Is There A Benefit To Purifying Pokemon

It'due south one of the Pokemon GO customs's almost oft-debated topics! When is purifying a Shadow Pokemon worth it?

Many players oft reiterate the line that purifying a Pokemon isn't worth it in well-nigh any situation, merely there are certainly situations where a purified Pokemon is more useful, even if it loses the twenty% impairment buff that comes with being a Shadow Pokemon. At that place are certainly pros and cons to both in Pokemon GO, and there is something of a benefit analysis that can accept identify for players that are thinking of purifying a Pokemon for reasons outside of Research Tasks.

Pokemon Go: Breaking down Shadow Pokemon and purification

Image via Niantic — Paradigm via Niantic

When Shadow Pokemon were introduced alongside Team Get Rocket in July 2019, they added an entirely new dynamic to Pokemon GO. Since then, Shadow Pokemon accept grown in popularity due to their abilities as attackers, getting a impairment boost to their moves when in boxing.

However, this comes at a cost, as Shadow Pokemon are stuck with the charged movement Frustration and are unable to remove it without purification in most circumstances. There are times, similar to Pokemon Become'southward contempo Luminous Legends event, where Shadow Pokemon can gain a charged attack that isn't Frustration, but they are few and far between.

Given that Frustration deals a paltry 10 damage, it may seem similar a significant hindrance. However, Shadow Pokemon tin can excel in certain scenarios due to the strength of their fast attacks. Shadow Pokemon such as Swampert, Machamp and Politoed can even so perform very well in Pokemon Go'due south PvP modes, and those such equally Shadow Mewtwo, Mamoswine, Hariyama, and Metagross are exceptional in Pokemon Get's raid battles.

So which is the platonic method? The brusk answer is that information technology depends on what the particular player is after. Breaking down the two states of Shadow and Purified, there are pluses and negatives to both, and some volition outweigh others depending on what players are aiming to do with it within Pokemon GO.

The upsides to keeping a Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon GO are:

The attack power of a Shadow Pokemon is boosted by 1.2x or 20%, making its fast attack striking significantly harder. This can be not bad for raiding situations or for whittling downwardly opposing Pokemon chop-chop in PvP in some situations. Though this doesn't apply to every Pokemon performing against other players.
Attack boosts from Shadow Pokemon tin exist further buffed by Conditions Boosts, and these improvements stack. If your Shadow Pokemon is getting a Weather Heave, they can push their impairment output even further from their fast attacks.
Although the price of powering upwards and getting a 2d charged move for a Shadow Pokemon is increased, the candy and Stardust toll multiplier has dropped dramatically over fourth dimension from 3x to 1.2x.
Information technology can just be pretty cool to take that dark aura and the blood-red eyes on your Pokemon of choice.

Some cons to keeping a Shadow are:

Shadow Pokemon have more impairment than their standard or purified counterparts. Their defense is multiplied by 0.8333. Though this may seem negligible depending on the Pokemon, it can also crusade more vulnerable battlers into more than of a drinking glass cannon than usual. Using a Shadow Pokemon strategically volition require awareness of heavy-hitting moves from opponents and type advantages to avoid taking substantial harm.
For the most function, Frustration will exist a charged movement that the Pokemon will be stuck with. There are exceptions to this as previously stated, but the options of replacing Frustration or acquiring a second charged move are neither piece of cake nor cheap.
A Shadow Pokemon's IVs and CP level is lower than it would be later purification. In many cases, this isn't necessarily a bad affair, as the Pokemon'southward damage boost from being a Shadow outweighs the potential increases. However, this doesn't utilize to every Shadow Pokemon as in Pokemon Become.
Shadow Pokemon cannot exist traded. According to Niantic, this is to preserve Pokemon Go'due south game balance.
For fans of Pokemon Get's story, Shadow Pokemon are made the way they are by being tortured and pushed to the brink by Team Go Rocket's "unnatural means." From a lore standpoint, that'southward something that can be considered in bad taste.

When information technology comes to Pokemon Become'due south purification, at that place are also some upsides:

A Purified Pokemon's CP level is additional to level 25. This is benign in the event powering up a Shadow Pokemon past that level is resource-consuming for the player.
The Pokemon's IVs will each be increased by ii. Although this is not significant in many cases and many players prefer the Shadow damage boost, sometimes purification tin exist the difference between a good and a great appraisal.
The amount of candy and Stardust needed to power upwards the Pokemon, evolve it, or teach it a second charged move is reduced.
Frustration will be replaced by the move Return. Render on its own deals 35 damage and is nevertheless better off being replaced, but it has slightly more utility than Frustration in Pokemon GO. It tin as well exist removed with a Charged TM, where Frustration cannot. This is specially helpful in PvP where the Pokemon will take access to both of its moves, every bit a Shadow Pokemon will typically demand to rely on its fast attack every bit Frustration is effectively weak by nature.
The defense debuff for Shadow Pokemon is removed, meaning the Pokemon won't accept additional damage compared to a Shadow.
Purified Pokemon tin can be traded, though they are limited at in one case per day considering they are considered Special Trades in Pokemon Become.
Story-wise, the Pokemon is considered pure and saved from Team GO Rocket's wicked influence. To show for it, they possess a glowing white aura.

The downsides to purification are:

Purified Pokemon lose the 20% damage bonus made bachelor to Shadows. Though this is less painful for sure Pokemon, others exercise do good highly from remaining as a Shadow.
The 2 Four increase is often dwarfed by the Shadow damage boost. There are exceptions, but the boost is largely preferred.
Depending on the Pokemon's buddy candy walking distance, the cost to purify the Pokemon tin vary. Stardust costs can range anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000.
Many Pokemon Become players enjoy the more intimidating appearance of Shadow Pokemon compared to a purified one.

At the terminate of the day, purification or keeping the Pokemon in its shadowy state comes down to the player and what it is they desire from the particular Pokemon. While most players will likely opt to continue the Shadow Pokemon, there are more a few exceptions depending on the player's needs. Choice is a huge part of Pokemon Get, and players shouldn't feel limited from experimenting.