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

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

by Patrick Mar 15,2025

Conquering Pokémon GO's Team GO Rocket Leaders—Sierra, Arlo, and Cliff—is crucial for research tasks and acquiring powerful Shadow Pokémon. Their boosted Shadow Pokémon and ever-shifting teams make preparation essential. This guide provides the information you need to defeat them, including optimal counter-picks for January 2025.

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Where To Find Team GO Rocket Leaders: Sierra, Arlo, & Cliff | Pokémon GO Rocket Current Sierra Team | Best Counters for Team Leader Sierra in Pokémon GO | Pokémon GO Rocket Current Arlo Team | Best Counters for Team Leader Arlo in Pokémon GO | Pokémon GO Rocket Current Cliff Team | Best Counters for Team Leader Cliff in Pokémon GO

Where To Find Team GO Rocket Leaders: Sierra, Arlo, & Cliff

Unlike Team Rocket Grunts, finding the Leaders requires effort. You must first defeat six Grunts. Each defeated Grunt drops a Mysterious Component. Six components combine to create a Rocket Radar. Grunts appear randomly at PokéStops, and a hot air balloon containing a Grunt spawns every six hours, following you for 20 minutes. With the Rocket Radar equipped, Leaders replace Grunts at darkened PokéStops and in hot air balloons.

Pokémon GO Rocket Current Sierra Team (January 2025)

Sierra's team presents a cunning challenge.

First PokémonSecond PokémonThird Pokémon
Skorupi Skorupi (Bug/Poison) Sableye Sableye (Dark/Ghost) Houndoom Houndoom (Dark/Fire)
Steelix Steelix (Ground/Steel) Nidoqueen Nidoqueen (Ground/Poison)
Milotic Milotic (Water) Gardevoir Gardevoir (Fairy/Psychic)

Best Counters for Team Leader Sierra in Pokémon GO

Sierra's varied team requires strategic counter-picks. Consider these:

PokémonMoves
Terrakion TerrakionSmack Down, Rock Slide
Gengar GengarShadow Claw, Shadow Ball
Excadrill ExcadrillMetal Claw, Iron Head

Pokémon GO Rocket Current Arlo Team (January 2025)

Arlo's team is a formidable mix.

First PokémonSecond PokémonThird Pokémon
Alolan Grimer Alolan Grimer (Poison/Dark) Hypno Hypno (Psychic) Metagross Metagross (Steel/Psychic)
Charizard Charizard (Fire/Flying) Scizor Scizor (Bug/Steel)
Gyarados Gyarados (Water/Flying) Snorlax Snorlax (Normal)

Best Counters for Team Leader Arlo in Pokémon GO

Prepare for Flying, Psychic, and Poison types.

PokémonMoves
Tyranitar TyranitarBite, Brutal Swing
Shiny Blaziken BlazikenFire Spin, Blast Burn
Excadrill ExcadrillMud Slap, Drill Run

Pokémon GO Rocket Current Cliff Team (January 2025)

Cliff's team is a powerhouse.

First PokémonSecond PokémonThird Pokémon
Cubone Cubone (Ground) Clone Venusaur Venusaur (Grass/Poison) Tyranitar Tyranitar (Dark/Rock)
Marowak Marowak (Ground) Obstagoon Obstagoon (Dark/Normal)
Aerodactyl Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying) Crobat Crobat (Poison/Flying)

Best Counters for Team Leader Cliff in Pokémon GO

Prepare for Dark, Ground, Flying, and Poison types.

PokémonMoves
Mamoswine MamoswinePowder Snow, Avalanche
Lucario LucarioForce Palm, Aura Sphere
Shiny Blaziken BlazikenCounter, Blast Burn

This guide provides the most up-to-date information for January 2025. We will continue to update this article as Team GO Rocket Leader lineups change.

Pokémon GO is available now on mobile devices.

Updated 1/14/2025 by Amanda Kay Oaks