Trainers are taking on Team Rocket in Pokemon GO once more, and this time the villainous group is taking over gyms with a swarm of Shadow Pokemon. These powerful monsters are the game's newest Raid bosses, and players will have a hard time taking them down by brute force. Fortunately, there are materials they can gather to create an item to help make these encounters easier. For those who have played Pokemon Legends: Arceus, this item and other elements of Shadow Raids may feel familiar.
When Raid events happen in Pokemon GO, powerful Pokemon will take over some of the gyms in the player’s area. These are called Raid bosses, and trainers can defeat and catch them with the help of other players. These monsters are usually rated from three to five stars, which means that they’ll have the best stats in the game. For usual Raids, players can take down bosses using damage alone, but for Shadow Raids, however, they need to use a special item on bosses, which is similar to what trainers used to calm frenzied bosses in Legends: Arceus.
Purified Gems are the Pokemon GO Version of Legends: Arceus’ Balms
Pokemon GO seems to be taking inspiration from other Pokemon franchise games when it comes to new features. This time, it’s integrating Pokemon: Legends Arceus’ balms in the form of Purified Gems, which the player can use to weaken Shadow Raid Bosses. The balms from Legends: Arceus are also throwable items that are used to pacify frenzied Noble Pokemon, which act as the game’s minibosses.
The core function of the two items is also identical. When the player hits the boss with them a certain number of times, they’ll end up subduing the enraged Shadow Raid Boss. This gives the trainers the chance to pile on the damage using their own Pokemon.
How Pokemon GO’s Purified Gems Improve on Pokemon Legends: Arceus’ Balms
The Purified Gem, however, has more effects compared to its Hisuian counterpart, as it can temporarily weaken a Shadow Raid Boss’ defense and attack. This gives trainers the opportunity to deal massive damage, even before they subdue the boss. Plus, multiple players can participate in Raids and throw their own gems, with the debuff from each Purified Gem in Pokemon GO stacking, making it significantly easier and faster for people to defeat Shadow Raid Bosses compared to frenzied Nobles in Legends: Arceus.
Purified Gems can easily turn the tide of a Shadow Raid Battle, so it’s understandable that the player has to work to acquire them. These items are made from Shadow Shards, which one can get by defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts, Giovanni, GO Rocket Leaders, and Shadow Raid Bosses. Then, players can take these materials to Professor Willow to craft a Purified Gem.
The event’s five-star Shadow Raid boss is Mewtwo, one of the most powerful Pokemon in the game. As such, trainers need to start hoarding Purified Gems if they want a better chance at capturing this beast. Players can also capture three-star Shadow Pokemon like Quilava and Croconaw, and they also get increased chances of getting a shiny one-star Shadow Pokemon like Poliwag, Machamp, and Beldum.
As a live-service game that uses existing characters and game mechanics, Pokemon GO thrives on the new releases of the franchise’s mainline and spin-off games. Each new game and DLC gives Pokemon GO the opportunity to piggyback on the fresh content these new titles provide. For example, the game recently released Kleavor from Pokemon Legends: Arceus as a Raid boss. Niantic’s premier mobile game seems to be learning the best practices of the successful Pokemon spin-off by also reinventing its balm-throwing system during its Rising Shadows event, which further adds to the comparison.
Pokemon GO is available now for Android and iOS devices.