Rocket Leader Sierra Counters Guide

Sierra Pokémon GO counters are Pokémon that will help you defeat her with ease, regardless of which line-up Sierra uses. Remember that you can rematch Sierra if you lose the first time. Use this Sierra guide in combination with knowing Sierra’s Pokémon to ensure a victory.

This guide is heavily based on LanAkou’s excellent write up on reddit.

Sierra’s Pokémon Line-Up

Sierra always uses a Absolas her first Pokémon. Sierra’s second Pokémon can be an Alakazam, a Lapras or a Cacturne. Her third Pokémon can be a Shiftry, a Houndoom or a Gallade.

Countering Sierra’s Pokémon

Absol

Absol uses a combination of Dark and Psychic quick moves, and Dark, Electric or even Grass Charge moves. Pokemon like Togekiss are perfect for countering it. If you have a Heracross, he could be useful for Cacturne as well.

Recommended Absol counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Togekiss	Charm	Ancient Power Flamethrower
Clefable	Charm	Meteor Mash
Heracross	Counter	Close Combat Megahorn
Ninetales (Alola)	Charm	Ice Beam

Alakazam

Alakazam uses Psychic quick moves, but has a wide Charge move pool (Focus Blast is a beast). Dark types excel against Alakazam, but shielding is mandatory. The key here, as it often is in PvP, is to resist the Fast move.

Recommended Alakazam counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Darkrai	Snarl	Dark Pulse
Hydreigon	Dragon Breath	Dark Pulse
Tyranitar	Bite	Crunch
Metagross	Bullet Punch	Meteor Mash

Lapras

Lapras uses Water and Ice moves, with Skull Bash providing additional Normal type coverage for Charge moves. Some Lapras moves deals reduced damage to Dragon, some to Steel, which is quite interesting when picking counters. The priority is to resist the fast move and shield against the charge move.

Recommended Lapras counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Dialga	Dragon Breath	Draco Meteor
Lucario	Counter	Power Up Punch
Melmetal	Thunder Shock	Rock Slide
Regice	Lock On	Focus Blast

Cacturne

Cacturne can have Dark and Poison fast moves, and Dark, Grass or Fighting charge move. All things considered, we recommend you pick a strong Bug, Fire or Steel type to counter it – bonus points for combinations.

Recommended Cacturne counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Melmetal	Thunder Shock	Super Power
Aggron	Smack Down	Stone Edge
Foretress	Bug bite	Earthquake
Heatran	Fire Spin	Flamethrower

Shiftry

Shiftry is similar to Cacturne, but its moves are far more predictable. Fast moves are Grass and Dark moves, and charge moves are Grass, Dark and Flying (Hurricane). Overall, Pokemon with “weird” movesets and inherit type advantage are a solid pick here.

Recommended Shiftry counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Togekiss	Charm	Ancient Power
Ho-Oh	Hidden Power (Fire)	Brave Bird
Yanmega	Bug Bite	Ancient Power Bug Buzz
Heatran	Fire Spin	Flamethrower

Houndoom

Houndoom uses Dark and Fire fast and charge moves, which make him easy to counter. His weakness to Water, Fighting, Rock and Ground is easy to exploit.

Recommended Houndoom counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Swampert	Mud Shot	Hydro Cannon
Poliwrath	Mud Shot	Power Up Punch
Machamp	Counter	Cross Chop
Tyranitar	Smack Down	Stone Edge

Gallade

Gallade uses a combination of Fairy, Psychic, Fighting fast and Psychic, Fighting and Grass charge moves. Er… yeah. It’s one of those Pokemon that can cut you in so many different way that it’s not even funny. Gallade is weak to Fairy, Flying and Ghost.

Recommended Gallade counters

Pokémon	Fast move	Charge move
Heatran	Fire Spin	Flamethrower
Togekiss	Charm	Ancient Power
Metagross	Bullet Punch	Meteor Mash
Moltres	Wing Attack	Sky Attack