How to beat Sierra in Pokémon Go in July 2024

Secure victory with the help of these counters

Niantic

Sierra once again takes part in a Pokémon Go Rocket Takeover and is equipped with a fresh team of Pokémon to fulfill her dark plans. You’ll need to overcome this cunning opponent if you want to get your chance at defeating Giovanni in July 2024, liberating many Shadow Pokémon in the process.

Table of Contents

1. Sierra’s Pokémon in July 2024 – Pokémon Go
2. Best counters to Trapinch – Pokémon Go Sierra
3. Best counters to Sableye – Pokémon Go Sierra
4. Best counters to Honchkrow – Pokémon Go Sierra
5. Best counters to Milotic – Pokémon Go Sierra
6. Best counters to Houndoom – Pokémon Go Sierra
7. Best counters to Victreebel – Pokémon Go Sierra
8. Best counters to Alakazam – Pokémon Go Sierra

Just like her colleagues, Sierra only shows up if you have an active Rocket Radar, which you need to construct by farming Mysterious Parts from grunts or completing research tasks. Once it’s activated, you can encounter Arlo, Cliff, or Sierra at PokéStops or on Rocket Balloons. Defeating all three Team Go Rocket bosses enables you to face off against Giovanni at last.

This guide will tell you how to beat Sierra in Pokémon Go in 2024.

Sierra’s Pokémon in July 2024 – Pokémon Go

Sierra is guaranteed to send Shadow Trapinch into battle first. Her second and third team slots are flexible, however, with three different Pokémon being available for each position.

• Slot #1: Trapinch
• Slot #2: Sableye / Honchkrow / Milotic
• Slot #3: Houndoom / Victreebel / Alakazam

Best counters to Trapinch – Pokémon Go Sierra

Sierra will begin the battle with Trapinch. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Trapinch is a pure Ground-type, making Grass, Ice, and Water its primary weaknesses you can exploit. All three of these have their uses later on, so there’s basically nothing you can do wrong.

• Sceptile (Grass): Fury Cutter, Leaf Blade, Aerial Ace
• Gyarados (Water, Flying): Dragon Breath, Aqua Tail, Crunch
• Mamoswine (Ground, Ice): Powder Snow, Avalanche, High Horsepower

Best counters to Sableye – Pokémon Go Sierra

Sableye is a potential second pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Sableye, being both a Dark- and a Ghost-type, only calls Fairy-type attacks a true weakness.

• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aura Sphere
• Gardevoir (Fairy, Psychic): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Psychic
• Xurkitree (Electric): Thunder Shock, Dazzling Gleam, Power Whip

Best counters to Honchkrow – Pokémon Go Sierra

Honchkrow is a potential second pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

This Flying- and Dark-type Pokémon is covered by Sableye’s counters, so you should be well prepared for it.

• Togekiss (Fairy, Flying): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Aura Sphere
• Gardevoir (Fairy, Psychic): Charm, Dazzling Gleam, Psychic
• Xurkitree (Electric): Thunder Shock, Dazzling Gleam, Power Whip

Best counters to Milotic – Pokémon Go Sierra

Milotic is a potential second pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Milotic shares a key weakness with Honchkrow in the Electric-type – and with Xurkitree, you can basically cover any Pokémon Sierra may send out second.

• Xurkitree (Electric): Thunder Shock, Dazzling Gleam, Power Whip
• Electivire (Electric): Thunder Shock, Wild Shock, Thunder
• Kartana (Grass, Steel): Razor Leaf, Leaf Blade, Aerial Ace

Best counters to Houndoom – Pokémon Go Sierra

Houndoom is a potential third pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Houndoom, Sierra's signature Pokémon, offers little weakness overlap, but shouldn't pose too much of a threat either.

• Kyogre (Water): Waterfall, Surf, Origin Pulse
• Tyranitar (Rock, Dark): Smack Down, Stone Edge, Crunch
• Machamp (Fighting): Counter, Close Combat, Stone Edge

Best counters to Victreebel – Pokémon Go Sierra

Victreebel is a potential third pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Victreebel's weaknesses are Fire, Flying, Ice, and Psychic, so it does share a few weak points with previous options, even if there isn't as much overlap.

• Mewtwo (Psychic): Psycho Cut, Psystrike, Shadow Ball
• Reshiram (Fire, Dragon): Fire Fang, Fusion Flare, Overheat
• Baxcalibur (Ice, Dragon): Ice Fang, Avalanche, Blizzard

Best counters to Alakazam – Pokémon Go Sierra

Alakazam is a potential third pick for Sierra. / Niantic / The Pokémon Company

Alakazam may be Sierra's strongest option this time around, but you should be able to scrape together enough force to overcome it, focusing on Bug-, Dark-, and Ghost-type attacks.

• Tyranitar (Rock, Dark): Smack Down, Stone Edge, Crunch
• Mewtwo (Psychic): Psycho Cut, Psystrike, Shadow Ball
• Gengar (Ghost, Poison): Lick, Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb

For more Pokémon Go, check out the overviews of the monthly Spotlight Hours and 5-Star Raids.