Arlo Counters & Lineups in Pokemon GO [January 2026]

LocaChange - Pokemon GO Tool

Teleport freely in Pokemon GO and find Team GO Rocket leaders more easily. Free trial is available now!

Try It Free

As one of the Team GO Rocket Leaders in Pokemon GO, Arlo frequently changes his lineup, and in January 2026 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 [January 2026 Updated]

As of January 2026, 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 Mawile	Fire, Ground
Phase 2	Shadow Steelix	Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water
	Shadow Slowbro	Electric, Bug, Dark, Grass, and Ghost
	Shadow Golurk	Water, Grass, Ice, Ghost, and Dark
Phase 3	Shadow Scizor	Fire
	Shadow Alakazam	Bug, Dark, and Ghost
	Shadow Charizard	Rock, Water, and Electric

Best Counters for Arlo in Pokemon GO

When facing Arlo in January 2026, his team begins with Shadow Mawile, followed by Shadow Steelix, Shadow Golurk, Shadow Slowbro, Shadow Scizor, Shadow Alakazam, or Shadow Charizard 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 Mawile

Shadow Mawile is a Steel/Fairy-type Pokemon, which makes it weak to Fire and Ground-type moves. While its maximum CP isn't extremely high, Shadow Mawile can still be annoying due to its decent bulk and fast charged moves.
Because of its typing, bringing strong Fire- or Ground-type attackers with high DPS is the most effective way to take it down quickly and save shields for later battles in the lineup.

Best Counter for Shadow Mawile:

1. Mega Blaziken with Fire Spin + Blast Burn: One of the best overall counters, dealing massive Fire-type damage and ending the fight fast.

2. Reshiram with Fire Fang + Fusion Flare: Extremely strong Fire-type attacker with great bulk, making it very reliable against Shadow Mawile.

3. Excadrill with Mud-Slap + Drill Run: A top Ground-type option that performs well even without Mega support.

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 Golurk

Shadow Golurk is a Ground/Ghost-type Pokemon with solid Attack and good overall bulk. While it isn't the fastest Pokemon, its charged moves can hit very hard if left unchecked. Because of its typing, Shadow Golurk is weak to Water, Grass, Ice, Ghost, and Dark-type attacks, making these the best options for quick knockouts.
Since Shadow Golurk can survive longer than expected, it's recommended to use hard-hitting counters with type advantage to end the battle quickly and conserve shields for later fights.

Best Counters for Shadow Golurk:

1. Mega Gengar with Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball

2. Hydreigon with Bite + Brutal Swing

3. Mamoswine with Powder Snow + Avalanche

Tip

Since Shadow Golurk and many Rocket Pokemon share a weakness to Dark- or Ghost-type attacks, I usually include one strong Dark- or Ghost-type Pokemon in my lineup. This reduces the need to swap frequently and keeps battles smooth regardless of which Pokemon appears next.

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 Charizard

Shadow Charizard is a Fire/Flying-type Pokemon with high Attack and very strong charged moves. While it isn't extremely bulky, its fast damage output can quickly overwhelm unprepared teams. Due to its typing, Shadow Charizard is weak to Rock-, Electric-, and Water-type attacks, with Rock-type moves being especially effective.
To deal with Shadow Charizard efficiently, it's best to use hard-hitting counters that can take it down quickly, minimizing shield pressure and avoiding unnecessary damage.

Best Counters for Shadow Charizard:

1. Mega Tyranitar with Smack Down + Stone Edge / Brutal Swing

2. Rhyperior with Smack Down + Rock Wrecker

3. Mega Gyarados with Waterfall + Aqua Tail

Personal Tip

Since Shadow Charizard shares weaknesses with many Flying- and Fire-type Pokemon, I usually bring one strong Rock-type Pokemon into my lineup. Rock-types handle Shadow Charizard extremely well and can also cover threats like Crobat or Moltres if they appear later. For Psychic-type Pokemon such as Alakazam, I rely on Ghost- or Dark-type attackers, which also provide useful coverage earlier in the fight. This approach helps reduce swaps and keeps battles consistent.

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.

Try It Free See Pricing

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.

Free Download See Pricing

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.

Share