Team GO Rocket Leaders can be found at PokéStops designated as Team GO Rocket Hideouts, which can be located using a Rocket Radar. In battle, unlike Grunts, Leaders will always use their Protect Shield against the player's first two Charged Attacks. Once defeated, the Leader will leave the PokéStop and abandon one of the Shadow Pokémon used.
Team GO Rocket Leaders use a teams of three Shadow Pokémon in Trainer Battles, each independently and randomly selected from separate pools. During battle, they will always use a Protect Shield whenever possible. Upon being defeated, a Leader will abandon one of the Shadow Pokémon used in battle.
The following lists the possible Pokémon used by Team GO Rocket Leaders since February 1, 2023. Green-colored cells denote the Pokémon that will be encountered during the bonus challenge. These Shadow Pokémon have a chance of becoming Shiny, as denoted by the icon.
Upon defeating a Team GO Rocket Leader, the player will receive 1,000 and two reward bundles at random. It is possible for a player to receive two of the same bundles after one battle, except for Strange Eggs, in which the player will always receive one if there is space available. During some in-game events featuring Team GO Rocket, defeating a Leader also rewards one sticker.