How to beat Sierra in Pokemon GO in July 2023? Best counters, lineups, and more

Fighting Team GO Rocket and rescuing Shadow Pokemon is one of the main objectives of Pokemon GO. The evil team has several grunts, three leaders, and one ultimate boss, Giovanni. Among the three leaders, one is Sierra. The three leaders are among the most difficult opponents you will face in the game outside of PvP battles.

To encounter Sierra in Pokemon GO, you must defeat Team GO Rocket grunts and collect Mysterious Components. Once you have six of them, you will get a Team GO Rocket Radar, which you can use to locate Sierra.

Sierra's team in Pokemon GO rotates from month to month. Considering her lineup consists of really powerful Shadow Pocket Monsters, it is always better to know what you will run into before heading into a fight. This guide will tell you what you can expect from Sierra's lineup in July 2023 and how to best counter it.

Note: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

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What is Sierra's team in Pokemon GO in July 2023?

Sierra will use three Pocket Monsters when you challenge her. While her first choice will remain constant, the critter she sends out second and third will vary from trainer to trainer. Since it is randomly selected, there is no way to determine what you might face. Here are Sierra's possible lineups for this month:

• Phase 1: Geodude
• Phase 2: Steelix / Gardevoir / Sableye
• Phase 3: Houndoom / Gyrados / Victreebel

As you can see, this is a very diverse lineup consisting of creatures of various types. Trainers can choose three creatures from their collection to take into each battle. The following section contains the best recommendations to defeat Sierra in Pokemon GO.

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Best counters to Sierra in Pokemon GO in July 2023

You will most certainly encounter Geodude at the start of the battle. Any strong Water or Fighting-type will make easy work of this creature. Either will also be highly effective against Sierra's Steelix and Houndoom in Phases 2 and 3. Swampert or Machamp are excellent choices for this slot.

For Gardevoir and Sableye, you can use a Fairy-type counter of your own. A Gardevoir of your own can be a good idea. If your Gardevoir gets outshone by Sierra's, use a dedicated Ghost or Poison-type like Gengar or Nihilego in your second attempt.

To deal with Gyarados and Victreebel, you will need a reliable creature with a spammy Ice-type Charged attack with sufficient bulk. Ursaluna with Ice Punch is a perfect choice. Alternatively, you can also go for Mamowine, Galarian Darmanitan, or Glaceon.

To summarize, the best team against Sierra's unusually diverse team can consist of the following creatures:

Phase 1 (also effective against Steelix and Houndoom)

• Swampert: Mud Shot + Hydro Cannon and Earthquake
• Machamp: Counter + Dynamic Punch and Rock Slide

Phase 2

• Gardevoir: Charm + Moonblast and Shadow Ball
• Gengar: Lick + Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb

Phase 3

• Ursaluna: Tackle + Ice Punch and High Horsepower
• Glaceon: Frost Breath + Avalanche and Ice Beam

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Considering the July 2023 iteration of Sierra's team in Pokemon GO is this diverse, it is impossible to know what creatures will be best suited to battle her in the first go. Don't get discouraged if you can't beat her in one try. Take note of the creatures she uses against you and select appropriate counters based on the suggestions in your subsequent attempts.