Mastering the Challenge: Defeating Cliff in Pokémon GO – January 2025 Guide

Team GO Rocket Leader Cliff is back in Pokemon GO, and taking him down isn’t as simple as battling regular bosses. The key to winning these battles is knowing what Pokemon you’ll face and having the right counters ready. Our handy guide breaks down everything about facing Cliff – from finding him to choosing the best Pokemon for each possible matchup. The battle itself follows a clear pattern: you’ll always face Shadow Galarian Zigzagoon first, followed by two random Pokemon from his pool. So with that, here’s how to beat Cliff in Pokemon GO.

Leader Cliff Pokemon Lineup (January 2025)

As of January 2025, the Pokemon GO Cliff Boss fight comprises three phases, each featuring a different boss Pokemon. The initial phase showcases the shadow form of the Pokemon Galarian Zigzagoon.

In phase two, depending on luck and your opponent, you’ll encounter a random shadow variant of Shadow Venusaur, Shadow Marowak, or Shadow Aerodactyl. After defeating these two Pokemon, you’ll face the final boss, the shadow variant of Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Crobat, or Shadow Obstagoon. Here are the Pokemon GO leader Cliff bosses:

Phase	Pokemon
First (Fixed)	Shadow Galarian Zigzagoon
Second (Random)	Shadow Marowak / Shadow Venusaur / Shadow Aerodactyl
Third (Random)	Shadow Tyranitar / Shadow Crobat / Shadow Obstagoon

How to Beat Cliff in Pokemon GO

You must beat the current Pokemon lineup in-game to beat Cliff in Pokemon GO. Here’s how to win against all the Pokemon in each phase.

Cliff Phase 1: Shadow Galarian Zigzagoon Counters

Shadow Galarian Zigzagoon might be small, but don’t underestimate it. As a Dark/Normal-type, it has a significant weakness to Fighting-type moves – taking double damage from them. This makes Fighting-type Pokemon your best choice for the first phase. Hence, the best Leader Cliff phase 1 counters are:

These Pokemon are the perfect to bring over. Once you defeat him, it is time for the second phase of the fight.

Cliff Phase 2: Shadow Aerodactyl, Shadow Venusaur, or Shadow Marowak Counters

In the second boss fight, you can fight between either a Shadow Marowak, Shadow Venusaur, or a Shadow Aerodactyl. Here are some counters for each of these Pokemon:

Shadow Venusaur Counters

When facing Shadow Venusaur, you’re dealing with a dual Grass/Poison-type that can be surprisingly tough. The good news is that it has several weaknesses you can exploit. Flying and Psychic-type moves work well, but Fire-type attacks are particularly effective due to Venusaur’s Grass typing. Remember that Shadow Venusaur hits harder than its regular form, so you’ll want Pokemon that can both deal and take damage effectively.

Shadow Aerodactyl Counters

Shadow Aerodactyl can be tricky due to its Rock/Flying typing giving it several weaknesses to work with. Steel-type moves are particularly effective, and Electric-type attacks can also damage significantly. The challenge with Shadow Aerodactyl is its high attack power, so you’ll want Pokemon that can survive long enough to use their charged moves effectively.

Pokemon	Image	Fast Move	Charged Move
Zacian		Metal Claw	Wild Charge
Xurkitree		Spark	Discharge
Darmanitan (Galarian Zen)		Ice Fang	Avalanche
Zekrom		Charge Beam	Fusion Bolt

Shadow Marowak Counters

Marowak is a Ground-type Pokemon. As such, their weakness includes Grass, Ice, and Water-type Pokemon. Hence, tap into its weakness and bring any Pokemon belonging to these elements. Alternatively, the best Shadow Gallade counters are:

Pokemon	Image	Fast Move	Charged Move
Mega Sceptile		Bullet Seed	Frenzy Plant
Roserade		Razor Leaf	Solar Beam
Kartana		Razor Leaf	Leaf Blade
Mamoswine		Powder Snow	Avalanche

Once either of these three Pokemon is defeated, we move to the final phase of the Cliff boss fight in Pokemon GO.

Cliff Phase 3: Shadow Variant of Tyranitar, Obstagoon, Crobat

The final boss fight will make you fight between a Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Crobat, or a Shadow Obstagoon. As such, here are some counters for each of these Pokemon:

Shadow Tyranitar

Tyraanitaar is a Rock/Dark-type Pokemon. Hence, they are weak to Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water-type attacks. So, you can either bring in a strong Pokemon belonging to these elements or bring these Pokemon to the fight:

Pokemon	Image	Fast Move	Charged Move
Mega Lucario		Force Palm	Aura Sphere
Conkeldurr		Counter	Dynamic Punch
Terrakion		Double Kick	Sacred Sword
Mega Gardevoir		Charm	Dazzling Gleam

Shadow Obstagoon

Like Galarian Zigzagoon, Shadow Obstagoon shares the Dark/Normal typing that makes it extremely vulnerable to Fighting-type moves. The difference is that Obstagoon has much higher defense stats, so you’ll need to be prepared for a longer fight. Focus on Pokemon with strong Fighting-type moves that can maintain consistent damage output.

Pokemon	Image	Fast Move	Charged Move
Mega Lucario		Force Palm	Aura Sphere
Terrakion		Double Kick	Sacred Sword
Conkeldurr		Counter	Dynamic Punch
Pheromosa		Low Kick	Focus Blast

Shadow Crobat

Crobat is a Poison/Flying-type Pokemon. Hence, they are weak against Psychic, Electric, Rock, and Ice-type attacks. So, either bring a strong Pokemon belonging to these elements or bring these three Pokemon:

Where to Find Cliff in Pokemon GO

Finding Cliff requires some preparation. First, you need to defeat six Team GO Rocket Grunts to collect their Mysterious Components. Once you have all six, they’ll automatically combine to form a Rocket Radar. After activating the Radar, check nearby PokeStops or wait for Team GO Rocket balloons – you have a 1/3 chance of encountering Cliff instead of the other leaders.

Rewards for Defeating Cliff in Pokemon GO

Taking down Cliff gives you several valuable rewards:

• 1,000 Stardust
• A chance to catch Shadow Galarian Zigzagoon (with a 1/64 shiny rate)
• Two random reward bundles from:
  • 4 Revives
  • 2 Max Revives
  • 4 Hyper Potions
  • 2 Max Potions
  • 1 Unova Stone
  • 1 Strange Egg (12km)

That is how you defeat Leader Cliff in Pokemon GO. I hope you can track down this boss with these tips and have a great time beating him. In the comments below, let me know if you’ve found and fought Cliff.