Those persistent Team Go Rocket Grunts are the lowest-ranked adversaries you’ll encounter in Pokemon Go, yet it remains crucial to familiarize yourself with their lineups and the most effective counters for a swift victory.
Prepare for trouble, and make it double. While Jessie and James may not be soaring through the skies, since 2019, Pokemon Go has been filled with Team Rocket Grunts, challenging trainers around the globe.
Although Grunts are the easiest members of Team Go Rocket to conquer, they can still present a formidable challenge if you arrive unprepared. The key to your victory lies in understanding their Pokémon types and assembling a team that capitalizes on their weaknesses.
Fortunately, each Team Go Rocket Grunt in the game provides a teasing line of dialogue prior to every battle, offering clues about the type of Pokémon they will use, as well as their potential Pokémon lineup.
The Grunt lineups listed below are accurate as of September 30, 2024.
Team GO Rocket is taking control of Pokemon GO.
Pokemon Go Grunt counters (October 2024)
Defeating these Grunts in Pokemon Go offers several rewards, including the chance to catch and purify a Shadow Pokémon, along with a Mysterious Component part that allows you to battle one of the Team Go Rocket Leaders: Arlo, Cliff, Giovanni, or Sierra.
There are currently 22 Grunts in the game, each featuring a unique lineup. Below, you’ll discover every type of Team Go Rocket Grunt based on their taunts, along with essential information about their lineups and the best counters to defeat them.
Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power?
This Grunt favors Psychic-type Pokemon, so the most effective counters are powerful Ghost, Dark, and Bug-types such as Tyranitar, Weavile, Houndoom, and Haunter.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gothita | Gothorita | Reuniclus |
| Solosis | Wobbuffet | Gallade |
| Ralts | Metagross |
Battle against my Flying-type Pokemon!
This Grunt uses Flying-type Pokemon, meaning strong Rock, Electric, or Ice-types like Tyranitar, Electivire, and Abomasnow are your best counters.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Pidgey | Giggles | Pidgeot |
| Starly | Staravia | Dragonite |
| Archen | Archeops |
Check out my cute Pokemon!
If you face this Grunt, they’ll use Fairy-type Pokemon, so counters like Poison and Steel-types, such as Metagross, Roserade, Gengar, and Victreebel, are optimal.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Vulpix (Alola) | Snubull | Granbull |
| Ralts | Granbull | Ninetales (Alola) |
| Mawile | Kirlia | Gardevoir |
Coiled and ready to strike!
This Grunt employs Poison-type Pokemon, making Psychic and Ground-types like Espeon, Mewtwo, Tyranitar, and Groudon your best counters.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Hisuian Sneasel | Nidorina | Weezing |
| Croagunk | Nidorino | Toxicroak |
| Amoonguss |
Don’t tangle with us!
This Grunt will use Grass-type Pokemon, so strong Fire-types like Charizard, Moltres, Entei, or Pyroar are ideal counters, with Bug, Ice, Flying, and Poison-types as solid alternatives.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Bayleef | Meganium |
| Snover | Ferrothorn | Cacturne |
| Lileep | Vileplume |
Do you know how hot Pokemon fire breath can get?
This Grunt focuses on Fire-type Pokemon. The best counters are strong Water, Rock, and Ground types such as Tyranitar, Blastoise, Vaporeon, and Rhydon.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cyndaquil | Quilava | Typhlosion |
| Darumaka | Houndoom | Darmanitan |
| Houndoom |
Get ready to be shocked!
This Grunt utilizes Electric-type Pokemon, so powerful Ground-types like Groudon, Rhyperior, Hippowdon, and Golem will be most effective.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Magnemite | Geodude (Alola) | Ampharos |
| Blitzle | voltorb | Luxray |
| From Jolti | Electabuzz | Galvantula |
Go, my super bug Pokemon!
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Scyther | Crust | Forretress |
| Shuckle | Shuckle | Scizor |
| Dwebble | Anorith | Beedrill |
Ke… ke… ke… ke… ke…
This Grunt employs Ghost-type Pokemon, so effective counters include strong Dark and Ghost-types like Weavile, Gengar, Haunter, and Darkrai.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Misdreavus | Dusclops | Frost load |
| Drifloon | Sableye | Gengar |
| Golett | Golett | Marowak (Alola) |
Let’s rock and roll!
This Grunt will battle you with Rock-type Pokemon, recommending strong Fighting types like Machamp. Backup options are Water, Grass, Ground, and Steel types.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Archen | Anorith | Archeops |
| Tirtouga | Lileep | Carracosta |
| Graveler | Golem |
Normal doesn’t mean weak
This Grunt calls upon Normal-type Pokemon. The ideal counters are strong Fighting types like Machamp, Conkeldurr, Sirfetch’d, and Sawk.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Stands | Rattata | Ursaring |
| Teddiursa | Meowth | Stands |
| Glameow | Purugly | Exploud |
ROAR! … How’d that sound?
This Grunt will employ Dragon-type Pokemon, with the best counters being strong Ice-types like Weavile or Glaceon; Fairy types like Sylveon also serve as good backups.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Gible | Gabite | Garchomp |
| Dratini | Dragonair | Dragonite |
| Exeggutor (Alola) | Salamence |
These waters are treacherous (Female)
The female variant of this Grunt will utilize Water-type Pokemon. Optimal counters include powerful Grass or Electric types like Sceptile, Leafeon, Raikou, and Magnezone.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Totodile | Croconaw | Feraligatr |
| Omanyte | Crawdaunt | Whiscash |
| Tirtouga | Carracosta |
These waters are treacherous (Male)
The male version of this Water-based Grunt will only summon Magikarp, with a slim chance of encountering Gyarados as his final Pokémon. Electric types serve as the best counters here.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Magikarp | Magikarp | Magikarp |
| Gyarados |
This buff physique isn’t just for show!
This Grunt will use Fighting-type Pokemon, so the best counters to utilize are strong Psychic, Flying, and Fairy-types like Alakazam, Gardevoir, Togekiss, and Lugia.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Machop | Hitmonchan | Toxicroak |
| Makuhita | Hitmonlee | Infernape |
| Timber | Gurdurr | Conkeldurr |
You’ll be defeated into the ground!
This Grunt is focused on Ground-type Pokemon, making strong counters include Water, Grass, and Ice-types like Gyarados, Venusaur, Mamoswine, and Weavile.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Diglett (Alola) | Rhyhorn | Whiscash |
| Wooper | Vibrated | Flygon |
| Drill cage | Torterra |
You’re no match for my iron will!
This Grunt deploys Steel-type Pokemon. Strong Ground-types excel against them, but keeping a Fire-type handy will help combat potential Scizor encounters.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Sandshrew (Alola) | Skarmory | Sandslash (Alola) |
| Skarmory | Lairon | Scizor |
| Ferroseed | Metang | Empoleon |
You’re gonna be frozen in your tracks
This Grunt will utilize Ice-type Pokemon, with the most effective counters being strong Fighting and Rock-types like Aggron, Machamp, and Tyranitar. Keep a Fire-type on your roster for potential Snover and Abomasnow encounters.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Snover | Ninetales (Alola) | Abomasnow |
| Swinub | Glalie | Glalie |
| Sandshrew (Alola) | Frost load | Frost load |
Wherever there is light, there is also shadow
This Grunt will focus on Dark-type Pokemon, all of which are vulnerable to Fairy-type attacks, so strong Fairy-types such as Sylveon, Togekiss, and Gardevoir are excellent counters.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Houndour | Muk (Alola) | Muk (Alola) |
| Rattata (Alola) | Raticate (Alola) | Skuntank |
| Stunky |
Don’t bother, I’ve already won / Get ready to be defeated! / Winning is for winners (Female)
This female Grunt can be unpredictable, utilizing a mix of Pokemon types. We suggest having a Fighting type like Machamp, an Electric type like Raikou, and an Ice type like Abomasnow on your team.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Snorlax | Snorlax | Snorlax |
| Polyurethane | Gyarados | |
| Gardevoir | Dragonite |
Don’t bother, I’ve already won / Get ready to be defeated! / Winning is for winners (Male)
This male Grunt utilizes a mix of Grass, Fire, and Water-type Pokémon, so an effective strategy involves having a Grass-type, a Fire-type, and a Water-type on your own team.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Chikorita | Bayleef | Meganium |
| Cyndaquil | Quilava | Typhlosion |
| Totodile | Croconaw | Feraligatr |
Fooled ya twerp (Decoy Female)
Yes, there’s also a decoy female.
Possible encounters:
| PHASE 1 | PHASE 2 | PHASE 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Bellsprout | Raticate | Raticate |
| Bellsprout | Snorlax |
By familiarizing yourself with each taunt, you can easily defeat any Team Go Rocket Grunt and accumulate a wealth of Shadow Pokemon in no time.
This concludes the summary of Team Go Rocket Grunt lineups for October 2024. Should Niantic make any updates in future Pokemon Go patches, we will ensure this page reflects the latest information.
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