Get ready for a massive Halloween celebration this year-with none other than Mega Banette making its Pokémon GO debut in Mega Raids!

Just like last year, Pokémon GO's Halloween event will have two parts. Plenty of tricks and treats are in store, including a remix of the Lavender Town music and Halloween-themed Special Research. Of course, plenty of Ghost-type Pokémon will also be out in the wild!

From October 20 - 27 Experience Double Transfer, Catch & Hatch Candy as well as Guaranteed Candy XL when walking a buddy.

Mega Bannette, Shiny Noibat & Shiny Galarian Yamask will all make their Pokémon GO Debut!

From Oct 20 - November 1 Giratina Altered will be in Raid Battles. If you defat and capture Giratina during that time it will know the new move Shadow Force. Shadow Force is a ghost type move that will do 120 Damage in Trainer Battles.

Keep Reading Below the Graphic to see our Meta Analyst's take on Giratina Altered's new move Shadow Force!

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Graphic By G47IX

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Giratina Altered is already one of the best Pokémon in both Ultra League and Master League due to its high bulk, excellent typing, and access to powerful Fast Attacks in Shadow Claw and Dragon Breath, paired with the decent low energy cost Charged Attack Dragon Claw.

 

What holds it back from becoming too overpowered is its secondary Charged Attack options. Shadow Sneak (1.33 STAB-adjusted DPE) and Ancient Power (1.33 base DPE) struggle to damage things that resist Dragon Claw (and Ancient Power is resisted by Steel anyway). Any Ghost move with significantly higher DPE than this helps it to threaten those Pokémon, and hit harder against many Ghost and Psychic-types. A 120 damage Charged Attack would have 2.06 STAB-adjusted DPE at 70 energy and 1.92 STAB-adjusted DPE at 75 energy. With either energy cost, it appears to produce better multi-sim results than its existing sets, and makes the Altered form less distinct from the Origin form with its Shadow Ball (2.18 STAB-adjusted DPE). In the Ultra League, Shadow Claw Giratina Altered could now potentially defeat Galarian Stunfisk, Swampert and Poliwrath in certain shield scenarios it couldn't before, depending on Shadow Force’s energy cost.

 

We have concern that making a new Charged Attack too efficient and too cheap could make Giratina too strong in matchups where it doesn't want to throw Dragon Claw.  Reducing the limitations of its secondary Charged Attacks could shift Giratina power and usage to a point where it starts to warp and homogenize the open ultra meta. We feel a move of 80 energy for a 120 damage Charged Attack (1.8 STAB-adjusted DPE) would be a safer option for Niantic to implement. This would still outdamage Shadow Sneak, two of which would have a base damage of 100, for 90 energy. However, it would hold Giratina Altered back from becoming over-centralizing. It would have to make a difficult choice between the higher DPE but slower Shadow Force, and the lower DPE but more consistent Ancient Power, which also gives with it the unique three-way coverage of Ghost, Dragon, and Rock, between Shadow Claw, Dragon Claw, and Ancient Power.

 

An alternative option we would be comfortable with would be a last minute reduction of damage. For example, 100 damage for 70 energy could work (1.71 STAB-adjusted DPE).

 

Outside PvP, we have no problem with a more powerful Charged Attack. A Shadow Force with strong parameters for PvE could be a way to maintain excitement for this move while keeping its PvP performance in check. Giratina-Origin has been one of the best raid attackers against Psychic- and Ghost-type raid bosses, but Pokémon like Hydreigon and Chandelure are encroaching on its demonic throne. Shadow Force could help show those Pokémon who is the true lord of the Distortion World.

 

Analysis by the Stadium Meta Team: Nesabethan, Tangent444, PolymersUp, LazerBrian, Redspah, Jibaku