Pokémon GO: How to beat Sierra

Sierra once again follows her gangster friends into Pokémon GO and is equipped with a fresh team of Pokémon to execute her dark plans. You’ll need to overcome this cunning opponent if you want to get your chance at defeating Giovanni in May 2025, liberating Shadow Pokémon in the process.

Just like her colleagues, Sierra only shows up if you have an active Rocket Radar, which you need to construct by farming Mysterious Parts from Team GO Rocket Grunts or completing Research Tasks. 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 face off against Giovanni at last.

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

Sierra’s current Pokémon

Sierra is guaranteed to send Shadow Trapinch into battle first. Her second and third team slots are flexible, however, with three different Pokémon being available for each position.

• Slot #1: Trapinch
• Slot #2: Mismagius / Ferrothorn / Staraptor
• Slot #3: Houndoom / Camerupt / Drapion

Best counters to Sierra’s Trapinch in Pokémon GO

Trapinch has two useful weaknesses for this duel in Water and Ice. Although Water counters more of Sierra’s Pokémon, bringing an Ice-type is the smarter move.

• Mamoswine (Ice, Ground): Powder Snow, Avalanche, High Horsepower
• Articuno (Ice, Flying): Frost Breath, Triple Axel, Ice Beam
• Baxcalibur (Ice, Dragon): Ice Fang, Avalanche, Blizzard

Best counters to Sierra’s Staraptor in Pokémon GO

The reason for choosing an Ice-type as the opener is Staraptor. You can easily cover the bird with the Pokémon you field against Trapinch.

• Mamoswine (Ice, Ground): Powder Snow, Avalanche, High Horsepower
• Articuno (Ice, Flying): Frost Breath, Triple Axel, Ice Beam
• Baxcalibur (Ice, Dragon): Ice Fang, Avalanche, Blizzard

Best counters to Sierra’s Ferrothorn in Pokémon GO

Ferrothorn is best dealt with by a Fire-type attacker — and you’ll want to make it one that comes equipped with some Dark- or Ghost-type moves as well in order to cover Mismagius.

• Incineroar (Fire, Dark): Snarl, Blast Burn, Darkest Lariat
• Hisuian Typhlosion (Fire, Ghost): Hex, Overheat, Shadow Ball
• Skeledirge (Fire, Ghost): Incinerate, Blast Burn, Shadow Ball

Best counters to Sierra’s Mismagius in Pokémon GO

Mismagius would be quite the annoying outlier, were it not for the plenty of Fire options that can bring some Dark- or Ghost-type moves to the table. Thanks to them, you can be prepared for Ferrothorn and Mismagius at the same time.

• Incineroar (Fire, Dark): Snarl, Blast Burn, Darkest Lariat
• Hisuian Typhlosion (Fire, Ghost): Hex, Overheat, Shadow Ball
• Skeledirge (Fire, Ghost): Incinerate, Blast Burn, Shadow Ball

Best counters to Sierra’s Houndoom in Pokémon GO

Houndoom, Sierra's signature Pokémon, offers one obvious weakness overlap for all three third slots you can exploit: Ground-type attacks.

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

Best counters to Sierra’s Camerupt in Pokémon GO

Though this fiery camel is especially weak to Water, Ground-types are the way to go again.

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

Best counters to Drapion – Pokémon Go Arlo

Drapion can be covered with Ground-type Pokémon once more.

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

Overcoming Sierra gets you a step closer to a fateful meeting with Giovanni and nets you her starter Pokémon.