Learn how to defeat Rocket Leader Sierra and which Pokémon they have during the month of June 2026 in Pokémon GO. Includes the current Sierra’s Pokémon line-up, best counters to use, and rewards for defeating Sierra.
- 🔔 Updated with the start of Steeled Resolve: Taken Over
- 🔗 Other GO Rocket guides: Giovanni lineup and counters, Arlo lineup and counters, Cliff lineup and counters, Team GO Rocket Grunt lineups
Sierra’s Pokémon Line-up
Sierra is one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders in Pokémon GO, alongside Arlo, Cliff, and Giovanni. Rocket Leader Sierra is currently using the following Shadow Pokémon:
Slot #1
Sierra’s first Pokémon is always Shadow Duskull.
Slot #2
Sierra’s second Pokémon is Shadow Flygon, Shadow Blastoise or Shadow Ferrothorn.
Slot #3
Sierra’s third Pokémon is Shadow Houndoom, Steelix, or Shadow Milotic.
Best Pokémon to defeat Sierra
Here are some of the best Pokémon you can use against Sierra in Pokémon GO:
- Mamoswine is supreme in taking out Flygon, Houndoom, or Steelix. It can even do high neutral damage to Ferrothorn.
- Blacephalon packs a solid punch, having super-effective damage against Duskull, Steelix, and Ferrothorn.
- Groudon is also superb, possessing perfect coverage against everything except Flygon and Duskull.
- A strong Fighting type like Terrakion or Conkeldurr is enough for everything except Duskull.
- Charizard can eliminate Ferrothorn and Steelix, and do super-effective damage to Flygon with Dragon Claw.
- Garchomp is a great addition for Flygon and the final slot.
💡 Note: In Trainer Battles, counters need not always be Pokémon that do super-effective damage. We include Pokémon that are more viable to defeat Sierra, rather than those who do maximum damage. Defeating Sierra rewards 3× Shadow Shards.
Shadow Duskull Counters
Shadow Duskull
Duskull is a Ghost-type Pokémon. It is also weak to Dark and Ghost-type attacks.
You should always start with a strong Pokémon that can burn Sierra’s shields fast, while still having utility after rotation. Spam charge moves and burn shields whenever possible. Here is our recommendation:
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Blacephalon
|
Astonish, Shadow Ball |
Gengar
|
Lick*, Shadow Ball |
Chandelure
|
Hex, Shadow Ball |
Hisuian Zoroark
|
Snarl, Shadow Ball |
Absol
|
Snarl, Brutal Swing* |
Dragapult
|
Astonish, Shadow Ball |
* Represents Legacy Moves
Shadow Ferrothorn counters
Shadow Ferrothorn
Shadow Ferrothorn is a Grass/Steel-type Pokémon. It is double weak to Fire and also weak to Fighting. Note that while it isn’t weak to Ground, using a Ground Pokémon often works as it takes high neutral damage, while the said Ground type is ideal for the final slot.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Groudon
|
Mud Shot, Fire Punch |
Terrakion
|
Double Kick, Sacred Sword |
Charizard
|
Ember, Blast Burn |
|
Blacephalon
|
Incinerate, Mind Blown* |
Lucario
|
Force Palm, Aura Sphere |
Blaziken
|
Fire Spin, Blaze Kick |
* Represents Legacy Moves
Shadow Flygon counters
Shadow Flygon
Shadow Flygon is a Ground/Dragon-type Pokémon. It is double weak to Ice, while also being weak to Dragon and Fairy type moves.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Mamoswine
|
Powder Snow, Icicle Spear |
Walrein
|
Powder Snow, Icicle Spear |
Weavile
|
Ice Shard, Triple Axel |
Gardevoir
|
Charm, Triple Axel |
Garchomp
|
Dragon Tail, Breaking Swipe |
Shadow Blastoise counters
Shadow Blastoise
Shadow Blastoise is a Water-type which means it is weak to Grass and Electric type moves. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Ice, Steel and Water type moves.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Electivire
|
Thunder Shock, Wild Charge |
Kartana
|
Razor Leaf, Leaf Blade |
Therian Shadow Thundurus
|
Volt Switch, Wildbolt Storm* |
Decidueye
|
Magical Leaf, Frenzy Plant* |
Xurkitree
|
Mud-Slap, Rock Wrecker |
Regieleki
|
Lock-On, Thunder Cage* |
Zekrom
|
Charge Beam, Fusion Bolt* |
* Represents Legacy Moves
Shadow Steelix counters
Shadow Steelix
Steelix is a Steel/Ground-type Pokémon. It is weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water type attacks. Choose your counters wisely, otherwise this fight can go wrong!
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
|
Groudon
|
Mud Shot, Precipice Blades |
|
Charizard
|
Ember, Blast Burn |
|
Blacephalon
|
Incinerate, Mind Blown* |
Excadrill
|
Mud Slap, Scorching Sands |
Kyogre
|
Waterfall, Origin Pulse |
* Represents Legacy Moves
Shadow Houndoom counters
Shadow Houndoom
Houndoom is a Dark and Fire-type Pokémon. It is weak to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water type moves. It takes reduced damage from Dark, Fire, Ghost, Grass, Ice, Steel, and Psychic-type moves.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
|
Blaziken
|
Counter, Aura Sphere |
Conkeldurr
|
Counter, Dynamic Punch |
|
Kyogre
|
Waterfall, Origin Pulse |
Rhyperior
|
Mud-Slap, Rock Wrecker |
|
Terrakion
|
Double Kick, Sacred Sword |
Primarina
|
Waterfall, Hydro Cannon |
Shadow Milotic counters
Shadow Milotic
Shadow Milotic is a Water-typem which means it is weak to Grass and Electric type moves. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Ice, Steel and Water type moves.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
|
Electivire
|
Thunder Shock, Wild Charge |
|
Decidueye
|
Magical Leaf, Frenzy Plant* |
Shadow Magnezone
|
Volt Switch, Wild Charge |
|
Xurkitree
|
Mud-Slap, Rock Wrecker |
|
Regieleki
|
Lock-On, Thunder Cage* |
|
Zekrom
|
Charge Beam, Fusion Bolt* |
* Represents Legacy Moves
How to battle Sierra in Pokémon GO?
To fight with Sierra 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 Sierra.
Fighting Sierra is more difficult than fighting Grunts, as Leaders use higher level Pokémon than Grunts. In order to defeat Sierra, 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 Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra
Trainers who manage to defeat Sierra – 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 Sierra.
- Trainers have the opportunity to catch a Shadow Pokémon used by the Leader. It is always the first Pokémon 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
Reward mechanics
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.
A Strange Egg can be deposited into your regular egg storage, or in the extra egg space if you already have 9 eggs.
Guaranteed
1000×
Stardust
Random drop of two of these
-
4×
Revive
-
2×
Max Revive
-
4×
Hyper Potion
-
2×
Max Potion
-
1×
Unova Stone
-
1×
Egg 12 km
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.
