Is Shadow Latias good in Pokemon Go?

Yes, Shadow Latias is one of the most powerful attackers in Pokemon Go, despite its fragility. The 20% attack boost enables it to deal tremendous damage, shredding opponents and bosses faster than almost any other counter. However, its decreased defense means it faints quickly.

Let‘s take an in-depth look at how Shadow Latias performs in different aspects of Pokemon Go and whether its strengths ultimately make it worth powering up.

Overview of Shadow Latias

Shadow Pokémon are controversial but coveted in Pokémon Go due to their unique stats. A Shadow has +20% attack but -20% defense compared to its normal version.

For the Dragon/Psychic legendary Latias, this grants a mighty 228 attack stat at the cost of reduced bulk. Here are its full stats as a Shadow:

• Attack: 228
• Defense: 246
• Stamina: 190
• Max CP: 3968

Shadow Latias retains Latias‘ moveset, with access to fast moves Charm and Dragon Breath plus charged moves like Psychic, Outrage, and exclusive move Mist Ball.

Let‘s see how this risk-reward stat tradeoff affects Shadow Latias‘ performance.

Is Shadow Latias good for Raids?

There‘s no doubt Shadow Latias‘ 20% attack boost makes it an extremely powerful raid attacker.

According to simulations from GamePress, Shadow Latias with Dragon Breath and Draco Meteor has an estimator of 57.633, higher than any other Dragon or Psychic type. This demolishes raid bosses weak to those types.

For example, Shadow Latias is rated as the:

Shadow Latias can shred through these and other bosses with blistering speed, outdamaging most other options. The attack bonus enables it to leverage Latias‘ already high attack into something devastating.

However, Shadow Latias‘ reduced bulk means it faints much quicker in raids. According to Pokebattler, a level 40 15/15/15 Shadow Latias lasts about 32.9 seconds against a Machamp raid boss. The same IV regular Latias lasts 49.4 seconds – a difference of over 16 seconds!

So while Shadow Latias deals massive damage, it usually won‘t survive long enough to unleash more than one charged move. You‘ll need multiple copies to make the most of its power.

Overall, Shadow Latias is an extremely strong but glassy raid attacker. The attack gain is well worth the fragility tradeoff.

Is Shadow Latias good for PVP?

In Master League PVP, Shadow Latias becomes incredibly threatening. With 20% higher attack, it can dish out devastating charged moves before opponents can react.

For example, against the common Master League pick Dragonite, Shadow Latias wins all even shield scenarios, unlike regular Latias which only wins the 2 vs 2 shield. Shadow Latias‘ Mist Ball or Psychic bring down Dragonite before it can KO in return.

However, Shadow Latias folds easily to Dialga, Togekiss, Mamoswine and other prevalent Master League picks. According to PvPoke, it has an overall threat score of 511, much lower than Latias‘ 545.

The reason is Shadow Latias‘ weakened bulk. Despite hitting brutally hard, Shadow Latias gets taken out very quickly by opponents that survive its charged attack.

You have little room for error with Shadow Latias. It demands perfect baiting and move timing to land a KO before your opponent. Otherwise it faints rapidly.

So while the 20% attack boost gives Shadow Latias wins it can normally only dream of, the reduced durability hampers its reliability significantly. It can only unleash its power under ideal conditions.

Overall, Shadow Latias is viable with shields in Master League but very risky compared to the tanky regular Latias. The attack comes at the cost of critical survival.

Should you purify Shadow Latias?

Purifying a Shadow Pokémon removes its attack boost and defense penalty. For Shadow Latias, this makes it more balanced stat-wise but lowers its performance at the top end.

Purification increases a Pokémon‘s IVs by +2 for each stat. So a 13/13/13 Shadow Latias becomes 15/15/15 when purified, with its Level also boosted by +2.

This makes Purified Latias much tankier. With 249 Defense and 190 Stamina, it regains the legendary bulk regular Latias is known for.

In Master League, Purified Latias survives for longer periods of time compared to the fragile Shadow version. This makes it more consistent and reliable.

However, Purified Latias loses significant raid DPS from shedding the 20% attack bonus. According to GamePress, a 15/15/15 Purified Latias has an estimator of 50.028 – over 7 points lower than the Shadow version!

So purifying improves Latias‘ PVP viability but drastically reduces its performance against raid bosses. It becomes well-rounded but loses its elite stopping power.

The choice depends on how you plan to use Latias. Keeping it Shadow maximizes its raid potential, while purification makes it more balanced for Master League.

How rare is Shadow Latias?

Shadow Latias is one of the rarest Shadow Pokémon in the game. It was available for only two weeks in April 2022 from defeating Team GO Rocket boss Giovanni.

Outside of that brief event window, Shadow Latias is unobtainable through normal gameplay. This makes any specimen caught incredibly valuable.

According to Eurogamer, the lineup of Shadow Legendaries from Team GO Rocket has been:

• Shadow Mewtwo – October 2020
• Shadow Ho-Oh – June 2021
• Shadow Lugia – November 2021
• Shadow Latias – April 2022

It‘s unknown when or if Shadow Latias will return again. For now, it remains a coveted rarity reserved for collectors and power players at the top.

Conclusion: A risky but rewarding investment

In summary, Shadow Latias is one of the premier glass cannon attackers in Pokémon Go. Its tremendous attack output shreds Gyms, raids, and unprepared PVP opponents alike.

However, the reduced defense means it faints very quickly. To unleash its potential demands skill, resources, and care.

While squishier, Shadow Latias‘ elite DPS justifies the extra effort to cover its weaknesses. It claims wins and record times few other Pokémon can match.

For veterans seeking an edge, powering up a Shadow Latias is a costly but hugely rewarding long-term investment. Despite the fragility, its sheer stopping power is almost unmatched in the game.

Just be sure to leverage it strategically and you‘ll tear through the competition before they know what hit them!