Pokémon Go Rocket Grunts Counterattack Strategies and Lineups

Those pesky Team Go Rocket Grunts are the lowest-ranked opponents you’ll encounter in Pokémon Go, but it’s still important to know their lineups and best counters if you want to defeat them easily.

Prepare for trouble, and double it. While Jessie and James may not be taking to the skies, since 2019, Pokémon Go has been populated by Team Rocket’s minions, providing a challenge for trainers everywhere.

Grunts may be the easiest members of Team Go Rocket to defeat, but they can still be difficult to face if you’re not prepared. The key to success is knowing what types they use and building a team that takes advantage of their weaknesses.

Luckily, every Team Go Rocket Grunt in the game will taunt you with a line of dialogue before each battle, and this dialogue will give you a hint as to what type of Pokémon they will use and the potential pool of Pokémon they will choose from.

The Grunt rosters listed below are correct as of August 30, 2024.

NianticTeam GO Rocket takes over Pokémon GO.

Pokémon Go Grunt Counters (September 2024)

There are plenty of reasons to defeat these Grunts in Pokémon Go. In addition to giving you a chance to catch and purify a Shadow Pokémon, you’ll also get a mysterious component that will allow you to battle one of the Team Go Rocket leaders: Arlo, Cliff, Giovanni, or Sierra.

There are currently 22 Grunts in the game, each with their own unique composition. Below you will find all the types of Team Go Rocket Grunts based on their taunts and information on their composition and the best counters you can use to defeat them.

Are you afraid of mediums who use invisible power?

This Grunt will use Psychic-type Pokémon, so the best counters are strong Ghost-, Dark-, and Bug-type Pokémon such as Tyranitar, Weavile, Houndoom, and Haunter.

Battle against my Flying-type Pokémon!

As the taunt suggests, this Grunt will use Flying-type Pokémonso the best counters are powerful Rock, Electric or Ice types such as Tyranitar, Electivire and Abomasnow.

Look at my cute Pokemon!

If you come face to face with this Grunt, they will use Fairy-type Pokémonso the best counters are Poison and Steel types like Metagross, Roserade, Gengar and Victreebel.

Rolled up and ready to strike!

This Grunt will use Poison type Pokémonso the best counters are powerful Psychic and Ground types such as Espeon, Mewtwo, Tyranitar and Groudon.

Don’t mess with us!

This Minion will use Grass-type Pokémon, meaning the best counters are Fire-type Pokémon like Charizard, Moltres, Entei, or Pyroar. Bug, Ice, Flying, and Poison-type Pokémon are good substitutes.

Do you know how hot Pokémon’s fire breath can get?

As you might have guessed, this Minion will use Fire-type Pokémon. This means that the best counters will be powerful Water-, Rock-, and Ground-type Pokémon like Tyranitar, Blastoise, Vaporeon, and Rhydon.

Prepare to be shocked!

This Groudon will use Electric-type Pokémon, so the best counters are definitely strong Ground-type Pokémon like Groudon, Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Golem.

Come on, my super bug Pokémon!

As their taunt suggests, this Grunt will use Bug-type Pokémon. The best counters here are powerful Fire-types, like Charizard, Moltres, Entei, or Pyroar. Flying and Rock-types are good reinforcements.

Ke… ke… ke… ke… ke… ke…

This Grunt will use Ghost-type Pokémon, so the best counters are strong Dark and Ghost-type Pokémon such as Weavile, Gengar, Haunter, and Darkrai.

Let’s rock and roll!

This Grunt will use a series of Rock-type Pokémonwhich means the best counters are powerful Fighting-types like Machamp. Water, Grass, Ground, and Steel-types can be used as backup.

Normal does not mean weak

It goes without saying that this Grunt will use Normal type PokémonThe best counters are strong Fighting-types like Machamp, Conkeldurr, Sirfetch’d, and Sawk.

ROAR! … What does it sound like?

This Minion will use Dragon-type Pokémon, so the best counters are Ice-type Pokémon like Weavile or Glaceon. Fairy-type Pokémon like Sylveon are also good substitutes.

These waters are dangerous (Woman)

The female version of this Grunt will use Water-type Pokémon. The best counters you can use are powerful Grass or Electric-types such as Sceptile, Leafeon, Raikou, and Magnezone.

These waters are dangerous (Man)

The male version of this Water-type Pokémon will only use Magikarp, but there is a very small chance that he can send out Gyarados as his last Pokémon. Electric-types are the best counters here.

That muscular physique isn’t just for show!

This Grunt will use Fighting-type Pokémon, so the best counters you can use are strong Psychic-, Flying-, and Fairy-type Pokémon like Alakazam, Gardevoir, Togekiss, and Lugia.

You will be defeated and brought down!

This Grunt will use Ground-type Pokémonmeaning the best counters are powerful Water, Grass, and Ice types like Gyarados, Venusaur, Mamoswine, and Weavile.

You are no match for my iron will!

This Grunt uses Steel-type PokémonA strong Ground-type will be able to defeat most of them, but also keep a Fire-type on your team in case you face Scizor.

You will remain frozen in place

This Minion will use Ice-type Pokémon. The best counters are Fighting and Rock-type Pokémon like Aggron, Machamp, and Tyranitar. Also keep a Fire-type Pokémon on your team for Snover and Abomansow.

Wherever there is light, there is also shadow.

This Grunt will use Dark-type Pokémon, all of which are weak to Fairy-type attacks, so the best counters are strong Fairy-type Pokémon such as Sylveon, Togekiss, and Gardevoir.

Don’t worry, I’ve already won / Prepare to be defeated! / Victory is for the winners (Female)

This female Grunt is difficult to predict, as she uses a mix of pokemon typesWe recommend a team with a Fighting-type like Machamp, an Electric-type like Raikou, and an Ice-type like Abomasnow.

Don’t worry, I’ve already won / Prepare to be defeated! / Winning is for winners (Male)

This male Grunt uses a mix of Grass-, Fire-, and Water-type Pokémon, so the easiest way to counter them is to have a Grass-, Fire-, and Water-type on your own team.

You got fooled, you moron (female lure)

Yes, there is also a female decoy.

If you become familiar with each taunt, you can defeat any Team Go Rocket minion and rack up tons of Shadow Pokémon before you know it.

Here are all the Team Go Rocket Grunt rosters for September 2024. If there are any changes made by Niantic In future Go updates, we will update this page with the latest information.

If you want to take on the other Team Go Rocket leaders, check out our guide on how to defeat Arlo, our guide on how to defeat Cliff, and finally, how to beat Sierra.