We have brought you a guide on how to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go. Follow the steps carefully so that you can win with ease.

Cliff, the leader of Team Go Rocket, will be a difficult opponent for Trainers in January 2022. With the right counters, he is much easier to beat than Grimer, Venusaur, and Charizard. Trainers who defeat six Team Go Rocket Grunts in Pokemon Go and collect their Mysterious Components can make a Rocket Radar by collecting those components. 

After that, either Cliff, Arlo, or Sierra will be pitted against Team Go Rocket. Leaders like these are much harder to take down than your average PokeStop Grunt. You won’t know what Pokemon you’re going to face until you start battling, which makes matters worse. We have a tip on how to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go. You’ll discover directions for taking down Cliff, getting some nice goodies, and perhaps catching your own Shadow Grimer.

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How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go: First Pokemon

Cliff, like all Team GO Rocket trainers, always begins a fight with the same Pokemon. This is his trademark Grimer, a Poison-type with a vast list of resistances. Grimer is immune to Fighting, Poison, Bug, Grass, and Fairy moves, and is only vulnerable to Ground and Psychic.

Grimer in the anime (Image credit: The Pokemon Company)

Grimer is best countered by a powerful Psychic Pokemon. Exeguttor with Extrasensory and Psychic, Mewtwo with Confusion and Psystrike, and Alakazam with Psycho Cut and Future Sight are all viable options. Players can also use a Pokemon like Groudon with Mud Shot and Earthquake to take the Ground path.

How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go: Second Pokemon

Cliff’s second Pokemon will be one of three high-tier Pokemon: Venusaur, Crobat, or Machamp. Venusaur is a Grass/Poison-type Pokemon that is vulnerable to Flying, Fire, Psychic, and Ice attacks. Crobat is a Poison/Flying-type Pokemon, which means it’s vulnerable to Rock, Electric, Psychic, and Ice-type attacks. Machamp is a Fighting-type Pokemon who is vulnerable to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy-type attacks.

Players with keen eyes will notice that these three have a similar vulnerability, which happens to be the same as Grimer’s. Grimer and any of Cliff’s second Pokemon will be easily defeated by a competent Psychic Pokemon such as Mewtwo, Alakazam, or Exeguttor.

How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go: Final Pokemon

Pokemon Go (Image credit: Youtube)

Cliff’s final Pokemon will mark yet another increase in difficulty in his encounters. He can utilize Tyranitar, Charizard, or Arcanine, all of which are final evolution Pokemon that will need a strong squad to defeat. Tyranitar is a Rock/Dark Pokemon that is vulnerable to Fighting, Ground, Bug, Steel, Water, Grass, and Fairy-type attacks. Charizard is a Fire/Flying-type Pokemon that is vulnerable to moves of the Rock, Water, and Electric types. Arcanine is a Fire-type Pokemon that is vulnerable to Ground, Rock, and Water attacks.

There are no simple counters to Cliff’s last Pokemon, but that doesn’t imply there aren’t any good choices. Charizard and Arcanine will be easy prey for a tough Rock-type Pokemon like Rampardos, Rhyperior, or Therian Landorus. Tyranitar also suffers a lot more damage from Fighting than from its other vulnerabilities, therefore Fighting-types like Lucario, Machamp, and Conkeldurr are ideal for taking it down.

How to beat Cliff in Pokemon Go

Kyogre, Metagross, and Mewtwo are three of the finest Pokemon Go teams for defeating Cliff. Because Mewtwo is one of the strongest Legendaries in the game, it will always come to your aid, especially against Cliff’s Phase 1 and 2 Pokemon.

In Phase 3, Kyogre takes care of Charizard and Arcanine with its Water-type attacks. Metagross, with its emphasis on Psychic-type attacks, will be formidable against Phase 1 and 2 Pokemon, but will also hold its own against Tyranitar in a pinch.

Cliff has no prior knowledge of what you’ll receive in the second and third rounds of the Team Go Rocket battle until you enter it, so you can’t plan ahead. When you lose, you have the option of rematching, so you can select a stronger lineup.

Additional tips for Combat: Part 1

In combat, the Fast Attack will be your closest buddy. Tapping the screen causes your Pokémon’s Fast Attack to attack the other, as well as charging up their Charged Attack. More damage is dealt when you tap quickly, and your Pokémon’s Charged Attack charges up faster so it may be utilized. It’s a common misconception that damage done is what powers up the Charged Attack, however, this isn’t the case.

Trainers are given two Protect Shields, which may be used to negate an opponent’s Charged Attack. Although most trainers would use them straight away to counter the first two Charged Attacks, it’s worth debating if this is the best strategy. Do you wish to employ a barrier to defend a Pokémon with one HP from a Charged Attack when the following Fast Attack would cause it to faint anyway?

Pokemon Go (Image credit: Youtube)

When your Venasaur is up against an Arcanine in a fight, it’s tempting to switch out your Pokémon right away. However, there is a time limit before you may swap out again, and if you switch out first, the other trainer is likely to follow suit. If you switch to Blastoise, the opposing trainer may send out Raichu, trapping you in the same situation. Only swap out if it’s really essential. Before you join the battle, choose your Pokémon and practice using TMs until you’re comfortable with their attacks.

Additional tips for Combat: Part 2

Pokémon may have several Charged Attacks if you’re willing to invest the stardust and sweets. Despite the fact that when one is used, they both power down to zero and must be recharged, having two is highly recommended due to the type advantages.

Combat points are an important indicator of how effective your Pokémon will be in combat, but they don’t tell the whole story. Advantages of type are far more effective. A Gyrados with 2100 CP will be more effective than a 3000 Venasaur versus a 2600 Arcanine. People are too concerned about CP, but type advantages are far more important to remember.

It’s also worth noting that your Charged Attacks should be timed. Why utilize a Charged Attack on a trainer who has used up all of their Protect Shields on their current Pokémon, who will perish in a few more Fast Attacks anyway? Unless they’re preparing to launch a Charged Attack of their own. Waiting until the next Pokémon is released is typically the greatest tactic because you’ll be able to take away more HP.

If you’re having a hard time, scroll to the bottom of the fight page and train with the team leaders. This is an excellent concept since it gives you the opportunity to practice Charged Attacks (since they require a minigame to see how effective they are). It also allows you to learn about other types of benefits you may not have considered.

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Published by Omer Khan

Omer has a proven track record in the online media industry as a Content Writer. He holds a bachelor's degree in international journalism and mass communication and enjoys sports and video games.