Arlo Counters & Lineups in Pokemon GO [September 2025]

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As one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders in Pokemon GO, Arlo frequently changes his lineup, and in September 2025 he’s back with a brand-new team of Shadow Pokemon. Knowing Arlo’s updated lineup and the best counters is key to defeating him quickly while saving your Revives.

In this guide, we’ll cover Arlo’s current lineup, the most effective counters, and practical tips to help you prepare for the battle and claim valuable rewards. Let’s go!

Pokemon GO Arlo Lineup [September 2025 Updated]

As of September 2025, Rocket Leader Arlo is using the following Shadow Pokemon lineup. Knowing every Pokemon in different phase is important for picking your team counters and planning your battle strategy. Check out the latest lineup list to see if there's a Shadow Pokemon you're familiar with.

Phase	Pokemon	Weaknesses
Phase 1	Shadow Wobbuffet	Bug, Dark, and Ghost
Phase 2	Shadow Steelix	Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water
	Shadow Slowbro	Electric, Bug, Dark, Grass, and Ghost
	Shadow Crobat	Electric, Ice, Psychic, and Rock
Phase 3	Shadow Scizor	Fire
	Shadow Alakazam	Bug, Dark, and Ghost
	Shadow Alolan Muk	Ground

Best Counters for Arlo in Pokemon GO

When facing Arlo in September 2025, his team begins with Shadow Wobbuffet, followed by Shadow Steelix, Crobat, Slowbro, Scizor, Alakazam, or Alolan Muk in the later battles. Each requires a slightly different counter strategy, so it’s best to break down the lineup one by one.

1 Shadow Wobbuffet

Shadow Wobbuffet isn't very strong, with a maximum CP of only 1160. It has very low Attack but very high Stamina, which makes it more of a wall than an attacker. Its weaknesses are Bug, Dark, and Ghost, so you’ll want to bring fast attackers from these types to knock it out quickly and start building energy for later battles.

Best Counter for Shadow Wobbuffet:

1. Mega Gengar with Shadow Claw + Shadow Punch

2. Lunala with Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball

3. Mega Pinsir with Fury Cutter + X-Scissor

2 Shadow Steelix

Shadow Steelix is a Steel/Ground-type Pokemon with impressive Defense but relatively average Attack and Stamina. Its weaknesses are Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water-type moves, so bringing strong attackers of these types will help you break through its bulk more efficiently.

Best Counter for Shadow Steelix:

1. Mega Lucario with Force Palm + Aura Sphere

2. Primal Groudon with Mud Shot + Precipice Blades

3. Mega Charizard Y with Fire Spin + Blast Burn

3 Shadow Slowbro

Shadow Slowbro is a Water/Psychic-type Pokemon with decent bulk but not particularly threatening damage output. It is weak to Electric, Bug, Dark, Grass, and Ghost-type moves. I personally like to bring Electric-types here, since they can also cover Crobat if it appears later.

Best Counters for Shadow Slowbro:

1. Necrozma - Dawn Wings with Shadow Claw + Moongeist Bearn

2. Mega Sceptile with Fury Cutter + Frenzy Plant

3. Mega Gengar with Link + Shadow Ball

4 Shadow Crobat

Shadow Crobat is a Poison/Flying-type Pokemon with fast moves and annoying resistances, but its weaknesses are Electric, Ice, Psychic, and Rock-type attacks. Its stamina allows it to last longer than expected, so hard-hitting counters are recommended.

Best Counters for Shadow Crobat:

1. Eternatus with Dragon Tail + Cross Poison

2. Mega Tyranitar with Smack Down + Brutal Swing

3. Tyranitar with Smack Down + Brutal Swing

Tip

Since both Shadow Slowbro and Shadow Crobat share a weakness to Electric, I usually include one strong Electric-type in my lineup. That way I don’t have to swap too much depending on which one Arlo sends out.

5 Shadow Scizor

Shadow Scizor is a Bug/Steel-type Pokemon with high Attack but a glaring double weakness to Fire-type moves. Its fast charge moves can be tricky, but with the right Fire attacker, it usually goes down quickly.

Best Counters for Shadow Scizor:

1. Mega Blaziken with Fire Spin + Blast Burn

2. Mega Charizard Y with Fire Spin + Blast Burn

3. Shadow Heatran with Fire Spin + Magma Storm

6 Shadow Alakazam

Shadow Alakazam is a Psychic-type Pokemon with very high Attack but extremely fragile defenses. Its weaknesses are Bug, Dark, and Ghost, making it easy to counter if you bring the right types. Personally, I find it best to use fast Ghost-type attackers to shut it down before it deals much damage.

Best Counters for Shadow Alakazam:

1. Necrozma - Dawn Wings with Shadow Claw + Moongeist Beam

2. Mega Gengar with Lick + Shadow Ball

3. Mega Absol with Snarl + Brutal Swing

7 Shadow Alolan Muk

Shadow Alolan Muk is a Poison/Dark-type Pokemon, it only has one weakness: Ground-type attacks. Thanks to its bulk and spammy charged moves, it can be annoying to deal with if you’re not prepared.

Best Counters for Shadow Alolan Muk:

1. Eternatus with Dragon Tail + Cross Poison

2. Mega Gyarados with Dragon Breath + Aqua Tail

3. Primal Groudon with Mud Shot + Fire Punch

Personal Tip

Since Arlo’s third phase can vary a lot, I usually prepare a Fire-type for Scizor and a Ground-type for Alolan Muk. For Alakazam, I rely on Ghost-types like Gengar, which also double as coverage against Wobbuffet and Slowbro earlier in the fight. This way, my team doesn’t need too many swaps.

How to Beat Arlo in Pokemon GO?

The key to beating Arlo in Pokemon GO is not only to bring the right counters that can handle multiple possible matchups, but also to pay attention to location and timing. Arlo’s balloons and PokeStops spawn on a rotation, which means you might not always find him nearby when you need to battle.

That’s where tools like LocaChange become extremely useful. With LocaChange, you can safely and reliably change your GPS location in Pokemon GO, giving you a huge advantage when hunting Team GO Rocket leaders.

Key Features of LocaChange

• Find Team GO Rocket leaders faster by checking PokeStops in different areas.
• Access better counters if you need specific Pokemon from raids or nests in other locations.
• Save time by skipping areas where Arlo doesn’t appear.
• Change your location in Pokemon GO to anywhere and join events to catch Pokemon without walking.
• More advanced features: Pokemon IV Checker, PvP Finder, and PokeStops Map.
• Supports up to 10 iOS and Android devices at the same time.

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From my own experience, I often rely on LocaChange during Rocket Takeover events. It makes farming Shadow Pokemon much easier and ensures I never miss out on limited-time encounters. Instead of waiting around, I can actively track down Arlo and finish my battles on my own schedule.

Rewards for Defeating Arlo (Shadow Pokemon & Items)

Taking down Arlo in Pokemon GO is always worth the effort because he offers both exclusive Shadow Pokemon encounters and valuable item rewards.

Shadow Pokemon Rewards: After winning the battle, you’ll have the opportunity to catch one of Arlo’s Shadow Pokemon. These Pokemon have boosted attack stats, making them powerful in both raids and PvP once purified or powered up.

Item Rewards:

From my experience, the Shadow Pokemon encounter is the most valuable reward when battling Arlo. Since they are harder to catch than normal Pokemon, I strongly recommend using Golden Razz Berries and aiming for Great or Excellent Curveball Throws to maximize your chances of securing the catch.

FAQs About Arlo in Pokemon GO

1. Can Arlo give Shiny Shadow Pokemon?

Yes. Defeating Arlo gives you the chance to encounter a Shiny Shadow Pokemon, though the odds are quite low. These are among the rarest and most valuable catches in the game.

2. How often does Arlo appear in Pokemon GO?

Arlo can be found at Team GO Rocket PokeStops or in Rocket Balloons. Balloons appear every six hours, and if you have a Rocket Radar equipped, one of those balloons is guaranteed to feature a Team GO Rocket leader, including Arlo.

3. Do you need a Rocket Radar to find Arlo?

Yes. To encounter Arlo, you must first collect six Mysterious Components by defeating Grunts. These can be combined into a Rocket Radar, which then lets you locate one of the Team GO Rocket leaders.

Final Thoughts

Beating Arlo in Pokemon GO isn’t just about raw power - it’s about strategy, preparation, and sometimes even location. By learning his lineup and bringing versatile counters, you’ll increase your chances of winning consistently. Plus, with rewards like rare Shadow Pokemon and valuable items, the effort always pays off.

If you’re struggling to locate Arlo or want to maximize your chances during Rocket events, tools like LocaChange can help you find Team GO Rocket leaders more easily. Whether you’re hunting for that elusive Shiny Shadow or just want to stockpile rewards, staying prepared ensures you never miss an opportunity.

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Philip Williams

• Pokémon GO
• GPS Spoofing
• AR Gaming

• AR gaming and GPS spoofing specialist with over a decade of software experience. He is a trusted writer on Pokémon GO tips and safe location-changing strategies, helping over 2 million users worldwide. As an Apple enthusiast and expert in location-changing technology, he brings both technical depth and gaming insight to every guide.

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