Team GO Rocket Leader Guide: Defeating Sierra

First Pokemon - Sneasel

• Machamp: Counter + Cross Chop* OR Dynamic Punch and Rock Slide
• Lucario: Counter + Power-Up Punch and Close Combat (Or Shadow Ball)
• Blaziken: Counter + Blaze Kick and Blast Burn
• Poliwrath: Mud Shot* + Power-Up Punch and Dynamic Punch

Second Pokemon

Hypno

(Confusion/Zen Headbutt) + (Psychic/Future Sight/Focus Blast/Fire Punch/Ice Punch/Thunder Punch)

• Tyranitar: Smack Down + Crunch
• Darkrai: Snarl + Dark Pulse
• Weavile: Snarl + Foul Play

Thank god we’re shielding anyway, right? What a mess of charged moves. Double resisting Hypno’s fast moves and swinging back with super effective damage make any strong Dark-type a viable counter.

Lapras

(Frost Breath/Water Gun) + (Blizzard/Hydro Pump/Surf/Skull Bash)

• Dialga: Dragon Breath + Iron Head and Thunder
• Giratina-Altered: Shadow Claw + Dragon Claw and Ancient Power
• Magnezone: Spark + Wild Charge
• Melmetal: Thunder Shock + Rock Slide and Thunderbolt
• Poliwrath: Mud Shot* or Bubble + Power-Up Punch and Dynamic Punch
• Machamp: Counter + Cross Chop* and Dynamic Punch

Counters vary a lot based on the fast move! Poliwrath can beat both. Melmetal and Magnezone are strong vs Frost Breath, whereas Dialga and Giratina-A are better against Water Gun. Machamp is a fine counter either way (though it’s certainly riskier against her other two Pokémon!)

Sableye

(Shadow Claw/Feint Attack) + (Foul Play/Power Gem/Shadow Sneak)

• Togekiss: Charm + Ancient Power
• Tyranitar: Smack Down + Crunch
• Darkrai: Snarl + Dark Pulse
• Hydreigon: Dragon Breath + Dark Pulse

Third Pokemon

Alakazam

(Confusion/Psycho Cut) + (Focus Blast/Future Sight/Shadow Ball/Fire Punch)

• Tyranitar: Bite OR Smack Down* + Crunch
• Darkrai: Snarl + Dark Pulse
• Weavile: Snarl + Foul Play
• Honchkrow: Snarl + Dark Pulse
• Metagross: Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash*

Again, here, your goal should be to use Dark-type Pokémon. Tyranitar remains a top pick with its incredible bulk and damage output! Bite is better, but if you’ve only got Smack Down you can absolutely use that instead.

Houndoom

(Snarl/Fire Fang) + (Crunch/Fire Blast/Foul Play/Flamethrower)

• Tyranitar: Smack Down* + Stone Edge and Crunch
• Machamp: Cross Chop* or Dynamic Punch and Rock Slide
• Kyogre: Waterfall + Hydro Pump
• Swampert: Mud Shot + Hydro Cannon*
• Darkrai: Snarl + Focus Blast

Once again, you can’t really do better than Tyranitar for consistency. Smack Down is the clear right choice for fast moves.

Gardevoir

(Confusion/Charge Beam/Charm) + (Psychic/Dazzling Gleam/Shadow Ball)

• Tyranitar: Smack Down* + Crunch and Stone Edge
• Metagross: Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash*
• Melmetal: Thunder Shock + Rock Slide and Flash Cannon