UPDATE - The issue affecting Team GO Rocket battles has been resolved, and Team GO Rocket can again be encountered in game. To make up for the time that Team GO Rocket was away, Shadow Zapdos will be returning as an encounter when you defeat Giovanni from Tuesday, June 1, at 12 a.m. until Thursday, June 17, at 12 a.m. local time.
In addition, Niantic has added a free box to the Shop in-app, containing 30 Poke Balls and 1 Rocket Radar. This box will be available until April 29th, 7 p.m. PT.
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+ 2Original Story - Facing off against Sierra in Pokemon GO this April? You'll need to know the best counters!
If you're new to Pokemon Go's dastardly Team Rocket leaders, you'll need to defeat Rocket Grunts and earn six Mysterious Components.
Once you have those, you'll be able to find the Rocket Leaders - Cliff, Sierra, Arlo, or Giovanni.
But defeating each of these Rocket Leaders is far more challenging, especially when you're not familiar with their Pokemon line-up.
Even then, a leader's lineup is randomly selected out of a small selection of possible Pokemon. Therefore, it's important to know the counters and strategies for each potential encounter to maximising your chances of beating them.
This is even more important if you want to get hold of the 12km Strange Eggs or complete the Inter-Egg-Sting Development Quest.
Need Help? Then keep reading for tips and counters on how to defeat Team Rocket leader Sierra.
click to enlarge + 2Pokemon GO Team Rocket Guides - Arlo Counters | Sierra Counters | Cliff Counters | Giovanni Counters | James & Jesse Counters | Team Rocket Grunts Counters
Team Rocket Leader Sierra Pokemon Line-Up & Counters
Sierra will always use Carvanha as her first Pokemon.
For Sierra's second Pokemon, she will either use Hippowdon, Porygon-Z or Mismagius.
For her Third Pokemon, it will be Flygon, Houndoom or Walrein.
Below is a list of counters and the most effective moves against each of Sierra's Pokemon as of April 2021.
Carvanha Counters
Carvanha is weak to Grass, Fighting, Bug, Electric and Fairy-type moves.
Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Carvanha.
- Breloom - Counter (Fast Move) + Seed Bomb (Charge Move)
- Sirfetch’d - Counter ( Fast Move) + Leaf Blade (Charge Move)
- Machamp - Karate Chop (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Electivire - Thunder Shock (Fast Move) + Wild Charge (Charge Move)
- Raikou - Thunder Shock (Fast Move) + Wild Charge (Charge Move)
Hippowdon Counters
Hippowdon is weak to Grass, Ice and Water-type moves. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Hippowdon.
- Kingler - Bubble (Fast Move) + Crabhammer (Charge Move)
- Venusaur - Vine Whip ( Fast Move) + Frenzy Plant (Charge Move)
- Blastoise - Water Gun (Fast Move) + Hydro Cannon (Charge Move)
- Torterra - Razor Leaf (Fast Move) + Frenzy Plant (Charge Move)
- Kyogre - Waterfall (Fast Move) + Surf (Charge Move)
- Exeguttor - Bullet Speed (Fast Move) + Solar Beam (Charge Move)
Porygon-Z Counters
Porygon-Z is weak to Fighting-type Pokemon. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Porygon-Z.
- Machamp - Karate Chop ( Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Lucario - Counter (Fast Move) + Aura Sphere (Charge Move)
- Breloom - Counter (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Conkeldurr - Counter (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Sirfetch’d - Counter (Fast Move) + Close Combat (Charge Move)
Mismagius Counters
Mismagius is weak to Dark and Ghost-type Pokemon. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Mismagius.
- Darkrai - Snarl ( Fast Move) + Dark Pulse (Charge Move)
- Tyranitar - Bite (Fast Move) + Crunch (Charge Move)
- Weavile - Snarl (Fast Move) + Foul Play (Charge Move)
- Gengar - Shadow Ball (Fast Move) + Shadow Claw (Charge Move)
- Chandelure - Hex (Fast Move) + Shadow Ball (Charge Move)
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Houndoom Counters
Houndoom is weak to Fighting, Ground, Rock and Water-type Pokemon. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Houndoom.
- Conkeldurr - Counter (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- HoKyogre - Waterfall ( Fast Move) + Surf (Charge Move)
- Rampardos - Smack Down (Fast Move) + Rock Slide (Charge Move)
- Lucario - Counter (Fast Move) + Aura Sphere (Charge Move)
- Machamp - Counter (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Kingler - Bubble (Fast Move) + Crabhammer (Charge Move)
Flygon Counters
Flygon is weak against Ice, Fairy and Dragon-type Pokemon. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Flygon.
- Weavile - Ice Shard ( Fast Move) + Avalanche (Charge Move)
- Mamoswine - Powder Snow (Fast Move) + Avalanche (Charge Move)
- Glaceon - Frost Breath (Fast Move) + Avalanche (Charge Move)
- Jynx - Frost Breath (Fast Move) + Avalanche (Charge Move)
- Vanilluxe - Frost Breath (Fast Move) + Blizzard (Charge Move)
Walrein Counters
Walrein is weak to Fighting, Rock, Grass and Electric-type Pokemon. Here's a list of Pokemon and their moves that counter Walrein.
- Machamp - Counter ( Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Electivire - Thunder Shock (Fast Move) + Wild Charge (Charge Move)
- Lucario - Counter (Fast Move) + Aura Sphere (Charge Move)
- Conkeldurr - Counter (Fast Move) + Dynamic Punch (Charge Move)
- Raikou - Volt Switch (Fast Move) + Wild Charge (Charge Move)
- Rampardos - Smack Down (Fast Move) + Rock Slide (Charge Move)
- Breloom - Counter (Fast Move) + Grass Knot (Charge Move)
Hopefully, this helps you defeat and takedown Rocket Leader Sierra. Best of luck!