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Pokemon GO has experienced tons of updates and additions during its life, and we can barely keep up with it all: PvP battles, field research, and new generations of Pokemon are being added to the game! As if all of that wasn't enough, Team Rocket and Shadow Pokemon have now shown up in-game.
Team Rocket and its Shadow Pokemon have been taking over PokeStops, and that's exactly where you need to go to find them. This article will detail everything you need to know about Team Rocket Go Grunts and how to beat them to rescue Shadow Pokemon!
Updated on March 6, 2023, by Gabrielle Huston: This guide has been refreshed updated with new information, as mechanics have changed over time in Pokemon Go.
Where To Find Team Rocket Go Grunts
Once you're level 8, Team Rocket Go Grunts appear in-game in two places:
- Pokestops, which will turn black when they are being blocked by a Team Rocket Go Grunt (they stay for 30 minutes)
- Air Balloons, which appear on occasion above the player in the map view (once every six hours)
Tips For Battling Team Rocket Go Grunts
- Almost all Grunts will prefer a particular type of Pokemon. You can figure out which type they're using with the charts below and use Pokemon that have strong moves against them.
- Do some research on the most powerful attacks for your best Pokemon! Some will just suck up your energy without doing significant damage, or take so long to recharge that they aren't really worth it.
- The AI will pause attacking momentarily whenever you or they switch in a new Pokemon, but you don't have to! Just keep tapping, and you'll continue doing damage even if you can't see your Pokemon yet. It's a fair tactic to switch out your Pokemon even if you don't need to, just because the Grunt will stop attacking temporarily.
- You don't need to stand next to the PokeStop while you battle with the Grunt. You won't get kicked out of the fight if you walk away, and you'll still be able to catch the Shadow Pokemon. That makes these fights good for when you're the passenger in a car or bus!
For more advice on team-building, check out our detailed guide!
List Of Team Rocket Go Grunts And Their Pokemon
Below, we've identified each Grunt by type, which you'll be able to figure out by what their opening line is when they challenge you. Each Grunt of a given type will have a few Pokemon to choose from, randomly selected.
Poison: "Coiled and ready to strike!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Zubat (Poison/Flying) |
Nidorina (Poison) |
Weezing (Poison) |
Foongus (Grass/Poison) |
Nidorino (Poison) |
Muk (Poison) |
Types It's Weak To: Ground, Psychic
Normal: "Normal doesn't mean weak."
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Pidove (Normal/Flying) |
Rattata (Normal) |
Ursaring (Normal) |
Patat (Normal) |
Raticate (Normal) |
Raticate (Normal) |
Whismur (Normal) |
Loudred (Normal) |
Bibarel (Normal/Water) |
Types It's Weak To: Fighting
Dragon: "ROAR! ... How'd that sound?"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Dratini (Dragon) |
Alolan Exeggutor (Grass/Dragon) |
Dragonair (Dragon) |
Flygon (Ground/Dragon) |
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying) |
|
Flygon (Ground/Dragon) |
Types It's Weak To: Ice, Dragon, Fairy
Water: "These waters are treacherous."
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Female Grunt |
||
Wailmer (Water) |
Croconaw (Water) |
Wailord (Water) |
Totodile (Water) |
Golduck (Water) |
Feraligatr (Water) |
Psyduck (Water) |
Golduck (Water) |
|
Male Grunt |
||
Magikarp (Water) |
Magikarp (Water) |
Magikarp (Water) |
Gyarados (Water/Flying) |
Types It's Weak To: Electric, Grass
Grass: "Don't tangle with us!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Cacnea (Grass) |
Bayleef (Grass) |
Cacturne (Grass/Dark) |
Chikorita (Grass) |
Gloom (Grass/Poison) |
Meganium (Grass) |
Oddish (Grass/Poison) |
Amoongus (Grass/Poison) |
Types It's Weak To: Fire, Ice, Flying, Poison, Bug
Flying: "Battle against my Flying-type Pokemon!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Natu (Psychic/Flying) |
Xatu (Psychic/Flying) |
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying) |
Ducklett (Water/Flying) |
Staravia (Normal/Flying) |
Gyarados (Water/Flying) |
Zubat (Poison/Flying) |
Golbat (Poison/Flying) |
Crobat (Poison/Flying) |
Types It's Weak To: Electric, Ice, Rock
Fire: "Do you know how hot Pokemon fire breath can get?"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Cyndaquil (Fire) |
Quilava (Fire) |
Typhlosion(Fire) |
Numel (Fire/Ground) |
Magmar (Fire) |
Camerupt (Fire/Ground) |
Vulpix (Fire) |
Ninetales (Fire) |
Types It's Weak To: Water, Ground, Rock
Bug: "Go, my super bug Pokemon!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Skorupi (Poison/Bug) |
Weedle (Bug/Poison) |
Forretress (Bug/Steel) |
Shuckle (Bug/Rock) |
Kakuna (Bug/Poison) |
Scizor (Bug/Steel) |
Joltik (Bug/Electric) |
Beedrill (Bug/Poison) |
Beedrill (Bug/Poison) |
Types It's Weak To: Fire, Flying, Rock
Ground: "You'll be defeated into the ground!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Hippopotas (Ground) |
Hippopotas (Ground) |
Hippowdon (Ground) |
Geodude (Rock/Ground) |
Alolan Diglett (Ground/Steel) |
Golem (Rock/Ground) |
Alolan Diglett (Ground/Steel) |
Camerupt (Fire/Ground) |
Types It's Weak To: Water, Grass, Ice
Psychic: "Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power?"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Natu (Psychic/Flying) |
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) |
Metang (Steel/Psychic) |
Spoink (Psychic) |
Girafarig (Normal/Psychic) |
Hypno (Psychic) |
Abra (Psychic) |
Alakazam (Psychic) |
Types It's Weak To: Bug, Ghost, Dark
Rock: "Let's rock and roll!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Onix (Rock/Ground) |
Graveler (Rock/Ground) |
Golem (Rock/Ground) |
Lileep (Rock/Grass) |
Lileep (Rock/Grass) |
Onix (Rock/Ground) |
Anorith (Rock/Bug) |
Anorith (Rock/Bug) |
Steelix (Steel/Ground) |
Types It's Weak To: Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel
Ghost: "Ke…ke…ke…ke…ke…ke!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Duskull (Ghost) |
Dusclops (Ghost) |
Dusknoir (Ghost) |
Golett (Ground/Ghost) |
Banette (Ghost) |
Golurk (Ground/Ghost) |
Banette (Ghost) |
Types It's Weak To: Ghost, Dark
Fighting: "This buff physique isn’t just for show!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Duskull (Fighting) |
Hitmonlee (Fighting) |
Machamp (Fighting) |
Hitmonlee (Fighting) |
Hitmonchan (Fighting) |
Hitmonlee (Fighting) |
Hitmonchan (Fighting) |
Hitmonchan (Fighting) |
Types It's Weak To: Flying, Psychic, Fairy
Ice: "You’re gonna be frozen in your tracks."
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Alolan Sandshrew (Ice/Steel) |
Alolan Sandslash (Ice/Steel) |
Lapras (Water/Ice) |
Vulpix (Ice) |
Alolan Ninetales (Ice/Fairy) |
Cloyster (Water/Ice) |
Swinub (Ice/Ground) |
Snover (Grass/Ice) |
Abomasnow (Grass/Ice) |
Types It's Weak To: Fire, Fighting, Rock, Steel
Dark: "Wherever there is light, there is also shadow."
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Alolan Rattata (Dark/Normal) |
Alolan Raticate (Dark/Normal) |
Alolan Raticate (Dark/Normal) |
Purloin (Dark) |
Stunky (Poison/Dark) |
Cacturne (Grass/Dark) |
Murkrow (Dark/Flying) |
Murkrow (Dark/Flying) |
Honchkrow (Dark/Flying) |
Types It's Weak To: Fighting, Bug, Fairy
Electric: "Get ready to be shocked!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Shinx (Electric) |
Voltorb (Electric) |
Luxray (Electric) |
Mareep (Electric) |
Electabuzz (Electric) |
Ampharos (Electric) |
Blitzle (Electric) |
Zebstrika (Electric) |
Types It's Weak To: Ground
Fairy: "Check out my cute Pokemon!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) |
Kirlia (Psychic/Fairy) |
Kirlia (Psychic/Fairy) |
Snubbull (Fairy) |
Snubbull (Fairy) |
Granbull (Fairy) |
Granbull (Fairy) |
Types It's Weak To: Poison, Steel
Steel: "You’re no match for my iron will!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Aron (Steel/Rock) |
Lairon (Steel/Rock) |
Aggron (Steel/Rock) |
Alolan Diglett (Ground/Steel) |
Metang (Steel/Psychic) |
Scizor(Bug/Steel) |
Alolan Sandshrew (Ice/Steel) |
Alolan Sandshrew (Ice/Steel) |
Types It's Weak To: Fire, Fighting, Ground
No Type: "Don’t bother – I’ve already won./Get ready to be defeated!/Winning is for winners!"
Possible First Pokemon |
Possible Second Pokemon |
Possible Third Pokemon |
---|---|---|
Snorlax (Normal) |
Snorlax (Normal) |
Snorlax (Normal) |
Poliwrath (Water/Fighting) |
Gyarados (Water/Flying) |
|
Gardevoir (Psychic/Fairy) |
Dragonite (Dragon/Flying) |
What Are Shadow Pokemon?
If you have never played Pokemon Colosseum on the GameCube, you might be a little lost as to what exactly a Shadow Pokemon is. In Colosseum, Shadow Pokemon were corrupted creatures captured by Team Cipher and ordered to do their bidding. Once battled against and rescued from the bad guys, trainers were able to purify the Pokemon, rescuing them from the dark powers which had previously possessed them.
In Pokemon Go, the story is much the same, except they've been corrupted by Team Go Rocket! It's been established that, in their shadowy form, these Pokemon are in a lot of pain, but they get a "Shadow Bonus" that increases their attack while decreasing their defense. Purifying them alleviates that pain, and has the effect of boosting their stats, but removes the Shadow Bonus.
How To Catch And Purify Shadow Pokemon
After you defeat a Team Go Rocket Grunt or Leader, Arlo, Sierra, or Cliff, you'll get a chance to save one of the Pokemon they used against you.
After the fight, you're brought to a catch screen where you have to use a special Pokeball known as a Premier Ball. You only get a finite number of Premier Balls to use, and you don't get access to your regular Pokeballs. You'll get more Premier Balls if your Hero and Purifier medals are at high ranks, and if not many of your Pokemon died in the battle you just had. You can still use Berries as normal. Nanab Berries are especially helpful, because Shadow Pokemon are more likely than others to move around and attack you.
Once you've caught a Shadow Pokemon successfully, take a look at them in your inventory! You'll see a special "Purify" button. It costs you candy and stardust to purify the Pokemon, but they get a significant boost to their stats once you've done that, and they a beautiful shimmer instead of the oily purple shadows around them.