Team GO Rocket Leader (Trainer class)

Team GO Rocket Leader
GOロケット団リーダー GO Team Rocket Leader
GO Team GO Rocket Leaders.png
Promotional artwork from Pokémon GO
Other names
Introduced in Generation VII
Appears in Pokémon GO
Gender Both
Counterpart {{{counterpart}}}
Notable members Cliff, Sierra, Arlo
Animated debut
TCG debut [[(TCG)|]]
TCG card {{{card}}}
Manga debut {{{manga}}}

A Team GO Rocket Leader (Japanese: GOロケット団リーダー GO Team Rocket Leader) is a type of Pokémon Trainer in Pokémon GO. They are high ranking members of Team GO Rocket serving under Giovanni. Team GO Rocket Leaders also act as villainous counterparts to Professor Willow's assistants.

Team GO Rocket Leaders can be found at PokéStops designated as Team GO Rocket Hideouts, which can be located using a Rocket Radar. Since July 7, 2020, a random Team GO Rocket Leader can also be encountered from a Team GO Rocket balloon if the player has a Rocket Radar equipped. 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 and abandon one of the Shadow Pokémon used.

Since June 10, 2023, Team GO Rocket Leaders may also take over Gyms in five-star Shadow Raids on Saturdays and Sundays, using Shadow Legendary Pokémon.

In past major special events, Team GO Rocket Leaders may temporarily team up with the player as part of that event's storyline and Special Research. A Team GO Rocket Leader will also perform IV appraisals in place of the player's team leader during these events. These events include:

  • Pokémon GO Tour: Hoenn – Las Vegas
  • Pokémon GO Tour: Sinnoh – Global

Trainer list

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 March 13, 2024.

Green-colored cells denote the Pokémon that will be encountered during the bonus challenge.
Shiny denote Shadow Pokémon have a 1 in 64 chance of being Shiny in the bonus challenge.
Leader Cliff
Team GO Rocket Leader
VSCliff.png
#1 #2 #3
MachopShinyShadow AerodactylShadowKingdraShadowGalladeShadow CrobatShadowTyranitarShadowCradilyShadow
Leader Sierra
Team GO Rocket Leader
VSSierra.png
#1 #2 #3
TrapinchShinyShadow SableyeShadowMiloticShadowHonchkrowShadow AlakazamShadowVictreebelShadowHoundoomShadow
Leader Arlo
Team GO Rocket Leader
VSArlo.png
#1 #2 #3
CacneaShinyShadow CharizardShadowHypnoShadowGolurkShadow DragoniteShadowScizorShadowSalamenceShadow
For a historic list of past Pokémon teams used by Team GO Rocket Leaders, see Team GO Rocket Leader (Trainer class)/Pokémon change history.

Rewards

Upon defeating a Team GO Rocket Leader, the player will receive GO Stardust icon.png1,000 and two reward bundles at random; if the player has less than 10 Purified Gems on hand, 3 Shadow Shards will also be rewarded. 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.

Item Quantity
GO Stardust.png Stardust ×1,000
GO Shadow Shard.png Shadow Shard ×3
Two of:
GO Egg 12 km.png Strange Egg* ×1
GO Hyper Potion.png Hyper Potion ×4
GO Max Potion.png Max Potion ×2
GO Revive.png Revive ×4
GO Max Revive.png Max Revive ×2
GO Unova Stone.png Unova Stone ×1
Event only:
GO sticker TR Arlo.pngGO sticker TR Cliff.pngGO sticker TR Sierra.png ×1*

Appearance

Spr GO Cliff.png Spr GO Sierra.png Spr GO Arlo.png
Cliff's icon from
Pokémon GO
Sierra's icon from
Pokémon GO
Arlo's icon from
Pokémon GO

In other languages

Language Title
Mandarin Chinese GO火箭隊幹部
France Flag.png French Chef de la Team GO Rocket
Germany Flag.png German Team GO Rocket-Boss
India Flag.png Hindi टीम GO रॉकेट लीडर Team GO Rocket Leader
Italy Flag.png Italian Leader del Team GO Rocket
South Korea Flag.png Korean GO로켓단 리더
Brazil Flag.png Brazilian Portuguese Líder da Equipe GO Rocket
Spain Flag.png Spanish Líder del Team GO Rocket
Project CharacterDex logo.png This Trainer Class article is part of Project CharacterDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each character found in the Pokémon games.