Pokemon Go: How-to Beat Team Rocket – Snorlax Counters

Our Pokemon Go: How-to Beat Team Rocket Guide will walk you through some quick tips & tricks on what you'll need to know to defeat these evil doers! These battles are a lot harder than you think, so be prepared with some high CP Pokemon and don't forget to bring some Potions.

How-to Find Team Rocket

To find yourself a battle against the infamous Team Rocket, you will need to find a PokeStop that appears to be dark blue. Not only is the color slightly different, it also wiggles erratically. You can see these from pretty far away, so head on over to that PokeStop and when you get close enough, you'll see it turn dark gray and a Team Rocket member will be standing next to it.

Learn Which Pokemon You'll Fight

Before you enter a battle with a Team Rocket member, they will say something that gives you a clue at what lineup they are going to have. Here's a list of which message translates into which type of Pokemon:

• BUG - Go, my super bug Pokémon!
• DARK - Wherever is a light, there is also shadow.
• DRAGON - ROAR! ... How'd that sound?
• ELECTRIC - Get ready to be shocked!
• FAIRY - Check out my cute Pokémon!
• FIGHTING - This buff physique isn't just for show!
• FIRE - Do you know how hot Pokémon fire breath can get?
• FLYING - My bird Pokémon wants to battle with you!
• GHOST - Ke...ke...ke...ke...ke...ke!
• GRASS - Don't tangle with us!
• GROUND - You'll be defeated into the ground!
• ICE - You're gonna be frozen in your tracks.
• NORMAL - Normal doesn't mean weak.
• POISON - Coiled and ready to strike!
• PSYCHIC - Are you scared of physics that use unseen power?
• ROCK - Let's rock and roll!
• STEEL - You're no match for my iron will!
• WATER - These waters are treacherous!

How-to Beat Team Rocket

The key is to pick the best type Pokemon that goes against the types listed above. Pokemon Go will pick whichever team you have at the top of your Party list. So, if you have a team saved as Great League, then it will pick that team and make the battle very difficult for you! You will want to remove any Great League teams you have picked so you can battle with higher CP Pokemon. Team Rocket will have Pokemon that are 3,000+ CP depending on how high of a level you are.

Snorlax Counters

Snorlax is a beast in this mode, so if you're looking to counter it you'll want to bring some of the following Pokemon (Credit to Pokebattler):

• Mewtwo (Psycho Cut, Focus Blast)
• Dialga (Dragon Breath, Draco Meteor)
• Weavile (Ice Shard, Focus Blast)
• Tyranitar (Smack Down, Crunch)
• Metagross (Bullet Punch, Meteor Mash)
• Ursaring (Counter, Hyper Beam)
• Heatran (Fire Spin, Stone Edge)
• Melmetal (Thunder Shock, Hyper Beam)
• Lucario (Counter, Close Combat)

It looks like the standard fight type Pokemon against Snorlax aren't working well.

Catch the Pokemon

Once you defeat the Team Rocket member you will be given the opportunity to catch a Shadow Pokemon. You are given a certain amount of Premiere Balls just like after a Raid battle based on how well you did in the fight. If you throw them a Golden Razz Berry and they shouldn't be too hard to catch!

Purify the Shadow Pokemon

Once you catch the Pokemon, you can then choose to Purify them. This is a requirement of the A Troubling Situation Field Research, you'll need to purify three of them. This costs you some Stardust and Candy to do.

• Purified Pokemon are level 25 (doesn't matter where their Shadow form started).
• Purified Pokemon get +2 IV added to their original Shadow IVs.
• Purified Pokemon have the move Frustration replaced with the Return Charge move.
• Purified Pokemon cost 90% Stardust to Power Up.