as in standard wild encounter. Currently, only Shadow Pokémon left behind by Team GO Rocket Leaders, Jessie, and James have a chance of becoming Shiny.

In addition, Shadow and Purified Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, but Purified Pokémon can be transferred to Pokémon HOME.

Shadow Pokémon, once captured by the player, all have the following characteristics:

• Have Frustration as a Charged Attack, which normally cannot be replaced using a Charged TM
• Cost ×1.2* Candy and Stardust to power up and to learn a second Charged Attack
• Have the following stat modifiers (not factored into CP) as a "Shadow Bonus":
  • ×⁶/₅ Attack
  • ×⁵/₆ Defense
• Cannot be traded (since July 25, 2019)
• Cannot Mega Evolve

Sorting

When viewing the list of currently owned Pokémon, sorted by Pokédex number, they are sorted in the order: normal, Shadow, Purified.

Purification

Through a process discovered by Blanche and Professor Willow, players can Purify (Japanese: リトレイン Retrain) Shadow Pokémon using Candy and Stardust, restoring them to a more normal state. Purified Pokémon have almost same appearance as their normal forms, but surrounded by a misty, white aura.

Upon purification, the Pokémon will:

• Power up to the player's Trainer level, up to level 25 (if currently at a lower level)
• Have each of its IVs increased by 2 (up to the maximum 15)
• Have Return replace the Charged Attack in the first slot
• Cost 0.9× Candy to evolve (rounded down)
• Cost 0.9× Stardust and Candy to Power Up (rounded up)
• Cost 0.8× Stardust and Candy to learn a second Charged Attack
• Lose its Shadow Bonus (Attack and Defense modifiers)
• Be eligible for Special Trades, which do not cost extra Stardust if the receiving player already has the purified form registered
• Be able to Mega Evolve, if it can

List of Shadow Pokémon

Main article: List of Shadow Pokémon (GO)

Updates

• Prior to July 25, 2019, Shadow Pokémon were eligible for Special Trades. However, due to the likelihood of a Lucky Shadow Pokémon being purified with perfect IVs, this feature was restricted.
• Prior to July 31, 2019, purification costs were on average much higher and did not necessarily scale directly with Buddy distance. For starter Pokémon, the purification costs were also higher for the second and third stages.
• Shadow Pokémon received a major update on March 2, 2020. Prior to this, Shadow Pokémon
  • Cost 3× the Candy and Stardust to power up or learn a second Charged Attack
  • Had no way of forgetting Frustration other than purification
  • Did not have any special stat modifiers
• Prior to November 7, 2019, Shadow Pokémon were caught between Lv. 1 to 5 or Lv. 6 to 10 if Weather Boosted.

Apex Shadow Pokémon

There also exist a stronger variant of Shadow Pokémon called 'Apex Pokémon. Only Shadow Apex Pokémon that can be captured is Ho-Oh and Lugia. They have simmular shadow aura around them like Shadow Mewtwo.

Unique Features

Apex Pokémon are only Shadow Pokémon from Pokémon GO that cannot learn the move Frustration. If are they in their shadow/purified forms they get moves with diffrent effects.

Signature Moves

Shadow Pokémon

Lugia

Aeroblast +
Charged Attack
Gyms & Raids Power 200 Energy cost 100 Duration 3.4 seconds Damage window 3.2 - 3.4 seconds	File:Aeroblast + GO.png
Trainer Battles Power 170 Energy cost 75 Secondary effect 2 Attack Effect chance 12.5%
Eligible Pokémon:
Standard eligibility By Elite Charged TM By GO Snapshot As Shadow Pokémon As Purified Pokémon Formerly eligible None

• Only Shadow Apex Lugia can learn Aeroblast+ move.

Ho-Oh

Sacred Fire +
Charged Attack
Gyms & Raids Power 135 Energy cost 100 Duration 2.6 seconds Damage window 1.2 - 2.4 seconds	File:Sacred Fire + GO.png
Trainer Battles Power 130 Energy cost 65 Secondary effect 1 Opponent Attack Effect chance 50%
Eligible Pokémon:
Standard eligibility By Elite Charged TM By GO Snapshot As Shadow Pokémon As Purified Pokémon Formerly eligible None

• Only Shadow Apex Ho-Oh can learn Sacred Fire+ move.

Purified Pokémon

Lugia

Aeroblast + +
Charged Attack
Gyms & Raids Power 225 Energy cost 100 Duration 3.4 seconds Damage window 3.2 - 3.4 seconds	File:Aeroblast + + GO.png
Trainer Battles Power 170 Energy cost 75 Secondary effect 2 Attack Effect chance 12.5%
Eligible Pokémon:
Standard eligibility By Elite Charged TM By GO Snapshot As Shadow Pokémon As Purified Pokémon Formerly eligible None

• Only purified Apex Lugia can learn Aeroblast++ move.

Ho-Oh

Sacred Fire + +
Charged Attack
Gyms & Raids Power 155 Energy cost 100 Duration 2.6 seconds Damage window 1.2 - 2.4 seconds	File:Sacred Fire + + GO.png
Trainer Battles Power 130 Energy cost 65 Secondary effect 1 Opponent Attack Effect chance 50%
Eligible Pokémon:
Standard eligibility By Elite Charged TM By GO Snapshot As Shadow Pokémon As Purified Pokémon Formerly eligible None

• Only purified Apex Ho-Oh can learn Sacred Fire++ move.

Game Locations

Special Research

This Special Research is unlocked by completing Pokémon GO Tour: Johto Special Research.

Task	Rewards
1/4
Earn 100,000 XP	×10
Complete 100 Field Research tasks	1000 XP
Catch 100 different species of Pokémon
Completing 1/4	1000 XP, ×20, ×1000
2/4
Earn a heart with you buddy 30 days in a row	×1
Send 50 Gifts to Friends	×1
Open 10 Gifts	×1
Completing 2/4	2000 XP, ×3, ×2000
3/9
Completing 3/4
4/4
Completing 4/4

The rest of the Special Research is not been yet discovered, due to task Earn a heart 30 days in row.

History

Apex Pokémon aura (probably the source of the great energy) was created by mysterious power stolen by Team GO Rocket that was stolen behind the mysterious door that was discovered in Season of Heritage. This new pheomeon was created by Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo. According to Pokémon GO website, plan started on 7th Febuary, when Team GO Rocket's Leader Arlo stole the mysterious power.

Related articles

• Apex Reveal
• Season of Heritage

Trivia

• The English, German, Spanish, French and Italian terms for Shadow Pokémon and purification are the same as their equivalents (Shadow Pokémon and purification) in Pokémon Colosseum and XD; however, the Japanese terms differ (being ダークポケモン Dark Pokémon and リライブ Relive, respectively, in the Nintendo GameCube games).
• Due to every Shadow Pokémon knowing Frustration and Purified Pokémon knowing Return, Weedle, Kakuna, Magikarp, Wobbuffet and Beldum each have two moves in Pokémon GO that they cannot learn in the core series.

In other languages

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 暗影寶可夢 Amyíng Pokémon Mandarin 暗影寶可夢 Ànyǐng Pokémon French Pokémon Obscur German Crypto-Pokémon Italian Pokémon ombra Korean 그림자 포켓몬 Geurimja Pokémon Brazilian Portuguese Pokémon Sombroso Spanish Pokémon oscuro Thai โปเกมอนชาโดว์ Pokémon Shadow

Purification

Language Title Chinese Cantonese 淨化 Jihngfa Mandarin 淨化 Jìnghuà French Purification German Erlösung Italian Purificazione Korean 정화 Jeonghwa Brazilian Portuguese Purificação Spanish Purificación Thai ชำระล้าง Chamralang

References

This article is part of Project Sidegames, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon Sidegames.