Shadow Pokémon
Shadow Pokémon (Japanese: ダークポケモン Dark Pokémon) are artificially altered Pokémon produced by Cipher in Orre. Collecting them via snagging and restoring them to normal is the main goal in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness.
Shadow Pokémon are created by artificially shutting off a Pokémon's emotions, turning it into a souless fighting machine. Ein, the brains behind the Shadow Pokémon process, refers to this as "shutting the door to their hearts". Shadow Pokémon radiate a black aura that cannot normally be seen. However, Rui's psychic abilities allow her to recognize the Shadow Pokémon aura on sight, and the Aura Searcher can detect this aura as well. Shadow Pokémon do not gain Experience in a Pokémon battle, and they start with only Shadow moves. Ein's research was later picked up and expanded upon by Lovrina.
Shadow Pokémon sometimes behave oddly and irrationally, entering feral states called Hyper Mode or Reverse Mode. In both states, the Pokémon is difficult to control and may do itself more harm than good. Calling to a Shadow Pokémon, using a cologne on it, or leaving it at the Pokémon Daycare will snap it out of either of these states, and helps restore it to regular Pokémon. In Gale of Darkness, the Purification Chamber, a series of nine sub-chambers located in the Pokémon HQ Lab, is the fastest method of purification.
Purification
There are several ways to purify a Shadow Pokémon; their effectiveness varies according to the individual nature of a Pokémon.
- Walking: Having a Shadow Pokémon in the party will shrink the bar while the player walks.
- Sending it out into battle: When a Shadow Pokémon is called to battle, its heart gauge will decrease. Also, participating in battle is the only way a Pokémon can enter Reverse Mode or Hyper Mode, which also helps in purification.
- Call it from Reverse Mode or Hyper Mode: When a Shadow Pokémon enters Reverse Mode, calling it during battle reduces the heart gauge.
- Cologne Massages: After obtaining the Cologne Case, the player can buy Cologne Massages at the Poké Mart in Agate Village to use on the Shadow Pokémon. This lowers the heart gauge.
- Daycare: Leaving a Pokémon in the daycare on Agate Village also reduces the heart gauge.
- Purification Chamber: The Purification Chamber is a series of nine sub-chambers located in the Pokémon HQ Lab. A sub-chamber operates via the elemental types of the Pokémon in it. That is, the effectiveness of the purification sub-chamber depends on what the types that the Pokémon inside do to the other Pokémon inside. Depending on whether the type has no effect, weak effect, normal effects, or strong effects will determine whether the flow is very weak, weak, normal, or strong, respectively.
Purifying a Shadow Pokémon helps it regain its original moves and personality. When a Pokémon is finally purified, it will gain all the experience it could not get as a Shadow Pokémon, regular moves instead of Shadow moves, and a ribbon.
Pokémon Colosseum
Shadow Pokémon available
Unused Shadow Pokémon
According to unused text in the game, the following Shadow Pokémon were originally planned for the game, but never used:
- Kecleon
- Minun
- Spoink
- Baltoy
- Castform
- Psyduck
- Teddiursa
- Wobbuffet
- Wailmer
- Porygon2
- Xatu
- Whiscash
- Magcargo
Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
The role of Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon XD is overall the same as in Pokémon Colosseum, although more than one Shadow Pokémon may appear in a battle, Shadow Pokémon know many more Shadow moves than just Shadow Rush, and once purified a Shadow Pokémon gains a special move that it would not learn otherwise. The main storyline centers around a Shadow Lugia. Also, unlike Colosseum, XD features Kanto-native Shadow Pokémon.
