Pokemon Go Team Rocket Grunt counters and lineups in August 2024

Team Go Rocket Grunts are recurring adversaries within the realm of Pokémon Go. While they may not be the most daunting foes, they provide players with opportunities to engage and earn rewards multiple times a day through encounters, particularly with Team Go Rocket Balloons.

Defeating Team Go Rocket Grunts is essential for players aiming to collect Shadow Pokémon—the second-strongest classification in Pokémon Go, just behind Mega Pokémon. This process involves not only taking down the Grunts but also facing the Team Go Rocket Leaders and ultimately challenging Giovanni himself.

This article provides insights into each Grunt’s lineup, complete with battle tips, strategies, and everything you need to become a top-tier trainer.

Pokémon Go Team Rocket Grunt Counters and Lineups

The Pokémon lineup of Team Go Rocket Grunts changes periodically, so if you haven’t played recently, expect to see different Pokémon than before. This not only adds variety to the encounters but also alters the potential rewards.

Below is a compilation of the various types of Team Go Rocket Grunts and the recommended counters for each type, as of August 2024. For simplicity, we also provide an overall team suggestion for those who prefer a straightforward approach.

All-rounder Counter Team

For those looking for a versatile team that can handle various situations, consider the following combination. Please note that this approach requires significant resources, as it focuses on three specific Pokémon:

1. Rhyperior with Mud Slap (Ground, Fast), Rock Wrecker (Rock, Charged), and Surf (Water, Charged)
2. Mega Charizard with Fire Spin (Fire, Fast), Blast Burn (Fire, Charged), and Dragon Claw (Dragon, Charged)
3. Lucario with Counter (Fighting, Fast), Shadow Ball (Ghost, Charged), and Power-up Punch (Fighting, Charged)

This lineup is effective due to its coverage against different types of Grunts. Lead with Rhyperior and utilize Mud Slap or switch to either Charizard or Lucario based on the match-up. Lucario’s Power-up Punch is particularly useful for rapidly increasing damage output, while Charizard can Mega Evolve for a significant attack boost.

Type-Specific Grunt Counters

Bug Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Rock

Recommended Pokémon: Mega Charizard, Moltres, Reshiram

Dark Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Bug, Fairy, Fighting

Recommended Pokémon: Groudon, Garchomp

Decoy Grunt Counters

Recommended Pokémon: Strong Fire and Fighting types to handle Shadow Bellsprout and other Pokémon.

Dragon Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, Fairy

Recommended Pokémon: Kyurem, Mamoswine, Baxcalibur

Electric Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Ground

Recommended Pokémon: Triple Garchomp or Primal Groudon

Expert Grunt Counters

Male Grunt: Use Grass, Water, and Fire types; consider Mega Charizard or Primal Kyogre.

Female Grunt: Bring Fighting types like Mega Lucario, along with Electric and Ice types.

Fairy Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Poison, Steel

Recommended Pokémon: Mega Charizard, Metagross, Nihilego

Fighting Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fairy, Flying, Psychic

Recommended Pokémon: Shadow Machamp, Lunala, Mega Rayquaza

Fire Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Ground, Rock, Water

Recommended Pokémon: Primal Kyogre, Rhyperior, Swampert

Flying Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Rock

Recommended Pokémon: Kyurem, Mamoswine

Grass Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison

Recommended Pokémon: Mega Charizard, Reshiram, Heatran

Ground Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Grass, Ice, Water

Recommended Pokémon: Kartana, Swampert, Kyogre

Ghost Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost

Recommended Pokémon: Tyranitar, Hydreigon

Ice Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Rock, Steel

Recommended Pokémon: Mega Charizard, Heatran

Normal Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fighting

Recommended Pokémon: Machamp, Mega Lucario

Poison Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Ground, Psychic

Recommended Pokémon: Rhyperior, Garchomp

Psychic Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Ghost

Recommended Pokémon: Tyranitar, Hydreigon

Rock Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, Water

Recommended Pokémon: Terrakion, Keldeo

Steel Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Ground

Recommended Pokémon: Mega Charizard, Terrakion

Water Grunt Counters

Weaknesses: Electric, Grass

Recommended Pokémon: Electric types like Xurkitree and Kartana for backup.

General Tips for Battling Team Go Rocket Grunts

Engaging with Team Go Rocket is straightforward. Identify which Grunt you are up against, select an appropriate team from the counters given, and defeat them strategically.

Picking the Right Lineup

To initiate a battle, locate a Grunt at a darkened Pokéstop. Upon engaging, the Grunt will hint at their Pokémon type through their opening line. Pay close attention to these clues to select your counters effectively.

Battling Team Go Rocket

When battling, choose three Pokémon for 1-on-1 matches, keeping in mind the Grunt’s Pokémon types. The battles are level-matched, meaning you don’t need to worry about high-level Pokémon if you’re new to the game. Just tap to attack and build energy for your Charged move.

Both you and the Grunt start with two Shields. Grunts do not use their Shields, so feel free to use yours strategically. If the Grunt uses a Charged move, they will experience a brief cooldown, allowing you to attack without retaliation.

Team Go Rocket Grunt Rewards

After a battle, if you lose, you’ll have the opportunity for a rematch with advice from your Team leader. If you win, you’ll receive Stardust and a Mysterious Component, which can be combined to create a Rocket Radar to challenge Team Go Rocket Leaders.

Your performance in battles also affects the number of Premier Balls you receive for capturing Shadow Pokémon, so aim to keep your Pokémon standing!

Good luck in your battles against Team Go Rocket Grunts in Pokémon Go!