Master the Battle: Conquer Cliff in Pokemon GO (August 2023)

The Pokemon GO Team GO Rocket leader, Cliff, will make his return in August 2023, bringing with him his Shadow Pokemon. The Team GO Rocket is made up of grunts, leaders, and the main boss, Giovanni. Cliff is a strong adversary with an unpredictable team that requires trainers to have extensive knowledge of the game's metagame in order to defeat him.

In order for players to confront Cliff in Pokemon GO, they must first defeat several Team GO Rocket Grunts. By defeating these grunts, players will earn Mysterious Components, which are necessary to create a Rocket Radar. Once players have constructed a Rocket Radar, they can use it to locate the Team GO Rocket leader and engage in battle with him. The most challenging aspect of this battle is predicting Cliff's choice of Shadow Pokemon, as he possesses multiple options.

How to Beat Cliff in Pokemon GO

Cliff's Pokemon GO team for August 2023 consists of several highly powerful Shadow Pokemon, making it especially formidable for a three-round battle. The initial phase entails facing a single monstrous Pokemon, while the subsequent two phases present even greater challenges, with three possible choices for each phase. It is imperative to thoroughly analyze Cliff's roster in order to construct a strategic team that includes effective counters against his formidable lineup.

Cliff’s First Phase Counters

Cliff always begins with Shadow Aerodactyl for the battle’s first phase. It is a potent Rock/Flying-type Pokemon with boosted offensive prowess as a Shadow monster.

Shadow Aerodactyl

Type: Rock and Flying

Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Water-type

Resistances: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ground, Normal, Poison-type

Cliff’s Second Phase Counters

During the battle's second phase, there is a notable element of uncertainty. Unlike in the first phase, Cliff does not stick to a constant Pokemon lineup. Instead, players must be ready to face challenging opponents such as Shadow Slowking, Shadow Cradily, or Shadow Gallade. In order to effectively counter these adversaries, it is essential to analyze the current Pokemon GO meta before selecting suitable counters.

Shadow Slowking

Type: Water and Psychic

Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Electric, Ghost, Grass-type

Resistances: Fighting, Fire, Ice, Psychic, Steel, Water-type

Shadow Cradily

Type: Rock and Grass

Weaknesses: Bug, Steel, Ice, and Fighting-type

Resistances: Electric and Normal-type

Shadow Gallade

Type: Psychic and Fighting

Weaknesses: Ghost, Flying, and Fairy-type

Resistances: Fighting and Rock-type

Cliff’s Third Phase Counters

In the third phase, a fierce battle of anticipation unfolds. Cliff faces a crucial decision as he contemplates which Pokémon to select for the ultimate showdown: Shadow Dusknoir, Shadow Mamoswine, or Shadow Tyranitar. Trainers in Pokemon GO are tasked with carefully choosing formidable opponents capable of standing up to Cliff's formidable team.

Shadow Dusknoir

Type: Ghost

Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost-type

Resistances: Fighting, Normal, Bug, and Poison-type

Shadow Mamoswine

Type: Ice and Ground

Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Grass, Steel, and Water-type

Resistances: Electric and Poison-type

Shadow Tyranitar

Type: Rock and Dark

Weaknesses: Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Grass, Water, Steel, and Ground-type

Resistances: Psychic, Dark, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Normal, and Poison-type

Pokemon GO is available for Android and iOS.