Meeting Cliff: how to defeat this boss in Pokémon Go

Conquering Cliff, a formidable Team GO Rocket leader in Pokémon GO, requires strategy and the right Pokémon. This guide outlines how to defeat him.

Table of Contents

• How Cliff Plays?
• Which Pokémon Are Best to Choose?
  • Shadow Mewtwo
  • Mega Rayquaza
  • Kyogre
  • Dawn Wings Necrozma
  • Mega Swampert
• How to Find Cliff?

How Cliff Plays?

Cliff's battles are divided into three phases:

• Phase 1: Always uses Shadow Cubone.
• Phase 2: Uses one of three Pokémon: Shadow Machoke, Shadow Annihilape, or Shadow Marowak.
• Phase 3: Uses one of three Pokémon: Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Machamp, or Shadow Crobat.

This unpredictability makes choosing the right Pokémon crucial.

Which Pokémon Are Best to Choose?

Effective countermeasures require understanding Cliff's Pokémon weaknesses. While his lineup varies, certain Pokémon consistently excel:

Shadow Mewtwo

Highly effective against Shadow Machoke, Shadow Annihilape, Shadow Machamp, and Shadow Crobat. A strong choice for phases two and three.

Mega Rayquaza

Similar effectiveness to Shadow Mewtwo, making it a powerful option for phases two and three. Using this and Shadow Mewtwo strategically across these phases maximizes your chances of victory.

Kyogre

Regular Kyogre is only effective in the first phase. Primal Kyogre, however, is far more versatile, capable of defeating Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Marowak, and Shadow Cubone.

Dawn Wings Necrozma

Effective only against Shadow Annihilape and Shadow Machoke, limiting its overall usefulness.

Mega Swampert

Effective against Shadow Marowak and Shadow Cubone, making it suitable primarily for the first phase.

A suggested team composition is Primal Kyogre (Phase 1), Shadow Mewtwo (Phase 2), and Mega Rayquaza (Phase 3). Adjust based on the Pokémon available to you.

How to Find Cliff?

To battle Cliff, you must first defeat six Team GO Rocket Grunts to obtain the Rocket Radar. Activating the Radar reveals a Team GO Rocket leader's location; there's a one-third chance it will be Cliff.

The battle against Cliff is more challenging than Grunt battles due to his stronger Pokémon. Defeat ensures victory, but failure allows a rematch. Remember, a successful battle destroys the Rocket Radar.

Successfully defeating Cliff requires careful planning and a strong team. While Shadow Mewtwo, Mega Rayquaza, and Primal Kyogre are ideal, adaptable strategies using other powerful Pokémon are also viable. Remember to acquire a Rocket Radar by defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts to initiate the encounter.