Beating Team Go Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon Go will take a lot of skill, so we’ve put together the best counters and weakness tips to lead you straight to victory against the likes of Squirtle, Blaziken, and Drapion in September 2022.
In Pokemon Go, Trainers can collect Mysterious Components by defeating Team Go Rocket Grunts at invaded Pokestops within the game. Once you have six of them, you’ll be able to form a Rocket Radar, which then leads you straight to the Team Go Rocket Leaders.
Unlike the Grunts, who can be taken down fairly easily, trainers will have a difficult fight ahead of them when it comes to Team Go Rocket’s Leaders. There are four in total: Cliff, Arlo, Giovanni, and Sierra, and all of them have unique ‘mon to battle with.
This guide will focus on taking down Sierra, including her current lineup in September 2022, and the best counters to defeat her in no time at all.
Additional reporting by Daniel Megarry and Philip Trahan.
Contents
- Sierra Pokemon Go counters (September 2022)
- How to beat Sierra in Pokemon Go
- Phase 1
- Phase 2
- Phase 3
- Best team to defeat Sierra
- How to beat Team Rocket Leaders
Sierra Pokemon Go counters (September 2022)
Sierra has always been a difficult opponent to take down in Pokemon Go, and that’s no different in September.
At the start of every match, Sierra will always send out Squirtle, followed by two of six other potential Pokemon. This is Sierra’s current lineup:
- Phase 1: Squirtle
- Phase 2: Blaziken / Lapras / Blastoise
- Phase 3: Houndoom / Drapion / Nidoqueen
Sierra’s lineup changed on Saturday, July 9, 2022, during the Team Go Rocket Battle Weekend event, and this currently remains the same in September 2022. We’ll update this page when her lineup next changes, but for now, these are the Pokemon she will use.
How to beat Sierra in Pokemon Go
To defeat Sierra in Pokemon Go, you’ll need to utilize a variety of different types to counter her. We’ve featured a mix of stronger Legendaries and more common alternatives, so there should be something here to meet every Trainer’s needs, and all of them are solid choices.
Let’s take a look at the weaknesses of all the different Pokemon that Sierra could choose to send out during your battle, and which counters should be used to beat her.
Sierra Pokemon Go counters phase 1
Squirtle counters
Squirtle is a Water-type Pokemon, which means it’s vulnerable to Electric and Grass-type attacks.
As for resistances, Squirtle is strong against Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water-type moves.
| Squirtle Counters | ||
| Zekrom |
Charge Beam (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
|
| Thundurus |
Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Thunder (Charge Move) |
|
| Melmetal |
Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Thunderbolt (Charge Move) |
|
| Zarude |
Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Power Whip/Energy Ball (Charge Move) |
|
| Roserade |
Razor Leaf (Fast Move) & Leaf Storm (Charge Move) |
|
| Trangrowth |
Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Power Whip (Charge Move) |
|
Sierra Pokemon Go phase 2
Blaziken counters
Blaziken is a dual Fighting/Fire-type, which means it’s weak against Flying, Ground, Psychic, and Water-type attacks.
| Blaziken Counters | ||
| Mewtwo |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psystrike (Charge Move) |
|
| Moltres |
Wing Attack (Fast Move) & Sky Attack (Charge Move) |
|
| Kyogre |
Waterfall (Fast Move) & Surf (Charge Move) |
|
| Alakazam |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Kingler |
Bubble (Fast Move) & Crabhammer (Charge Move) |
|
| Espeon |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
Lapras counters
Lapras is a dual Water/Ice-type Pokemon, so it’s weak to Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock-type moves and resistant to Ice and Water-type attacks.
| Lapras Counters | ||
| Sirfetch’d |
Counter (Fast Move) & Close Combat (Charge Move) |
|
| Lucario |
Counter (Fast Move) & Aura Sphere (Charge Move) |
|
| Zekrom |
Charge Beam (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
|
| Raikou |
Volt Switch (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
|
| Conkeldurr |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Rampardos |
Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) |
|
Blastoise counters
Blastoise is a Water-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Electric and Grass-type attacks.
A lot of the same counters for Phase 1’s Squirtle will work here, but there are some alternatives players can try as well.
| Blastoise Counters | ||
| Breloom |
Bullet Seed (Fast Move) & Seed Bomb (Charge Move) |
|
| Venusaur |
Vine Whip (Fast Move) & Petal Blizzard/Frenzy Plant (Charge Move) |
|
| Leafeon |
Razor Leaf (Fast Move) & Leaf Blade (Charge Move) |
|
| Raikou |
Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Thunder (Charge Move) |
|
| Magnezone |
Spark (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
|
| Electivire |
Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
|
Sierra Pokemon Go phase 3
Houndoom counters
Houndoom is a dual Dark/Fire-type, which means it’s weak against Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water-type Pokemon.
| Houndoom Counters | ||
| Conkeldurr |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Groudon |
Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Earthquake (Charge Move) |
|
| Kyogre |
Waterfall (Fast Move) & Hydro Pump (Charge Move) |
|
| Lucario |
Counter (Fast Move) & Aura Sphere (Charge Move) |
|
| Machamp |
Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
|
| Rampardos |
Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) |
|
Drapion counters
Drapion is a dual Poison/Dark-type Pokemon, making it only weak to Ground-type attacks.
Thanks to its typing it’s resistant to Dark, Ghost, Grass, Poison, and Psychic-type attacks, so Drapion may pose a challenge to some trainers.
| Drapion Counters | ||
| Golurk |
Mud-Slap (Fast Move) & Earth Power (Charge Move) |
|
| Mamoswine |
Mud-Slap (Fast Move) & Bulldoze (Charge Move) |
|
| Excadrill |
Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Drill Run (Charge Move) |
|
| Groudon |
Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Earthquake (Charge Move) |
|
| Landorus |
Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Bulldoze (Charge Move) |
|
| Garchomp |
Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Sand Tomb (Charge Move) |
|
Nidoqueen counters
Nidoqueen is a dual Ground/Poison-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water-type attacks.
| Nidoqueen Counters | ||
| Mewtwo |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psystrike (Charge Move) |
|
| Hoopa |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
| Excadrill |
Mud-Slap (Fast Move) & Earthquake (Charge Move) |
|
| Rhyperior |
Mud-Slap (Fast Move) & Earthquake (Charge Move) |
|
| Kyogre |
Waterfall (Fast Move) & Surf (Charge Move) |
|
| Espeon |
Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move) |
|
Best team to defeat Sierra in Pokemon Go
One of the best teams to defeat Sierra in Pokemon Go would be Zekrom, Groudon, and Kyogre.
Now that Sierra sends out Squirtle first, you’ll want a solid Electric-type like Zekrom to defeat it. Zekrom is also a great counter to Blastoise. Then, a powerful Ground-type like Groudon will be able to take down Blaziken and Nidoqueen if Sierra chooses them instead.
Finally, a strong Water-type like Kyogre will prove resistant against much of Sierra’s team, like Houndoom, Blaziken, and Nidoqueen so it could end up saving some players in a pinch.
Keep in mind that Team Go Rocket Leader Sierra is a difficult battle for almost any trainer, but if you take advantage of each Pokemon’s weaknesses with the counters we’ve listed above, you should be able to defeat her eventually.
How to beat Team Leaders in Pokemon Go
As well as Sierra, you’ll need to go head to head with the other Team Go Rocket Leaders, so check out our guides to beat Arlo, defeat Cliff, and finally, take down Giovanni.
So, there you have it. All you need to know about beating Leader Sierra in Pokemon Go in September 2022, and the best counters you need to use.
For more tips and tricks to become the very best, make sure you check out our other guides:
Spotlight Hour schedule | Current Raid Bosses | Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | Arlo counters guide | How to defeat Cliff | Giovanni counters | How to get free Remote Raid Passes | How to catch Ditto | Shop: Items list, prices, box changes | Pokemon Go promo codes | Rocket Grunt counters
