How to Beat Sierra in Pokémon GO: Best Counters and Strategy Guide

Key Takeaways:

1. Counter Sierra’s Shadow Pokemon Effectively: Knowing each Pokémon’s weaknesses is crucial for countering Sierra’s powerful lineup and achieving victory.
2. Prepare for Team Variations: Sierra’s team changes in the second and third phases, so be ready for different types to cover all potential matchups.
3. Rewards and Benefits: Defeating Sierra provides valuable rewards, including Stardust, Shadow Ralts, and exclusive items like Strange Eggs and evolution stones.

Facing Sierra in Pokémon GO this November can be a challenging experience for trainers, especially given her powerful Shadow Pokémon lineup that features Ralts, Steelix, Houndoom, and more. With the right counters, however, you can defeat her and earn rewarding items such as Stardust, healing items, and even a Strange Egg. This guide covers the best strategies, counters, and team compositions to beat Sierra this month.

How to Find Sierra in Pokémon GO

To encounter Sierra, you must first assemble a Rocket Radar. Here’s how to do it:

1. Defeat six Team Go Rocket Grunts to collect Mysterious Components.
2. Assemble the Mysterious Components into a Rocket Radar.
3. With the Rocket Radar activated, check invaded PokéStops or Team Rocket Balloons to encounter either Sierra, Cliff, or Arlo.

Once you find Sierra, get ready for a tough battle. She employs three phases of Shadow Pokémon, each with high attack and defense stats, so come prepared with a well-balanced team.

Sierra’s November 2024 Lineup and Weaknesses

Sierra’s lineup this month consists of three phases with rotating Pokémon in the second and third phases. Here’s a breakdown of her current team, their types, weaknesses, and the best Pokémon to counter them.

Phase 1: Shadow Ralts

• Type: Psychic/Fairy
• Weaknesses: Ghost, Poison, Steel
• Best Counters:
  • Metagross (Steel-type moves)
  • Chandelure (Ghost-type moves)
  • Gengar (Ghost-type moves)
  • Goldengho (Ghost-type moves)
  • Dragapult (Ghost-type moves)

Ralts opens Sierra’s lineup and is particularly weak to Ghost and Steel attacks. Pokémon like Metagross and Chandelure can make short work of Ralts thanks to their type advantages.

Phase 2: Shadow Steelix, Shadow Milotic, or Shadow Sableye

In the second phase, Sierra can choose from three different Pokémon. Each requires a different approach, so it’s best to plan for multiple options.

Shadow Steelix

• Type: Ground/Steel
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Fire, Water
• Best Counters:
  • Terrakion (Fighting-type moves)
  • Reshiram (Fire-type moves)
  • Chandelure (Fire-type moves)
  • Lucario (Fighting-type moves)
  • Darmanitan (Fire-type moves)

Shadow Milotic

• Type: Water
• Weaknesses: Electric, Grass
• Best Counters:
  • Kartana (Grass-type moves)
  • Raikou (Electric-type moves)
  • Electivire (Electric-type moves)
  • Zekrom (Electric-type moves)
  • Thundurus (Electric-type moves)

Shadow Sableye

• Type: Dark/Ghost
• Weakness: Fairy
• Best Counters:
  • Togekiss (Fairy-type moves)
  • Sylveon (Fairy-type moves)
  • Xerneas (Fairy-type moves)
  • Gardevoir (Fairy-type moves)

Steelix has a high resistance level but is vulnerable to Fighting and Fire attacks. Meanwhile, Milotic’s Water type is best countered by Electric or Grass moves, while Sableye, with its Ghost/Dark type, is weak only to Fairy-type attacks.

Phase 3: Shadow Houndoom, Shadow Nidoqueen, or Shadow Gardevoir

The third phase also has three possible Pokémon, each requiring a different counter approach.

Shadow Houndoom

• Type: Dark/Fire
• Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Rock, Water
• Best Counters:
  • Tyranitar (Rock-type moves)
  • Kyogre (Water-type moves)
  • Lucario (Fighting-type moves)
  • Terrakion (Fighting-type moves)
  • Rampardos (Rock-type moves)

Shadow Nidoqueen

• Type: Ground/Poison
• Weaknesses: Ground, Ice, Psychic, Water
• Best Counters:
  • Mewtwo (Psychic-type moves)
  • Garchomp (Ground-type moves)
  • Mamoswine (Ice-type moves)
  • Kyogre (Water-type moves)
  • Landorus (Ground-type moves)

Shadow Gardevoir

• Type: Psychic/Fairy
• Weaknesses: Ghost, Poison, Steel
• Best Counters:
  • Metagross (Steel-type moves)
  • Chandelure (Ghost-type moves)
  • Zacian (Steel-type moves)
  • Dragapult (Ghost-type moves)

Houndoom’s dual Dark/Fire type makes it susceptible to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water attacks. Nidoqueen, on the other hand, falls easily to Psychic and Water moves, while Gardevoir shares similar weaknesses with Ralts.

Best Team to Counter Sierra in Pokémon GO

For a versatile team, consider the following Pokémon:

1. Mewtwo – Great against Ralts and Gardevoir and can also handle Nidoqueen with its powerful Psychic moves.
2. Primal Groudon (or Excadrill as an alternative) – Perfect for covering Houndoom, Steelix, and Nidoqueen.
3. Xurkitree – Useful for taking down Milotic and dealing solid damage to Sableye with its Electric-type moves.

This lineup provides flexibility to counter Sierra’s diverse team, whether you’re up against Steelix’s bulk, Sableye’s immunity to most types, or the high damage output of Houndoom and Nidoqueen.

Rewards for Beating Sierra

Successfully defeating Sierra brings in a variety of rewards that can boost your resources and Pokémon collection:

• Shadow Ralts – Catchable encounter after victory.
• 12 KM Strange Egg – Hatches exclusive Pokémon like Sandile, Pawniard, and Larvitar.
• Evolution Stones and Healing Items – Including Unova Stones, Hyper Potions, and Max Revives.

Strange Eggs are particularly valuable, as they contain unique Pokémon that aren’t readily available in the wild. The healing items can also help you prep for future battles or recover your team after tough fights.

Tips for Beating Sierra in Pokémon GO

1. Know When to Retreat: If you’re struggling with Sierra’s lineup, exit the battle, reorganize your team with new counters, and try again.
2. Focus on Dual-Type Coverage: Use Pokémon that can cover multiple types (like Mewtwo and Groudon) to handle different Pokémon Sierra might bring out.
3. Charge Up Your Attacks: Use quick moves to charge your Charged Attacks rapidly, as they’ll help deal significant damage against Sierra’s Pokémon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best team to beat Sierra in Pokémon GO?

A well-rounded team consisting of Mewtwo, Primal Groudon (or Excadrill), and Xurkitree can counter Sierra’s various Pokémon types effectively.

How can I encounter Sierra in Pokémon GO?

To find Sierra, assemble a Rocket Radar by defeating six Team Go Rocket Grunts and collecting Mysterious Components. Then, use the radar to track down Sierra.

What rewards do you get from beating Sierra?

Rewards include Shadow Ralts, 12 KM Strange Egg, and healing/evolution items like Hyper Potions and Unova Stones.

By following this guide and selecting the right counters, you’ll be able to take down Sierra’s formidable lineup, earn rare rewards, and strengthen your Pokémon team for future battles