How To Beat Cliff In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

Team GO Rocket's Cliff is back again for May 2024 in Pokémon GO for trainers looking to test themselves without entering the PvP online arena. With many Pokémon GO players expected to return this summer following significant changes to the game, it is a great time to get on top of the Team GO Rocket Leaders. Cliff's team can easily overpower you if you aren't prepared, so you must go into the battle with a super-effective squad against his Pokémon.

With Cliff's team remaining the same this month, returning players will face no surprises in the leader's team for May 2024. As with any of the Team GO Rocket Leaders, he will use three Pokémon out of seven possibilities, with the team changing each time you face him. To be able to challenge him this month, you need to first beat six of the Team GO Rocket grunts, which can be found in Rocket Balloons. Each time you beat one, you earn a component to build a Rocket Radar. Once completed, you will challenge one of three Leaders: Cliff, Arlo, or Sierra.

You can find and challenge Cliff by spinning Pokéstops or Rocket Balloons.

Related How To Get (& Mega Evolve) Shiny Mega Heracross In Pokémon GO Finding, catching, and Mega Evolving a Shiny Heracross in Pokémon GO can be a complicated task if you do not know where to start your search.

Cliff's Team In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

The Leader Will Start With Machop

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For the start of May, Cliff's line-up in Pokémon GO remains the same as the seven Pokémon he used in April. The Leader only recently changed his lead Pokémon from Zubat to Generation One Fighting-type Machop. While it's final evolution Machamp is a tough opponent, its first stage should provide few problems. He will then pick one of three options for his next two choices.

Cliff's second Pokémon will be chosen randomly each time, so if you don't have a good match-up for your team, you could try again later, and you might face a different line-up. After Machop, you will face one of Water- and Dragon-type Kingdra, Psychic- and Flying-type Gallade, or Rock- and Flying-type Aerodactyl.

Again, for his final Pokémon, Cliff will pick one from three Pokémon, either Rock- and Grass-type Cradily, Poison- and Flying-type Crobat, or Rock- and Dark-type Tyranitar. The first two should pose little problems for Trainers, but Tyranitar is a strong opponent and you should always ensure you select at least one Pokémon with it in mind.

Wave Cliff's Pokémon and Types Weaknesses Best Pokémon Counters 1 Machop (Shadow) Fighting Fairy, Flying, and Psychic Togekiss

Metagross

Mewtwo

Alakazam

Gallade 2 Kingdra (Shadow) Water & Dragon Dragon and Fairy Dragonite

Rayquaza

Togekiss

Garchomp

Salamence 2 Aerodactyl (Shadow) Rock & Flying Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel, and Water Tyranitar

Rhyperior

Mamoswine

Metagross

Rampardos

Wave Cliff's Pokémon and Types Weaknesses Best Pokémon Counters 2 Gallade (Shadow) Psychic & Flying Flying, Ghost, and Fairy Gengar

Togekiss

Giratina

Gardevoir

Xurkitree 3 Cradily (Shadow) Rock & Grass Bug, Fighting, Ice, and Steel Machamp

Lucario

Terrakion

Mamoswine

Metagross 3 Tyranitar (Shadow) Rock & Dark Fighting, Bug, Fairy, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water Machamp

Lucario

Terrakion

Swampert

Metagross 3 Crobat (Shadow) Poison & Flying Electric, Ice, Rock, and Psychic Mewtwo

Mamoswine

Tyranitar

Rhyperior

Zapdos

Best Counters For Cliff In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

Fairy- and Fighting-Types Are Key To Victory

As an opening Pokémon, Machop provides a challenge compared to some of Cliff's previous starters, but it can still be defeated easily, as long as you lead with a super-effect type against it.

Machop is weak against Fairy-, Flying- or Psychic-type attacks.

Fairy-types are one of the most effective to quickly take down Machop. A great option is Gen 2 Togekiss, who is also super-effective against Kingdra and Gallade, in case they are picked as the leader's second choice.

After defeating Machop, you can switch out your lead Pokémon if needed. Including a Fighting-type is a good tactic for removing shields as well as being able to deal damage quickly. Machamp or Lucario can dominate Cradily and Tyranitar if either is selected as Cliff's final Pokémon.

For a good final choice, Psychic- and Steel-type Metagross can cover a lot of Cliff's other possible Pokémon. One of the strongest Pokémon, it is super-effective against Machop, Aerodactyl, Cradily, and Tyranitar, so it can be used to lead or be saved for last.

Alternate Options To Use Against Cliff

Psychic- and Dragon- types Can Also Overpower Cliff

Despite the variety of Cliff's lineup, several other Pokémon can be hugely effective against him. While Metagross is an excellent option, an alternative strategy is to start with a strong pure Psychic- type such as Mewtwo in Pokémon GO. The Generation 1 powerhouse remains one of the strongest, if not the best, Pokémon to use.

Most trainers will now have one at their disposal, following numerous opportunities to capture it across various events. It is super-effective against Machop, and while the only other Pokémon in Cliff's lineup that it has an advantage over is Crobat, its attack is so strong that it can overpower most of his team.

Another good alternative is to use a strong Dragon-type if you have a high CP one, such as Haxorus or Dragonite. Again, like Mewtwo, Dragon types could be more effective against many of Cliff's team members, but they are resistant to many of their attacks. Combine this with being another powerful type; they can blow through a number of the opposition quickly.

Rewards For Defeating Cliff In May 2024

A Chance To Catch a Powerful Shadow Pokémon

If you beat Cliff in May 2024, you will get several rewards, making trying to find and beat him worthwhile. You are guaranteed to have an opportunity to catch a Shadow Machop, which has the potential to become one of the best Fighting- types in Pokémon GO, Shadow Machamp. You will receive 1,000 stardust, which can power up any of the Pokémon you have in your storage.

You will also receive two other items at random, which can include Max Revives and Max Potions. However, one item you can ensure you will receive is the special 12km Red Eggs. To obtain the egg, you must have space in either your regular egg storage or three additional storage slots. If you have space, you will receive the egg, which takes 12km of walking to hatch but can contain some of the rarest Pokémon in Pokémon GO.

Beating Cliff is also one of the requirements needed, alongside beating fellow GO Rocket Leaders Arlo and Sierra, if you want to face GO Rocket Boss Giovanni this month. Cliff once again provides a stern test in May 2024 for Trainers, but by choosing the right lineup, he can easily be defeated in Pokémon GO.