Team GO Rocket Grunts may not be the toughest trainers in Pokémon GO, but knowing their lineups can save you time, potions, and frustration. Each Grunt has a recognizable taunt that reveals their Pokémon type. With the right counters, you’ll breeze through these battles, collect Stardust, and capture Shadow Pokémon—including Shiny Shadow variants.
How to Battle Team Rocket Grunts Effectively
Before diving into type matchups, here are some key mechanics to keep in mind:
- Taunts = Type hint: Each Grunt opens with a one-liner that reveals their team type.
- Randomized lineups: Grunts pull from three slots, so exact Pokémon may vary.
- Catchable Pokémon: You can only catch the first or second Pokémon they used—not the third.
- No shields: Grunts never shield, giving you a huge advantage.
- Cooldown windows: After charge moves or switches, Grunts pause briefly—use this to sneak in extra fast moves.
- Walk-away trick: You can leave the PokéStop once the fight starts; the encounter continues up to ~500m away.
- Rematches allowed: If you lose, you can retry with no penalty—the Grunt’s lineup won’t change.
- Premier Balls count: Switch low-HP Pokémon instead of letting them faint to maximize catch balls.
All-Rounder Counter Team (For Efficiency)
If you don’t want to tailor your team each battle, a strong trio can carry you through most encounters:
- Rhyperior – Mud Slap / Rock Wrecker / Surf
- Mega Charizard X/Y – Fire Spin / Blast Burn / Dragon Claw
- Lucario – Counter / Power-Up Punch / Shadow Ball
This team is resource-intensive but saves time when farming Rocket invasions. Lucario’s Power-Up Punch is especially handy because of the AI pause mechanic.
See also: How to Beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Grunt Lineups and Counters (October 2025)
Each Grunt has unique taunts and lineups. Here’s what you’ll face, which Pokémon you can catch, and the best counters to bring.
Bug-type Grunt
Taunt: “Go, my super bug Pokémon!”
- Lineup: Pineco, Grubbin, Scyther → Anorith, Karrablast, Shelmet → Scizor, Forretress, Beedrill.
- Catchable Pokémon: Pineco, Grubbin, Scyther, Anorith, Karrablast, Shelmet.
- Best counters: Mega Charizard, Moltres, Reshiram. Fire attacks shred through Scizor and Forretress.
Dark-type Grunt
Taunt: “Wherever there is light, there is also shadow.”
- Lineup: Cacnea, Alolan Rattata, Carvanha → Alolan Muk, Raticate → Skuntank.
- Catchable Pokémon: Cacnea, Alolan Rattata, Carvanha.
- Best counters: Groudon, Garchomp, Fairy-types for Rattata/Raticate.
Dragon-type Grunt
Taunt: “ROAR! … How’d that sound?”
- Lineup: Deino, Bagon, Tyrunt → Dragonair, Gabite, Alolan Exeggutor → Dragonite, Salamence, Tyrantrum.
- Catchable Pokémon: Deino, Bagon, Tyrunt.
- Best counters: Kyurem, Baxcalibur, Mamoswine. Stick with Ice-types.
Electric-type Grunt
Taunt: “Get ready to be shocked!”
- Lineup: Joltik, Magnemite, Mareep → Alolan Geodude, Electabuzz → Galvantula, Ampharos, Luxray.
- Catchable Pokémon: Joltik, Magnemite, Mareep.
- Best counters: Garchomp, Groudon, Landorus-T. Ground-types sweep easily.
Fairy-type Grunt
Taunt: “Check out my cute Pokémon!”
- Lineup: Snubbull, Mawile, Alolan Vulpix → Kirlia, Galarian Weezing → Granbull, Alolan Ninetales.
- Catchable Pokémon: Snubbull, Mawile, Alolan Vulpix, Kirlia, Galarian Weezing.
- Best counters: Metagross, Nihilego, Groudon (Fire Punch) for Mawile.
Fighting-type Grunt
Taunt: “This buff physique isn’t just for show!”
- Lineup: Mankey, Machop, Makuhita → Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Gurdurr → Infernape, Toxicroak, Conkeldurr.
- Catchable Pokémon: Mankey, Machop, Makuhita, Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Gurdurr.
- Best counters: Shadow Mewtwo, Lunala, Zacian. Psychic-types dominate.
Fire-type Grunt
Taunt: “Do you know how hot Pokémon fire breath can get?”
- Lineup: Tepig, Numel, Darumaka → Pignite, Houndoom → Emboar, Darmanitan.
- Catchable Pokémon: Tepig, Numel, Darumaka.
- Best counters: Primal Kyogre, Swampert, Rhyperior.
Flying-type Grunt
Taunt: “Battle against my Flying-type Pokémon!”
- Lineup: Fletchling, Taillow, Pikipek → Gligar, Swellow → Dragonite, Archeops, Pidgeot.
- Catchable Pokémon: Fletchling, Taillow, Pikipek, Gligar, Swellow.
- Best counters: Kyurem, Mamoswine, Rhyperior.
Ghost-type Grunt
Taunt: “Ke…ke…ke…ke…ke…ke!”
- Lineup: Gastly, Duskull, Golett → Dusclops, Haunter, Sableye → Gengar, Froslass, Alolan Marowak.
- Catchable Pokémon: Gastly, Duskull, Golett, Haunter, Sableye.
- Best counters: Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Yveltal.
Grass-type Grunt
Taunt: “Don’t tangle with us!”
- Lineup: Snivy, Hoppip, Seedot → Servine, Ferrothorn → Serperior, Cacturne, Vileplume.
- Catchable Pokémon: Snivy, Hoppip, Seedot.
- Best counters: Mega Charizard, Reshiram, Heatran.
Ground-type Grunt
Taunt: “You’ll be defeated into the ground!”
- Lineup: Sandshrew, Drilbur, Gligar → Rhydon, Donphan → Whiscash, Flygon, Torterra.
- Catchable Pokémon: Sandshrew, Drilbur, Gligar, Rhydon, Donphan, Vibrava.
- Best counters: Kartana, Kyogre, Mamoswine.
Ice-type Grunt
Taunt: “You’re gonna be frozen in your tracks.”
- Lineup: Swinub, Amaura, Sneasel → Froslass, Alolan Ninetales → Aurorus, Glalie.
- Catchable Pokémon: Swinub, Amaura, Sneasel.
- Best counters: Mega Charizard, Heatran, Dialga.
Normal-type Grunt
Taunt: “Normal doesn’t mean weak.”
- Lineup: Bunnelby, Swablu, Slakoth → Diggersby, Vigoroth → Ursaring, Slaking.
- Catchable Pokémon: Bunnelby, Swablu, Slakoth.
- Best counters: Machamp, Lucario, Terrakion.
Poison-type Grunt
Taunt: “Coiled and ready to strike!”
- Lineup: Trubbish, Tentacool, Skorupi → Nidorina, Nidorino, Weezing → Amoonguss, Toxicroak.
- Catchable Pokémon: Trubbish, Tentacool, Skorupi, Nidorina, Nidorino.
- Best counters: Mewtwo, Garchomp, Groudon.
Psychic-type Grunt
Taunt: “Are you scared of psychics that use unseen power?”
- Lineup: Baltoy, Ralts → Drowzee, Wobbuffet, Duosion → Gallade, Malamar.
- Catchable Pokémon: Baltoy, Ralts.
- Best counters: Hydreigon, Tyranitar, Giratina-O.
Rock-type Grunt
Taunt: “Let’s rock and roll!”
- Lineup: Tyrunt, Amaura, Roggenrola → Cranidos, Shieldon → Tyrantrum, Aurorus, Golem.
- Catchable Pokémon: Tyrunt, Amaura, Roggenrola, Cranidos, Shieldon.
- Best counters: Terrakion, Kartana, Swampert.
Steel-type Grunt
Taunt: “You’re no match for my iron will!”
- Lineup: Alolan Diglett, Sandshrew, Beldum → Skarmory, Lairon, Metang → Scizor, Aggron, Alolan Sandslash.
- Catchable Pokémon: Alolan Sandshrew, Beldum, Alolan Diglett.
- Best counters: Mega Charizard, Reshiram, Lucario.
Water-type Grunt
Taunt: “These waters are treacherous.”
- Male lineup: Magikarp → Magikarp → Magikarp/Gyarados.
- Catchable Pokémon: Magikarp.
- Best counters: Zekrom, Xurkitree, Therian Thundurus.
- Female lineup: Oshawott, Spheal, Staryu → Dewott, Cloyster → Samurott, Whiscash, Carracosta.
- Catchable Pokémon: Oshawott, Spheal, Staryu.
- Best counters: Electric-types (Zekrom, Xurkitree) and Grass-types (Kartana for Whiscash).
Expert and Special Grunts
Starters Grunt (Male Expert)
- Lineup: Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle → Ivysaur, Charmeleon, Wartortle → Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise.
- Catchable Pokémon: The starter in slot one.
- Best counters: Use the opposing type (Grass vs Water, Water vs Fire, Fire vs Grass). Mega evolutions work well.
Snorlax Grunt (Female Expert)
- Lineup: Snorlax → Gardevoir/Poliwrath → Dragonite/Gyarados/Snorlax.
- Catchable Pokémon: Snorlax.
- Best counters: Mega Lucario or Fighting-types, plus Ice and Electric backups. One of the toughest Grunts.
Decoy Grunt
Taunt: “Fooled ya, twerp.”
- Lineup: Bellsprout → Raticate/Weepinbell → Snorlax/Raticate.
- Catchable Pokémon: Bellsprout.
- Best counters: Fire and Fighting-types.
Jessie & James (Event-Only)
- Taunts: “The Boss’s Persian is so elegant…” / “You’ll regret this.”
- Lineups: Classic Ekans, Koffing, Wobbuffet rotations during special Rocket Balloon events.
- Catchable Pokémon: Shadow Ekans, Koffing (with shiny potential during events).
- Note: These two only appear in Meowth Balloons and during limited-time events.
Battle Rewards in Pokémon GO
- 500 Stardust per win
- Mysterious Component (six = Rocket Radar)
- Shadow Pokémon catch attempt (shiny eligible for select species)
- Hero Medal progress for additional Premier Balls in future fights.
October 2025 Grunt lineups bring a mix of easy battles (Magikarp) and tricky ones (Snorlax, Ghost with Froslass). With catchable Shadows ranging from starters to Snorlax, and even Shiny Shadow opportunities, these fights are always worth your time.
Whether you use the all-rounder team (Rhyperior, Charizard, Lucario) or tailor your squad to each taunt, you’ll be ready to take down Team Rocket and claim your rewards.
