Hey Trainers,In a recent update, there were sections datamined for form changing mechanics. Whether a minor aesthetic difference or a total stat overhaul, there’s no arguing that this isn’t a massive deal.
There are numerous Pokémon that’ll benefit from interchangeable forms, both for PvP and raid battles. Let’s take a look at them and see how different forms influence different Pokémon’s stats and performance.
Castform
Castform (Overcast) Normal | |||||
Max CP 1845 | |||||
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ATK 139 | DEF 139 | HP 172 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Form | Stats | Fast Attacks | Charge Attacks |
Castform (sunny) Water |
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Castform (rainy) Water |
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Castform (snowy) Ice |
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Castform changes its form depending on the weather in battle, and this mechanic partially carries over to GO. However, the form is locked for it.
Being able to change between them means that you only need to power up one rather than four, which for a Pokémon that needs to be powered all the way up with a 75k dust secondary move would save you a ton. They all have identical stats, so they’re interchangeable at will for great league application.
Deoxys
Deoxys (Normal) Psychic | |||||
Max CP 3578 | |||||
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ATK 345 | DEF 115 | HP 137 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Form | Stats | Fast Attacks | Charge Attacks |
Deoxys (Attack) Psychic |
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Deoxys (Defense) Psychic |
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Deoxys (Speed) Psychic |
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Deoxys changes its form by coming into contact with a meteorite. In GO, the form is limited to which one you got from raids. Even with the ability to swap between the forms freely, Defence form is the only useful one. The only mild use is that you could use your Ultra League Defence form to add a bit of DPS to raids using the Attack form… though it has the bulk of damp tissue paper.
Shiny Deoxys is also currently limited to Normal form, so you could get the other forms as shiny by changing it.
Cherrim
Cherrim (Overcast) Grass | Cherrim (Sunshine) Grass | ||||
Max CP 2315 | |||||
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ATK 170 | DEF 153 | HP 172 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Cherrim’s default form is its Overcast form, changing into Sunshine form when it’s sunny. The only difference in GO is that Sunshine form has Weather Ball Fire, and is, therefore, better by default. Being able to change Overcast into Sunshine would make it significantly easier to obtain a high ranking Sunshine Cherrim for PvP since usually it’s weather boosted.
Rotom
Rotom ElectricGhost | |||||
Max CP 2296 | |||||
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ATK 185 | DEF 159 | HP 137 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Form | Stats | Fast Attacks | Charge Attacks |
Rotom (Wash) ElectricWater |
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Rotom (Heat) ElectricFire |
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Rotom (Frost) ElectricIce |
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Rotom (Fan) Electric |
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Rotom (Mow) ElectricGrass |
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Rotom changes forms by possessing different appliances, or by using a catalogue in Sword and Shield. In GO, only Wash Rotom has been made available via snapshots for GO Fest ticket holders. All the appliance forms have the same stats as each other, so you only need to build up one Great and Ultra league Rotom.
Wash and Frost both have the powerful yet slow attacks Hydro Pump and Blizzard, while Heat has Overheat. Fan has Air Slash instead of Thunder Shock, to its detriment, and Mow has the same moves as base Rotom due to Leaf Storm not being in GO currently.
Heat is probably the strongest in terms of moves, with Thunder Shock giving it the speed to fire off 2 Overheats in sequence then switch away to remove the attack debuff. Electric/Fire is a dangerous typing, however, being weak to Water, Rock, and doubly weak to Ground, all of which are popular Great League typings. It’s unfortunate that Levitate, an ability Rotom has that gives it a ground immunity, isn’t in GO.
Giratina
Giratina (Altered) GhostDragon | |||||
Max CP 3820 | |||||
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ATK 187 | DEF 225 | HP 284 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Giratina (Origin) GhostDragon | |||||
Max CP 4162 | |||||
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ATK 225 | DEF 187 | HP 284 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Altered Giratina is the default, changing into Origin Giratina if it holds the Griseous Orb or is in the Distortion World. In GO, they’re limited to which one you raided.
The difference between the two is significant, with Altered having a more defence based stat pool and PvP focused moveset while Origin Giratina has a more offence based stat pool and a raid focused moveset.
Both have a solid place in Master League, so being able to swap between the two at will saves a lot of dust and candy. You can also turn your Master League Altered into Origin if Master League is out of rotation and there’s a psychic type raid boss you want some help with.
Both forms have had their shiny released in raids separately, so if you were unlucky with one form you can change either form into the one you want.
Shaymin
Shaymin (Land) Grass | |||||
Max CP 3691 | |||||
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ATK 210 | DEF 210 | HP 225 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Shaymin (Sky) Grass | |||||
Max CP 4061 | |||||
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ATK 261 | DEF 166 | HP 225 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Shaymin changes into its Sky form when you give it the Gracidea flower. It changes back at night, when it’s frozen, or when it’s deposited into the PC box. Shaymin is unavailable in GO currently.
Both forms of Shaymin have really bad fast attacks and no coverage. If you somehow get grass Hidden Power, Sky form’s higher attack makes it a top-ranking Grass attacker. However, you’ll likely only have one shot from research to get it, and all other typings of Hidden Power are, at best, niche.
Arceus
Arceus (Normal) Normal | |||||
Max CP 4510 | |||||
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ATK 238 | DEF 238 | HP 237 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Arceus changes its typing depending on what plate it’s holding. The type of its signature move Judgement also changes to match. Arceus isn’t available in GO yet.
Arceus can match its type to Ghost, Dragon, Psychic, Steel or Normal to give one of its moves the same type bonus, or to make its defensive type whatever you need, like Fairy to counter Dragons in master league or Flying to counter Groudon. It’s a case-by-case thing.
Darmanitan (Unova)
Darmanitan (Standard) Fire | |||||
Max CP 3511 | |||||
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ATK 263 | DEF 114 | HP 233 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Darmanitan (Zen) FirePsychic | |||||
Max CP 4226 | |||||
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ATK 243 | DEF 202 | HP 233 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Darmanitan turns into its Zen form if it has the Zen Mode ability and its health drops below half. Standard Darmanitan is available in GO, but Zen isn’t yet.
Zen Darmanitan trades a paltry 20 attack for nearly double the defence, making Darmanitan much less glassy. It also has a pretty great movepool for PvP, which the extra bulk will let it actually survive. Standard form’s extra attack may make it better for short personing or soloing raid battles, especially ones where every second counts.
Darmanitan (Galar)
Darmanitan (Galarian Standard) Ice | |||||
Max CP 3511 | |||||
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ATK 263 | DEF 114 | HP 233 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Darmanitan (Galarian Zen) IceFire | |||||
Max CP 4415 | |||||
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ATK 323 | DEF 123 | HP 233 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Galarian Darmanitan has the same requirements as its Unovan form, turning into its Zen form if it has the Zen Mode ability and its health drops below half. Galarian Darmanitan is available in GO from 7km eggs, and it’s Zen mode is currently unavailable.
Galarian Zen Darmanitan does the opposite of its Unovan counterpart, trading its bulk for absurd attack. Galarian Zen Darmanitan would be the strongest Ice attacker in the game, and Ice is arguably the best offensive type so it’s pretty great. There are many raid bosses that are weak to Ice, both mega and legendary, a lot of which are doubly so. Galarian Zen Darmanitan will be a top tier, practically making its standard form obsolete.
Tornadus
Tornadus (Incarnate) | |||||
Max CP 3782 | |||||
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ATK 266 | DEF 164 | HP 188 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Tornadus (Therian) | |||||
Max CP 3635 | |||||
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ATK 238 | DEF 189 | HP 188 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Tornadus changes into its Therian form when the Reveal Glass item is used on it. Tornadus is available in GO, while its Therian form isn’t.
Therian form has a little more defence and a little less attack, making it a bit more bulky in Ultra League PvP. It’s not a major difference, but it will help a little bit. Air Slash and Hurricane need a buff, frankly.
Thundurus
Thundurus (Incarnate) Electric | |||||
Max CP 3782 | |||||
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ATK 266 | DEF 164 | HP 188 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Thundurus (Therian) Electric | |||||
Max CP 4137 | |||||
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ATK 295 | DEF 161 | HP 188 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Thundurus changes into its Therian form when the Reveal Glass item is used on it. Thundurus is available in GO, while its Therian form isn’t.
The extra attack makes it a formidable Electric attacker, although the lack of Wild Charge or Thunderbolt holds it back a little. There’s not a lot to talk about.
Landorus
Landorus (Incarnate) Ground | |||||
Max CP 4057 | |||||
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ATK 261 | DEF 182 | HP 205 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Landorus (Therian) Ground | |||||
Max CP 4434 | |||||
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ATK 289 | DEF 179 | HP 205 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Landorus changes into its Therian form when the Reveal Glass item is used on it. Landorus is available in GO, while its Therian form isn’t.
Therian form Landorus is a strict upgrade to Incarnate in GO, making it among the best Ground and Rock-type raiders, even without STAB on the latter. Master League also gets rocked by its amazing coverage, letting it beat a majority of the meta staples.
Kyurem
Kyurem (Normal) DragonIce | |||||
Max CP 4041 | |||||
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ATK 246 | DEF 170 | HP 245 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Kyurem (Black) DragonIce | |||||
Max CP 5206 | |||||
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ATK 310 | DEF 183 | HP 245 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Kyurem (White) DragonIce | |||||
Max CP 5206 | |||||
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ATK 310 | DEF 183 | HP 245 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Kyurem can be fused with Zekrom using the DNA Splicers to become Black Kyurem, or fused with Reshiram to become White Kyurem. Kyurem is available in GO, while its Black and White forms aren’t currently.
Suffice to say, Normal Kyurem is a disappointment. If it had gotten Icy Wind, it’d at least have a fun niche. As is, it’s bad.
Black Kyurem, on the other hand, is probably the best non-mega non-shadow Dragon-type raid Pokémon. With the stellar set of Dragon Tail and Outrage, its moves are top of it’s class. Shadow Claw, Iron Head and Stone Edge also make it an amazing contender in Master League.
White Kyurem has objectively worse charge attacks than Black Kyurem and even base Kyurem.
Meloetta
Meloetta (Aria) NormalPsychic | |||||
Max CP 4490 | |||||
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ATK 250 | DEF 225 | HP 225 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Meloetta (Pirouette) NormalFighting | |||||
Max CP 4426 | |||||
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ATK 269 | DEF 188 | HP 255 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Meloetta changes its form when it uses its exclusive attack Relic Song in battle. Neither form is in GO yet.
Meloetta in its Aria form has a pretty balanced stat set and a decent movepool for both raids and PvP. Its type is also strong, with it’s Normal typing covering Ghost and its Psychic typing covering Fighting.
Meloetta in its Pirouette form takes on more offence-based stats and changes it’s typing. Its fast attacks could use a little work, but it has strong charge moves for PvP. With Quick Attack and Hyper Beam, it’s probably the strongest normal type attacker for raids… if that means anything.
Genesect
Genesect (Normal) BugSteel | |||||
Max CP 3791 | |||||
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ATK 252 | DEF 199 | HP 174 | |||
Fast Moves | Charge Moves | ||||
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Form | Stats | Fast Attacks | Charge Attacks |
Genesect (Burn) BugSteel |
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Genesect (Chill) BugSteel |
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Genesect (Shock) BugSteel |
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Genesect (Douse) BugSteel |
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Genesect changes its form depending on what Drive it holds; Burn, Shock, Chill, or Douse. This changes the typing of its exclusive move Technoblast. Normal and Burn Genesect have been made available in GO, the latter learning fire-type Technoblast as a special move. The rest aren’t available yet.
Technoblast is a powerful charge attack in PvP, and being able to switch between the forms allows you to pick whatever coverage you want for your team.
Misc.
There’s a handful of other Pokémon with interchangeable forms, but they’re mostly just aesthetical.
Burmy changes its form by battling in certain environments. This dictates what Wormadam form it evolves into, but only if it’s female.
The Deerling family changes its form by being in your party when the season changes in Black, White, Black 2, and White 2. The forms are unchangeable in later games.
Keldeo, a Unovan mythical, has its Ordinary and Resolute forms. The only difference is that the latter has the exclusive move Secret Sword.
In Closing
Although the methods are unknown as of now, Form Changes should be quite the game-changer for certain Pokémon. At the very least, it’d save some raid passes! It’s been a much anticipated feature since Castform’s introduction, and Sinnoh went and added a whole bunch of Pokémon with multiple forms. Better late than never, of course.