Proposal for Enhancing Purifying Mechanic in Pokemon GO to Serve a “Real Purpose”

Shadow Pokémon represent one of the most exciting features introduced to Pokémon GO. These creatures not only evoke nostalgia for the franchise’s early 2000s heyday, but they also come with a noteworthy Shadow Boost, which sacrifices 10% defense for a significant 20% increase in attack power.

However, a number of players on various forums express that purified Shadow Pokémon sometimes feel somewhat unnecessary. On the bright side, purifying them enhances their individual values (IVs) by two points and reduces the cost of powering them up.

A Reddit user named Entire_Pineapple4732 has proposed an intriguing concept aimed at enhancing the usefulness of Purified Pokémon within Niantic’s mobile game.

by u/Entire_Pineapple4732 in pokemongo

In their post, Entire_Pineapple4732 argues that Shadow Pokémon should take increased damage from Purified Pokémon. This adjustment could prove beneficial during Raid Battles and confrontations with Team GO Rocket; however, it may significantly disrupt the competitive landscape of Shadow Pokémon due to their inherent defense weakness.

Moreover, they suggest introducing a “Chill Pill”item that would eliminate the Frustration charged move.

While this addition could be advantageous for competitive trainers, it would conflict with Niantic’s intent for Shadow Pokémon, which is to closely mirror their main series equivalents.

Comment by u/Entire_Pineapple4732 in pokemongo

They also mention that a purified Mega Evolution could consistently offer more advantages to trainers than regular versions. For instance, Purified Sableye can effectively utilize the Return move in the Great League, making it more formidable than its regular or Shadow variants.

Niantic could feasibly enhance Purified Pokémon against Shadow Raid Bosses (Image via Reddit)

The proposed Chill Pill item does have the potential to be integrated into Pokémon GO, yet it offers benefits typically associated with rare in-game events.

If this consumable were to be introduced, Niantic would likely recognize its value and could position it as a premium item available for purchase with PokéCoins instead of making it a free reward.

Should Niantic consider revamping Purified Pokémon in Pokémon GO?

Currently, both Shadow and Purified Pokémon largely reflect their counterparts from the main series. In that context, Shadow Pokémon are known for acting against their trainers’ commands, often linked to exclusive moves that come with their own drawbacks.

Purified Pokémon are intended to be superior to their Shadow variants, foregoing their exclusive moves, which were effective against every type, in exchange for a standard Pokémon that follows commands, potentially unlocking unique moves after purification.

However, with the introduction of the Shadow Boost, which provides an extra 20% attack increase, the balance has shifted, positioning Shadow Pokémon as more advantageous than Purified ones.

Given this scenario, it might be beneficial for Niantic to consider reducing the Shadow Boost to encourage more players to embrace the purification process.

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