Pokemon GO guide: 10 best Shadow types to use in battles

Pokemon GO has a pool of strong Pokemon on their list. On top of that, they often debut the shadow version of these Pokemon. The vast world of Pokemon ranges from anime and manga adaptations and card games to online and offline platforms and even big-budget live-action adaptations like Detective Pikachu.

Fans of Pokemon have been following it for decades and know almost every nook and corner of the franchise. Out of the many types of Pokemon, a Shadow Pokemon is known to have no feelings or no emotions.

Since Shadow Pokemon are very hard to control by normal trainers, the black aura surrounding them makes them appear more thrilling and exciting. Only experienced Pokemon GO trainers can add a shadow Pokemon to their roster.

Any Pokemon can attain the shadow form, and the Hyper Attacks used by normal Pokemon are way weaker than those of normal Shadow Attacks. Only powerful and experienced trainers in Pokemon GO can train such shadow Pokemon. If done right, they might become one of the most potent forces a trainer can come across.

Shadow Pokemon are fun to train

10) Shadow Gyarados

Originally from the Kanto region (Gen 1), Shadow Gyarados is a Water and Flying-type Pokemon with 2985 Maximum Combat Power. Shadow Gyarados is said to be extremely violent and gets boosted by rainy and windy weather.

With stats like 165 Attack Power, 174 Defense Power, and 277 Stamina Power, Shadow Gyarados’s best moveset in Pokemon GO combines Waterfall and Hydro Pump for an average of 16.34 DPS. It performs the best against Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, and Water-Type Pokemon but is vulnerable to Electric and Rock-type Pokemon.

9) Shadow Lapras

Shadow Lapras is about to become extinct (Image via Niantic)

Originally from the Kanto region, Shadow Lapras is a Water and Ice-type Pokemon from Gen 1. Considered to be driven to the verge of being extinct by humans, it longs and sings to find another of its kind.

Boosted by Rain and Snow Weather, this Pokemon has a max CP of 2985 and 165 Attack, 174 Defense, and 277 Stamina Power stats in its arsenal.

Shadow Lapras’s best offensive moveset in Pokemon GO is the combination of Water Gun (12 DPS) and Surf (45.9 DPS). While Shadow Lapras is powerful against Ice and Water-type Pokemon, it is quite weak against Rock, Grass, or Electric attacks.

8) Shadow Moltres

Shadow Moltres flying in the list of best shadow Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

Initially found in the Kanto region (Gen 1), the Fire and Flying-type Pokemon Shadow Moltres can naturally heal itself if injured. The maximum Combat power value of this Pokemon is 3917, and its stats distribution amounts to 251 Attack Power, 181 Defense Power, and 207 Stamina Power. Although Shadow Moltres has slightly less Defense Power, it is only weak against Water, Electric, or Rock-Type attacks.

Shadow Moltres's best moveset in Pokemon GO would be a combination of Wing Attack and Overheat with 18.43 DPS. Boosted by sunny and windy weather, its long list of resistances makes it a powerful pick as it can easily tackle Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Steel-Type Pokemon.

7) Shadow Snorlax

The Normal-Type Pokemon, Shadow Snorlax, is originally from the Kanto region (Gen 1). Shadow Snorlax has a max CP of 3467 in Pokemon GO but is an extremely lazy Pokemon and is known for its habit of eating and sleeping all day. Even after lazing around all day, Shadow Snorlax is weak only against Fighting-type moves but is also resistant to only Ghost-type Moves.

Boosted by partly cloudy weather, Shadow Snorlax's stats include 190 Attack Power, 169 Defense Power, and 330 Stamina Power. The massive amount of stamina it has makes it an immovable fortress that doesn't go down quickly. The best moveset for Shadow Snorlax in Pokemon GO is a combination of Lick and Hyper Beam (12.83 DPS).

6) Shadow Mamoswine

Shadow Mamoswine is a tough Pokemon to catch (Image via Niantic)

The Ground and Ice-type Pokemon, Shadow Mamoswine, is said to have only a 5% chance of capturing. Boosted by snowy or sunny weather, this Pokemon has a max CP of 3763 and is very resilient against Electric and Poison-Type moves. With 247 Attack Power, 146 Defense Power, and 242 Stamina Power in its arsenal, Shadow Mamoswine is known for its long-pointed ice tooth.

Shadow Mamoswine's best moveset in Pokemon GO is the combination of Powder Snow and Avalanche (17.16 DPS) but is extremely weak against Water, Fire, steel, Grass, and Fighting-Type Pokemon.

5) Shadow Tyranitar

Shadow Tyranitar can easily win against any other Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

Shadow Tyranitar, a Rock and Dark Dual-type Pokemon, originates from the Johto region (Gen 2). With a 55% chance of capturing, this Pokemon has a max CP of 4335 and an arsenal of stats like 251 Attack Power, 207 Defense Power, and 225 Stamina Power.

Wandering around the mountains is boosted by partly cloudy and foggy weather and is vulnerable to Fairy, Fighting, Steel, Grass, Ground, Bug, and Water-type moves. Shadow Tyranitar's best moveset in Pokemon GO is the combination of Smack Down and Stone Edge (16.53 DPS).

4) Shadow Victreebel

Despite placing fourth on this list, Shadow Victreebel has a maximum CP of 2748 with 207 Attack Power, 135 Defense Power, and 190 Stamina Power in its arsenal. This Poison and Grass-type Pokemon originates from the Kanto region (Gen 1) and is boosted by sunny and cloudy weather.

The best moveset for Shadow Victreebel is the combined effort of Acid and Sludge Bomb, which has an average of 15.27 DPS. Resistant to Grass, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, and Water-type Pokemon, it's weak against Psychic, Ice, Flying, and Fire-type moves.

3) Shadow Machamp

Shadow Machamp stands second on the list of best shadow Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

The Fighting-type Pokemon Shadow Machamp originates from the Kanto region and has a max CP of 3455. With 234 Attack Power, 159 Defense Power, and 207 Stamina Power, this Pokemon has only a 10 % chance of being captured.

The best moveset for Shadow Machamp in Pokemon GO is a mix of Counter and Dynamic Punch (17.30 DPS). Boosted by Cloudy Weather, it is vulnerable to Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type Pokemon but is resistant to Bug, Dark, and Rock-type moves.

2) Shadow Weavile

Originally from the Sinnoh region (Gen 4), Shadow Weavile is a Dark-type Pokemon with a Max CP of 3397. Boosted by Fog and Snow Weather, there is almost zero chance to capture this Pokemon since it has increased intellectual capabilities.

With Pokemon GO stats like 243 Attack Power, 171 Defense Power, and 172 Stamina Power, Shadow Weavile’s best moveset combines Feint Attack and Avalanche (17.45 DPS). It performs best against Psychic, Dark, Ghost, and Ice-type Pokemon but is vulnerable to Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Rock, and Steel-type moves.

1) Shadow Mewtwo

Shadow Mewtwo is the best shadow Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

The legendary psychic-type Pokemon, Shadow Mewtwo, is a genetically manipulated creation of humans. While it is vulnerable to Bug, Ghost, and Dark-type Pokemon, it is highly resistant to Fighting and Psychic-Type Pokemon.

Originally from the Kanto region, it is considered one of the most powerful fighters on the Pokemon GO platform. Boosted by a windy-type climate and a maximum CP of 4724, the best Moveset for Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon GO is Confusion (15 DPS) and Psystrike (47 DPS) when attacking. The division of stats for Shadow Mewtwo is 300 Attack, 182 Defense, and 214 Stamina, which can easily defeat any opponent with such focused Attack Power in its arsenal.