Pokémon GO: How To Beat Cliff (December 2022)

Team Rocket GO Leader Cliff is changing up his strategy for December 2022 by featuring a new lineup of pocket monsters in his battle roster for Pokémon GO. For the past two months of November and September, Cliff possessed a team centered around Shadow Bulbasaur, with the majority of his picks being Poison-, Water-, Grass-, and Ground-type combatants. However, for this holiday season, the bulky Team Rocket Leader has formed a rather unexpected combination of Fighting-, Poison-, Flying-, Rock-, and Ground-type pocket monsters. The only Pokémon that has remained from his November lineup is the reptilian Rock- and Ground-type Armor Pokémon, Tyranitar.

To defeat Leader Cliff in December 2022 of Pokémon GO, Trainers should have a solid understanding of what they are going up against before facing this opponent in the arena. As noted above, Cliff's new lineup will always begin with the Fighting-type Machop, the base form in its evolution family. Oddly enough, Machoke nor Machamp appear in the following two phases. The second phase requires players to confront Amoonguss, Crobat, or Pinsir. Finally, Cliff's battle finale ends with a showdown between the players' pocket monsters and Aerodactyl, Camerupt, or Tyranitar.

Best Counters for Leader Cliff in December 2022 of Pokémon GO

Cliff Boss Battle in December 2022 of Pokémon GO

With such a diversified lineup, it can be tricky to know exactly which pocket monsters are suitable for countering Leader Cliff's team in December 2022 of Pokémon GO. Fortunately, findings sourced from the community-run Pokebattler provide players with a solid selection of which Pokémon Trainers should choose for battling Cliff.

Cliff's Pokémon	Type & Weakness	Top Three Counters	Optimal Moveset
Machop	Type: Fighting Weakness: Flying, Psychic, and Fairy	Espeon	Fast Move: Confusion Charge Move: Psychic
		Alakazam in Pokémon GO	Fast Move: Confusion Charge Move: Psychic
		Gardevoir	Fast Move: Charm Charge Move: Psychic
Amoonguss	Type: Grass and Poison Weakness: Flying, Fire, Psychic, and Ice	Darmanitan	Fast Move: Fire Fang Charge Move: Overheat
		Chandelure	Fast Move: Fire Spin Charge Move: Overheat
		Blaziken	Fast Move: Fire Spin Charge Move: Blast Burn
Crobat	Type: Poison and Flying Weakness: Rock, Electric, Psychic, and Ice	Rampardos	Fast Move: Smack Down Charge Move: Rock Slide
		Rhyperior	Fast Move: Smack Down Charge Move: Rock Wrecker
		Metagross	Fast Move: Zen Headbutt Charge Move: Psychic
Pinsir	Type: Bug Weakness: Flying, Fire, and Rock	Chandelure	Fast Move: Fire Spin Charge Move: Overheat
		Rampardos	Fast Move: Smack Down Charge Move: Rock Slide
		Darmanitan	Fast Move: Fire Fang Charge Move: Overheat
Aerodactyl	Type: Rock and Flying Weakness: Rock, Steel, Water, Electric, and Ice	Metagross	Fast Move: Bullet Punch Charge Move: Meteor Mash
		Rampardos	Fast Move: Smack Down Charge Move: Rock Slide
		Rhyperior in Pokémon GO	Fast Move: Smack Down Charge Move: Rock Wrecker
Camerupt	Type: Fire and Ground Weakness: Water and Ground	Kingler	Fast Move: Bubble Charge Move: Crabhammer
		Samurott	Fast Move: Waterfall Charge Move: Hydro Cannon
		Feraligatr	Fast Move: Water Gun Charge Move: Hydro Cannon
Tyranitar	Type: Rock and Ground Weakness: Fighting, Bug, Water, Steel, Ground, Grass, and Fairy	Conkeldurr	Fast Move: Counter Charge Move: Dynamic Punch
		Lucario	Fast Move: Counter Charge Move: Aura Sphere
		Machamp	Fast Move: Counter Charge Move: Dynamic Punch

More: Pheromosa Pokémon GO: Raid Guide (Counters, Movesets)

Source: Pokebattler

Pokemon GO

Released:

2016-07-06

Developer:

The Pokemon Company, Nintendo, Niantic

Genre:

Augmented Reality, RPG

Platform:

Android, iOS

Publisher:

Niantic, Nintendo

ESRB:

E

Franchise:

Pokemon