Shadow Pokémon can be exceptionally powerful in Pokémon Go, and it helps to know which ones to use to overwhelm an enemy. Legendary Shadow Pokémon are some of the rarest in the game, and you may be wondering if you should purify your Shadow Lugia.

Normally, we recommend keeping any Legendary Shadow Pokémon you catch in Pokémon Go. However, there are some notable differences between Shadow Pokémon and their standard forms, so it's important to know which one is most worthwhile. It all comes down to the Pokémon's stats and what they fight against. Here's what you need to know about Shadow Lugia and whether it's better than its standard form in Pokémon Go.

When pitting Shadow Lugia against the standard version, it’s clear that the standard version is stronger. You don’t want to use Shadow Lugia if you plan on taking on other Pokémon Go players in the Master League, where Lugia shines the most. You wouldn’t want to use it in the Ultra League, but you can use it in five-star raids to catch other Shadow Pokémon or to battle Giovanni and other Team Rocket leaders.

What makes the original Lugia a solid choice is its solid defenses. It has a high defense, making it tough to defeat when facing other Legendary Pokémon in the Master League. As a Shadow Pokémon, its attack power increases by 20%, but its defense decreases by 20%. The amount of attack power it gains does not compensate for the defense it loses, making it vulnerable and easier to defeat against other players.