How to get Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO, and can it be shiny?

Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO debuted in the "A Looming Shadow Returns!" event in November 2021, and it has been a coveted legendary creature ever since. But how can you get one of your own? Where can it be found, and when you find it, can it appear as a shiny? To answer the latter question, Shiny Shadow Lugia has been available in the game since October 2023.

Shadow Lugia is also a focal point during Pokemon GO's Adventure Week: Taken Over event (August 10-11, 2024), where it can be found in 5-star Shadow Raids.

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How to get Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO

Shadow Lugia as a raid boss in Pokemon GO's Adventure Week: Taken Over event art (Image via Niantic)

There are two confirmed ways to obtain Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO, either from the past or present:

• 5-Star Shadow Raids
• Rescuing by Defeating Giovanni

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5-Star Shadow Raids

Since October 28-29, 2023, Shadow Lugia has appeared sporadically in 5-star Shadow Raids on weekends. While it has only done so once back in October 2023, the next opportunity to battle and catch the Pocket Monster in Shadow Raids will be during the Adventure Week: Taken Over event on August 10-11, 2024.

Defeating Shadow Lugia in raids requires a high-powered team of counters and some fellow trainers to help you take it down. It also needs plenty of Max Revives and Purified Gems to ensure that your raid team stays healthy and Shadow Lugia's rage doesn't build too much, respectively.

Still, considering this is one of the few ways to get Shadow Lugia, it's an option to keep in mind.

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Rescuing by Defeating Giovanni

Before Shadow Raids had been introduced, Shadow Lugia was also available to obtain by defeating Team GO Rocket's boss Giovanni in battle. From November 9, 2021, until April 2, 2022, Shadow Lugia was part of Giovanni's team and when he was beaten, the critter could be caught in a post-battle encounter.

While Giovanni hasn't used Shadow Lugia in his battle lineup since April 2022, the sinister Team GO Rocket boss regularly changes his teams and always has a Shadow Legendary at his side. Perhaps Shadow Lugia could make a return in future Pokemon GO events even if it isn't available at the moment, though you'll have to keep an eye on announcements from Niantic to be sure.

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How to get Shiny Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO

Shiny Shadow Lugia has red accents to its body instead of dark blue (Image via The Pokemon Company/Niantic)

Sadly, finding a Shiny Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO will take quite a bit of time and effort until its regular form is made available through other aspects of gameplay. For the time being, you'll need to either find and defeat Shadow Lugia in its 5-star Shadow Raids or beat Giovanni when he has Shadow Lugia on his team for a chance to find its shiny form.

As a Shadow Legendary, and unless Niantic boosts its chance of appearing as a shiny, Shiny Shadow Lugia should have a base appearance chance of 1/20, or 5%.

With that in mind, you'll need to succeed in (likely) several Shadow Raids featuring Shadow Lugia or use Super Rocket Radars to beat Giovanni more than a few times before its shiny form will appear.

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FAQ about Shadow Lugia in Pokemon GO

Q1) What is Shadow Lugia's max Combat Power (CP) in Pokemon GO?

While it does have boosted damage output and reduced durability as a Shadow Pokemon, both Lugia and its shadow counterpart share the same maximum Combat Power of 4,186 CP.

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Q2) Is Shadow Lugia rare in Pokemon GO?

Considering it has only appeared on a few rare occasions dating back to its inclusion, Shadow Lugia is certainly one of the rarer creatures you can catch in the game. While it may not be the rarest, it doesn't appear very often, so you should seize the opportunity to encounter it when possible.

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Q3) Is Shadow Lugia strong in Pokemon GO?

Due to its base stats lending themselves to durability, Shadow Lugia is a capable battler in the GO Battle League's PvP formats, particularly in the Master League where it has no limitations on its CP. However, the Shadow Pokemon debuff it sustains to its defenses does make it a less preferable option compared to standard Lugia, unless you need its Shadow Boost for added firepower.

Meanwhile, while Shadow Lugia can perform in lower-end PvE situations, like Tier-1 and Tier-3 raids or attacking gyms/battling Team GO Rocket, it shouldn't be considered a high-ceiling option as an attacker. Lugia's stats are geared more toward defense, not offense, and many other Psychic and Flying-type Pokemon can fit the attacker role better.