The ever-popular Pokémon games have always had a certain gameplay element that keeps people coming back to them. Which is, of course, that you have to catch them all but this can sometimes be difficult. Often you need to trade with other players or, as is the case with many of the more powerful Pokémon, you need to do something a little extra.
A somewhat recent addition to the roster of Pokémon is Marshadow. To help you know just why this Pokémon is so valuable and where to get him, here’s how to get Marshadow and a few other things you never knew about it.
Updated June 30th, 2020 by Meg Pelliccio: Nintendo recently released Pokémon Sword and Shield’s first DLC, the Isle of Armor, opening up a new area to players, additional story content, new game features, new Pokémon, and more. Though players have returned to the Galar region to check out all that the Isle of Armor has to offer, many were disappointed that a few notable Pokémon from past titles had not returned.
Some fans were hoping that Marshadow might make an appearance, but instead, players were given the opportunity to win themselves the mythical Pokémon Zeraora, which they successfully did. However, there’s still plenty of time for future events and hopefully, a Marshadow one will come sooner rather than later.
15 STAB
STAB is an abbreviation for Same Type Attack Bonus, where a Pokémon receives an added attack bonus when the move it uses shares the same type as that of the Pokémon. So for example, if the move is a Fighting-type and the Pokémon is also a Fighting-type, its damage will be increased by x1.5.
Marshadow is currently the only Pokémon that has a STAB combination that is unresisted by any other Pokémon. For a Pokémon to resist Marshadow’s combination, the opposing Pokémon would have to be a Normal/Ghost combination, which is currently unused.
14 Only Pokémon that Can Use a Z-Move without a Trainer
Marshadow is the only Pokémon that is seen to use a Z-Move without having a proper trainer. In the Pokémon I Choose You! Remix manga, which is set before the first I Choose You! movie. Marshadow is impressed by the courage of a young boy it meets named Ken. So during a face-off with Borosue and his Gyrados, Marshadow gives Ken a Marshadium Z to use with his Hero’s ring.
Ken then has Marshadow use its special Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike Z-Move to defeat his opponent, and the next day Marshadow leaves Ken to continue his training.
13 Corruptor of Pokémon
Marshadow has the ability to corrupt other Pokémon, regardless of whether they have a trainer, though only when under the evil influence of the tainted Rainbow Wing. This is shown during the Pokémon: I Choose You! movie, where Marshadow is corrupted by the evil of the Rainbow Wing that changes after it is stolen by Cross, and thereafter it is able to do the same to other Pokémon.
Of course, eventually, Pikachu is able to defeat Marshadow and in doing release it and all of the Pokémon it corrupted from the evil of the Rainbow Wing.
12 Nightmare Fuel
Marshadow is capable of causing people to have nightmares, as seen in the Pokémon movie I Choose You! where it uses this ability on Ash. Marshadow makes Ash fall asleep and have a nightmare that he lives in a world without Pokémon, wherein he is just a normal student in school.
However, Ash’s bond with Pikachu helps him to remember the truth and he manages to wake from his nightmare, promptly apologizing to his friends for his earlier behavior where he angrily lashed out at them.
11 Shiny Form
Marshadow’s shiny variant is only apparent when it is in its Zenith form, where its green head, collar, and wrists change to purple instead. Marshadow changes into its Zenith form when attacking or when it’s angry.
In its normal form, Marshadow and its shiny variant look the same. Marshadow is actually shiny locked, so any shinies out there are illegitimate. Considering Nintendo recently awarded players a shiny mythical from generation seven with Zeraora, maybe next time it will be Marshadow’s turn.
10 Where To Get Marshadow
Marshadow can only be captured through events or if another player is feeling generous, trading. The original time in which it was available varied based on which game you had. For Sun and Moon, if you had a serial code gotten from certain stores, you could redeem it between October 2017 and February 2018. Ultra Sun and Moon had a similar way of getting it, using the acquire serial code between certain dates.
Now for Pokémon Sword and Shield, Marshadow is only currently available via Nintendo’s cloud service, Pokémon HOME. Allowing players the opportunity to transfer Marshadow to their copy of Sword and Shield, provided they have it already from a past title. Marshadow may also become available through some other event later on as well.
9 Marshadow’s Appearance
Marshadow’s existence was something akin to myths and legends because it was so rarely seen. Marshadow is described as a sort of humanoid Pokémon made of smokey grey shadows. It has a unique head that looks like it’s wearing a helmet. On top of its head are two swirls and a wispy sort of horn. It has bumps on its arms, smoky trails on its feet, and a smoky collar.
But perhaps the most unique thing about Marshadow is that its appearance changes. When angered or when it attacks with its Z-move, parts of its body flare-up. It’s head swirls grow into horns, its arm bumps, collar, and eyes also flare-up. Additionally, it has a lot more color than before. Not only is this like some sort of ghostly flame but it can also be said to be its fighting spirit flaring up.
8 Marshadow’s Unique Typing
Marshadow is the first, and so far, only Fighting and Ghost-type Pokémon. This special pairing does a lot to help Marshadow overcome weaknesses common to ghost types and fighting types. As an example of this, ghost types can struggle vs normal types because their ghost abilities cannot hit normal type Pokémon. Well, Marshadow is different because its fighting typing is super effective against Normal type Pokémon.
Furthermore, Marshadow has much higher physical stats, which means it doesn’t need to rely on the less than great accuracy of focus blast. It can take advantage of its inherent ability which boosts the power of moves with a power of 60 or less. All of this lets Marshadow be a veritable powerhouse of a Pokémon.
7 Exclusive Moves
Another special thing about Marshadow is its moves. While it does have a nice balance of Ghost and Fighting type moves, it also gets one very special move in particular. That move is called Spectral Thief and it is very powerful. It has 90 base power with 100% accuracy and it steals all stat boosts that the opposing Pokémon has acquired.
But it doesn’t end there because Marshadow also has a very special Z-move called Soul-Stealing 7-Star Strike. This Z-move requires Marshadow to be holding its Marshadium Z and has a power of 195. Not only is that likely to K.O. anything it hits but it also cannot miss. This makes Marshadow the hardest hitting Ghost type Pokémon out there.
6 Marshadow’s First Appearance
The first games in which you could attain Marshadow are the Sun and Moon games. Marshadow’s availability has since been minimal. However, that’s only for the Pokémon games. Elsewhere, Marshadow has shown itself in a variety of ways. In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Marshadow can appear after using the Pokéball item. It will use its signature Spectral Thief attack against your opponents.
Additionally, Marshadow has appeared in an animated movie as well as a manga movie adaptation which retells Ash’s adventure in Kanto. Other appearances of note are in the official trading card game and a minor appearance in the Sun and Moon anime.
5 Marshadow Is In A Lot Of Pokemon Cards
While it’s a given that Marshadow would have his own card in the official TCG, it can come as a surprise to see just how many cards he makes an appearance in. One of the Marshadow cards lets you use an ability called Shadow Imitation, which lets you use one of the opponent’s attacks as your own. This is of note because it references Marshadow’s Pokédex reference.
In addition to that card, there are a few other versions of Marshadow with their own abilities. There’s also a GX version, which uses Marshadow’s Zenith form for its art. Finally, there are Tag Team cards where Marshadow teams up with Machamp for some truly devastating attacks.
4 Marshadow’s Pokedex Entries
Marshadow’s Pokédex entries show just how this remarkable Pokémon was able to escape the notice of most everyone so easily. In its Sun entry, it says that Marshadow can hide in shadows and that it avoids humans. In the Moon entry, it goes on to say that it lurks in other’s shadows, copying their powers and movements. It also says that Marshadow is craven and cowering.
The Ultra Sun and Moon entries reveal even more about this elusive Pokémon. Ultra Sun reveals that while it copies those whose shadow it hides in, it continues to improve itself, eventually becoming more powerful than those it copies. Ultra Moon mentions how it can understand their feelings and copy their capabilities. Finally, Sword and Shield state that Marshadow has learned some sort of ultimate techniques through its copying.
3 Marshadow Has An Important Role To Play
In the 20th Pokémon movie I Choose You!, Marshadow plays a very important role in helping Ash in his journey through the Kanto region. Marshadow acts as a guide from the shadows. He leads those chosen by Ho-Oh to be the rainbow hero. It is also tasked with stealing the rainbow wing away if it loses its color.
This is seen in the movie as, spoilers, the rainbow wing is stolen by someone with a corrupted heart. Marshadow attempts to take it back but is subsequently corrupted. All kinds of things go wrong and Marshadow ends up acting as a sort of villain, raising an army that attacks Ash and his Pikachu. After much difficulty as well as a selfless sacrifice, balance is restored.
2 Where Marshadow’s Name Came From
Marshadow’s name itself has a few different possible origins with their own meanings. Taken at face value, its name can be divided between its typing. Mars, martial arts, and shadow, in reference to its ghost typing. It may also be a reference to shadowboxing, in which boxers will spar with an imaginary foe.
The other possible origins and meanings lie in Hawaiian mythology. There are two possible things it has connections with: the Nightmarchers and the Menehune. The Nightmarchers are deadly ghosts of ancient Hawaiian warriors. The Menehune are mythological dwarf people who live in deep forests and hidden valleys. This makes sense considering Sun and Moon are heavily influenced by Islander culture!
1 Marshadow Is A Good Choice For Competitive Battling
Marshadow is an incredibly strong choice for anyone who wishes to battle at a competitive level. Thanks to its diverse typing and powerful moves, it lends itself well to offensive strategies. Having STAB on both ghost and fighting type moves as well as being immune to extreme speed makes it very reliable against powerful Pokémon.
Furthermore, its ability, Technician, allows certain under-powered abilities such as shadow sneak to be used to great effect. Finally, its Z-move lets it breakthrough beefy opponents. Be warned, though, as it is in the Uber tier for Smogon rules so many people won’t want to battle it outside of Uber tier battles.
NEXT: Pokémon: 10 Sword & Shield Mysteries We Still Need Answers To
