There are a lot of intricate mechanics at work within Pokemon Go. In fact, there’s so much going on that you may occasionally forget what basic on-screen icons stand for. One of the symbols not so often seen looks like a blue snowflake, and it shows up directly next to your Pokemon. What does this icon mean, and where did it come from? Read on to find out.
Pokemon Go: What does the blue snowflake symbol mean?
The blue snowflake symbol next to your Pokemon marks it as a Purified Pokemon. Though it’s maybe not meant to look like a snowflake, the symbol itself represents Shadow Pokemon which have been purified.
If it’s been a while since you’ve played, that might not mean much. Fortunately, it’s simple enough to understand. You encounter Shadow Pokemon when you take on members of Team GO Rocket. After you emerge victorious, Team GO Rocket will abandon a creature. If you fight it and catch it using Premier Balls, you’ll have your own Shadow Pokemon.
From there, you can always keep them as-is and enjoy the extra damage boosts. Shadow Pokemon deal 20% more damage during raids and gym battles, and they also look pretty menacing. However, they suffer from an equally lowered defense. Likewise, you won’t be able to unlearn the creature’s Frustration attack except under special circumstances.
As such, most players will opt to purify their catch. Doing so gives the now Purified Pokemon a boost in stats, plus it reduces the Stardust and Candy requirements for powering up or evolutions. The Frustration attack will also be replaced with Return, which can be unlearned with a Charged TM. The only catch is that you’ll need to spend a set amount of Candy and Stardust in order to purify it.
You’ll see the blue snowflake symbol next to any Pokemon that has been Purified. Or at least it looks like a snowflake — we’re not entirely sure what it’s supposed to represent. A flash of light, perhaps? Either way, the icon simply means your Shadow Pokemon is now a Purified Pokemon.
