What is the Best Shadow Pokémon to Keep in Pokémon GO?

If you‘re an avid Pokémon GO trainer, you‘ve probably caught some Shadow Pokémon from defeating Team GO Rocket leaders. These unique Shadow Pokémon deal 20% more damage when attacking thanks to their "Shadow bonus." But they also take 20% more damage in return.

So which of these powerful Shadow Pokémon are actually worth investing your hard-earned Stardust and Candy into powering up? Let‘s dive into the pros, cons, and top picks for the best Shadow Pokémon to keep!

Shadow Mewtwo – The Undisputed King

Without question, Shadow Mewtwo is the single best Shadow Pokémon for raids and gyms. This Gen 1 Legendary has the highest Attack stat in the game at 300, even after Niantic nerfed it.

And with access to almost every charged move type, from Thunderbolt to Hyper Beam, Shadow Mewtwo dominates as a raid attacker. In simulations, it outperforms regular Mewtwo by a whopping 18% thanks to the Shadow damage bonus!

So if you‘re lucky enough to catch a Shadow Mewtwo, do not purify it. This is one Shadow you want to keep dealing massive damage.

Other Shadow Legendaries – Rare & Powerful

Like Shadow Mewtwo, other Shadow Legendary Pokémon like Shadow Ho-Oh, Shadow Lugia, and Shadow Latios are excellent ones to invest in. As rare spawns from defeating the Team GO Rocket leader Giovanni, these Shadow Legendaries have high base stats and make formidable gym attackers.

Purifying these Legendaries boosts their IVs, which can be appealing. But you sacrifice their unique Shadow bonus. I‘d recommend keeping any Shadow Legendaries you acquire unless their IVs are abysmal. Power them up for your raid and gym teams!

Shadow Machamp – Destroyer of Gyms

If you want the most dominant gym sweeper, look no further than Shadow Machamp. This Gen 1 Fighting-type already boasts tremendous Attack and access to fast moves like Counter and charged moves like Dynamic Punch.

With the Shadow attack bonus, Shadow Machamp becomes an absolute beast that can tear through Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, and Dark-type defenders in gyms with ease. Even sturdy Blissey and Snorlax melt before its onslaught.

So if you catch a Shadow Machop or Machoke, evolve it into Shadow Machamp! You won‘t regret having one on your gym attack squad.

Shadow Salamence – Dragon Damage Dealer

Hailing from Gen 3, Shadow Salamence is one of my personal favorites to use in raids and gym battles thanks to its stellar Dragon/Flying typing.

This gives Shadow Salamence resistance to Grass, Fighting, Ground, Bug, and Fire type moves. And with high base Attack, it really dishes out punishment with fast moves like Dragon Tail and charged moves like Draco Meteor.

While you can get a Salamence from the Bagon community day, the Shadow version takes its power up a notch. I‘d definitely invest in powering up a Shadow Salamence if you have one!

Shadow Metagross – Tanky Steel Attacker

If you want a tanky Steel-type attacker, Shadow Metagross fits the bill. With tremendous defense, high HP, and access to the devastating Meteor Mash charged move, Shadow Metagross dominates as a gym sweeper and raid attacker.

In particular, having a Shadow Metagross powered up is hugely beneficial for taking down tough Fairy and Ice-type raid bosses like Togekiss and Kyurem. The Shadow bonus makes it outpace regular Metagross substantially too.

So if Beldum community day comes around, be sure to evolve one into Shadow Metagross and use it as your prime Steel-type damage dealer!

Shiny Shadow Pokémon – Rare & Stylish

One fun thing about Shadow Pokémon is that you can occasionally encounter Shiny versions out in the wild. In particular, Shiny Shadow Skorupi, Shiny Shadow Swinub, and Shiny Shadow Snubbull are extra rare finds.

These Shiny Shadow Pokémon don‘t offer battle advantages. But they sure look cool and make awesome trophies! You can purify them to get the IV boost, but keeping them Shadow preserves their uniqueness.

I‘d say add any you find to your collection. It‘s not every day you catch a pink Shiny Shadow Snubbull!

Weighing Purification – Pros and Cons

When it comes to Shadow Pokémon, you have an important decision – should you keep it Shadow or purify it? Here‘s a comparison of the pros and cons:

As you can see, Shadow Pokémon deal more damage, but are costlier to invest in. Purifying boosts IVs, but you lose their unique attack bonus.

For the very strongest Pokémon like Mewtwo, keeping it Shadow is likely worth it. But for others, purifying can give you a stronger version. Evaluate the costs for your particular Pokémon.

Parting Tips on Using Shadow Pokémon

Here are some final tips from my experience using Shadow Pokémon effectively:

• Only invest in Shadow Pokémon with high Attack IVs – this stat is most important for their damage.

• Make sure to TM away the weak "Frustration" move during Rocket events that allow it.

• Use PokéGenie or apps to evaluate Shadow Pokémon IVs and give power up advice.

• Put Shadow Pokémon as leads in your raid/gym parties to get the most from their attack bonus.

• Complement them with bulkier normal Pokémon to balance teams.

Conclusion

To make the most of Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO, focus on powering up those with strong base stats and movesets like Shadow Mewtwo, Shadow Metagross, and Shadow Salamence.

Prioritize catching Shadow Legendaries from Giovanni encounters and Shiny Shadow Pokémon as cool collectibles.

And don‘t forget to have fun showcasing your amazing Shadow Pokémon teams! With their unique attack bonus, they can dominate gyms and raids with style.