Are Shadow Pokémon Better Than Shiny?
Let‘s settle this debate once and for all among Pokémon GO trainers – when it comes to combat performance, shadow Pokémon are the clear winners. But for collectors seeking rare trophies, nothing beats the excitement of shiny Pokémon!
Shadows Hit Far Harder…at a Cost
Shadow Pokémon receive a 20% bonus to attack, enabling them to dish out +1.2x more damage with fast and charged moves compared to normal versions. My own Shadow Mewtwo frequently unleashes Psychic nukes hitting for over 150 damage in Master League!
This boost makes shadows the top attackers in raids and PvP, enabling victory before opponents can leverage shields or mount comebacks. However, in return shadows take 20% increased damage as well due to reduced defense. So they function as high risk, high reward glass cannons.
Running simulations on PokeBattler illustrates the dominance of shadows against raid bosses:
| Normal Salamence | Shadow Salamence | |
| Time to Win | 828 sec | 716 sec |
| Deaths | 5 | 7 |
Despite fainting quicker, the shadow Salamence‘s raw power enables it to win over 2 minutes faster!
Shinies Dazzle Based on Rarity
Shiny variants offer zero performance improvements – they simply feature alternate color palettes. But their sheer rarity makes encountering or hatching one a magical moment!
Based on data mining, most wild spawns have aprox a 1 in 500 chance to shine. And during special events like Community Days, that rate improves to roughly 1 in 25!
While they don‘t help in raids, part of Pokémon‘s appeal is collecting. So trainers go crazy over building out a complete shiny Pokedex, trophy case, or competitive shinies for PvP mind games!
Strategies for Hunting Shadow and Shines
Shadows – Equip Rocket Radars and battle the leaders when they have desirable shadows like Sneasel, Lapras, or Dratini. For events removing Frustration, use Charged TMs on great IV shadows with attack bonus.
Shinies – Click everything golden razzed during boosted shiny rate events! Beyond community days, focus field research, raids, eggs, and trades that yield special possibilities.
Pro tip: Have a Pokémon with Static as lead during electric or water events. I can‘t count the number of times my shiny hunting MVP Electabuzz has helped combo chain full-odds shinies!
Should You Purify That Shadow Hundo?
Finding a perfect IV shadow is the holy grail, but is it worth purifying? Here‘s some examples:
| Shadow | Purified | |
| Attack | 238 → 285 (+20%) | 238 → 268 (+2 IV) |
| Defense | 191 → 159 (-20%) | 191 → 197 (+2 IV) |
The attack gain from shadow bonus outweighs the +2 IVs. But for favorites, collectors may purify anyways for 100% IV dex entry plus cheaper power up costs.
Top monsters I recommend keeping shadow for their elite raid performance include: Mewtwo, Metagross, Moltres, Electivire, Magnezone, and the Larvitar family.
Personal Take – Embrace Both!
I live on the hunt for both beastly shadows and dazzling shinies! While my powered up shadow squad like Mewtwo, Tyranitar, and Gardevoir tears through raids, I simultaneously chase shinies through nest rotations.
Just last week found my first ever wild shiny Chansey! Even with awful IVs, she joined my cherished shinies commemorating epic moments and memories in Pokémon GO over the years.
So while competitive players should utilize shadows and collectors focus on shinies, my advice is to embrace the thrill of chasing both as you set your own goals in the game!
