Pokémon GO Rocket grunt teams and counters (April 2023)

If you're hoping to clear the myriad research challenges involving Shadow Pokémon, you're probably going to need to learn the Pokémon GO Rocket Grunt teams for April 2023. The recent Power Plant event saw their teams change after staying the same for many, many months.

Team GO Rocket grunts are far from the hardest battles in the game. They don't use shields unlike Team GO Rocket Leaders and Giovanni, so you're free to blow through them with charged attacks. But every now and then, one will have a Pokémon you're not ready to face. Find out before they surprise you with the team lineup list below.

What are the newest Pokémon GO shadow Pokémon?

• Voltorb
• Chikorita
• Cyndaquil
• Totodile
• Whismur
• Hippopotas

The Power Plant event in January 2022 brought a Team GO Rocket takeover that introduced six new Shadow Pokémon to the teams of the grunts. These grunts are typically found hijacking PokéStops or floating above you in hot air balloons.

Approach the stop or tap the balloon to challenge them, and you'll go up against a team of Pokémon of a specific type, which they'll allude to with their pre-battle text.

Simply put, the grunt teams will use the new Pokémon if they match their typical team typing, so you'll be looking for the Electric, Grass, Fire, Water, Fairy, and Ground-type Team GO Rocket Grunts to find the latest Shadow Pokémon.

Pokémon GO Rocket grunt teams - all teams and best counters

Coiled and ready to strike!

Type: Poison

Team:

• Nidoran (M), Nidoran (F), Skorupi
• Muk, Grimer
• Muk, Nidorina, Weezing

Counters: Our recommendation is to use Ground-types to deal with the majority of these Pokémon. Zubat may dodge ground attacks, but it's still an easy fight for the most part.

Normal doesn’t mean weak

Type: Normal

Team:

• Teddiursa
• Raticate, Porygon2
• Porygon-Z, Snorlax

Counters: For your best Counter, use... uh... Counter. This move will decimate the opposition, so consider using a Fighting-type like Machamp.

ROAR! … How’d that sound?

Type: Dragon

Lineups:

• Dratini
• Dragonair, Flygon
• Dragonite, Flygon, Dragonair

Counters: Ice, Ice Baby. For the Dratini and its evolutions, you'll want to opt for Ice-types like Glaceon or Weavile. For Gyrados, you'll need an Electric-type, so if you have Raikou, now's the time to use it.

These waters are treacherous

Type: Water

Team:

• Totodile
• Quagsire, Marshtomp
• Politoed, Poliwrath

Counters: While Grass-type monsters are a decent option, it's hard to look past Electric-type Pokémon for this one.

Don’t tangle with us!

Type: Grass

Team:

• Chikorita
• Gloom, Skiploom, Tangela
• Victreebel, Shiftry, Vileplume

Counters: Our recommendation is to use Ground-types to deal with the majority of these Pokémon. Zubat may dodge Ground attacks, but it's still an easy fight for the most part.

Battle against my Flying-type Pokémon!

Type: Flying

Team:

• Starly, Golbat, Gyrados
• Golbat. Staravia
• Gyrados, Crobat, Dragonite

Counters: Time to mix things up. If you've got a Tyranitar with Smack Down, follow it up with Ice-types for Dragonite, or Electric for Skarmory and Gyrados.

Do you know how hot Pokémon fire breath can get?

Type: Fire

Team:

• Cyndaquil
• Ninetails, Houndoom, Magmar
• Ninetales, Charmeleon, Arcanine

Counters: This may seem obvious, but Water-types are your friend here. Rock-types will be a solid backup since they can resist Fire-type moves.

Go, my super bug Pokémon!

Type: Bug

Team:

• Skorupi, Anorith, Shuckle
• Pinsir, Venomoth, Scizor
• Beedrill, Scyther, Scizor

Counters: As with the Grass-type Rocket Grunt, Fire is your best bet – particularly against Scizor.

You’ll be defeated into the ground!

Type: Ground

Team:

• Hippopotas
• Marowak, Pupitar, Vibrava
• Gliscor, Flygon

Counters: While the temptation is to use Grass against Ground-type enemies, the Gligar evolutions are particularly susceptible to Ice. Gyarados and Mamoswine are the best bets here, though, thanks to their resistance and attack types.

Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power?

Type: Psychic/Fairy

Team:

• Whismur
• Drowzee, Kadabra
• Exeggutor, Kirlia, Hypno

Counters: Dark-types will help you beat the Psychic-type Pokémon, but the Fairy-types will then counter your counter. We'd use Tyranitar as a great all-rounder and any Ghost or Bug-type as a back up.

Let’s rock and roll!

Type: Rock

Lineups:

• Aron, Nosepass
• Pupitar, Larvitar, Lairon
• Pupitar, Tyranitar

Counters: Machamp. Nice and simple, really – get your four-armed fighter to go to town.

Ke… ke… ke… ke… ke… ke…

Type: Ghost

Team:

• Duskull, Shuppet, Misdreavus
• Dusclops, Banette
• Sableye, Dusknoir, Banette

Counters: Dark-types reign supreme, here, so go for Gengar, Weavile, Tyranitar or Darkrai.

This buff physique isn’t just for show!

Type: Fighting

Team:

• Machop, Makuhita
• Machoke
• Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Hariyama

Counters: Take your pick – Fairy, Flying, or Psychic Pokémon will make short work of this bunch.

You’re gonna be frozen in your tracks.

Type: Ice

Team:

• Snover, Spheal
• Sealeo, Swinub, Cloyster
• Lapras, Abomasnow, Cloyster

Counters: Use Rock-types for the most part, with a strong Electric option like Raikou as backup.

Wherever there is light, there is also shadow.

Type: Dark

Team:

• Poochyena, Murkow
• Sableye, Mightyena
• Cacturne, Shiftry

Counters: Rhyperior is a great choice, but it's worth having a Fire or Fighting-type in your back pocket for the Cacturne and Shiftry.

Get ready to be shocked!

Type: Electric

Team:

• Voltorb
• Flaaffy, Electabuzz
• Electabuzz, Ampharos

Counters: Go to ground! Use your Ground-type Pokémon to make short work of these bothersome buzzers.

Check out my cute Pokémon!

Type: Fairy

Team:

• Whismur
• Granbull, Snubbull
• Granbull

Counters: Fairy-types are strong, but they have counters like anything else. In this battle, Steel-type or Poison-type Pokémon will be the most beneficial counters. Using a team built around Metagross, Roserade, or Gengar is a good choice.

Don’t bother – I’ve already won. / Get ready to be defeated! / Winning is for winners.

Type: Various

Team:

• Snorlax
• Poliwrath, Snorlax, Gardevoir
• Snorlax, Dragonite, Gyrados

Counters: This one is tricky because if you end up with a trio of Snorlax, you'll have a very different fight to if you end up with against Gardevoir and Gyrados. We recommend a Fighting-type (Lucario with Shadow Ball is ideal), with Ice and Electric Pokémon ready to back them up. Dragon-types can do well, but they'll need to be wary of Gardevoir.

That's everything you need to know about the Rocket Grunt teams and counters. Now all you need to do is collect their Mysterious Components and get challenging the Rocket Leaders. That's where the real battles are.

For more mobile game guides, check out our Genshin Impact tier list and AFK Arena tier list. We've also got a YuGiOh Master Duel deck list for even more card trading fun!