Cliff, one of Team GO Rocket’s formidable leaders, is back with the same powerful Shadow Pokémon lineup for July 2024. Defeating him requires strategic planning, proper counter-selection, and a solid understanding of the game’s meta. This guide provides detailed insights on Cliff’s battle roster and the best counters to use against him.
Cliffs Pokemon Lineup in July 2024
Cliff’s battle roster consists of 7 Shadow Pokémon, each known for its formidable abilities. To face him, you need to defeat several Team GO Rocket Grunts and collect 6 Mysterious Components to assemble a Rocket Radar, which will lead you to Cliff.
First Phase: Shadow Machop
Cliff always starts the battle with Shadow Machop, a Fighting-type Pokémon with boosted offensive prowess.
Shadow Machop
- Type: Fighting
- Weaknesses: Fairy, Flying, Psychic
- Resistances: Bug, Dark, Rock
Regular Counters:
- Rayquaza: Air Slash (Fast), Dragon Ascent (Charged)
- Mewtwo: Confusion (Fast), Psystrike (Charged)
- Lunala: Confusion (Fast), Psychic (Charged)
- Incarnate Forme Enamorus: Fairy Wind (Fast), Fly (Charged)
- Dawn Wings Necrozma: Psycho Cut (Fast), Future Sight (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Mega Rayquaza: Air Slash (Fast), Dragon Ascent (Charged)
- Shadow Mewtwo: Confusion (Fast), Psystrike (Charged)
- Mega Alakazam: Confusion (Fast), Psychic (Charged)
- Mega Gardevoir: Confusion (Fast), Psychic (Charged)
- Mega Latios: Zen Headbutt (Fast), Psychic (Charged)
Second Phase: Shadow Kingdra, Shadow Gallade, or Shadow Aerodactyl
The second phase is unpredictable, with Cliff choosing between Shadow Kingdra, Shadow Gallade, or Shadow Aerodactyl.
Shadow Kingdra
- Type: Water, Dragon
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy
- Resistances: Fire, Water, Steel
Regular Counters:
- Origin Forme Palkia: Dragon Tail (Fast), Spacial Rend (Charged)
- Origin Forme Dialga: Dragon Breath (Fast), Roar of Time (Charged)
- Rayquaza: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Salamence: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Zekrom: Dragon Breath (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Mega Rayquaza: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Mega Garchomp: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Shadow Salamence: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Shadow Garchomp: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
- Mega Salamence: Dragon Tail (Fast), Outrage (Charged)
Shadow Gallade
- Type: Psychic, Fighting
- Weaknesses: Ghost, Flying, Fairy
- Resistances: Fighting, Rock
Regular Counters:
- Rayquaza: Air Slash (Fast), Dragon Ascent (Charged)
- Incarnate Forme Enamorus: Fairy Wind (Fast), Fly (Charged)
- Yveltal: Gust (Fast), Oblivion Wing (Charged)
- Blacephalon: Astonish (Fast), Shadow Ball (Charged)
- Therian Forme Enamorus: Fairy Wind (Fast), Fly (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Mega Rayquaza: Air Slash (Fast), Dragon Ascent (Charged)
- Mega Gengar: Lick (Fast), Shadow Ball (Charged)
- Mega Gardevoir: Charm (Fast), Dazzling Gleam (Charged)
- Shadow Moltres: Wing Attack (Fast), Sky Attack (Charged)
- Shadow Chandelure: Hex (Fast), Shadow Ball (Charged)
Shadow Aerodactyl
- Type: Rock, Flying
- Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel, Water
- Resistances: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ground, Normal, Poison
Regular Counters:
- Xurkitree: Shock (Fast), Discharge (Charged)
- Metagross: Bullet Punch (Fast), Meteor Mash (Charged)
- Zekrom: Charge Beam (Fast), Wild Charge (Charged)
- Kyogre: Waterfall (Fast), Origin Pulse (Charged)
- Melmetal: Thunder Shock (Fast), Double Iron Bash (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Primal Kyogre: Waterfall (Fast), Origin Pulse (Charged)
- Shadow Metagross: Bullet Punch (Fast), Meteor Mash (Charged)
- Mega Swampert: Water Gun (Fast), Hydro Cannon (Charged)
- Shadow Rampardos: Smack Down (Fast), Rock Slide (Charged)
- Shadow Kyogre: Waterfall (Fast), Origin Pulse (Charged)
Third Phase: Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Cradily, or Shadow Crobat
The third phase requires precise prediction and preparation, with Cliff choosing between Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Cradily, or Shadow Crobat.
Shadow Tyranitar
- Type: Rock, Dark
- Weaknesses: Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Ground, Water, Steel, Grass
- Resistances: Psychic, Dark, Fire, Flying, Ghost, Normal, Poison
Regular Counters:
- Terrakion: Double Kick (Fast), Sacred Sword (Charged)
- Keldeo: Low Kick (Fast), Sacred Sword (Charged)
- Lucario: Counter (Fast), Aura Sphere (Charged)
- Conkeldurr: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
- Machamp: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Mega Blaziken: Counter (Fast), Focus Blast (Charged)
- Mega Heracross: Counter (Fast), Close Combat (Charged)
- Shadow Machamp: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
- Shadow Hariyama: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
- Shadow Toxicroak: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
Shadow Cradily
- Type: Rock, Grass
- Weaknesses: Bug, Steel, Ice, Fighting
- Resistances: Electric, Normal
Regular Counters:
- Terrakion: Double Kick (Fast), Sacred Sword (Charged)
- Metagross: Bullet Punch (Fast), Meteor Mash (Charged)
- Keldeo: Low Kick (Fast), Sacred Sword (Charged)
- Lucario: Counter (Fast), Aura Sphere (Charged)
- Pheromosa: Bug Bite (Fast), Bug Buzz (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Shadow Metagross: Bullet Punch (Fast), Meteor Mash (Charged)
- Mega Heracross: Counter (Fast), Megahorn (Charged)
- Mega Blaziken: Counter (Fast), Focus Blast (Charged)
- Mega Rayquaza: Dragon Tail (Fast), Dragon Ascent (Charged)
- Shadow Machamp: Counter (Fast), Dynamic Punch (Charged)
Shadow Crobat
- Type: Poison, Flying
- Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Psychic, Rock
- Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Grass, Fairy, Ground, Poison
Regular Counters:
- Mewtwo: Psycho Cut (Fast), Psystrike (Charged)
- Hoopa Unbound: Confusion (Fast), Psystrike (Charged)
- Xurkitree: Thunder Shock (Fast), Discharge (Charged)
- Zekrom: Charge Beam (Fast), Fusion Bolt (Charged)
- Rampardos: Smack Down (Fast), Rock Slide (Charged)
Shadow and Mega Counters:
- Shadow Mewtwo: Psycho Cut (Fast), Psystrike (Charged)
- Mega Alakazam: Confusion (Fast), Psychic (Charged)
- Shadow Rampardos: Smack Down (Fast), Rock Slide (Charged)
- Shadow Rhyperior: Smack Down (Fast), Rock Wrecker (Charg)
