Team GO Rocket and Shadow Pokémon

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Rocket Grunts
Rocket Leaders
Shadow Pokémon

In July 2019, a new evil force Team GO Rocket arrived in Pokémon GO, based on Team Rocket from the original Gen 1 games. Team GO Rocket have captured Pokémon and overpowered them by unnatural means, turning them into Shadow Pokémon. Rocket Grunts hide out at Poké Stops, causing them to turn dark and pulsate; however they disappear after 30 minutes. The Grunts steal resources from the stops and you must battle them to obtain the remaining items and save the Shadow Pokémon.

Once defeated, the Grunts abandon one of their Shadow Pokémon and it can be caught. Shadow Pokémon are initially low-level and the only charge move they can have is Frustration. However, through a process called Purification they can be saved. Purified Pokémon increase to level 25, gain 2 IVs in each stat (so a 13/13/13 Pokémon will become perfect), and will know the move Return instead of Frustration.

An additional facet to GO Rocket began in November 2017. After battling Rocket Grunts, a Mysterious Component is obtained; combining six of them creates a Rocket Radar which provides an encounter Team GO Rocket Leaders: Arlo, Cliff and Sierra. Through various Special Research the big boss of Team Rocket, Giovanni, can also be battled.

Team GO Rocket lineups

Each Rocket Grunt specializes in one Pokémon type - prior to the battle they give a message that hints at what type they will use. Battles are in the PvP format, however the Shadow Pokémon they use have massive CP - much higher than their usual maximum - so come prepared!

Type	Hint quote	First Pokémon	Second Pokémon	Third Pokémon
Normal	Normal does not mean weak.	Teddiursa	Raticate Porygon2	Snorlax Porygon-Z
Fire	Do you know how hot Pokémon fire breath can get?	Vulpix Houndour	Ninetales Houndoom	Charmeleon Arcanine Houndoom
Water	These waters are treacherous!	Psyduck Shellder	Golduck Poliwhirl	Poliwrath Politoed
Water	These waters are treacherous!	Magikarp	Magikarp	Magikarp Gyarados
Electric	Get ready to be shocked!	Electabuzz Mareep Magnemite	Electabuzz Flaaffy Magneton	Electabuzz Ampharos
Grass	Don't tangle with us!	Bulbasaur Hoppip	Ivysaur Weepinbell Gloom	Shiftry Victreebel Vileplume
Ice	You're gonna be frozen in your tracks.	Snover Cloyster	Snover Abomasnow	Abomasnow Lapras
Fighting	This buff physique isn't just for show!	Machop Hitmonlee	Hitmonlee	Machoke
Poison	Coiled and ready to strike!	Nidoran♀ Nidoran♂	Golbat Grimer Muk	Nidorina Nidorino
Ground	You'll be defeated into the ground!	Diglett Gligar	Marowak Vibrava Pupitar	Gliscor Flygon
Flying	Battle against my Flying-type Pokémon!	Zubat Golbat Skarmory	Golbat Crobat Scyther	Crobat Gyarados Dragonite
Psychic	Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power?	Abra Slowpoke Wobbuffet	Drowzee Hypno Ralts	Kadabra Hypno Kirlia
Bug	Go, my super bug Pokémon!	Weedle Venonat Shuckle	Kakuna Venomoth Scizor	Beedrill Scyther Scizor
Rock	Let's rock and roll!	Larvitar Aerodactyl	Larvitar	Pupitar Tyranitar
Ghost	Ke...ke...ke...ke...ke...ke!	Sableye Shuppet Duskull	Sableye Banette Dusclops	Sableye Banette Dusknoir
Dragon	ROAR! ...How'd that sound?	Dratini	Dragonair Flygon	Dragonair Dragonite Gyarados
Dark	Wherever there is light, there is also shadow.	Stunky	Skuntank Sableye	Skuntank Shiftry
Misc	Don't bother—I've already won. Get ready to be defeated! Winning is for winners.	Aerodactyl	Snorlax Poliwrath Gardevoir	Snorlax Gyarados Dragonite

Team GO Rocket Leaders

After combining the Mysterious Components into the Rocket Radar, the Rocket Leaders can be seen at certain stops. Unlike Grunt takeovers, the Leaders stay at the same stop all day (8am-10pm), then will rotate to different stops the next day. No Grunt takeovers will happen at that stop, while a Leader is there.

Jesse & James started appearing in July 2020, when a new Rocket Balloon feature was added. If a Meowth balloon appears you battle them both in succession. They left at the end of September 2020.

Giovanni can only be encountered by obtaining the Super Rocket Radar via Special Research, and will reward a shadow Legendary. Sometimes a Decoy Grunt will appear instead of Giovanni.

Name	First Pokémon	Second Pokémon	Third Pokémon
Arlo	Growlithe	Charizard Blastoise Steelix	Dragonite Scizor Salamence
Cliff	Omanyte	Machamp Onix Electivire	Tyranitar Swampert Torterra
Sierra	Drowzee	Exeggutor Lapras Sharpedo	Alakazam Houndoom Shiftry
Decoy Grunt	Bellsprout	Raticate Weepinbell	Raticate Snorlax
Giovanni	Persian	Nidoking Kangaskhan Garchomp	Mewtwo

Shadow Pokémon

All the Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO are listed below, with the Stardust and Candy required to purify them. Not all are currently available as the team rosters for Rocket Grunts change regularly, and some are only used as second/third Pokémon so are not obtainable.

Name: Type:

#	Name	Type	Stardust	Candy
001	Bulbasaur	Grass Poison	3,000	3
002	Ivysaur	Grass Poison	3,000	3
003	Venusaur	Grass Poison	3,000	3
004	Charmander	Fire	3,000	3
005	Charmeleon	Fire	3,000	3
006	Charizard	Fire Flying	3,000	3
007	Squirtle	Water	3,000	3
008	Wartortle	Water	3,000	3
009	Blastoise	Water	3,000	3
013	Weedle	Bug Poison	1,000	1
014	Kakuna	Bug Poison	1,000	1
015	Beedrill	Bug Poison	1,000	1
019	Rattata	Normal	1,000	1
020	Raticate	Normal	1,000	1
023	Ekans	Poison	3,000	3
024	Arbok	Poison	3,000	3
027	Sandshrew	Ground	3,000	3
028	Sandslash	Ground	3,000	3
029	Nidoran♀	Poison	3,000	3
030	Nidorina	Poison	3,000	3
031	Nidoqueen	Poison Ground	3,000	3
032	Nidoran♂	Poison	3,000	3
033	Nidorino	Poison	3,000	3
034	Nidoking	Poison Ground	3,000	3
037	Vulpix	Fire	3,000	3
038	Ninetales	Fire	3,000	3
041	Zubat	Poison Flying	1,000	1
042	Golbat	Poison Flying	1,000	1
043	Oddish	Grass Poison	3,000	3
044	Gloom	Grass Poison	3,000	3
045	Vileplume	Grass Poison	3,000	3
048	Venonat	Bug Poison	3,000	3
049	Venomoth	Bug Poison	3,000	3
050	Diglett	Ground	3,000	3
051	Dugtrio	Ground	3,000	3
052	Meowth	Normal	3,000	3
053	Persian	Normal	3,000	3
054	Psyduck	Water	3,000	3
055	Golduck	Water	3,000	3
058	Growlithe	Fire	3,000	3
059	Arcanine	Fire	3,000	3
060	Poliwag	Water	3,000	3
061	Poliwhirl	Water	3,000	3
062	Poliwrath	Water Fighting	3,000	3
063	Abra	Psychic	3,000	3
064	Kadabra	Psychic	3,000	3
065	Alakazam	Psychic	3,000	3
066	Machop	Fighting	3,000	3
067	Machoke	Fighting	3,000	3
068	Machamp	Fighting	3,000	3
069	Bellsprout	Grass Poison	3,000	3
070	Weepinbell	Grass Poison	3,000	3
071	Victreebel	Grass Poison	3,000	3
074	Geodude	Rock Ground	1,000	1
075	Graveler	Rock Ground	1,000	1
076	Golem	Rock Ground	1,000	1
077	Ponyta	Fire	3,000	3
078	Rapidash	Fire	3,000	3
079	Slowpoke	Water Psychic	3,000	3
080	Slowbro	Water Psychic	3,000	3
081	Magnemite	Electric Steel	3,000	3
082	Magneton	Electric Steel	3,000	3
083	Farfetch'd	Normal Flying	3,000	3
088	Grimer	Poison	3,000	3
089	Muk	Poison	3,000	3
090	Shellder	Water	3,000	3
091	Cloyster	Water Ice	3,000	3
095	Onix	Rock Ground	5,000	5
096	Drowzee	Psychic	3,000	3
097	Hypno	Psychic	3,000	3
098	Krabby	Water	3,000	3
099	Kingler	Water	3,000	3
102	Exeggcute	Grass Psychic	3,000	3
103	Exeggutor	Grass Psychic	3,000	3
104	Cubone	Ground	3,000	3
105	Marowak	Ground	3,000	3
106	Hitmonlee	Fighting	5,000	5
107	Hitmonchan	Fighting	5,000	5
109	Koffing	Poison	3,000	3
110	Weezing	Poison	3,000	3
111	Rhyhorn	Ground Rock	3,000	3
112	Rhydon	Ground Rock	3,000	3
115	Kangaskhan	Normal	3,000	3
123	Scyther	Bug Flying	5,000	5
125	Electabuzz	Electric	5,000	5
126	Magmar	Fire	5,000	5
127	Pinsir	Bug	5,000	5
129	Magikarp	Water	1,000	1
130	Gyarados	Water Flying	1,000	1
131	Lapras	Water Ice	5,000	5
137	Porygon	Normal	3,000	3
138	Omanyte	Rock Water	5,000	5
139	Omastar	Rock Water	5,000	5
140	Kabuto	Rock Water	5,000	5
141	Kabutops	Rock Water	5,000	5
142	Aerodactyl	Rock Flying	5,000	5
143	Snorlax	Normal	5,000	5
144	Articuno	Ice Flying	20,000	20
145	Zapdos	Electric Flying	20,000	20
146	Moltres	Fire Flying	20,000	20
147	Dratini	Dragon	5,000	5
148	Dragonair	Dragon	5,000	5
149	Dragonite	Dragon Flying	5,000	5
150	Mewtwo	Psychic	20,000	20
169	Crobat	Poison Flying	1,000	1
179	Mareep	Electric	5,000	5
180	Flaaffy	Electric	5,000	5
181	Ampharos	Electric	5,000	5
182	Bellossom	Grass	3,000	3
186	Politoed	Water	3,000	3
187	Hoppip	Grass Flying	3,000	3
188	Skiploom	Grass Flying	3,000	3
189	Jumpluff	Grass Flying	3,000	3
190	Aipom	Normal	3,000	3
198	Murkrow	Dark Flying	3,000	3
199	Slowking	Water Psychic	3,000	3
200	Misdreavus	Ghost	3,000	3
202	Wobbuffet	Psychic	3,000	3
204	Pineco	Bug	5,000	5
205	Forretress	Bug Steel	5,000	5
207	Gligar	Ground Flying	5,000	5
208	Steelix	Steel Ground	5,000	5
212	Scizor	Bug Steel	5,000	5
213	Shuckle	Bug Rock	3,000	3
215	Sneasel	Dark Ice	3,000	3
216	Teddiursa	Normal	3,000	3
217	Ursaring	Normal	3,000	3
225	Delibird	Ice Flying	5,000	5
227	Skarmory	Steel Flying	5,000	5
228	Houndour	Dark Fire	3,000	3
229	Houndoom	Dark Fire	3,000	3
233	Porygon2	Normal	3,000	3
234	Stantler	Normal	3,000	3
243	Raikou	Electric	20,000	20
244	Entei	Fire	20,000	20
245	Suicune	Water	20,000	20
246	Larvitar	Rock Ground	5,000	5
247	Pupitar	Rock Ground	5,000	5
248	Tyranitar	Rock Dark	5,000	5
258	Mudkip	Water	3,000	3
259	Marshtomp	Water Ground	3,000	3
260	Swampert	Water Ground	3,000	3
263	Zigzagoon	Normal	3,000	3
263	Zigzagoon Galarian Zigzagoon	Dark Normal	3,000	3
264	Linoone	Normal	3,000	3
264	Linoone Galarian Linoone	Dark Normal	3,000	3
273	Seedot	Grass	3,000	3
274	Nuzleaf	Grass Dark	3,000	3
275	Shiftry	Grass Dark	3,000	3
280	Ralts	Psychic Fairy	5,000	5
281	Kirlia	Psychic Fairy	5,000	5
282	Gardevoir	Psychic Fairy	5,000	5
302	Sableye	Dark Ghost	5,000	5
303	Mawile	Steel Fairy	5,000	5
318	Carvanha	Water Dark	3,000	3
319	Sharpedo	Water Dark	3,000	3
328	Trapinch	Ground	5,000	5
329	Vibrava	Ground Dragon	5,000	5
330	Flygon	Ground Dragon	5,000	5
331	Cacnea	Grass	3,000	3
332	Cacturne	Grass Dark	3,000	3
353	Shuppet	Ghost	3,000	3
354	Banette	Ghost	3,000	3
355	Duskull	Ghost	3,000	3
356	Dusclops	Ghost	3,000	3
359	Absol	Dark	5,000	5
371	Bagon	Dragon	5,000	5
372	Shelgon	Dragon	5,000	5
373	Salamence	Dragon Flying	5,000	5
374	Beldum	Steel Psychic	5,000	5
375	Metang	Steel Psychic	5,000	5
376	Metagross	Steel Psychic	5,000	5
387	Turtwig	Grass	3,000	3
388	Grotle	Grass	3,000	3
389	Torterra	Grass Ground	3,000	3
390	Chimchar	Fire	3,000	3
391	Monferno	Fire Fighting	3,000	3
392	Infernape	Fire Fighting	3,000	3
424	Ambipom	Normal	3,000	3
429	Mismagius	Ghost	3,000	3
430	Honchkrow	Dark Flying	3,000	3
434	Stunky	Poison Dark	3,000	3
435	Skuntank	Poison Dark	3,000	3
443	Gible	Dragon Ground	5,000	5
444	Gabite	Dragon Ground	5,000	5
445	Garchomp	Dragon Ground	5,000	5
449	Hippopotas	Ground	3,000	3
450	Hippowdon	Ground	3,000	3
459	Snover	Grass Ice	3,000	3
460	Abomasnow	Grass Ice	3,000	3
461	Weavile	Dark Ice	3,000	3
462	Magnezone	Electric Steel	3,000	3
464	Rhyperior	Ground Rock	3,000	3
466	Electivire	Electric	5,000	5
467	Magmortar	Fire	5,000	5
472	Gliscor	Ground Flying	5,000	5
474	Porygon-Z	Normal	3,000	3
475	Gallade	Psychic Fighting	5,000	5
477	Dusknoir	Ghost	3,000	3
562	Yamask	Ghost	3,000	3
563	Cofagrigus	Ghost	3,000	3
862	Obstagoon	Dark Normal	3,000	3
865	Sirfetch'd	Fighting	3,000	3
867	Runerigus	Ground Ghost	3,000	3