NianticCliff is a really challenging opponent in Pokemon Go, so we’ve compiled all the information you need to win, including his lineup, weaknesses, and the most effective counters to beat him as of August 2025.
Taking out all six Team Go Rocket Grunts in Pokemon Go and collecting their Mysterious Components will enable you to create a Rocket Radar. This high-tech tool lets you square off against one of the fearsome Team Go Rocket Leaders: Cliff, Arlo, or Sierra.
Don’t be fooled, though, as these aren’t your typical Grunts that hang around the PokeStops – these Leaders pack a real punch, and their team lineup remains a mystery until you step onto the battlefield.
So, here’s everything you need to know to take down Cliff, earn some sweet rewards, and get a chance to catch a Shadow Pokemon in the process.
Cliff Pokemon Go lineup (August 2025)
Cliff has long been a Team Rocket-shaped thorn in the side of trainers, and for August, his lineup has changed following the Delightful Days: Taken Over event.
He’ll send out Shadow Cyndaquil first, followed by two of six potential options across phases two and three. Here’s his current lineup in Pokemon Go:
- Phase 1: Shadow Cyndaquil
- Phase 2: Shadow Annihilape / Shadow Honchkrow / Shadow Skarmory
- Phase 3: Shadow Luxray / Shadow Machamp / Shadow Tyranitar
NianticHow to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
To take down Cliff, you’ll need to make sure you’re taking different Pokemon into battle to cover various Pokemon types.
Let’s take a look at the weaknesses of all the Pokemon that Cliff can use in battle and the best counters to bring home the win! The sections below includes a mix of rare and more accessible counters, so every Trainer should be able to stand a decent chance against him.
Cliff Pokemon Go counters – Phase 1
DEXERTOCyndaquil counters
Cyndaquil is a pure Fire-type, which means it’s weak to Ground, Rock, and Water-type attacks. It also resists Bug, Fairy, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Steel-type moves, so avoid using those.
Here are some of the best counters against Shadow Cyndaquil:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Primal Groudon  | Mud Shot & Precipice Blades |
Primal Kyogre  | Waterfall & Origin Pulse |
Cliff Pokemon Go counters – Phase 2
The Pokemon Company / DexertoAnnihilape counters
Annihilape is a dual Fighting/Ghost-type Pokemon, so its weaknesses are Fairy, Flying, Ghost, and Psychic-type attacks, while its resistances are Poison, Rock, Bug, Fighting, and Normal-type moves.
Here are some of the best Shadow Annihilape counters to use:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Alakazam  | Confusion & Psychic |
Dawn Wings Necrozma  | Psycho Cut & Moongeist Beam |
Honchkrow counters
Honchkrow is a dual Dark/Flying-type, which means it’s weak against Electric, Ice, Fairy, and Rock-type attacks, and resistant to Dark, Ghost, Grass, Ground, and Psychic moves.
Here are some of the best Shadow Honchkrow counters to use:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Gardevoir  | Charm & Dazzling Gleam |
Magnezone  | Volt Switch & Wild Charge |
Skarmory counters
Skarmory is a dual Steel/Flying-type Pokemon, which makes it weak against Electric and Fire-type attacks. It’s also resistant to a lot of different types: Bug, Dark, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ground, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Steel, and Rock-type moves.
Here are some of the best counters for Shadow Skarmory:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Charizard  | Fire Spin & Blast Burn |
Electivire  | Thunder Shock & Wild Charge |
Cliff Pokemon Go counters – Phase 3
The Pokemon Company / DexertoLuxray counters
Luxray is a pure Electric-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Ground-type attacks. On the other hand, it’s resistant to Electric, Flying, and Steel-type moves.
Here are some of the best counters to take down Shadow Luxray:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Excadrill  | Mud-Slap & Scorching Sands |
Garchomp  | Mud Shot & Earth Power |
Machamp counters
Machamp is a pure Fighting-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type attacks. Meanwhile, it’s resistant to Bug, Dark, and Rock-type moves.
Here are some of the best Shadow Machamp counters for your team:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Alakazam | Confusion & Psychic |
Gardevoir | Confusion & Psychic |
Tyranitar counters
Tyranitar is a dual Rock/Dark-type Pokemon, so it’s weak against Fighting, Bug, Fairy, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water-type attacks. However, it’s resistant to Psychic, Dark, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Normal, and Poison-type moves.
Here are some of the best Shadow Tyranitar counters to use:
Pokemon | Best Moveset |
|---|---|
Blaziken  | Counter & Focus Blast |
Garchomp | Mud Shot & Earth Power |
Pokemon Go boss guides
For more guides like this, check out our other boss guides (and bookmark them) because we update them each time their lineup changes in the game:
- How to beat Giovanni
- How to beat Leader Sierra
- How to beat Leader Arlo
- How to beat Leader Cliff
- How to beat all Rocket Grunts
Best team to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
DEXERTOOne of the best teams to defeat Cliff’s current lineup in Pokemon Go consists of Raikou, Tapu Lele, and Primal Groudon.
- You’ll want a strong Fairy-type Pokemon on your team like Tapu Lele or Gardevoir, because they counter several creatures on Cliff’s team: Annihilape, Honchkrow, Machamp, and Tyranitar.
- A powerful Ground-type is a must, so you can go with Primal Groudon (or its regular form), Rhyperior, or even Garchomp to pit against Cyndaquil, Tyranitar, and Luxray.
- Finally, you can take care of Skarmory and get extra cover for Honchkrow with an Electric type like Raikou, Electivire, or Magnezone.
If you don’t have one of the Pokemon suggested here, or in any of the suggestions higher up, we’d suggest taking your strongest Ground, Electric, and Fairy-type ‘mons in with you for battle – as they’ll give you the best chance of succeeding through pure force.
Remember that if you lose against Cliff, you’ll be able to challenge him to a rematch as many times as you need until you win. This is ideal when he throws out something you’re not prepared for, as you can rework your team before heading back into battle.
Every Cliff Shadow Boss ranked by difficulty
Team Go Rocket first appeared in Pokemon Go back in 2019, and since then, their teams have had plenty of rotations to challenge the players and keep them interested. Unlike the Grunts, the Team Go Rocket Leaders – Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra – can be quite tough to beat, mainly due to their final Shadow Pokemon used in phase 3.
After analyzing Cliff’s team over the years, along with his final Pokemon’s stats, bulk, moveset, and other factors, here’s how tough to beat he’s been so far, with Dusknoir taking a clear lead, with Machamp and Swampert trailing behind:
DexertoWhen a new Takeover rolls around and a new lineup is introduced, we’ll update this table with details on the current Shadow Boss and its placement.
How to find Cliff
The only way to track down Cliff (or any Team Go Rocker Leader) is to beat six Team Go Rocket Grunts and earn all six parts of the Mysterious Component. Once you have the six parts of the device, they’ll combine to assemble a Rocket Radar.
- With a Rocket Radar active, you can encounter Team Go Rocket members either at Poke Stops or by clicking on a Team Go Rocket Balloon.
- Keep tapping on these encounters until you see Cliff’s avatar.
- Once his avatar appears, you’ll then be able to battle and defeat him to earn yourself a Shadow Gible.
That’s all you need to know about defeating Cliff in Pokemon Go and the best counters to use alongside its weaknesses in August 2025. For additional help, make sure to check out how to play Pokemon Go, the current Raid bosses, events schedule, and the Max Mondays and Spotlight Hour schedule.
