How to beat Arlo in Pokemon GO (April 2023)

Team GO Rocket has returned to Pokemon GO once again, thanks to the Team GO Rocket Takeover event, and each member has new teams of Shadow Pokemon as well.

Team GO Rocket's leaders (Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra) can be found courtesy of Pokemon GO's Rocket Radar items. If trainers run into Arlo, the only Pokemon they can expect to see returning from his previous teams is his trusted companion Shadow Scizor.

This leaves six other shadow opponents to prepare for and counter effectively. Countering Arlo's team in Pokemon GO might be trickier than Cliff's or Sierra's, but it's still possible.

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Countering Arlo's team in Pokemon GO as of April 2023

A powerful Ground/Rock-type like Rhyperior can counter multiple members of Arlo's current team in Pokemon GO (Image via Niantic)

Like all Team GO Rocket teams in Pokemon GO, Arlo has a total pool of seven Pocket Monsters he can utilize in a given battle. However, only three can be chosen per fight. This means that even if you find a good counter for one of Arlo's teams, the next team you face may require a different strategy. However, you can take comfort in knowing that the first Pokemon Arlo brings out in battle will always be the same until he changes his lineup in the future.

That still leaves six other potential opponents to prepare for and counter effectively. The good news is that a well-built team with a variety of types can defeat them quickly.

Arlo's current lineup in Pokemon GO

• Slot One - Teddiursa (Guaranteed)
• Slot Two - Golurk, Blaziken, or Hypno
• Slot Three - Banette, Scizor, or Luxray

While Arlo's latest team has several different type combinations, you can account for all of them with the right lineup. For example, two of Arlo's potential options are weak to Ground-type attacks, and three others are weak to Dark-type moves. Teddiursa doesn't necessarily need countering due to its low IV stats, so that just leaves Scizor, which is weak to Fire-type moves. With that in mind, a team consisting of one Ground, one Dark, and one Fire-type Pokemon should be able to handle anything Arlo brings into battle.

A recommended team would be something along the lines of Rhyperior, Darmanitan, and Yveltal. Rhyperior can easily handle Luxray and Blaziken, while Yveltal is effective against Banette, Golurk, and Hypno. Darmanitan can quickly defeat Scizor with its powerful attacks. Teddiursa, on the other hand, is relatively weak and should not pose much of a threat.

With a Ground/Dark/Fire team, Arlo should be defeated in short order. Keep in mind, however, that Team GO Rocket's teams change regularly, so the same team that works now may not apply later on. Since this is the case, it's a good idea to keep rounding out your roster of Pokemon and powering them up to prepare for future battles with Arlo and the other members of Team GO Rocket.