The Darkest Day: Eternatus in Pokemon Go

It's beginning once again. The new hints are dropping, and it looks like it's time to get ready for a new Legendary Pokemon to make its presence known.This time, it seems that we're looking at the coming one of the biggest Pokemon of Galar/Generation 8: Eternatus

The Darkest Day

To some, the introduction of Eternatus at such a relatively early point in time may seem a bit strange, but in terms of Pokemon lore it actually makes perfect sense. In the Main Series, the Dynamax phenomenon is inextricably linked to Eternatus, as this Legendary Pokemon is actually the source of the phenomenon, and the source of the raw energy that causes common Pokemon to turn into giant versions of themselves. In fact, Eternatus is such a powerful force that in its debut games its initial discovery and the mere act of awakening it are referred to as "The Darkest Day".

So what can we expect? Eternatus is almost guaranteed to be a normal Raid Boss, as in the main series Eternatus cannot Dynamax. Could Niantic change this? Maybe, but I doubt that The Pokemon Company would allow such a large deviation from the established story. For this reason, it's probably going to be okay to just utilize your normal raid teams to take this monster down. But just how worthwhile is Eternatus at this point in time? While we'll get into the specifics in just a bit, at the moment Eternatus is slated to only really have weight to throw around in the Master League. But that likely won't always be the case, as Eternatus has two Dragon Type Signature Moves to its name: Dynamax Cannon and Eternabeam.

In the distant future, we can probably expect Dynamax Cannon to show up first. It's not super-clear just how strong it will make Eternatus, as we now have precedent for insanely strong moves that can shift entire metas with ease, but this move will likely be available via events and Elite TMs, meaning any Eternatus caught during its initial run will hopefully still have the ability to be future-proofed. It's also worth mentioning that Eternabeam deals additional damage to Dynamaxed Pokemon in the main series, so we may see an Adventure Effect that allows a Dynamax Cannon Eternatus to boost Max Raid damage. But, sadly, if that does happen, then Dynamax Cannon will likely be an exclusive move. But what's more interesting is Eternabeam, and the potential terror that comes with it. You see, Eternabeam is the closest thing that Eternatus has to a true Dynamax, as it changes form into something entirely different just while using it: Eternamax Eternatus. This absolute monster of a Pokemon will likely never be usable by players in the traditional sense, as it was actually a boss forme that Eternatus took on in the main series, and has never been usable by players beyond launching Eternabeam (or hacking the game). However, that's where the truly frightening part comes in: it's entirely possible that we may see a future release of Eternatus that has Eternabeam, but it may only be attainable via an Eternamax Eternatus Max Raid. If this is the case and Niantic utilizes Eternamax Eternatus' actual calculated stats, then this could very well be the single greatest challenge in Pokemon Go history, and it could very well be the one and only way to get an Eternatus with Eternabeam.

In the end, this is all just speculation. However, if it holds true, then we likely have at least year or two of any Eternatus caught during this raid standing as optimal, even longer if Dynamax Cannon isn't an exclusive move. However, it's almost assured that existing Eternatus will be kicked out when and if we see Eternabeam at some point in the future. Still, don't let that hold you back if you're a big one for the Master League!

Eternatus in PvE

Eternatus was set to be the savior of the Poison Type.... but then it was given Cross Poison instead of Sludge Bomb, officially killing its potential on that front.

Yup, it's basically a side-grade to Nihilego with a different typing. That's not a bad place to sit, but it means that Eternatus is not the Pokemon to put Poison on the map. Maybe a future moveset could change that, as it can learn moves like Venoshock in the main series that could be meta-defining, but at the moment it's unlikely that Eternatus will do much for one of the weakest types in the game...

....but how about its Dragon performance?

Dragon is one of the most competitive types in the game, and Eternatus really can't keep up here. This is primarily due to the fact that it's cursed with Dragon Pulse, which is a painfully mediocre Dragon Type Charged Move. Without a doubt, it's not worth investing in Eternatus for its Dragon Type raid performance... although it does have two Dragon Type Signature Moves, as we've already covered, so it could rise to the top in the future.

Eternatus in PvP

So what exactly does Eternatus have going for it in PvP? For starters, it's got a huge base-stat total. Seriously; this thing comes close to even Giratina - Origin Forme in terms of bulk, but with way more Attack. This means that it's got the raw power for the Master League, but is at a bit of a disadvantage in the Ultra League, and will outright not be able to join in the fun of the Great League.

Next up is its typing: Dragon/Poison is actually a fairly interesting type. It's got a lot of resistances, but also a lot of key weaknesses that will need to be circumnavigated. This means that it's going to rely on its team a bit, as big-name threats like Solgaleo, Dusk Mane Necrozma, and Rhyperior can all pose a problem for Eternatus, even though it has a bit of coverage to help it out in some matchups. Still, Eternatus' Poison typing and moveset also means that it will be a major threat to many of the top Fairy Types in the league despite its Dragon typing, so that's a pretty nice niche as well.

Finally, moves. We've got Dragon Tail for high energy generation, Cross Poison for a low energy cost move with solid power and a chance to boost Attack by 2 stages with each use, and Flamethrower for coverage or Dragon Pulse for neutral threats. This moveset is potentially really spammy, and Cross Poison in particular can turn Eternatus into an absolute offensive behemoth if it scores an Attack boost or two.

All-in-all, we've got a Pokemon with a huge total stat product, good typing that can prey on specific threats in the meta, and a very fast moveset with high power and buffing potential. For these reasons, we're predicting that Eternatus is going to be a huge threat in the Master League, where it will be capable of powering through many large threats, but less impactful in the Ultra League due to the limitations of said total stat product, in particular its high Attack stat. So if you're struggling with the Master League, then it's definitely worth hunting down a high-IV Eternatus during this event!

Closing

Eternatus is a fairly exciting Pokemon in its own right. This is the big-bad of Sword and Shield, and the driving force behind the game's climax. It's a bit iffy right now, but rest assured this is a Pokemon that will very likely see huge gains in the future, especially as the Dynamax system continues to grow and flourish. It's worth raiding now, but just don't get too attached to any Eternamax that you may pick up, as destiny and Niantic tend to not be kind to first-wave Legendary Pokemon. Regardless, best of luck, and bring some light to the Darkest Day!