Should you purify Shadow Zapdos in Pokemon GO?

The season of Adventures Abound in Pokemon GO started in September 2023. While the new era in Niantic's mobile game has multiple promising aspects, one of the most fascinating facets must be Shadow Zapdos's debut in five-star Shadow Raids. These will be available every Saturday and Sunday till the season concludes at the end of November 2023.

The Electric-type Legendary Bird can be caught in Pokemon GO after you defeat it in the five-star raid. If you are lucky enough, you might even end up finding the coveted shiny form of the creature as it has been made available for the first time in Pokemon GO's history.

Once you have acquired the Shadow Zapdos, the you are sure to wonder whether you should purify the critter or not. While Shadow Articuno should never be purified under any circumstances, the case of Shadow Zapdos is dependent on how you plan on using it in the game. This article will index all the pros and cons of purifying the Electric-type legendary bird.

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What are the pros and cons of purifying Shadow Zapdos in Pokemon GO?

Stat changes

Like other Shadow Pokemon, the biggest advantage of retaining Shadow Zapdos is the 1.2x Attack boost the critter gets. Its base 253 offensive stat becomes 303. On the downside, it loses defensive prowess as its 185 Defense plummets to 148.

These changes can be favorable or harmful based on the situation. Shadow Zapdos shines in raid battles, where the point is to inflict as much damage as possible in quick succession. It also works wonders as a late-game sweeper in Pokemon GO Battle League's Ultra League format.

However, in the Master League, you are better off using the purified form of Zapdos as it can hold its ground better in one- and two-shield matchups thanks to its deeper HP bar.

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Charged Attack options

Shadow Pokemon in this game are stuck with the useless Charged Attack Frustration. This move cannot be removed by using TMs unless there is a Special Team GO Rocket takeover event, which usually comes once per season.

That said, you can teach Shadow Zapdos a second Charged Attack for 120,000 Stardust and 120 Zapdos Candy. Thunderbolt is the most optimal choice for this slot.

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IV distribution

Purifying a critter increases its IV numbers by one stage each. If you have a Shadow Zapdos that is extremely close to being perfect IV, you may choose to purify it.

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Power-up cost

The cost of powering up Shadow forms of Pocket Monsters in Pokemon GO is significantly higher than their regular forms, while purified critters have a cheaper-than-usual rate. If you are running tight on resources and wish to power up Shadow Zapdos immediately, you should purify it.

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Shiny Shadow Zapdos by u/eckido in TheSilphRoad

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Conclusion

The reasons to purify Shadow Zapdos are mostly temporary, as you will eventually be able to replace Frustration and have enough resources to power up the critter.

Therefore, unless you wish to max out Zapdos to level 50 and use it for Master League Battles, Shadow Zapdos can serve you much better.