Pokemon GO: How to Beat Arlo (September 2022)

Game ZXC

Pokemon GO

By John Higgs

Published Aug 18, 2022

Quick Links

Arlo's First Pokemon

Arlo's Second Pokemon

Arlo's Third Pokemon

Pokemon GO is the ARPG that defined the genre, building up a huge fanbase over the past six years. The game combines a unique and imaginative gameplay loop with the legendary Pokemon series to create a world that players just want to get out and explore. Not everywhere is safe in Pokemon GO, however, as the nefarious Team GO Rocket are always on the prowl.

Arlo is one of Team GO Rocket's youngest leaders, and in September 2022, players can challenge his team of mostly Fairy, Steel, and Fire-type Pokemon. Like any Team GO Rocket leader, beating Arlo won't be easy, and players will need to bring just the right Pokemon to defeat his team.

Arlo's First Pokemon

Charmander waving its burning tail in Pokemon Origins.

Like the rest of the Team GO Rocket leaders, Arlo always begins a battle with the same starting Pokemon. Arlo's opening choice in September 2022 is Charmander, the first-generation Fire-type starter that shouldn't be much of a challenge.

As a pure Fire-type, Charmander is weak to Ground, Rock, and Water; it's also resistant to Bug, Fairy, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Steel.

Charmander Counters

Rampardos - Smack Down/Rockslide
Rhyperior - Mud-Slap/Rock Wrecker
Omastar - Rock Throw/Rock Slide
Golem - Rock Throw/Rock Blast
Tyranitar - Smack Down/Stone Edge

Arlo's Second Pokemon

Arlo made very minor changes to his Pokemon team in August 2022, swapping the positions of Charizard and Scizor in the lineup. If anything, this change has made it easier for players, as both Charizard and Salamence share Charmander's weakness to Rock. Unfortunately, Mawile is resistant to Rock-types, meaning that players will still be gambling by bringing one.

Salamence Counters

Salamence is a Dragon/Flying-type Pokemon and therefore is weak to Ice, Dragon, Fairy, and Rock. It is resistant to Fighting, Fire, Grass, Bug, and Water and is completely immune to Ground attacks.

Golem - Rock Throw/Rock Blast
Tyranitar - Smack Down/Stone Edge
Mamoswine - Powder Snow/Avalanche
Regice - Lock On/Blizzard
Togekiss - Charm/Dazzling Gleam

Mawile Counters

Mawile is a Steel/Fairy-type and therefore is weak to Fire and Ground. Like Salamence and Scizor, it also comes with a huge list of resistances. Mawile is resistant to Dragon, Bug, Dark, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, and Rock.

Reshiram - Fire Fang/Overheat
Darmanitan - Fire Fang/Overheat
Charizard - Fire Spin/Blast Burn
Ho-Oh - Incinerate/Earthquake
Blaziken - Fire Spin/Blast Burn

Charizard Counters

Ever-popular Pokemon Charizard is a Fire/Flying-type, weak to Electric, Rock, and Water. It is resistant to Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Steel.

Rampardos - Smack Down/Rock Slide
Tyranitar - Smack Down/Stone Edge
Terrakion - Smack Down/Rock Slide
Swampert - Mud Shot/Hydro Cannon
Omastar - Rock Throw/Rock Slide

Arlo's Third Pokemon

With Scizor now joining Gardevoir and Steelix as Arlo's potential third Pokemon, players will find their options have changed a little since August 2022.

Both Steelix and Scizor are weak to Fire, while Gardevoir has no special resistance to it. This makes Fire-type Pokemon the safest pick to take on Arlo's third Pokemon.

Scizor Counters

Scizor is a Bug/Steel-type and is therefore extremely weak to Fire, but only to Fire. It's also resistant to Grass, Poison, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Ice, Normal, Psychic, and Steel.

Heatran - Fire Spin/Flamethrower
Darmanitan - Fire Fang/Overheat
Charizard - Fire Spin/Blast Burn
Blaziken - Fire Spin/Blast Burn
Ho-Oh - Incinerate/Earthquake

Gardevoir Counters

Gardevoir is a Fairy/Psychic-type Pokemon and therefore is weak to Poison, Steel, and Ghost. It is resistant to Fighting and Psychic and immune to Dragon.

Metagross – Bullet Punch/Meteor Mash
Gengar – Shadow Claw/Sludge Bomb
Chandelure – Hex/Shadow Ball
Dialga – Metal Claw/Iron Head
Zarude - Vine Whip/Power Whip

Steelix Counters

Pokemon Fan Makes Impressive Gold Steelix

Steelix is a Ground/Steel-type Pokemon and therefore is weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water. It is resistant to Normal, Rock, Steel, Dragon, Flying, Bug, Psychic, and Fairy and immune to Poison and Electric.