Pokémon Colosseum and XD - Shadow Pokémon and Shadow moves
Pokémon Colosseum and XD include a mechanic that uses Shadow Pokémon and Shadow moves.
A Shadow Pokémon can be caught by using a Poké Ball (or other kind of Ball) on it. Such a Pokémon can be caught this way even in Trainer battles. Catching a Shadow Pokémon is known as "Snagging."
Heart Gauge
Each Shadow Pokémon has a value known as the "heart gauge". It starts at its maximum value. When the heart gauge reaches 0, the Pokémon is ready to open its heart.
A Pokémon’s heart gauge is reduced every step the player takes while it’s in the player’s party, whenever the Pokémon enters the battle (but only once each battle), when the Pokémon is called while it is in Hyper Mode, or when an Excite Scent, Joy Scent, or Vivid Scent from the Cologne Case is used on it. What the maximum heart gauge value is exactly and exactly how much the heart gauge is reduced is not yet known.
A Pokémon that’s ready to open its heart will "open the door to its heart" (that is, be "purified") after it’s taken to the Relic Stone in Agate Village. Then it will no longer be a Shadow Pokémon. In Pokémon XD, once the Pokémon is purified, it will earn a ribbon (which will be called the National Ribbon in Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version).
A Shadow Pokémon will gain Exp. Points, but such points won’t be shown or reflected in its level until after the Pokémon "opens the door to its heart." A Shadow Pokémon can’t level up or evolve, can’t be renamed (until it’s purified), and can’t have its moves added to, deleted, or reordered. Because Pokémon Ruby Version, Pokémon Sapphire Version, and most other Pokémon games don’t recognize Shadow Pokémon, a Shadow Pokémon can’t be traded to those versions. A Shadow Pokémon also can’t participate in organized battles.
A Shadow Pokémon begins with just Shadow moves. When its heart gauge reaches 4/5, one of its moves is revealed (if there is room). When its heart gauge reaches 3/5, its nature is revealed in the Summary screen. When its heart gauge reaches 2/5, another one of its moves is revealed (if there is room). When it "opens the door to its heart", it forgets its Shadow moves, then learns more moves, then it gains levels as necessary to reflect the Exp. Points it gained.
Nature Differences
The amount of heart gauge reduced depends on the Pokémon’s nature. The following list shows how effective each action is in reducing heart gauge (this list, however, is unconfirmed):
- Pokémon enters battle -- Very effective in Brave, Hasty, Quirky, or Sassy natures; effective in Impish, Jolly, and Naughty natures; less effective in Bashful, Calm, and Mild natures; hardly effective in Gentle, Lonely, Modest, or Timid natures; normal in other natures.
- Pokémon is called out of Hyper Mode -- Effective in Docile natures; less effective in Sassy natures; normal in other natures.
- Walking -- Very effective in Gentle natures; effective in Impish, Modest, and Naive natures; less effective in Docile and Quirky natures; hardly effective in Hasty natures; normal in other natures.
- Using a scent -- Very effective in Bashful and Lonely natures; effective in Docile, Jolly, Mild or Rash natures; less effective in Adamant, Brave, Impish, Naive, and Naughty natures; hardly effective in Sassy natures; normal in other natures.
Probably, the speed of heart gauge reduction in the Day Care depends on nature too. Although not confirmed, it appears that Pokémon with a Bashful, Calm, Careful, Gentle, Hasty, Jolly, Lax, Lonely, Mild, Rash, Relaxed, and Timid nature will have their heart gauge reduced faster, and those with an Adamant, Bold, Brave, Impish, Naughty, Quirky, and Serious nature will have their heart gauge reduced slower.
Hyper Mode/Reverse Mode
After a Pokémon uses a Shadow move (see below), the Pokémon may enter Hyper Mode (called Reverse Mode in Pokémon XD). (The exact chance for entering Hyper Mode is unknown.) A Pokémon in Hyper Mode can’t have items used on it, and probably can’t use the item it’s holding. A Pokémon in Reverse Mode will deal damage to itself at the end of each turn in a battle (same as confusion damage?) in Pokémon XD. In Pokémon Colosseum, a Pokémon in Hyper Mode can disobey if it chooses a move other than a Shadow move (exact chance is unknown). A Pokémon remains in Hyper Mode even after a battle ends.
A Pokémon can enter Hyper Mode more frequently (exact chance unknown) when the heart gauge reaches 1/5.
A Pokémon stops being in Hyper Mode when the Call command is used on it, when it’s placed in the Day Care, or when a Scent is used on it,. (In Pokémon Colosseum, but not XD, a Shadow Pokémon can be placed in the Day Care.) Healing a Pokémon in a Pokémon Center, Healing Machine, and the like won’t remove Hyper Mode.
A Pokémon called using the Call command will wake up. (The Pokémon need not be a Shadow Pokémon.) The Call command presumably also raises the accuracy of the Pokémon called.
Pokémon of some natures appear to be more likely to enter Hyper Mode than others. Although not confirmed, it appears that Pokémon with an Adamant, Bashful, Gentle, Hardy, Jolly, Mild, Naive, or Relaxed nature are more likely to enter Hyper Mode, and those with a Calm, Careful, Docile, Lax, Lonely, Modest, Quiet, Serious, or Timid nature are less likely to enter Hyper Mode.
Purify Chamber
In addition to battling, a Shadow Pokémon can be purified in the Purify Chamber in Pokémon XD. The Purify Chamber is divided into nine rooms called "sets". A Shadow Pokémon can be placed in the middle of a set, and up to four non-Shadow Pokémon can be placed around it. The Shadow Pokémon can be set to face one of the four non-Shadow Pokémon.
The Purify Chamber tracks two values in each set, namely, tempo and flow.
Tempo is a value that starts at (A*A+A)/2, where A is the number of non-Shadow Pokémon in the set. Tempo rises by 1 for each of those Pokémon whose types are "super effective" against those of the Pokémon immediately next to it in a clockwise direction (including those of itself, if there are no other non-Shadow Pokémon), where Normal is "super effective" against Normal for the purpose of the Purify Chamber. If there are four Pokémon in the set and each one is "super effective" against the next, then a "best circle" is achieved.
Flow is a value that starts at half the number of non-Shadow Pokémon in the set. Flow rises by 1 for each of those Pokémon whose types are "super effective" against those of the Pokémon immediately next to it in a clockwise direction (including those of itself, if there are no other non-Shadow Pokémon). Flow also rises by 1 if the Shadow Pokémon’s types are "super effective" against those of the non-Shadow Pokémon it’s facing. Flow can’t be greater than 4. Flow also seems to be affected by the number of "best circles" in the Purify Chamber.
Probably each step, the heart gauge falls by a value that depends on flow. If its heart gauge reaches zero, it’s ready to be purified and will "open the door to its heart" the next time the Purify Chamber is entered (not just accessed). However, a Shadow Lugia’s heart gauge can be reduced only in the Purify Chamber, and it won’t be ready for purification until all nine sets in the Purify Chamber have best circles. A Shadow Lugia will "open the door to its heart" only in the Purify Chamber.
Shadow moves
Pokémon Colosseum has only one Shadow move, Shadow Rush. Pokémon XD includes several other Shadow moves.
Each Shadow move’s PP is virtually unlimited. All moves shown below have the type Shadow, but some moves are physical and others special. In Colosseum, the Shadow type has no weaknesses, resistances, or immunities. In XD, every non-Shadow Pokémon has the Shadow type as a weakness and Shadow moves have a type matchup of half against Shadow Pokémon regardless of their type. (A Pokémon can’t have the Shadow type.)
| Name | Cat | Pwr | Acc | Eff | Range | Flags |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deals damage. | ||||||
| SHADOW BLITZ | Physical | 40 | 100 | 0 | Single Pokémon except user | abef |
| SHADOW STORM | Special | 95 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | b |
| SHADOW WAVE | Special | 50 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | b |
| SHADOW RAVE | Special | 70 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | be |
| SHADOW BREAK | Physical | 75 | 100 | 0 | Single Pokémon except user | abef |
| Good chance for a critical hit. | ||||||
| SHADOW BLAST | Special | 80 | 100 | 0 | Single Pokémon except user | bef |
| Colosseum: If this attack is successful, user loses 1/4 of HP lost by the target because of this attack, but not less than 1 HP (recoil). If user is in Hyper Mode, this attack has a good chance for a critical hit. | ||||||
| SHADOW RUSH | Physical | 100 | 90 | 0 | Single Pokémon except user | abef |
| XD: Deals damage. | ||||||
| SHADOW RUSH | Physical | 55 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | abef |
| Lowers the target’s evasiveness by 2 stages. | ||||||
| SHADOW MIST | Non-damaging | 0 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | be |
| Lowers the target’s Defense by 2 stages. | ||||||
| SHADOW DOWN | Non-damaging | 0 | 100 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | be |
| Ends the effects of Light Screen, Reflect, and Safeguard on the opposing Pokémon’s side. | ||||||
| SHADOW SHED | Non-damaging | 0 | 100 | 0 | Opposing side | |
| During effect, the target can’t switch out or run. Effect ends when user or the target leaves the battle (except Baton Pass). During effect, this attack fails against the target. | ||||||
| SHADOW HOLD | Non-damaging | 0 | 80 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | be |
| May burn the target. | ||||||
| SHADOW FIRE | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Single Pokémon except user | bef |
| May freeze the target. | ||||||
| SHADOW CHILL | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Single Pokémon except user | bef |
| May paralyze the target. | ||||||
| SHADOW BOLT | Special | 75 | 100 | 10 | Single Pokémon except user | bef |
| Confuses the target. | ||||||
| SHADOW PANIC | Non-damaging | 0 | 60 | 0 | All opposing Pokémon | be |
| If this attack is successful, user loses half of its current HP, rounded down, but not less than 1 HP (recoil). | ||||||
| SHADOW END | Physical | 120 | 60 | 0 | Single Pokémon except user | abef |
| Each Pokémon in battle loses half of its current HP, rounded down, but not less than 1 HP. If this attack is successful, on the next turn, user can’t take any action and pauses during its attack segment. (That move is prevented from being used during that attack segment.) | ||||||
| SHADOW HALF | Non-damaging | 0 | 100 | 0 | User | |
| Weather. Lasts for five turns, including this turn. During effect, each non-Shadow Pokémon in battle loses 1/16 of its maximum HP, but not less than 1 HP, at the end of each turn except the last. | ||||||
| SHADOW SKY | Non-damaging | 0 | 100 | 0 | User | |
Starting Shadow moves
Here are the Shadow moves that a Shadow Pokémon starts out with in Pokémon XD. (In Pokémon Colosseum, all Shadow Pokémon start with Shadow Rush.)
- Butterfree - Shadow Rush, Shadow Mist
- Beedrill - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Pidgeotto - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Panic
- Raticate - Shadow Rush, Shadow Down
- Spearow - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Panic
- Arbok - Shadow Rush, Shadow Half
- Vulpix - Shadow Wave, Shadow Hold
- Paras - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Venomoth - Shadow Rush, Shadow Mist
- Dugtrio - Shadow Break, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky
- Meowth - Shadow Rush, Shadow Hold
- Golduck - Shadow Rave, Shadow Mist
- Primeape - Shadow Rush, Shadow Storm
- Growlithe - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Wave
- Poliwrath - Shadow Storm, Shadow Rush, Shadow Sky
- Weepinbell - Shadow Rave, Shadow Hold
- Rapidash - Shadow Rave, Shadow Down, Shadow Sky
- Magneton - Shadow Rave, Shadow Hold, Shadow Sky
- Farfetch’d - Shadow Break, Shadow Sky, Shadow Panic
- Dodrio - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Seel - Shadow Wave, Shadow Mist
- Grimer - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Shellder - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Hypno - Shadow Storm, Shadow Down
- Voltorb - Shadow Rush, Shadow Panic
- Exeggutor - Shadow Storm, Shadow Shed, Shadow Hold, Shadow End
- Marowak - Shadow End, Shadow Panic
- Hitmonlee - Shadow Rush, Shadow Down, Shadow Half
- Hitmonchan - Shadow Rush, Shadow Down
- Lickitung - Shadow Rush, Shadow Panic
- Rhydon - Shadow End, Shadow Down, Shadow Panic, Shadow Hold
- Chansey - Shadow Rave, Shadow Hold
- Tangela - Shadow Rave, Shadow Hold
- Kangaskhan - Shadow Rush, Shadow Mist
- Starmie - Shadow Storm, Shadow Break, Shadow Mist
- Mr. mime - Shadow Storm, Shadow Shed
- Scyther - Shadow Rush, Shadow Mist
- Electabuzz - Shadow Break, Shadow Mist, Shadow Half, Shadow Storm
- Magmar - Shadow Rave, Shadow Rush, Shadow Shed
- Pinsir - Shadow Break, Shadow Shed
- Tauros - Shadow Rush, Shadow Hold, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky
- Lapras - Shadow Storm, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky
- Snorlax - Shadow End, Shadow Shed
- Articuno - Shadow Chill, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky, Shadow Rush
- Zapdos - Shadow Bolt, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky, Shadow Rush
- Moltres - Shadow Fire, Shadow Shed, Shadow Hold, Shadow Rush
- Dragonite - Shadow Rush, Shadow Down, Shadow Shed, Shadow Storm
- Ledyba - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Spinarak - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Mist
- Togepi - Shadow Rave, Shadow Shed
- Natu - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Mareep - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Pineco - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Teddiursa - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Mist
- Magcargo - Shadow Rave, Shadow Shed
- Swinub - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Wave
- Houndour - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Lugia - Shadow Blast, Shadow Shed, Shadow Down, Shadow Storm
- Poochyena - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Seedot - Shadow Wave, Shadow Hold
- Swellow - Shadow Break, Shadow Sky, Shadow Half, Shadow Mist
- Ralts - Shadow Wave, Shadow Hold
- Shroomish - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Mist
- Makuhita - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Nosepass - Shadow Wave, Shadow Mist
- Delcatty - Shadow Rush, Shadow Wave
- Sableye - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Mawile - Shadow Rush, Shadow Wave
- Manectric - Shadow End, Shadow Mist, Shadow Sky
- Roselia - Shadow Wave, Shadow Shed
- Gulpin - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Carvanha - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Hold
- Numel - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Shed
- Altaria - Shadow Break, Shadow Mist, Shadow Rave
- Zangoose - Shadow Rush, Shadow Mist
- Lunatone - Shadow Wave, Shadow Shed, Shadow Sky
- Solrock - Shadow Rave, Shadow Panic, Shadow Sky
- Baltoy - Shadow Blitz, Shadow Mist
- Banette - Shadow Rush, Shadow Hold
- Duskull - Shadow Wave, Shadow Hold
- Snorunt - Shadow Wave, Shadow Shed
- Spheal - Shadow Wave, Shadow Mist
- Salamence - Shadow Rush, Shadow Hold