Team GO Rocket's fearsome leader Cliff is back to cause havoc in November 2021 and he's got a strong bunch of Pokemon with him.

Him and his Team GO Rocket cronies will be appearing throughout November, and even more frequently during the Festival of Lights event. It just so happens that this event also means Cliff has changed his lineup of Pokemon.

To help you out, here's our guide on how to take Cliff down, including the best counters for each of his different Pokemon.

What Pokemon Does Cliff Use?

In Pokemon GO, Cliff can have a combination of seven different Pokemon, always starting with Seedot.

The full seven Pokemon and their orders are below:

Cliff has a total of seven different Pokemon he can bring into battles. They are as follows:

Slot One

  • Grimer

Slot Two

  • Crobat
  • Machamp
  • Venusaur

Slot Three

  • Arcanine
  • Charizard
  • Tyranitar
cliff october 2021

HOW TO BEAT CLIFF IN November 2021 – BEST COUNTERS

Here are the counters and weaknesses for every one of Cliff’s best Pokemon, including his Sharpedo, Torterra and Tyranitar. The counters are all listed in the order of effectiveness with their best moveset:

Slot One: Grimer – (Weaknesses = Ground and Psychic)

  • Mewtwo - Confusion/Psystrike
  • Mega Gengar – Hex/Sludge Bomb
  • Hoopa - Confusion/Psychic
  • Landorus - Extrasensory/Earthquake
  • Latios - Zen Headbutt/Psychic
  • Metagross - Zen Headbutt/Psychic
  • Excadrill - Mud Slap/Earthquake
  • Garchomp - Mud Shot/Earthquake

Slot Two: Crobat – (Weaknesses = Electric, Ice, Psychic and Rock)

  • Mega Manectric – Charge Beam/Wild Charge
  • Mega Ampharos - Volt Switch/Zap Cannon
  • Mewtwo – Confusion/Psystrike
  • Mega Gengar – Hex/Sludge Bomb
  • Zekrom – Charge Beam/Wild Charge
  • Rampardos - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Therian Thundurus – Volt Switch/Thunderbolt
  • Rhyperior - Smack Down/Rock Wrecker
  • Hoopa - Confusion/Psychic
  • Metagross - Zen Headbutt/Psychic
  • Raikou – Volt Switch/Wild Charge

Slot Two: Machamp – (Weakness = Fairy, Flying and Psychic)

  • Mega Pidgeot – Gust/Brave Bird
  • Mewtwo – Confusion/Psychic
  • Mega Gengar – Lick/Sludge Bomb
  • Hoopa - Confusion/Psychic
  • Latios – Zen Headbutt/Psychic
  • Moltres – Wing Attack/Sky Attack
  • Ho-Oh - Extrasensory/Brave Bird
  • Alakazam - Confusion/Psychic
  • Lugia – Extrasensory/Aeroblast
  • Espeon – Confusion/Psychic
  • Rayquaza - Air Slash/Hurricane

Slot Two: Venusaur – (Weaknesses = Fire/Flying/Ice and Psychic)

  • Mega Charizard X/Y – Fire Spin/Blast Burn
  • Mega Pidgeot – Gust/Brave Bird
  • Mega Houndoom - Fire Fang/Flamethrower
  • Reshiram - Fire Fang/Overheat
  • Mewtwo – Confusion/Psychic
  • Magmortar - Fire Spin/Fire Blast
  • Moltres - Fire Spin/Sky Attack
  • Tornadus - Air Slash/Hurricane
  • Ho-Oh - Incinerate/Brave Bird
  • Heatran - Fire Spin/Fire Blast
  • Rayquaza - Air Slash/Hurricane

Slot Three: Arcanine – (Weaknesses = Ground, Rock and Water)

  • Mega Blastoise - Water Gun/Hydro Cannon
  • Mega Gyarados - Waterfall/Hydro Pump
  • Rhyperior - Mud Slap/Rock Wrecker
  • Kyogre - Waterfall/Hyrdo Pump
  • Rampardos - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Garchomp - Mud Shot/Earthquake
  • Landorus - Mud Shot/Earthquake
  • Terrakion - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Swampert - Mud Shot/Hydro Cannon

Slot Three: Charizard – (Weaknesses = Electric, Rock x4 and Water)

  • Rampardos - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Rhyperior - Smack Down/Rock Wrecker
  • Terrakion - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Mega Blastoise - Water Gun/Hydro Cannon
  • Mega Manectric – Charge Beam/Wild Charge
  • Mega Gyarados - Waterfall/Hydro Pump
  • Tyranitar - Smack Down/Stone Edge
  • Gigalith - Smack Down/Rock Slide
  • Aerodactyl - Rock Throw/Rock Slide

Slot Three: Tyranitar – (Weaknesses = Bug, Fairy, Fighting x4, Grass, Ground, Steel, Water)

  • Mega Lopunny – Low Kick/Focus Blast
  • Lucario – Counter/Aura Sphere
  • Conkeldurr – Counter/Dynamic Punch
  • Mega Blastoise - Water Gun/Hydro Cannon
  • Machamp – Counter/Dynamic Punch
  • Hariyama – Counter/Dynamic Punch
  • Sirfetch’d – Counter/Close Combat
  • Breloom - Counter/Dynamic Punch
  • Blaziken – Counter/Focus Blast

What Pokemon Should You Bring?

If we were to tackle Cliff after his reshuffle in November 2021, the following are the Pokemon we'd bring with us.

  • Mewtwo
  • Mega Pidgeot
  • Rampardos

This trio covers a range of weaknesses across most of Cliff's different Pokemon. This is the best technique you should employ.