How to Find and Beat Arlo in Pokémon GO: A Complete Guide

Team GO Rocket Leaders present some of the toughest non-player challenges in Pokémon GO. Among them, the cool and collected Leader Arlo can be a significant roadblock for trainers who aren't prepared. His powerful Shadow Pokémon demand a strategic approach, a well-built team, and a bit of know-how.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know, from the first step of tracking Arlo down to the final Charged Attack that secures your victory.

Part 1: How to Find Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo

Before you can battle Arlo, you have to find him. Unlike the ever-present Grunts, Leaders hide their locations and require a special item to be tracked. The only way to find Arlo is by building a Rocket Radar.

Step 1: Defeat Team GO Rocket Grunts to Get Mysterious Components

Your hunt for Arlo begins with his underlings. You need to find and defeat six Team GO Rocket Grunts. These Grunts can be found at invaded PokéStops (which appear dark and shaking on the map) or in the hot air balloons that periodically appear above you.

After you win a battle, each Grunt will drop one Mysterious Component. You need to collect six of these to proceed. Keep an eye on your bag to track your progress.

Step 2: Build and Activate Your Rocket Radar

Once you have collected your sixth Mysterious Component, they will automatically combine in your inventory to form a Rocket Radar. You don't need to do anything manually; the game handles the assembly for you.

After it's built, you will be prompted to equip the Rocket Radar. Activating it is essential for the next step. If you have a Rocket Radar in your inventory, you will not be able to collect any more Mysterious Components until it is used, so don't hesitate to equip it.

Step 3: Track Arlo at Invaded PokéStops and Balloons

With your Rocket Radar equipped, your in-game map will now reveal the hidden locations of Team GO Rocket Leaders. You can tap the Rocket Radar icon at the top right of your screen to get an overhead view of where they are hiding.

Leaders can be found in two places:

Invaded PokéStops: These special "Leader Hideouts" will be marked with a large red "R" icon.
Team GO Rocket Balloons: The next balloon that appears for you will be piloted by a Leader instead of a Grunt.

It's important to note that the leader who appears is random. The first hideout you check might contain Arlo, but it could just as easily be Sierra or Cliff. If you're looking specifically for Arlo, simply ignore the other leaders and keep checking different invaded stops or wait for the next balloon until he appears.

Part 2. How to Battle and Defeat Arlo

Finding Arlo is only half the battle. Now, you need to defeat his powerful team of three Shadow Pokémon. His lineup changes every few months, but here is a breakdown of his current team and the best counters to use against them.

Arlo's First Pokémon: Shadow Bagon

Arlo will always start the battle with his Shadow Bagon.

• Type: Dragon
• Weaknesses: Ice (double weakness), Dragon, Fairy

Bagon's double weakness to Ice makes it incredibly fragile. You should lead with a strong Ice-type attacker to take it down quickly and force Arlo to use his shields early.

Best Counters for Bagon

• Mamoswine: Powder Snow / Avalanche
• Glaceon: Frost Breath / Avalanche
• Weavile: Ice Shard / Avalanche
• Galarian Darmanitan: Ice Fang / Avalanche
• Kyurem: Dragon Breath / Glaciate

Arlo's Second Pokémon: Charizard, Hypno, or Golurk

For his second Pokémon, Arlo will randomly use one of three options. Your strategy will depend on which one appears.

1. Shadow Charizard

• Type: Fire / Flying
• Weaknesses: Rock (double weakness), Electric, Water
• Best Counters: Rhyperior (Smack Down / Rock Wrecker), Rampardos (Smack Down / Rock Slide), Terrakion (Smack Down / Rock Slide), Tyranitar (Smack Down / Stone Edge).

2. Shadow Hypno

• Type: Psychic
• Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Ghost
• Best Counters: Hydreigon (Bite / Brutal Swing), Tyranitar (Bite / Crunch), Darkrai (Snarl / Dark Pulse), Gengar (Lick / Shadow Ball).

3. Shadow Golurk

• Type: Ground / Ghost
• Weaknesses: Water, Grass, Ice, Dark, Ghost
• Best Counters: Kyogre (Waterfall / Origin Pulse), Swampert (Water Gun / Hydro Cannon), Hydreigon (Bite / Brutal Swing), Darkrai (Snarl / Dark Pulse), Mamoswine (Powder Snow / Avalanche).

Arlo's Third Pokémon: Scizor, Dragonite, or Salamence

Arlo's final Pokémon is his strongest. Be prepared for a tough fight.

1. Shadow Scizor

• Type: Bug / Steel
• Weaknesses: Fire (double weakness)
• Best Counters: Reshiram (Fire Fang / Fusion Flare), Chandelure (Fire Spin / Overheat), Darmanitan (Fire Fang / Overheat), Heatran (Fire Spin / Magma Storm). A strong Fire-type will melt Scizor easily.

2. Shadow Dragonite

• Type: Dragon / Flying
• Weaknesses: Ice (double weakness), Rock, Dragon, Fairy
• Best Counters: Mamoswine (Powder Snow / Avalanche), Galarian Darmanitan (Ice Fang / Avalanche), Weavile (Ice Shard / Avalanche), Kyurem (Dragon Breath / Glaciate).

3. Shadow Salamence

• Type: Dragon / Flying
• Weaknesses: Ice (double weakness), Rock, Dragon, Fairy
• Best Counters: Mamoswine (Powder Snow / Avalanche), Glaceon (Frost Breath / Avalanche), Weavile (Ice Shard / Avalanche). Just like Dragonite, its double weakness to Ice is its downfall.

Part 3. Pro Battle Tips to Guarantee Victory

Knowing the right counters is key, but using the right strategy is just as important.

Tip #1: Break His Shields Immediately

Team GO Rocket Leaders will use their two Protect Shields on your first two Charged Attacks. To gain an advantage, start the battle with a Pokémon that has a fast-charging Charged Move (like Mamoswine's Avalanche or Swampert's Hydro Cannon). Use your Charged Attacks as soon as they are ready to burn through Arlo's shields, leaving him defenseless for the rest of the battle.

Tip #2: Capitalize on the Post-Switch Stun

Whenever a Pokémon faints or you switch your Pokémon, the enemy AI will briefly pause its attacks for a few seconds. You can use this to your advantage to get in a few "free" Fast Attacks without taking damage. This can be the difference-maker in close battles.

Part 4. Rewards for Defeating Rocket Leader Arlo

Your hard work will be rewarded. After defeating Arlo, you will receive:

• 1,000 Stardust.
• A random selection of two items from Max Potions, Max Revives, Revives, and Unova Stones.
• An encounter with one of the Shadow Pokémon Arlo used, giving you a chance to catch it. Currently, you will have an opportunity to catch Shadow Bagon.
• If you have an open Egg slot, you may receive a 12km "Strange Egg."

Bonus Tip. How to Find and Beat Arlo without Walking

Want to locate and defeat Arlo in Pokémon GO without leaving your home? Try downloading TunesKit Location Changer. This powerful tool for both iOS and Android lets you effortlessly change your GPS location on your device. With TunesKit Location Changer, you can simulate movement and explore different areas with just a single click, making it easier to play Pokémon GO from anywhere without walking a step. What's more, this powerful tool has 5 different location changing modes, supports changing location for more than 200 apps.

Conclusion

To defeat Team GO Rocket Leader Arlo, first track him down with a Rocket Radar. For the battle, exploit his Pokémon's double weaknesses, especially to Ice and Fire types. Use smart tactics like burning his shields early and leveraging switch-stun. A good strategy is more important than raw power. If you want to find and beat Arlo just at your home, download and try using TunesKit Location Changer.