Cliff is a difficult opponent to take down in Pokemon Go, so we’ve put together details of his lineup, weaknesses, and best counters to help you defeat this Team Go Rocket Leader in March 2023.
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 until you enter the battle.
Here, you’ll find all the information you need to take down Cliff in the game, earn some sweet rewards, and get a chance to catch a Shadow Magnemite of your own in the process.
Contents
- Cliff Pokemon Go counters (March 2023)
- 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 (March 2023)
Team Go Rocket Leader Cliff has long been a thorn in the side of Pokemon Go trainers, and that’s no different in March, where he’ll send out a Shadow Larvitar followed by two of six potential Pokemon.
On March 25, 2023, Cliff’s lineup changes as part of the Team Go Rocket takeover event. Here is Cliff’s current lineup:
- Phase 1: Larvitar
- Phase 2: Kingdra / Sceptile / Skarmory
- Phase 3: Gyarados / Swampert / Tyranitar
Cliff’s lineup will likely change again at some point in the future. We’ll update this page when that happens.
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
Larvitar counters
Larvitar is a Ground/Rock-type Pokemon which means it’s weak against Fighting, Grass, Ground, Ice, Steel, and Water-type attacks.
Here are some of the best counters for Larvitar:
| Larvitar Counters | ||
| Kartana | Razor Leaf (Fast Move) & Leaf Blade (Charge Move) | |
| Zarude | Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Power Whip (Charge Move) | |
| Swampert | Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move) | |
| Roserade | Bullet Seed (Fast Move) & Grass Knot (Charge Move) | |
| Conkeldurr |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Breloom |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
Cliff Pokemon Go counters phase 2
Kingdra counters
Kingdra is a dual Dragon/Water-type Pokemon so its weaknesses are Dragon and Fairy-type moves while its resistances are Fire, Steel, and Water-type attacks.
Here are some of the best Kingdra counters to use:
| Kingdra Counters | ||
| Rayquaza | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move) | |
| Dialga | Dragon Breath (Fast Move) & Draco Meteor (Charge Move) | |
| Salamence | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move) | |
| Garchomp | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move) | |
| Dragonite |
Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move) |
|
| Gardevoir | Charm (Fast Move) & Dazzling Gleam (Charge Move) | |
Sceptile counters
Sceptile is a Grass-type Pokemon, which makes it weak against Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, and Poison-type attacks. It’s resistant to Electric, Grass, Ground, and Water-type attacks.
Here are some of the best counters for Sceptile:
| Sceptile Counters | ||
| Reshiram | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Chandelure | Incinerate (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Darmanitan | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Galarian Darmanitan | Ice Fang (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move) | |
| Nihilego | Acid (Fast Move) & Sludge Bomb (Charge Move) | |
| Honchkrow | Peck (Fast Move) & Sky Attack (Charge Move) | |
Skarmory counters
Skarmory is a Flying/Steel-type Pokemon which means it’s weak against Electric and Fire-type attacks and resistant to pretty much everything else.
Here are some of the best Skarmory counters to use:
| Skarmory Counters | ||
| Xurkitree | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Discharge (Charge Move) | |
| Zekrom | Charge Beam (Fast Move) & Fusion Bolt (Charge Move) | |
| Electivire | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) | |
| Reshiram | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Fusion Flare (Charge Move) | |
| Chandelure | Incinerate (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
| Darmanitan | Fire Fang (Fast Move) & Overheat (Charge Move) | |
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Cliff Pokemon Go counters phase 3
Gyarados counters
Gyarados is a Flying/Water-type Pokemon so it’s especially weak against Electric-type attacks but also weak against Rock-type attacks.
Here are some of the best Gyarados counters you can use:
| Gyarados Counters | ||
| Xurkitree | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Discharge (Charge Move) | |
| Zekrom | Charge Beam (Fast Move) & Fusion Bolt (Charge Move) | |
| Electivire | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) | |
| Magnezone | Spark (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) | |
| Rampardos | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) | |
| Rhyperior | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Wrecker (Charge Move) | |
Swampert counters
Swampert is a Ground/Water-type Pokemon, which means its only weakness is Grass-type attacks and it’s resistant to Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, and Steel-type attacks.
Here are some of the best Swampert counters for your team:
| Swampert Counters | ||
| Kartana | Razor Leaf (Fast Move) & Leaf Blade (Charge Move) | |
| Tapu Bulu | Bullet Seed (Fast Move) & Solar Beam (Charge Move) | |
| Zarude | Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Power Whip (Charge Move) | |
| Roserade | Bullet Seed (Fast Move) & Solar Beam (Charge Move) | |
| Venusaur | Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Solar Beam (Charge Move) | |
| Breloom | Bullet Seed (Fast Move) & Grass Knot (Charge Move) | |
Tyranitar counters
Tyranitar is a Dark/Rock-type Pokemon, so it’s weak against Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water-type attacks.
Here are some of the best Tyranitar counters to use:
| Tyranitar Counters | ||
| Conkeldurr |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Lucario |
Counter (Fast Move) & Aura Sphere (Charge Move) |
|
| Breloom |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Alakazam |
Counter (Fast Move) & Focus Blast (Charge Move) |
|
| Machamp |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Kartana |
Razor Leaf (Fast Move) & Leaf Blade (Charge Move) |
|
Best team to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go
One of the best teams to defeat Cliff’s current lineup in Pokemon Go is Kartana, Zekrom, and Chandelure.
The most important thing to have on your team is a strong Grass-type Pokemon like Kartana which can take down Larvitar, Swampert, and Tyranitar. This is pretty much essential if Cliff has Swampert in his lineup, as it only has one weakness and that’s Grass-type attacks.
Next up, you’ll want a powerful Electric-type Pokemon like Zekrom to make light work of both Gyarados and Skarmory. Finally, we’d recommend a Fire-type Pokemon like Chandelure to deal with Sceptile. This will also be a good backup for Skarmory if you need it.
The only Pokemon not covered by this team is Kingdra. If Cliff ends up having Kingdra in his phase two slot, you’ll want to switch out a member of your team for a strong Dragon-type Pokemon like Dialga or Salamence.
Remember that if you lose against Cliff, you’ll be able to rematch him as many times as you need until you win. This is ideal when he throws out something you’re not prepared for, as you can rework your team before heading back 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 March 2023.
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 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