Pokemon GO has introduced a new feature that involves Shadow Shards and Purified Gems, items directly related to Team Go Rocket. These items play a crucial role in winning Shadow Pokemon raids. In essence, Shadow Shards can be obtained during encounters with Go Rocket members, and once enough of them are collected, they can be transformed into Purified Gems. These gems are essential for countering Shadow Pokemon in raids when they become “enraged.”
Recently, the official twitter account for Pokemon GO tweeted that they want to help the players catch the Shadow Mewtwo and the Shiny Shadow Mewtwo, they want to do so by giving out codes for Purified Gems. They will do so only if their tweet reaches 150K retweets. Following is the official tweet:
To help you take on Shadow Mewtwo, we’re giving away codes for Purified Gems if we reach 150k RT! To participate:
Follow us on Twitter
RT this post with #ShadowRaids
Receive confirmation replyIf we reach our target, we’ll send participants a code for Shadow Raid–themed items! pic.twitter.com/2yfIQkvXo1
— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) May 22, 2023
Once the target is met, all participants will receive a message with a code for in-game items.
If you don’t want to receive a message with a code, reply to the original tweet with a note including #cancel and @PokemonGoApp.— Pokémon GO (@PokemonGoApp) May 22, 2023
To obtain Shadow Shards in Pokemon GO, trainers must defeat Team Go Rocket members. The number of Shadow Shards earned varies depending on the type of encounter. When battling Go Rocket Grunts, trainers will receive one Shadow Shard per encounter. Defeating Team Go Rocket Leaders rewards three Shadow Shards per encounter, while battling Giovanni, the leader of Team Go Rocket, grants four Shadow Shards. Participating in Shadow Raids can yield up to five Shadow Shards per encounter.
It’s important to note that acquiring Shadow Shards does not replace any other rewards from Team Go Rocket encounters, such as Mysterious Components. After each battle, trainers will receive a recap indicating the number of Shadow Shards they have accumulated.
Once enough Shadow Shards have been collected, trainers can use them to create Purified Gems. To craft a Purified Gem, four Shadow Shards are required. The Shard Refiner automatically converts the Shadow Shards into Purified Gems, eliminating the need for manual conversion.
Trainers can hold up to 10 Purified Gems at a time. With these gems in hand, it’s time to utilize them during Shadow Pokemon Raids.
Purified Gems serve a specific purpose, which is to counter the “enraged” status of a Shadow Pokemon during raids. When a Shadow Pokemon becomes enraged, indicated by a purple glow and the word “enraged” appearing over its health bar, trainers can tap the on-screen button located in the lower left corner to use a Purified Gem. This action helps revert the Pokemon back to its non-enraged state.
According to Niantic, if multiple trainers use Purified Gems during a raid, their effects will stack. Each individual trainer can utilize up to five Purified Gems per battle.
The effectiveness of Purified Gems in Shadow Raids has been a topic of interest among the Pokemon GO community. Although initial findings were limited, an experiment was conducted to assess their impact. In a solo Shadow Raid against Croconaw, a Tier 3 raid that, in theory, should be manageable alone with strong counters, the battle became challenging once the “enraged” status kicked in halfway through the Pokemon’s health bar. The progress slowed down significantly, and the encounter couldn’t be completed before the timer ran out. It’s worth noting that for Tier 3 raids, using a Purified Gem might not be necessary when playing with additional trainers. However, for Tier 5 raids or solo attempts at any Shadow Raid, it is recommended to use one or more Purified Gems.
In summary, Shadow Shards and Purified Gems are essential items for Pokemon GO trainers looking to conquer Shadow Pokemon raids. By defeating Team Go Rocket members, trainers can collect Shadow Shards, which can then be converted into Purified Gems. These gems serve the purpose of countering the “enraged” state of Shadow Pokemon during raids. It’s important to utilize Purified Gems strategically to increase the chances of success in challenging battles.
