Pokemon GO: How to Beat Sierra (June 2022)

Pokemon GO is entering a new season, but that doesn't mean that Team GO Rocket are going to stop harassing people at Pokestops and in the wild. Fortunately, Pokemon GO players can get their revenge by tracking down the Team GO Rocket leaders and defeating them to earn rare Shadow Pokemon.

Team GO Rocket leader Sierra is using a team with a focus on Dark, Fire, and Water-type Pokemon in June 2022, and players will need to bring the right Pokemon to counter her. The complex system of weaknesses and resistances in Pokemon GO can be complicated, but choosing the right counter is essential.

Sierra's First Pokemon

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Like all the Team GO Rocket leaders, Sierra always begins a battle with the same Pokemon. In this case, it's Drowzee, a pure Psychic-type that is weak to Bug, Dark, and Ghost-types, and resistant to Fighting and Psychic.

Drowzee Counters

Gengar - Shadow Claw/Shadow Ball
Chandelure - Hex/Shadow Ball
Darkrai - Snarl/ShadowBall
Weavile - Snarl/Foul Play

Sierra's Second Pokemon

Sierra's second Pokemon can be either Blaziken, Sharpedo, or Lapras. Unfortunately, these three Pokemon don't share a common weakness. Despite this, Electric is probably the safest choice overall, as both Sharpedo and Lapras are weak to it, and Blaziken is neutral.

Sharpedo Counters

Sharpedo_The 10 Worst Gen 3 Pokemon in Pokemon GO

Sharpedo is a Dark/Water-type, and therefore is weak to Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, and Grass-type moves. It's resistant to Ghost, Steel, Fire, Water, Ice, Dark, and Psychic.

Zekrom - Charge Beam/Wild Charge
Thundurus - Thunder Shock/Thunderbolt
Lucario - Counter/Aura Sphere
Electivire - Thundershock/Wild Charge

Blaziken Counters

Blaziken is a Fire/Fighting-type, and therefore is weak to Flying, Ground, Water, and Psychic moves. It's resistant to Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, Dark, and Bug.

Mewtwo - Confusion/Psystrike
Moltres - Wing Attack/Sky Attack
Kyogre - Waterfall/Surf
Alakazam - Confusion/Psychic

Lapras Counters

Lapras is an Ice/Water-type Pokemon, and therefore is weak to Fighting, Rock, Grass, and Electric moves. It's only resistant to Ice and Water.

Zekrom - Charge Beam/Wild Charge
Thundurus - Thunder Shock/Thunderbolt
Lucario - Counter/Aura Sphere
Magnezone - Spark/Wild Charge

Sierra's Third Pokemon

Unlike a lot of the Team GO Rocket leaders, Sierra's second Pokemon is generally her strongest. However, this doesn't mean that her third pick of Houndoom, Shiftry, or Nidoqueen will be easy to defeat. The three don't have any shared weaknesses, and will be pretty tricky to counter.

Houndoom Counters

Houndoom is a Dark/Fire-type Pokemon, and therefore is weak to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water-type moves. It's resistant to Ghost, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, Dark, and Psychic.

Lucario - Counter/Aura Sphere
Kingler - Bubble/Crabhammer
Terrakion - Smack Down/Sacred Sword
Rampardos - Smack Down/Rock Slide

Shiftry Counters

Shiftry is a Grass/Dark-type Pokemon, and therefore is weak to Bug, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Fire, Ice, and Fairy moves. It's resistant to Ground, Ghost, Water, Grass, Electric, Dark, and Psychic.

Darmanitan - Ice Fang/Avalanche
Sylveon - Charm/Moonblast
Moltres - Wing Attack/Overheat
Volcarona - Bug Bite/Bug Buzz

Nidoqueen Counters

Nidoqueen Action Pose Jumping Combat Pokemon Anime

Nidoqueen is a Poison/Ground-type Pokemon, and therefore is weak to Ice, Psychic, Water, and Ground-types. It's resistant to Fighting, Rock, Bug, Fairy, Poison, and Electric.