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The three Team GO Rocket Leaders—Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra—are some of the toughest opponents you’ll encounter this month in Pokémon GO. By understanding their team line-ups and choosing the right counters, you can increase your chances of winning. Beating all three in August 2025 is necessary if you want to face off against GO Rocket Boss Giovanni.
Each leader has a unique team, and they all use high-level Shadow Pokémon. After defeating six Rocket Grunts, the leaders will start appearing randomly at PokéStops and Rocket Balloons. Here’s what you need to know before challenging them this month.
Quick Links:
- Arlo, Cliff, & Sierra Line-ups and Counters
- Rewards for Beating Arlo, Cliff, & Sierra
Arlo, Cliff, & Sierra Line-ups and Counters
Different Teams for Each Leader
Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra each have seven Pokémon they can choose from during battles. They pick three Pokémon for each fight, with the second and third ones being chosen at random. If you don’t like the team you face, you can quit and try again later. As of August 2025, their teams haven’t changed since July 2025.
| Opponent | Pokémon Line-up | Best Counters |
|---|---|---|
| Arlo | Horsea (Water), Slowbro (Water/Psychic), Steelix (Steel/Ground), Crobat (Poison/Flying) | Therian Thundurus, Ho-Oh, Groudon |
| Cliff | Gible (Dragon/Ground), Honchkrow (Dark/Flying), Skarmory (Steel/Flying), Annihilape (Fighting/Ghost), Luxray (Electric), Tyranitar (Rock/Dark), Machamp (Fighting) | Mamoswine, Xerneas, Therian Thundurus |
| Sierra | Trapinch (Ground), Staraptor (Normal/Flying), Mismagius (Ghost), Ferrothorn (Grass/Steel), Camerupt (Fire/Ground), Drapion (Poison/Dark), Houndoom (Dark/Fire) | Swampert, Terrakion, Tyranitar |
Tips for the Battles:
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Arlo is considered the hardest to beat because of his diverse team. His Pokémon cover many types, making him tough to counter. Using Pokémon like Therian Thundurus, Ho-Oh, or Groudon can be very effective, as they can handle most of his team. Starting with a Pokémon like Mamoswine—super-effective against Gible—is a good move, along with support from Fairy-type Pokémon like Xerneas. Therian Thundurus is also excellent against Cliff.
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Cliff‘s team can be tricky, but Pokémon like Mamoswine, Xerneas, and Therian Thundurus are strong counters.
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Sierra uses a very different lineup, but Swampert, Terrakion, and Tyranitar can quickly defeat her Pokémon. Swampert’s Water/Ground typing makes it especially powerful against her team.
Rewards for Beating Arlo, Cliff, & Sierra
Defeating each of these leaders grants similar valuable rewards, which are some of the best in Pokémon GO. One of the main reasons to challenge them is to unlock Giovanni, but you’ll also receive a rare 12 km Red Egg, which is difficult to obtain and can hatch into some of the rarest Pokémon.
You also get to catch the Pokémon they start with in battle and receive a random set of items, including Max Revives. Even though their teams haven’t changed in August 2025, taking them down remains a tough challenge that requires the right counters and preparation.
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