Pokemon GO offers an engaging challenge through encounters with Team GO Rocket Grunts, Leaders, and the notorious Boss Giovanni. Among the three Team GO Rocket Leaders, Sierra stands out as one of the most unpredictable and formidable opponents. To emerge victorious in battle against her, trainers must employ strategic thinking and possess extensive knowledge of the game’s type matchups. In this guide, we will explore the most effective counters to defeat Sierra in Pokemon GO.
Locating Sierra Before engaging in a battle with Sierra, players must first locate her. Defeating six Team GO Rocket Grunts and collecting enough Mysterious Components will enable the construction of a Rocket Radar. This valuable item will guide trainers to one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders, including Sierra. However, defeating Sierra requires careful planning and a solid understanding of the game’s type meta.
Defeating Sierra in Battle Sierra poses a formidable challenge with her arsenal of seven powerful Shadow Pokemon. The battle consists of three phases, with the first phase featuring one fixed opponent, while the second and third phases present three potential opponents each. Conquering the latter phases demands comprehensive knowledge of Pokemon types and a strong lineup of counters.
Phase 1: Countering Shadow Murkrow- Shadow Murkrow, a dual Dark and Flying-type Pokemon, is Sierra’s initial opponent. It is resistant to Dark, Ghost, Grass, Ground, and Psychic-type attacks, but vulnerable to Electric, Fairy, Ice, and Rock-type moves. The following Pokemon and moves can effectively counter Shadow Murkrow:
- Xurkitree (Fast Attack: Spark, Charge Attack: Dazzling Gleam)
- Therian Thundurus (Fast Attack: Volt Switch, Charge Attack: Thunderbolt)
- Zekrom (Fast Attack: Charge Beam, Charge Attack: Wild Charge)
- Weavile (Fast Attack: Ice Shard, Charge Attack: Avalanche)
- Deoxys (Normal) (Fast Attack: Charge Beam, Charge Attack: Thunderbolt)
Phase 2: Countering Shadow Steelix, Shadow Swampert, and Shadow Staraptor – Sierra’s second phase involves three potential opponents: Shadow Steelix, Shadow Swampert, and Shadow Staraptor. These Pokemon require specific counters due to their unique typings and move sets.
Shadow Steelix is a dual Steel and Ground-type Pokemon weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water-type attacks. It boasts a wide range of resistances against Poison, Electric, Rock, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Normal, Psychic, and Steel-type moves. To counter Shadow Steelix, consider the following Pokemon and moves:
- Primal Kyogre (Fast Attack: Waterfall, Charge Attack: Surf)
- Primal Groudon (Fast Attack: Mud Shot, Charge Attack: Precipice Blades)
- Reshiram (Fast Attack: Fire Fang, Charge Attack: Fusion Flare)
- Terrakion (Fast Attack: Double Kick, Charge Attack: Sacred Sword)
- Ordinary Keldeo (Fast Attack: Low Kick, Charge Attack: Sacred Sword)
Shadow Swampert, a dual Water and Ground-type Pokemon, is vulnerable only to Grass-type moves and resistant to Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, and Steel-type attacks. Consider the following counters to overcome Shadow Swampert:
- Kartana (Fast Attack: Razor Leaf, Charge Attack: Leaf Blade)
- Zarude (Fast Attack: Vine Whip, Charge Attack: Power Whip)
- Roserade (Fast Attack: Razor Leaf, Charge Attack: Grass Knot)
- Tsareena (Fast Attack: Magical Leaf, Charge Attack: Grass Knot)
- Leafeon (Fast Attack: Razor Leaf, Charge Attack: Leaf Blade)
Shadow Staraptor, a dual Normal and Flying-type Pokemon, is weak to Electric, Ice, and Rock-type moves. However, it exhibits resistances against Ghost, Ground, Bug, and Grass-type attacks. To counter Shadow Staraptor effectively, consider the following Pokemon and moves:
- Xurkitree (Fast Attack: Thunder Shock, Charge Attack: Thunder)
- Rampardos (Fast Attack: Smack Down, Charge Attack: Rock Slide)
- Zekrom (Fast Attack: Charge Beam, Charge Attack: Fusion Bolt)
- Rhyperior (Fast Attack: Smack Down, Charge Attack: Rock Wrecker)
- Therian Thundurus (Fast Attack: Volt Switch, Charge Attack: Thunder)
Phase 3: Countering Shadow Houndoom, Shadow Dragonite, and Shadow Charizard- Sierra’s third and final phase features three potential opponents: Shadow Houndoom, Shadow Dragonite, and Shadow Charizard. Each of these Pokemon has specific weaknesses and resistances that trainers must exploit.
Shadow Houndoom, a dual Dark and Fire-type Pokemon, is weak to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water-type attacks. It can resist Psychic, Dark, Fire, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Steel-type moves. Consider the following Pokemon and moves to counter Shadow Houndoom:
- Primal Kyogre (Fast Attack: Waterfall, Charge Attack: Origin Pulse)
- Primal Groudon (Fast Attack: Mud Shot, Charge Attack: Precipice Blades)
- Terrakion (Fast Attack: Double Kick, Charge Attack: Sacred Sword)
- Ordinary Keldeo (Fast Attack: Low Kick, Charge Attack: Sacred Sword)
- Kyogre (Fast Attack: Waterfall, Charge Attack: Hydro Pump)
Shadow Dragonite, a dual Dragon and Flying-type Pokemon, is weak to Dragon, Fairy, Rock, and primarily Ice-type moves. It exhibits resistances against Grass, Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, and Water-type attacks. To counter Shadow Dragonite effectively, consider the following Pokemon and moves:
- Galarian Standard Darmanitan (Fast Attack: Ice Fang, Charge Attack: Avalanche)
- Mamoswine (Fast Attack: Powder Snow, Charge Attack: Avalanche)
- Weavile (Fast Attack: Ice Shard, Charge Attack: Avalanche)
- Glaceon (Fast Attack: Frost Breath, Charge Attack: Avalanche)
- Kyurem (Fast Attack: Dragon Breath, Charge Attack: Glaciate)
Shadow Charizard, a dual Fire and Flying-type Pokemon, is one of the most powerful Shadow Pokemon in Pokemon GO. It is weak to Electric, Rock, and Water-type attacks but can resist Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Steel-type moves. To counter Shadow Charizard, consider the following Pokemon and moves:
- Rampardos (Fast Attack: Smack Down, Charge Attack: Rock Slide)
- Terrakion (Fast Attack: Smack Down, Charge Attack: Rock Slide)
- Landorus (Fast Attack: Rock Throw, Charge Attack: Rock Slide)
- Incarnate Landorus (Fast Attack: Rock Throw, Charge Attack: Rock Slide)
- Rhyperior (Fast Attack: Smack Down, Charge Attack: Rock Wrecker)
By utilizing these counters and employing a strategic approach, trainers can increase their chances of defeating Sierra and emerging victorious in battles against Team GO Rocket’s fierce leader. Remember to experiment with different Pokemon and movesets to find the combination that suits your playstyle and team composition. Good luck, trainers!
