Pokemon Go trainers have a difficult battle ahead of them with Team Go Rocket Leader Cliff in November 2022, but he’s much easier to beat with the right counters for the likes of Machop, Crobat, and Tyranitar.
After defeating six Team Go Rocket Grunts in Pokemon Go and collecting their Mysterious Components as the reward, trainers will be able to form a Rocket Radar and face off against one of Team Go Rocket’s Leaders: Cliff, Arlo, or Sierra.
These leaders are far more difficult to take down when compared to the Team Go Rocket Grunts you’ll find at PokeStops, and to make matters worse, you won’t know which set of Pokemon they’re going to send out in the game until you enter the battle.
Here, you’ll find all the information you need to take down Cliff, earn some sweet rewards, and get a chance to catch a Shadow Machop of your own in the process.
Contents
- Cliff Pokemon Go counters (November 2022)
- How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Phase 3
- Best team to defeat Cliff
- How to beat Team Rocket Leaders
Cliff Pokemon Go lineup & counters (November 2022)
Team Go Rocket Leader Cliff has long been a thorn in the side of Pokemon Go trainers, and that’s no different in November 2022.
Cliff’s lineup changed on November 14, 2022, as part of the Team GO Rocket Takeover, and while some of the ‘mon he utilizes remain the same, there are a whole host of new additions you’ll need to battle.
At the beginning of a battle, Cliff will always send out Machop, followed by two out of six potential Pokemon. His current lineup to beat is:
- Phase 1: Machop
- Phase 2: Amoonguss / Crobat / Pinsir
- Phase 3: Aerodactyl / Camerupt / Tyranitar
How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
To take down Cliff, you’ll need to make sure you’re taking different ‘mon into battle to cover various Pokemon types. Our guide below includes a mix of rare and more accessible counters, so every Trainer should be able to stand a decent chance against him.
Let’s take a look at the weaknesses of all the Pokemon that Cliff can use in battle, and the best counters to bring home the win!
Cliff Pokemon Go counters phase 1
Machop counters
Machop is a Fighting-type, which means it’s weak against Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type attacks. It’s resistant to Bug, Dark, and Rock-type attacks.
| Machop Counters | ||
| Mewtwo |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Hoopa | Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
| Metagross | Zen Headbutt (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
| Gardevoir | Charm (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
| Alakazam | Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
| Espeon | Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
Cliff Pokemon Go counters phase 2
Crobat counters
Crobat is a Poison/Flying-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Electric, Ice, Psychic, and Rock-type moves. This also means it’s resistant to Bug, Fighting, Grass, Fairy, Ground, and Poison-type moves.
| Crobat Counters | ||
| Mewtwo |
Psycho Cut (Fast Move) & Psystrike (Charge Move) |
|
| Hoopa |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Alakazam |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Rampardos |
Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) |
|
| Xurkitree |
Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Discharge (Charge Move) |
|
| Espeon |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
Amoonguss counters
Amoonguss is a Grass/Poison-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Fire, Ice, Flying, and Psychic-type attacks. It’s resistant to Grass, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, and Water-type attacks.
| Amoonguss Counters | ||
| Alakazam |
Psycho Cut (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Hoopa | Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
| Mewtwo | Confusion (Fast Move) & Psystrike (Charge Move) | |
| Chandelure |
Incinerate (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) |
|
| Moltres | Fire Spin (Fast Move) & Sky Attack (Charge Move) | |
| Metagross | Zen Headbutt (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) | |
Pinsir counters
Pinsir is a Bug-type Pokemon, which makes it weak against Fire, Flying, and Rock-type attacks. It’s resistant to Fighting, Grass, and Ground-type attacks.
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| Pinsir Counters | ||
| Chandelure | Fire Spin (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Moltres | Fire Spin (Fast Move) & Sky Attack (Charge Move) | |
| Tyranitar | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Stone Edge (Charge Move) | |
| Rampardos | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) | |
| Darmanitan | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
Cliff Pokemon Go counters phase 3
Camerupt counters
Camerupt is a dual Fire/Ground-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Ground and Water-type attacks. However, it does have many resistances to the following types: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fire, Poison, and Steel.
| Camerupt Counters | ||
| Kyogre | Waterfall (Fast Move) & Surf (Charge Move) | |
| Vaporeon | Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Pump (Charge Move) | |
| Feraligatr | Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Pump (Charge Move) | |
| Empoleon | Waterfall (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move) | |
| Excadrill | Mud-Slap (Fast Move) & Earthquake (Charge Move) | |
| Swampert | Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move) | |
Aerodactyl counters
Aerodactyl is a dual Rock/Flying-type Pokemon, so it’s weak against Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Water-type moves. It’s resistant to Bug, Fire, Flying, Ground, Normal, and Poison-type moves.
| Aerodactyl Counters | ||
| Metagross | Bullet Punch (Fast Move) & Meteor Mash (Charge Move) | |
| Kyogre | Waterfall (Fast Move) & Surf (Charge Move) | |
| Rampardos | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) | |
| Empoleon | Waterfall (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move) | |
| Tyranitar | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Stone Edge (Charge Move) | |
| Xurkitree | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Discharge (Charge Move) | |
Tyranitar counters
Tyranitar is a Rock/Dark-type Pokemon, so it’s weak against Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water.
| Tyranitar Counters | ||
| Blaziken |
Counter (Fast Move) & Focus Blast (Charge Move) |
|
| Breloom |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Conkeldurr |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Alakazam |
Counter (Fast Move) & Focus Blast (Charge Move) |
|
| Machamp |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Sirfetch’d |
Counter (Fast Move) & Close Combat (Charge Move) |
|
Best team to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
One of the best teams to defeat Cliff in Pokemon Go would be Alakazam, Kyogre, and Tyranitar.
You’ll need a strong Psychic-type to take down Machop, Crobat, and Amoonguss if Cliff sends them out, so we’ve recommended Alakazam, which also has the benefit of being effective against Tyranitar if you equip it with a Fighting-type move.
Next up, a strong Water-type like Kyogre will help you defeat Camerupt and Aerodactyl. Finally, a Pokemon with Rock-type moves, such as Tyranitar, is essential for taking out Pinsir alongside Aerodactyl if your Kyogre goes down during the fight.
While these recommendations will help give you a good chance at taking down Cliff, don’t worry too much if you don’t have any of the counters we’ve listed. Focus on the weaknesses of each of Cliff’s Pokemon, and take your strongest of those types into battle.
How to beat Team Go Rocket Leaders in Pokemon Go
As well as Cliff, there are a few other Team Go Rocket Leaders you can battle against, so check out our guides to beat Arlo, defeat Giovanni, and take down Sierra.
So, there you have it – all you need to know about defeating Cliff in Pokemon Go, and the best counters to use alongside their weaknesses in November 2022.
For all of the best tips and tricks to become the very best, make sure to check out our other guides:
Spotlight Hour guide | Current Raid Bosses | Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go Spotlight Hour | Arlo counters guide | Team Rocket Grunt guide | Giovanni counters | How to get free Remote Raid Passes | Sierra counters guide | How to catch a Ditto: Ditto disguises in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go shop: Items list, prices, box changes | How to get Sylveon in Pokemon Go | How to evolve Eevee in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go promo codes
