Pokémon Go announces changes to Team GO Rocket's Shadow Pokémon

Shadow Pokemon Go Update
Shadow Pokemon Go Update (Image credit: Niantic)

What you need to know

  • A pair of tweets and an update on the Official Pokémon Go website Monday evening signify changes in Shadow Pokémon.
  • Shadow Pokémon who remain Shadow Pokémon will both deal more damage and take more damage.
  • Costs for powering up Shadow Pokémon have come down and during select time periods, Charged TMs will work on them.

After Niantic announced an upcoming Team GO Rocket Takeover last week, more updates have gone up through the Official Pokémon Go Twitter and the Official Pokémon Go site Monday evening, March 2, 2020. Reports suggest that Team GO Rocket has made some developments to the process by which they turn regular Pokémon into Shadow Pokémon. Now, Shadow Pokémon are even stronger than before, with their attacks doing even greater damage. However, this strength comes with one critical weakness: Shadow Pokémon are also taking more damage than before as well! Although this means that Shadow Pokémon will be an even bigger threat than before, perhaps the bright side is that Trainers can rescue them from Team GO Rocket even faster as well.

In addition to doing and receiving more damage, so long as a Pokémon remains a Shadow Pokémon, it will cost less Stardust and Candy to power it up and teach it an additional Charged Attack. There will even be select times when Charged TMs will work on Shadow Pokémon, allowing their special move Frustration to be replaced with another, more powerful Charged Attack. These changes also promise to make the Legendary Shadow Pokémon Team GO Rocket's Boss, Giovanni has forced to serve him even more powerful as well!

Will this surge in activity from Team GO Rocket encourage you to rescue and purify even more Shadow Pokémon? Or, will the promise of greater power at the expense of your Pokémon tempt you into keeping your Shadow Pokémon under this dark affliction? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to check out our Complete Pokédex, as well as our many Pokémon Go guides so you too can become a Pokémon Master!

Casian Holly

Casian Holly has been writing about gaming at iMore since 2019, but their real passion is Pokémon. From the games to the anime, cards and toys, they eat, sleep, and breathe all things Pokémon. You can check out their many Pokémon Go and Pokémon Sword and Shield guides and coverage here on iMore.