Pros and cons of purifying Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon GO

When is purifying a Shadow Pokemon worth it in Pokemon GO? Many players often reiterate that purifying a Pokemon isn't worth it in almost any situation. Still, certain scenarios exist where a purified Pokemon is more useful, even if it loses the 20% damage buff that comes with being a Shadow Pokemon.

There are pros and cons to both in Pokemon GO, and there is something of a benefit analysis that can take place for players thinking of purifying a Pokemon for reasons outside of Research Tasks.

Pokemon GO: Breaking down Shadow Pokemon and purification

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When Shadow Pokemon were initially introduced alongside Team GO Rocket in July 2019, they added an entirely new dynamic to the popular AR title. Since then, the popularity of the Shadow Pokemon has grown due to their abilities as attackers, getting a damage boost to their moves when in battle.

However, this comes at a cost, as Shadow Pokemon are stuck with the charged move Frustration and cannot remove it without purification in most circumstances. There are times with specific events 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 like a significant hindrance. However, Shadow Pokemon can excel in certain scenarios due to the strength of their fast attacks.

Shadow Pokemon such as Swampert, Machamp, and Politoed can still perform very well in Pokemon GO's PvP modes. Those such as Shadow Mewtwo, Mamoswine, Hariyama, and Metagross are exceptional in Pokemon GO's raid battles.

So, which is the ideal method? The short answer is that it depends on what the particular player is after. Breaking down the two states of Shadow and Purified, there are positives and negatives to both, and some will 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 hit significantly harder. This can be great for raiding situations or for whittling down opposing Pokemon quickly in PvP in some situations. However, this doesn't apply to every Pokemon performing against other players.
Attack boosts from Shadow Pokemon can be further buffed by Weather Boosts, and these improvements stack. If your Shadow Pokemon is getting a Weather Boost, they can push their damage output even further from their fast attacks.
Although the cost of powering up and getting a second charged move for a Shadow Pokemon is increased, the candy and Stardust cost multiplier has dropped dramatically over time from 3x to 1.2x.
It can just be pretty cool to have that dark aura and red eyes on your Pokemon of choice.

Some cons to keeping a Shadow are:

Shadow Pokemon take more damage 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 cause more vulnerable battlers into more of a glass cannon than usual. Using a Shadow Pokemon strategically will require awareness of heavy-hitting moves from opponents and type advantages to avoid taking substantial damage.
For the most part, Frustration will be a charged move 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 easy nor cheap.
A Shadow Pokemon's IVs and CP level are lower than they would be after purification. In many cases, this isn't necessarily a bad thing, as the Pokemon's damage boost from being a Shadow outweighs the potential increases. However, this doesn't apply to every Shadow Pokemon equally in Pokemon GO.
Shadow Pokemon cannot be traded. According to Niantic, this is to preserve Pokemon GO's game balance.
For fans of Pokemon GO'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's something that can be considered in bad taste.

When it comes to Pokemon GO's purification, there are also some upsides:

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.
The Pokemon's IVs will each be increased by 2. Although this is not significant in many cases, and many players prefer the Shadow damage boost, sometimes purification can be the difference between a good and a great appraisal.
The amount of candy and Stardust needed to power up the Pokemon, evolve it, or teach it a second charged move is reduced.
Frustration will be replaced by the move Return. Return on its own deals 35 damage and is still better off being replaced, but it has slightly more utility than Frustration in Pokemon GO. It can also be removed with a Charged TM, whereas Frustration cannot. This is especially helpful in PvP, where the Pokemon will have access to both of its moves, as a Shadow Pokemon will typically need to rely on its fast attack as Frustration is effectively weak by nature.
The defense debuff for Shadow Pokemon is removed, meaning the Pokemon won't take additional damage compared to a Shadow.
Purified Pokemon can be traded, though they are limited to once per day because they are considered Special Trades in Pokemon GO.
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 available to Shadows. Though this is less painful for certain Pokemon, others do benefit highly from remaining as a Shadow.
The 2 IV 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 can vary. Stardust costs can range anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000.
Many Pokemon GO players enjoy Shadow Pokemon's more intimidating appearance than a purified one.

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

Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

Ditto disguises || Armarouge vs Ceruledge in Pokemon GO: Who should you evolve Charcadet into? || Is the Wonder Ticket worth it in Pokemon GO World of Wonders? || GO Battle League World of Wonders || Buddy evolution Adventure Together guide || Best Fast Attacks in Pokemon GO || Sierra counters || Cliff counters || Arlo counters || Giovanni counters