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Pokemon GO Rocket Guide: Team Leader Line-ups & Best Counters (January 2025)

by Gabriella Feb 27,2025

Conquering Pokemon GO's Team GO Rocket Leaders: Sierra, Arlo, and Cliff

Whether you're focused on research or bolstering your Shadow Pokemon collection, defeating Team GO Rocket Leaders in Pokemon GO presents a significant challenge. Their powerful Shadow Pokemon and ever-shifting lineups make predicting their strategies difficult. This guide provides comprehensive information on each leader, including their current teams (as of January 2025) and effective counter-picks.

Quick Navigation:

  • Locating Team GO Rocket Leaders: Sierra, Arlo, & Cliff
  • Sierra's Current Team & Counters
  • Arlo's Current Team & Counters
  • Cliff's Current Team & Counters

Finding Team GO Rocket Leaders

Unlike regular Team Rocket Grunts, encountering Team GO Rocket Leaders requires a strategic approach. You must first defeat six Rocket Grunts. Each defeated Grunt drops a Mysterious Component. Six components combine to create a Rocket Radar. Grunts appear randomly at PokeStops, and a hot air balloon containing a Grunt spawns every six hours, following you for 20 minutes before disappearing.

Once you possess a Rocket Radar, Team GO Rocket Leaders will replace Grunts at darkened PokeStops and within hot air balloons.

Sierra's January 2025 Team & Counters

Sierra's team presents a varied challenge. Expect Dark, Psychic, and Bug/Poison types.

Pokemon 1Pokemon 2Pokemon 3
skorupi
Skorupi
Bug/Poison
sableye
Sableye
Dark/Ghost
houndoom
Houndoom
Dark/Fire
Steelix
Steelix
Ground/Steel
Nidoqueen
Nidoqueen
Ground/Poison

Milotic
Water
gardevoir
Gardevoir
Fairy/Psychic

Effective Counters:

PokemonMoves
terrakion
Terrakion
Smack Down
Rock Slide
gengar
Gengar
Shadow Claw
Shadow Ball
excadrill
Excadrill
Metal Claw
Iron Head

Arlo's January 2025 Team & Counters

Arlo's January lineup features a mix of Flying, Psychic, and Poison types.

Pokemon 1Pokemon 2Pokemon 3
Alolan Grimer
Alolan Grimer
Poison/Dark
hypno
Hypno
Psychic
metagross
Metagross
Psychic/Steel
charizard
Charizard
Flying/Fire
scizor
Scizor
Bug/Steel
gyarados
Gyarados
Flying/Water
snorlax
Snorlax
Normal

Effective Counters:

PokemonMoves
tyranitar
Tyranitar
Bite
Brutal Swing
Shiny Blaziken
Blaziken
Fire Spin
Blast Burn
excadrill
Excadrill
Mud Slap
Drill Run

Cliff's January 2025 Team & Counters

Cliff's team heavily features Dark-types, with potential Ground, Flying, and Poison types.

Pokemon 1Pokemon 2Pokemon 3
Cubone
Cubone
Ground
Clone Venusaur
Venusaur
Grass/Poison
tyranitar
Tyranitar
Dark/Rock
Marowak
Marowak
Ground
Obstagoon
Obstagoon
Dark/Normal
aerodactyl
Aerodactyl
Flying/Rock
crobat
Crobat
Flying/Poison

Effective Counters:

PokemonMoves
mamoswine
Mamoswine
Powder Snow
Avalanche
lucario
Lucario
Force Palm
Aura Sphere
Shiny Blaziken
Blaziken
Counter
Blast Burn

This information is current as of January 14, 2025. This guide will be updated as Team GO Rocket Leader lineups change.

Pokemon GO is available now on mobile devices.

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