The powerhouse of Team GO Rocket, Leader Cliff, returns to Cliff has the same team from April 2025.

Despite currently being one of the easier Leaders to defeat, Cliff still provides a very difficult test for trainers, making it vital you know his lineup as well as the best counters for it. Before you can face Cliff this month, you need to first defeat six GO Rocket Grunts such as Ke Ke Ke Ke. All of Cliff's Pokémon are Shadow variants, so if you have your own, this is the battle to use them in.

Cliff's Lineup & Counters (May 2025)

A Familiar Line Up For A Familiar Foe

Leader Cliff's Pokémon will all potentially have a higher than yours, so your only way to beat his team is by selecting three Pokémon that are super-effective against his. Thankfully, for May 2025, his line-up has a lot of common weaknesses. Like fellow Leaders Arlo and Sierra, Cliff will go into battle with seven different Pokémon that he can use, but he will only select three for each battle.

Cliff has used Rock- and Dark-type Tyranitar in every one of his teams since his introduction to Pokémon GO.

There is a random element to the exact line-up you will face each time you encounter Cliff in Pokémon GO. Every battle will always start with Ground-type Cubone. However, each of his next two Pokémon will be picked randomly for every battle. This means that if you get a bad match up that does not favor the team you have picked, you can try to face him again later and you will face different Pokémon.

For each battle, his second Pokémon will be one out of Ground-type Marowak, Fighting-type Machoke, or Fighting- and Ghost-type Annihilape. His final Pokémon will always be the strongest and will be one of Poison- and Flying- type Crobat, Rock- and Dark-type Tyranitar or Fighting-type Machamp.

Similar to when facing GO Rocket Boss Giovanni this month, you should always start with a Pokémon that is super-effective against Cliff's opening Pokémon, Cubone. While it is weak to Ice-, Grass- and Water-type attacks, the best option is to use an Ice-type such as Mamoswine. By using an Ice-type Pokémon, you will also have an option that is super-effective against Marowak and Crobat if Cliff decides to select either in his second or third wave.

Fortunately for trainers, all of Cliff's remaining four Pokémon that Mamoswine isn't super-effective against are all weak to Fairy-type attacks.

The Legendary Xerneas remains the best option, but if you haven't caught one, a strong Togekiss will also work. Both are powerful attackers and have access to the best Fairy-type moves currently on offer in Pokémon GO, which will quickly dispatch Machoke, Annihilape, Tyranitar and Machamp.

For a final choice, you have two options. You can either use a Psychic-type Pokémon such as Mewtwo or Latios. Both are super-effective against Machoke, Annihilape, Crobat and Machamp. Or if you are struggling with a specific Pokémon such as the powerhouse Tyranitar, you can select a second Fairy-type Pokémon to give a back-up option to defeat it.

Rewards For Beating Cliff (May 2025)

Encounters Eggs And Items

One of the biggest reasons for beating Cliff in May 2025 is it being a requirement to be able to find GO Rocket Boss Giovanni, as you need to defeat all three Leaders first before you can find him. However, in addition, you will receive further rewards for beating Cliff. Immediately after defeating him, you will receive an encounter with his first Pokémon, which for May 2025 is Shadow Cubone. You will also receive a 12km red egg, as long as you have space in your egg inventory.

Further rewards for defeating Cliff will be available through special research tasks after the start of Crown Clash: Taken Over.

If you have space in your item storage, you will also receive three out of the following five possible rewards: Unova Stone, 4x Max Potions, 4x Max Revives, 4x Hyper Potions, 4x Revives. All the rewards for defeating Cliff in Pokémon GO this month can be earned on multiple occasions.

Each time you defeat him, you can potentially get a Shadow Cubone, Red Egg and three of the items listed above. While his line-up is expected to change on the May 14, Cliff's current team in Pokémon GO is easy to defeat if you pick a team with Ice-type and Fairy-type Pokémon.