How to defeat Arlo in Pokémon GO (January 2023)

A complete guide on how to defeat Leader Arlo in Pokémon GO during the month of January 2023, including Arlo’s current Pokémon line-up. Arlo is one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders available in Pokémon GO, alongside Sierra, Cliff, and Giovanni.

You can rematch Arlo if you lose the first time. Use this guide in combination with knowing Arlo’s Pokémon to ensure a victory. Be aware that many consider Arlo to be the most difficult Team GO Rocket leader.

💡 Note: In Trainer Battles, counters need not always be Pokémon that do super-effective damage. We include Pokémon that are more viable to defeat Arlo, rather than those who do maximum damage.

Arlo’s Pokémon Line-Up

Arlo uses Shadow Mawile as his first Pokémon. Arlo’s second Pokémon can be Shadow Charizard, Shadow Salamence, or Shadow Staraptor. His third Pokémon can be Shadow Dragonite, Shadow Granbull, or Shadow Scizor.

We got you covered with the best Pokémon to use against Arlo, regardless of which line-up Arlo uses. Defeat Arlo in Pokémon GO with these easy counters! 

How to defeat Arlo’s Mawile

Mawile

Arlo’s Shadow Mawile is a Steel and Fairy type that is weak to Fire and Ground. This is a perfect opportunity to burn down some shields. Arlo doesn’t like this, but it is the optimal strategy for his other Pokémon.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Charizard

Charizard

Arlo’s Shadow Charizard is double weak to Rock, and also weak to Electric and Water. Almost all of the Charizard counters are strong Rock-types with access to Smack Down.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Salamence

Salamence

Arlo’s Shadow Salamence is very similar to Dragonite, with Fairy and Ice types countering most move sets. In case of Fire Fang, Palkia, Garchomp and Giratina Origin win easily.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Staraptor

Staraptor

Arlo’s Shadow Staraptor is  weak to Rock, Electric and Ice-type moves. Similar to Charizard in way, most counters are strong Rock-types with access to Smack Down.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Scizor

Scizor

Arlo’s Shadow Scizor is his signature Pokémon, and this Bug and Steel Pokémon is only weak to the Fire type (2x).

Most of the counters you want to use are Strong fire types, like Ho-Oh, Heatran, Entei Reshiram and Moltres. Other options include Chandelure, Entei, Emboar, Flareon and Charizard. In some cases, switching to meta-relevant Pokémon like Kyogre, Melmetal and Swampert makes sense as well.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Granbull

Granbull

Arlo’s Shadow Gardevoir is a pure Fairy type that hits hard. Granbull is only weak to Poison and Steel-type moves. Granbull can have Charm, Snarl and Bite as fast moves, and some of them are going to hit hard, so you need to be prepared!

Recommended counters

How to defeat Arlo’s Dragonite

Dragonite

Arlo’s Shadow Dragonite is a difficult opponent, and the fight’s difficulty mostly depends on which Fast Move it has. If Dragonite has Steel Wing, most Fairy counters will be at an disadvantage. Otherwise, it has a Dragon-type move, which means mostly Fairy types can be used.

Weak to Dragon, Rock, Fairy and 2x Ice.

Recommended counters

How to battle Arlo in Pokémon GO?

To fight with Arlo in Pokémon GO, you need to first defeat six Team GO Rocket Grunts to collect enough Mysterious Components to build a Rocket Radar.

Activate the Rocket Radar and you will be able to see the location of a Rocket Leader. The game will not tell you which Leader you are facing, but you have a 33% chance for it to be Arlo.

Fighting Arlo is more difficult than fighting Grunts, as Leaders use higher level Pokémon than Grunts. In order to defeat Arlo, we consider using good counters mandatory. 

You can rematch if you lose, and your Rocket Radar will be consumed if you win.

Rewards for defeating Arlo Rocket Leader

Trainers who manage to defeat Arlo – or any other Team GO Rocket Leader – will get a selection of rare rewards, including the chance to get a Team GO Rocket exclusive 12 km Strange Egg.

• Trainers receive 1,000 Stardust when defeating a Rocket Leaders,
• Trainers will receive two of the item bundles listed below when they defeat Team GO Rocket Leader like Arlo.
• Trainers have the opportunity to catch a Shadow Pokémon used by the Leader. It is always the first Pokemon used by the Leader.
• Shadow Pokémon from Rocket Leaders have a shiny chance of 1 in 64, if they are shiny eligible at the moment of defeating the Leader

Rewards for defeating Arlo in Pokémon GO

Defeating one of the Team GO Rocket Leader trio earns you two item bundles. If at least one of your Egg inventory slots is open, a 12km Strange Egg is guaranteed to replace one of those two bundles.

Receiving a Strange Egg does not have an effect on which item bundle drops alongside the egg.

Guaranteed

1000x Stardust

Random drop of two of these:

As an example, a typical reward drop might contain 4 Revives and 4 Hyper Potions. Similarly, a reward drop might contain 1 Strange Egg and 2 Max Revives, or 1 Unova Stone and 1 Strange Egg.

More Team GO Rocket Guides