If you want to beat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO, you will need some very powerful Pokemon to counter the Shadow Pokemon that Sierra uses on her battle team.
Even if Sierra uses Shadow Murkrow as her first Pokemon every time, her other Pokemon are random out of three possible options.
To make defeating Sierra easier, we have a list of all of the possible Shadow Pokemon that she can use, as well as all of the best Pokemon to counter them.
But first, here’s how to complete the From the Shadows Research in Pokemon GO. You’ll need to beat Sierra if you want to finish all of the tasks!
Every Pokemon Sierra Can Use in Pokemon GO
Shadow Murkrow is always Team GO Rocket Sierra’s first Pokemon. Meanwhile, the second and third Pokemon are both randomly chosen from a selection of 3 different Pokemon.
These are all of the different Pokemon that Sierra could use:
- Pokemon 1
- Pokemon 2
- Pokemon 3
All of these potential options are tough to beat, so you’ll need some powerful Pokemon of your own. Here’s how to earn more Candy in Pokemon GO so you can do just that!
| Pokemon 1 | Pokemon 2 | Pokemon 3 |
|---|---|---|
Shadow Murkrow | Shadow Steelix | Shadow Houndoom |
Shadow Swampert | Shadow Dragonite | |
Shadow Staraptor | Shadow Charizard |
Best Counters to Defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra
Shadow Murkrow Counters
Some of the best Pokemon to counter Sierra’s Shadow Murkrow in Pokemon GO are Xurkitree, Rampardos, and Zekrom.
This is because Shadow Murkrow is weak to Electric, Fairy, Ice, and Rock-type attacks. However, Electric and Rock-type ‘Mon could also counter the other Pokemon Sierra can use.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xurkitree |  | Spark | Thunder |
| Rampardos |  | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
| Zekrom |  | Charge Beam | Fusion Bolt |
Shadow Steelix Counters
Groudon, Swampert, and Conkeldurr are some of the best counters to beat Sierra’s Shadow Steelix in Pokemon GO, as they have strong attacks and exploit its weaknesses.
This is because Shadow Steelix is weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water-type attacks.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groudon |  | Mud Shot | Earthquake |
| Swampert | | Mud Shot | Earthquake |
| Conkeldurr |  | Counter | Dynamic Punch |
Shadow Swampert Counters
The best counters to defeat Shadow Swampert when battling Sierra in Pokemon GO include Kartana, Zarude, and Torterra.
As Shadow Swampert’s only weakness is Grass, you’ll want to ensure you can exploit this weakness to take it down!
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kartana |  | Razor Leaf | Leaf Blade |
| Zarude |  | Vine Whip | Power Whip |
| Torterra |  | Razor Leaf | Frenzy Plant |
Shadow Staraptor Counters
Xurkitree, Rampardos, and Zekrom are three of the best Pokemon to counter Shadow Staraptor when battling Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO.
This is because Shadow Staraptor is only weak to Electric, Ice, and Rock-type attacks.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xurkitree | | Spark | Thunder |
| Rampardos | | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
| Zekrom | | Charge Beam | Fusion Bolt |
Shadow Houndoom Counters
The best counters to easily defeat Sierra’s Shadow Houndoom in Pokemon GO are Tyranitar, Terrakion, and Machamp.
Shadow Houndoom is weak to Fighting, Ground, Rock, and Water-type attacks, so you will want to use Pokemon of these types when fighting it.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyranitar |  | Smack Down | Stone Edge |
| Terrakion |  | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
| Machamp |  | Counter | Cross Chop |
Shadow Dragonite Counters
The best counters to use when battling Sierra’s Shadow Dragonite in Pokemon GO include Mamoswine, Galarian Darmanitan, and Alolan Ninetails.
Shadow Dragonite has a double weakness to Ice but is also vulnerable to Dragon, Fairy, and Rock-type attacks.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mamoswine |  | Powder Snow | Avalanche |
| Galarian Darmanitan |  | Ice Fang | Avalanche |
| Alolan Ninetails |  | Powder Snow | Weather Ball |
Shadow Charizard Counters
Rampardos, Rhyperior, and Tyranitar are some of the best Pokemon to counter Sierra’s Shadow Charizard, thanks to its double weakness to Rock-type attacks.
Shadow Charizard is also weak to Electric and Water-type attacks in Pokemon GO.
| Pokemon | Image | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rampardos | | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
| Rhyperior |  | Smack Down | Rock Wrecker |
| Tyranitar | | Smack Down | Stone Edge |
Now that you know how to beat all of Sierra’s Shadow Pokemon, you might want to defeat Arlo or Cliff next:
How to Find Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO
To find Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO, you need to use a Rocket Radar and then spin a Team GO Rocket PokeStop or Balloon.
After using the Rocket Radar, Team GO Rocket Ballons and PokeStops may have Sierra at them, if you’re lucky.
- Get a Rocket Radar.
- To do this, beat 6 Team GO Rocket Grunts. Each Grunt will give you 1 Mysterious Component – 6 of these are needed to make a Rocket Radar.
- Use the Rocket Radar.
- Collecting 6 Mysterious Components prompts you to use the Rocket Radar. If you didn’t use it then, you can activate it from your Item Bag.
- Spin Team GO Rocket PokeStops or tap on Team GO Rocket Balloons while the Rocket Radar is active and check if Sierra spawns there. It could be Cliff or Arlo too!
- If you are specifically looking for Sierra and encounter one of the other leaders, you can exit and visit other PokeStops or Ballons until you find her.
Once you’ve defeated all of the Leaders and got a Super Rocket Radar, you’ll be able to take on the boss! Here’s how to beat Giovanni and catch Shadow Regice in Pokemon GO!
What Pokemon Do You Get for Beating Sierra in Pokemon GO?
After you beat Team GO Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO, you always get an encounter with Shadow Murkrow.
No matter what Team Leader you beat, you always get whichever Pokemon they have chosen to use first on their battle team.
Of course, this means that the Pokemon you get for beating Sierra will change after the next Team GO Rocket event.
Rewards for Beating Team Rocket Leader Sierra in Pokemon GO
In addition to an encounter with Shadow Murkrow, players who beat Sierra will get 1000 Stardust and two random rewards.
- Shadow Murkrow
- 1000 Stardust
- 2 of the following rewards:
- 4 Revives
- 2 Max Revives
- 4 Hyper Potions
- 2 Max Potions
- Unova Stone
- 12km Egg
