Datamine suggests Morpeko buff in Pokemon GO ahead of release

Datamine reports from The Pokemod Group on X suggest that Morpeko in Pokemon GO will have access to Thunder Shock as a Fast Attack upon release. Previously, Pokeminers had posted on Threads, mentioning how the game data showed the creature could only use Bite or Charge Beam—neither of which is very suitable for PvP play.

If true, Morpeko stands the chance to spice things up in the open Great League meta, with its unique ability to change forms in the middle of battles. This article explores the connotations of this potential Morpeko buff in Pokemon GO.

Morpeko with Thunder Shock has interesting potential in Pokemon GO's Great League

Before getting into the nitty-gritty of why the addition of Thunder Shock is a big deal for Morpeko in Pokemon GO, you should know that the creature has two forms and a signature move. The two forms are Hangry and Full Belly and its signature move is called Aura Wheel.

When in Hangry form, Aura Wheel is a Dark-type attack, but in Full Belly form, it becomes Electric. According to reports from The Pokemod Group, the attack has the following stats:

PvP

Power: 100
Energy: -45
100% chance to increase attack of self by 1 stage

PvE

Power: 100
Energy: -45
Duration: 2700ms
Window start: 2100ms
Window end: 2500ms

For context, this puts Aura Wheel in the same league as Wild Charge, one of the strongest Electric-type attacks in the game, with a STAB damage-to-energy ratio of 2.67. With 140+ points in its Attack stat, the creature is going to hit like a truck. Moreover, unlike Wild Charge which lowers the user's Defense by two stages, Aura Wheel increases the user's Attack by one stage.

Electric and Dark have excellent coverage as no type in the game can resist both—meaning Morpeko can take advantage of its dual forms to turn matchups on their head.

Coming back to why the addition of Thunder Shock is excellent news for Morpeko. Charge Beam is a three-turn move that deals 1.66 damage and generates 3.66 energy, while Thunder Shock deals 1.5 damage but generates a whopping 4.5 energy.

This means that Morpeko can make it to an Aura Wheel in 10 turns with Thunder Shock, but with Charge Beam, it would need to complete 15 turns worth of Fast Attacks. The latter would make spamming out Charged Attacks quite difficult, spoiling the creature's impact on the PvP meta.

With Thunder Shock in its kitty, Morpeko can potentially bring about a tectonic shift in how Pokemon GO PvP is played. Although its release date has not been confirmed yet, another creature with two forms, Toxtricity, is coming soon.

Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

Ditto disguises
Buddy Evolution Adventure Together guide
Best Fast Attacks in Pokemon GO
Sierra counters
Cliff counters
Arlo counters
Giovanni counters
Team GO Rocket Grunts