Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour Guide Jan. 18, 2022: Plusle

Niantic Labs revealed the featured Pokemon for this week’s Pokemon GO Spotlight Hour will be Plusle.

Long-time fans likely remember Plusle and its counterpart, Minun, as two members of Generation III—making them residents of the Hoenn region. They may also recognize them from their features as the partner Pokemon in the spin-off Pokemon Ranger games.

Plusle’s PokeDex number is #311. Also known as the “Cheering” Pokemon—alongside Minun—it cares far more about the happiness and motivation of its battle partner. Plusle has been known to short out its own body to create a brilliant display of sparks in order to cheer on its partner.

Can Plusle be Shiny in Pokemon GO?

Plusle can be shiny in Pokemon GO. However, its shiny variant can be difficult to tell apart from its traditional color palette as it only features one change.

Shiny Plusle has a darker red coloring than its normal counterpart. This is in stark contrast with its species-cousin, Minun, who turns green when shiny.

While Plusle was implemented in December 2017, its shiny variant didn’t debut until July 2018.

Best Stats/IV for Plusle in Pokemon GO

Plusle has the following stats:

• Maximum CP: 2010
• Maximum HP: 142
• Attack: 167
• Defense: 129
• Stamina: 155

Its IV can be tracked by its CP total at every level. For convenience, we’ve listed the totals in 10-level increments:

• Level 1: 25
• Level 10: 508
• Level 20: 1016
• Level 30: 1524
• Level 40: 1778
• Level 50: 2010

Plusle does not evolve.

Best Moveset for Plusle in Pokemon GO

Plusle’s best moveset contains the quick move Spark and charged move Thunderbolt. Both these moves benefit from the Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) 20% damage buff.

Spark is the only move in Plusle’s quick move pool that benefits from STAB, making it the only real choice. It does 10 damage per second (DPS) while generating 13 energy per second (EPS).

Meanwhile, Plusle has two electric-type charged moves: Thunderbolt and Discharge. While Discharge does cost less energy per cast, the nearly 10-point difference between the two moves’ DPS output immediately places it in the bottom tier. Thunderbolt does 38 DPS for 20 energy which allows players to cast it every three seconds or so.

Is Plusle Good in Pokemon GO?

Unfortunately, Plusle and Minun are more for show than anything else in Pokemon GO. While the two work in a pinch when trainers go to reach for an electric-type in a battle or Raid, they are rarely the ideal choices. The two are easily outdone by the likes of Zekrom, Raikou, Jolteon, Electivire, Manetric, and so on.

As such, Plusle’s appeal is mostly aesthetic.