Team GO Rocket Grunts Guide: Lineups and Counters (April 2024)

How to know which Pokémon the Grunt has?

Every time when you go and start interacting with a Rocket Grunt, they will taunt you with a line of dialogue before the fight starts. Based on this taunt, you can know exactly which Pokémon the Grunt will have, and how to counter it.

Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power? – Psychic-type Grunt

This Grunt uses Psychic type Pokémon, which are weak to Dark and Ghost-type attacks.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Gothita or Shadow Solosis. Origin Forme Giratina, Tyranitar, Gengar, and Hydreigon are great at defeating the Psychic-type Grunt’s entire roster.

Battle against my Flying-type Pokémon! – Flying-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt use primarily Flying type Pokémon. You best counter options are Rock and Electric-type Pokémon like Smack Down Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Magnezone, Raikou.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Pidgey, Shadow Starly, Shadow Gligar (which can be shiny), or Shadow Staravia.

Check out my cute Pokémon! – Fairy-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt use Shadow Fairy-type Pokémon, which are weak to Poison and Steel-type attacks.

Catchable at the end of this encounter are Shadow Mawile (which can be shiny), Alolan Vulpix, or Ralts.

Coiled and ready to strike! – Poison-type Grunt

Pokémon GO Grunts using this taunt use Poison type Pokémon, which are weak to Ground and Psychic-type moves.

Catchable Pokémon in this encounter are Shadow Hisuian Sneasel, or Shadow Foongus.

Don’t tangle with us! – Grass-type Grunt

This Grunt has Grass type Pokémon. You can easily defeat Grass-type Grunts with Moltres, Charizard, Entei, Talonflame, or even Heatran. Fire types are your best option, with Fire and Flying being the best.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Snover or Shadow Turtwig.

Do you know how hot Pokémon fire breath can get? – Fire-type Grunt

GO Rocket Grunts using this taunt will have Fire type Pokémon. Bring your best Rock, Ground and Water types to counter it: Kyogre, Swampert, Tyranitar, Garchomp and Rhyperior. All of them resist Fire type attacks.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Darumaka or Shadow Chimchar.

Get ready to be shocked! – Electric-type Grunt

Pokémon GO Grunt using this taunt has Electric type Pokémon, and feature a mix of different Electric-type Pokémon families. We recommend countering the Electric-type Grunt with Garchomp (3x resistance to Electric attacks makes it a solo cakewalk), or other strong Ground-types.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Mareep, Shadow Blitzle, or Shadow Joltik. 

Go, my super bug Pokémon! – Bug-type Grunt

Team GO Rocket Grunts using this taunt use mostly Bug type Pokémon, which are weak to Fire and Flying-type attackers.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Scyther (which can be shiny), Shadow Shuckle, or Shadow Dwebble. 

Most of the Pokémon here can be countered by strong Fire types. Charizard / Moltres with Fire type moves resists most moves from all Pokémon and deal 2x Super Effective Damage to Scizor and Forretress. Bug types are easily defeated by Fire and Flying types, but Fire types have the advantage against Bug / Steel Pokémon.

Ke…ke…ke…ke…ke…ke! – Ghost-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt will use Pokémon with Ghost typing. Ghost-type Pokémon are weak to Ghost and Dark types. Best Pokémon to counter Ghost Grunt are strong Dark type Pokémon like Darkrai, Weavile, Hydreigon, Tyranitar, and Yveltal. 

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Misdreavus, Shadow Drifloon, or Shadow Golett.

Let’s rock and roll! – Rock-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt will use Pokémon with Rock typing, which can be easily defeated by Fighting and Water-type attackers.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Cranidos, Shadow Shieldon, or Shadow Onix. 

Normal doesn’t mean weak. – Normal-type Grunt

Grunts that use this taunt line will primarily use Normal type Pokémon. All Normal-types are weak to Fighting types, so be sure to bring some Fighters with you!

Catchable Pokémon in this encounter are Shadow Glameow, Shadow Teddiursa (which can be shiny), or Shadow Stantler, (which can be Shiny). Recommended Pokémon for this encounter are Machamp (or your strongest Counter user), Lucario, and Breloom. All of these Pokémon take super-effective damage from Fighting moves, so you will only need your best fighting types here.

ROAR! … How’d that sound? – Dragon-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt have Dragon type Pokémon in their lineup. The best Pokémon to use against this Dragon-type Grunt are Mamoswine, Glaceon, Walrein, Gardevoir, and Togekiss.

Catchable Pokémon in this encounter are Shadow Gible, Shadow Bagon (which can be shiny), or Shadow Dratini (which can be shiny).

These waters are treacherous – Water-type Grunt

GO Rocket Grunts using this taunt use Water type Pokémon. There are two version: Male and Female Water Grunt. Female Grunt has normal Pokémon, which change every once in a while. Male Water Grunt uses Magikarp and Gyarados only, and is the only way to get Shadow Gyarados.

Female Grunt

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Totodile, or Shadow Piplup.

Male grunt

Catchable in this encounter is Shadow Magikarp.

This buff physique isn’t just for show! – Fighting-type Grunt

Rocket Grunts using this taunt use Fighting type Pokémon. Fighting-type Grunt is easily defeated by using Psychic, Fairy and Flying type Pokémon to counter them.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Hisuian Sneasel, Shadow Makuhita, and Shadow Machop (which can be shiny).

You’ll be defeated into the ground! – Ground-type Grunt

Team GO Rocket Grunts using this taunt have Ground type Pokémon, which are weak to Grass and Water-type attacks. We recommend using Pokémon like Kyogre, Swampert, and Torterra to defeat the Ground-type Grunt.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Alolan Diglett, Shadow Wooper, Shadow Drilbur or Shadow Rhyhorn. 

You’re no match for my iron will! – Steel-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt use Steel type Pokémon. Steel Pokémon are weak to Fire-type attacks.

Catchable Pokémon at the end of this encounter are Shadow Alolan Sandshrew, Shadow Skarmory, or Shadow Ferroseed.

You’re gonna be frozen in your tracks. – Ice-type Grunt

Grunts using this taunt use Ice type Pokémon.

Catchable in this encounter: Shadow Swinub, or Shadow Snorunt. This encounter could prove tricky, so bring a variety to deal with your possible options.

Wherever there is light, there is also shadow. – Dark-type Grunt

Team GO Rocket Grunts using this taunt use Dark type Pokémon. Dark-types are weak to Fighting and Fairy type moves. Best counters for Dark-type Grunts are Sylveon, Gardevoir, Togekiss, Machamp, and Lucario.

Catchable in this encounter are Shadow Houndour, Shadow Stunky, or Shadow Alolan Rattata. 

Don’t bother – I’ve already won. Get ready to be defeated! Winning is for winners! – Difficult Grunts

Female Grunts using any of these taunts use a difficult lineup that starts with Snorlax. Male Grunts using these taunts use different stages of Starter Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn region. Catchable at the end of this encounter: Shadow Snorlax (female grunt), and Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip (male grunt).

• Snorlax is always tough and Fighting types like Machamp or Lucario are the way to go. Bring a Metagross to deal with Gardevoir which is also solid for Snorlax.
• Having an Electric type like Magnezone or Electivire (with added Ice Punch) can also help you arrest the incoming Dragonite or Gyarados in the last slot.
• This is definitely the most tricky of all the grunts, so be prepared!

About Grunts

Team GO Rocket Grunts are one of the most common enemies you will fight in Pokémon GO, as they tend to take over PokéStops, steal items, and convert Pokémon into Shadow Pokémon. You can find them at PokéStops and flying in the Team GO Rocket Hot Air Ballon.

Grunts are a common enemy, but they still can be difficult to defeat unless you know which counters to use. Luckily, each type of Grunt has a recognisable taunt which gives you a hint at which Pokémon they will use.

Don’t forget to check out our Team GO Rocket Leaders guides for Sierra, Arlo, Cliff, and Giovanni – we’ve got the perfect strategy guides to help you win against Rocket Leaders as well.

Recommended team for defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts

3kkology here, updating this guide for everyone to use to take down Go Rocket invasions. I wanted to provide my dedicated Go Rocket team that I use for efficiency when taking down large invasion of Go Rocket grunts.

It can be annoying to look at this guide for every grunt and remember what Pokémon is best for each encounter. This is the team that I use for every Go Rocket encounter and it has yet to fail me. Feel free to copy and try for yourself.

Pokémon	Fast Move	Charge Moves
Rhyperior	Mud-slap	Rock Wrecker Surf
Charizard	Fire Spin	Blast Burn Dragon Claw
Lucario	Counter	Shadow Ball Power-up Punch

The lead is Rhyperior. Lucario Power-up Punch is very powerful because of the delay in attacking by grunt Pokémon after using charge moves. Charizard is great for similar reason because of Dragon Claw and the fire type attacks over good coverage. You can really limit the amount of fast moves the Go Rocket grunt can get off. This team is very well rounded for all grunt encounters. With a lack of Gyarados and Dragonites in this round of grunt encounters, this team is great against all grunts.