Pokémon GO incentivizes players to engage with the mysterious Team GO Rocket by rewarding most battles with a Shadow Pokémon encounter. Battling Team GO Rocket members is currently the only way to get Shadow Pokémon in the game. Shadow Pokémon can be identified by their red eyes and the purple mist that surrounds them. A Shadow Pokémon usually has the charged move, Frustration, which changes once the Pokémon has been purified.
Obtaining Shadow Pokémon
As stated above, players can obtain Shadow Pokémon by battling Team GO Rocket members. Team GO Rocket members can be found by locating their floating balloons or looking for a black PokéStop, which indicates that a Team GO Rocket member is nearby. Once players have battled enough Team GO Rocket Grunts, they can battle the leaders and then Giovanni himself.
Pokémon GO: Shadow Pokémon List & Purifying Guide
Kanto Dex
Johto Dex
Hoenn Dex
Sinnoh Dex
Interested in Pokémon GO and want to read more? Check out How to Beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO - All Giovanni Counters (June 2022) on Pro Game Guides!
Once a Shadow Pokémon has been caught, players have the chance to purify it. Purifying a Pokémon costs between one and twenty Candies depending on the rarity and strength of the Pokémon. Players will also need a few thousand Stardust to purify the Pokémon as well. The list below shows all current Shadow Pokémon and the cost to purify.
*All Pokémon marked with an asterisk can be shiny when encountered.
