Should you purify Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokémon Go?

You’ll find plenty of Shadow Pokémon throughout your time playing Pokémon Go. They come from defeating Team Rocket members, or by beating them in Shadow Raids. If you catch a Shadow Ho-Oh, there’s a good chance you’re wondering if you should purify it, or keep it as a Shadow Pokémon.

It all comes down to the stats of a Pokémon and the attacks it can learn. Shadow Pokémon are distinct because they are different from their standard forms. For some, it’s better to use a Shadow Pokémon and lean into those differences. Other Pokémon do better in their standard form, and it’s worth it for you purify them, which also is a way to remove the Frustration move. Here’s what you need to know about if you should purify Shadow Ho-Oh or keep it as a Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon Go.

Is it better to purify Shadow Ho-oh in Pokémon Go?

We’ve recommended this before whenever it comes to Legendary Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon Go, but you almost never want to purify them. The reason behind this boils down to the rarity of finding Shadow Pokémon. Most Shadow Pokémon appear after you defeat Team Rocket grunts or the leaders, namely Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra. However, Legendary Shadow Pokémon typically only appear after defeating Giovanni, who rotates from having a specific one every few months alongside the Taken Over events.

However, with the introduction of Shadow Raids, Legendary Shadow Pokémon have a chance to appear outside of you defeating Giovanni. There’s a chance there could be a five-star Team Rocket raid. But these are exceptionally difficult to beat, and most players need to gather at least five to 10 other Pokémon Go players to beat them. Because of how difficult it is to complete these raids, and how rarely these Legendary Shadow Pokémon show up, it’s a waste to purify them, even if the standard form is better.

It’s much easier for you to catch a standard Legendary Pokémon. The five-star raids are challenging, but the Shadow Raids require you to have enough Purified Gems to calm a Shadow Pokémon down when it’s raging. When a Pokémon rages during these raids, they deal increased damage and take far less, making them nearly impossible to defeat unless everyone battling uses enough Purified Gems.

Now, if you don’t have a standard Ho-Oh and two Shadow Ho-Oh, consider purifying one of the Shadow versions. The standard version of Ho-Oh is a hair better than the Shadow version. The reason behind this is the stat differences. A Shadow Pokémon gets a 20% attack power increase but loses this percentage in its defense stat. For Ho-Oh, that defense stat is significant and makes it far more difficult for other Pokémon to take it down, especially in the Master League.

So long as you have at least one of each type of Ho-Oh, you’re better off with the standard version. The Shadow Ho-Oh might be a good choice if you use it as the final Pokémon on your team. The trick is for a fight against your opponent to go on long enough that they use their two shields at the beginning of a fight. Then, when you bring out Shadow Ho-Oh as your final Pokémon, they won’t be able to block its charged attacks, which deal a lot of damage. Normally Ho-Oh is a better first Pokémon because of its defenses, but you have to change your strategy when using the Shadow version.

Keep this in mind after you catch a Shadow Ho-Oh. Despite being the same Pokémon, they work slightly differently in Pokémon Go. They’re still good Pokémon to have on your team if you’re completing in standard raids while exploring your neighborhoods, or if you want to take the fight to Giovanni.