Pokémon Go Shadow Pokémon counters, how to beat Shadow Snorlax and how Purified Pokémon work

Pokémon Go Shadow Pokémon Counters

In Pokémon Go, Shadow Pokémon can only be obtained by defeating them in Shadow Raids or through battles with Team Rocket, including Grunts, Leaders, or Giovanni himself. These lineups rotate regularly, so the availability of specific Shadow Pokémon may vary. To effectively catch Shadow Pokémon, it’s beneficial to check current Team Rocket Grunt lineups, which can provide insights into the Pokémon you’re likely to encounter.

It’s important to remember that the first Pokémon you face in Team Rocket battles is typically a Shadow Pokémon, while Giovanni always offers a chance to catch a Shadow Legendary Pokémon as his third Pokémon. The type and availability of this Legendary Pokémon may change depending on when you complete the related research quest.

How to Defeat Shadow Snorlax in Pokémon Go

Defeating Shadow Snorlax can be challenging due to its unique moveset. Shadow Snorlax has access to fast Ghost and Psychic type moves, along with charged Normal, Ground, and Steel moves, which makes it resistant to traditional counters like Machamp.

To effectively combat Shadow Snorlax, consider using the following Pokémon along with their ideal moves:

• Tyranitar: Smash Down / Crunch
• Ursaring: Counter / Close Combat
• Lucario: Counter / Power-Up Punch
• Weavile: Ice Shard / Avalanche
• Dragonite: Dragon Breath / Dragon Claw
• Metagross: Bullet Punch / Meteor Mash

If you have access to Legendary Pokémon, they can also be used effectively:

• Lugia: Extrasensory / Sky Attack
• Latios: Dragon Breath / Dragon Claw
• Dialga: Dragon Breath / Dragon Claw
• Palkia: Dragon Breath / Dragon Meteor
• Heatran: Fire Spin / Stone Edge

Be sure to use your shields wisely to block Shadow Snorlax’s charged moves for a better chance of winning the battle.

Understanding Purified Pokémon in Pokémon Go

Purified Pokémon offer several advantages that differentiate them from regular Pokémon. When you purify a Shadow Pokémon, their Candy cost for powering up or evolving is reduced by 10%, and the Stardust cost for teaching a secondary move is also decreased by 10%. Purified Pokémon learn the move Return, a powerful Normal-type move, and their IVs (Individual Values) increase by 2 in every stat: Attack, Defense, and HP.

Additionally, the level cap for a Purified Pokémon increases to level 25, enhancing its overall strength and effectiveness in battles. Purified Pokémon are marked with a blue star in your Pokémon storage, making them easy to identify.

Purification also restores any fainted Shadow Pokémon to full health, allowing you to continue using them in battles. However, it’s important to note that purified Pokémon cannot be transferred to Pokémon Let’s Go games, while Shadow Pokémon cannot be traded or undergo Mega Evolution.

When you purify a Shadow Pokémon, the move Frustration is replaced with Return, giving them a more advantageous moveset. Players can also encounter Lucky Purified Pokémon, adding another layer of excitement to catching and purifying Pokémon in the game.