Pokémon GO: How to beat Cliff

Team GO Rocket’s Cliff has returned to Pokémon GO with a refreshed roster of Pokémon — and as usual he’s up to no good. His roster update in September 2025 has made him no easier opponent, but you’ll still need to defeat him to get one step closer to facing off with Giovanni.

You can only encounter Cliff if you have an active Rocket Radar, so you’ll need to beat up a few Team GO Rocket Grunts, relieve them of their Mysterious Components, and construct a Rocket Radar with six of them. Once it’s activated, you can encounter Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra at PokéStops or on Rocket Balloons. Defeating all three Team GO Rocket Bosses enables you to finally duel their superior, Giovanni.

This guide will tell you how to beat Cliff in Pokémon GO in 2025.

Cliff’s current Pokémon

You can expect Cliff to always send out Shadow Larvitar first. Afterwards, though, he has three potential options to fill the second and third slots in his battle team.

• Slot #1: Larvitar
• Slot #2: Honchkrow / Annihilape / Skarmory
• Slot #3: Tyranitar / Machamp / Luxray

Best counters to Cliff’s Larvitar in Pokémon GO

While Grass and Water are Larvitar’s primary weak points, exploiting one of its secondary weaknesses – Ground – will be a lot more convenient for you, as it might be of use later on.

• Groudon (Ground): Mud Shot, Precipice Blades, Fire Punch
• Garchomp (Ground, Dragon): Mudshot, Earthquake, Earth Power
• Excadrill (Ground, Steel): Mud-Slap, Scorching Sands, Drill Run

Best counters to Cliff’s Annihilape in Pokémon GO

Though this raging ape has plenty of weaknesses, your Fairy-types can handle it with ease.

• Enarmorus (Incarnate Forme) (Fairy, Flying): Fairy Wind, Dazzling Gleam, Fly
• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aurasphere
• Xerneas (Fairy): Geomancy, Moonblast, Giga Impact

Best counters to Cliff’s Honchkrow in Pokémon GO

Honchkrow fits into this pattern very nicely.

• Enarmorus (Incarnate Forme) (Fairy, Flying): Fairy Wind, Dazzling Gleam, Fly
• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aurasphere
• Xerneas (Fairy): Geomancy, Moonblast, Giga Impact

Best counters to Cliff’s Skarmory in Pokémon GO

Skarmory is one of the few Pokémon that require special handling, so bring some Fire- or Electric-types — Fire is a little better in this case, since it’s a stronger option against Luxray, Cliff’s other exception to the Fairy hammer.

• Heatran (Fire, Steel): Fire Spin, Magma Storm, Flamethrower
• Delphox (Fire, Psychic): Fire Spin, Blast Burn, Psychic
• Darmanitan (Fire): Fire Fang, Overheat, Psychic

Best counters to Cliff’s Tyranitar in Pokémon GO

Tyranitar has a fearsome appearance, but it does not lack weak points: Fighting, Bug, Fairy, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water all do bonus damage against it.

• Enarmorus (Incarnate Forme) (Fairy, Flying): Fairy Wind, Dazzling Gleam, Fly
• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aurasphere
• Xerneas (Fairy): Geomancy, Moonblast, Giga Impact

Best counters to Cliff’s Machamp in Pokémon GO

You wouldn’t believe which types are strong against Machamp. That’s right.

• Enarmorus (Incarnate Forme) (Fairy, Flying): Fairy Wind, Dazzling Gleam, Fly
• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aurasphere
• Xerneas (Fairy): Geomancy, Moonblast, Giga Impact

Best counters to Cliff’s Luxray in Pokémon GO

With Larvitar being weak to Ground-type moves as well, Luxray is no longer a special outlier and you can easily justify bringing a dedicated counter.

• Groudon (Ground): Mud Shot, Precipice Blades, Fire Punch
• Garchomp (Ground, Dragon): Mudshot, Earthquake, Earth Power
• Excadrill (Ground, Steel): Mud-Slap, Scorching Sands, Drill Run

Defeating Cliff gets you closer to Giovanni and allows you to catch his own starter Pokémon.