How to defeat Cliff in Pokémon GO (November 2022)

Learn how to defeat Cliff in Pokémon GO, including Cliff’s Pokémon line-up for November 2022. Cliff is one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders available in Pokémon GO, alongside Arlo, Sierra, and Giovanni.

Remember that you can rematch Cliff if you lose the first time. Use this guide in combination with knowing Cliff’s Pokémon to ensure a victory. While Cliff is not the most difficult Team Go Rocket Leader, he is often the most unpredictable.

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

Cliff’s Pokémon Line-Up

Leader Cliff uses Shadow Machop as his first Pokémon. Cliff’s second Pokémon can be Shadow Crobat, Shadow Pinsir, or Shadow Amoongus. His third Pokémon can be Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Aerodactyl or Shadow Camerupt.

How to defeat Cliff’s Machop

Machop

Cliff’s Shadow Machop is a pure Fighting type opponent that is weak to Fairy Psychic and Flying.

It’s super important to burn as many shields as possible during this fight. This will make defeating Cliff a much easier task. Machop should be relatively easy to defeat. These recommendations will also help cover Crobat if that is Cliff’s second Pokémon.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Crobat

Crobat

Cliff’s Shadow Crobat is an Poison and Flying type, it is weak to Electric Ice Psychic and Rock. Be careful not to underestimate it, always shield and get through this fight swiftly.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Pinsir

Pinsir

Cliff’s Shadow Pinsir is a Bug type, making it weak to Fire Rock and Flying. The same counters Rock counters you used for Crobat will work for Pinsir, or you can use the options below for more alternatives.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Amoonguss

Amoonguss

Cliff’s Shadow Amoonguss is Grass and Poison type, so it is weak to Fire Flying Ice and Psychic. The Psychic types you used for Machop will work well here if they have survived, if not, use any of the counters below.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Tyranitar

Tyranitar

Cliff’s Shadow Tyranitar is 2x weak to the Fighting type, among other weaknesses.

While Tyranitar is strong, you can beat it with little effort by taking advantage of its various weaknesses that include the Fighting, Bug, Fairy, Grass, Ground, Steel and Water types.

Note: Tyranitar does not resist Electric and Rock damage, despite common misconception. Given the low availability of strong Fighters in high CP ranges, most non-Fighting counters can be used equally as good as Machamp. Tyranitar also doesn’t have Smack Down as a quick move in Trainer Battles.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Aerodactyl

Aerodactyl

Cliff’s Shadow Aerodactly is a Rock and Flying type. Aerodactyl is weak to Electric Rock Ice Steel and Water.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Cliff’s Camerupt

Camerupt

Cliff’s Shadow Torterra is a Fire and Ground type that is 2x weak to Water, and weak to Ground

Recommended counters

How to battle Cliff in Pokémon GO?

To fight with Cliff 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 Cliff.

Fighting Cliff is more difficult than fighting Grunts, as Leaders use higher level Pokémon than Grunts. In order to defeat Cliff, 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 Cliff Rocket Leader

Trainers who manage to defeat Cliff – 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 Cliff.
• 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 Cliff 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