Pokémon GO Leader Counters for Sierra, Arlo, and Cliff: April 2026

In Pokémon Go, the nefarious Team Go Rocket presents a consistent challenge through its specialized leaders: Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo. This guide outlines the most effective strategies to dismantle their lineups as of April 2026, following the meta shifts introduced by the “Steeled Resolve” event.

Locating Team Go Rocket Leaders

To confront these leaders, you must first secure a Rocket Radar, which is crafted by collecting six Mysterious Components dropped by standard Team Go Rocket Grunts. Once equipped, the radar allows you to track down leaders stationed at blacked-out PokéStops or aboard incoming hot air balloons.

While previous cycles required defeating all three leaders to progress through Special Research, the current “Steeled Resolve” event handles things differently. As there is no specific Special Research for a Super Rocket Radar currently active, players looking to challenge Giovanni must participate in the ongoing Go Pass. Defeating any leader rewards you with 200 Go Pass points, contributing toward your seasonal progress.

Sierra’s Lineup and Counters

Sierra’s roster remains largely consistent, with the exception of a new starting lead:

• Lead: Duskull (Ghost)
• Second Slot: Flygon, Ferrothorn, or Blastoise
• Final Slot: Houndoom, Steelix, or Milotic

While Duskull is relatively easy to dispatch, your focus should be on building a team that covers the varied threats in her second and third slots. A mix of Fighting and Fire-type moves provides the most reliable coverage against this diverse group. Key recommendations include:

• Terrakion: Double Kick / Sacred Sword
• Lucario: Force Palm / Aura Sphere
• Blacephalon: Incinerate / Mind Blown
• Reshiram: Fire Fang / Fusion Flare
• Groudon: Mud Shot / Precipice Blades
• Rhyperior: Smack Down / Rock Wrecker
• Galarian Darmanitan: Ice Fang / Avalanche
• Kyogre: Waterfall / Origin Pulse

Arlo’s Lineup and Counters

Arlo has refreshed his lineup with Pineco as his new lead, though his later-stage threats remain familiar:

• Lead: Pineco (Bug)
• Second Slot: Steelix, Slowbro, or Gigalith
• Final Slot: Scizor, Charizard, or Alakazam

Arlo’s reliance on Steel-types makes Fire-type attackers your most efficient tool for burning through his shields and HP. Additionally, Dark and Ghost-type moves perform exceptionally well against his secondary picks. Highly recommended counters:

• Blacephalon: Incinerate / Mind Blown
• Reshiram: Fire Fang / Fusion Flare
• Lunala: Shadow Claw / Shadow Ball
• Chandelure: Hex / Shadow Ball
• Kyogre: Waterfall / Origin Pulse
• Quaquaval: Water Gun / Hydro Cannon
• Tyranitar: Bite / Brutal Swing

Cliff’s Lineup and Counters

Cliff has undergone the most significant shake-up, leading with the exceptionally tanky Snorlax and introducing an entirely new set of secondary Pokémon:

• Lead: Snorlax (Normal)
• Second Slot: Gardevoir, Golurk, or Galarian Weezing
• Final Slot: Tyranitar, Camerupt, or Gallade

Defeating Snorlax requires heavy-hitting Fighting-type moves. Because his team composition is quite varied, you should prioritize high-CP Pokémon that utilize Ground, Steel, and Water coverage. Recommended picks:

• Terrakion: Double Kick / Sacred Sword
• Lucario: Force Palm / Aura Sphere
• Groudon: Mud Shot / Precipice Blades
• Garchomp: Mud Shot / Earth Power
• Lunala: Shadow Claw / Shadow Ball
• Metagross: Bullet Punch / Meteor Mash
• Kyogre: Waterfall / Origin Pulse

Expert Strategies for Success

• Burn the Shields: Leaders always use shields against your first two Charged Attacks. Open with a Pokémon that has a fast-charging move to force these shields early.
• Order Matters: Don’t be discouraged if your first Pokémon falls; treat it as a sacrificial lead intended to strip shields and soften the opponent.
• Scout Before Committing: You can engage a leader to identify their Pokémon, flee, and then re-challenge them with a perfectly countered team using the same Radar.
• Maximize Stats: These battles are difficult; prioritize your highest-CP Pokémon with optimized movesets.
• Gather Resources: Fighting leaders is the most efficient method for farming Shadow Shards to craft Purified Gems, netting you three Shards per battle.

Source: Polygon