Pokemon GO: How to Beat Arlo (August 2020)

While Pokemon GO Fest 2020 is now in the past, some players are sure to still be working on the Rocket Straight to Victory special research from Day 2. In no small part this special research focuses around defeating the leaders of Team GO Rocket, including Arlo. For those fans that may need some help beating Arlo in August 2020, recommended counters to his lineup can be found in this guide.

To start, Arlo is once again using his standard lineup in Pokemon GO, as opposed to his GO Fest 2020 lineup, which sees him initiate a battle by unleashing a Pineco. From there the Team GO Rocket Leader will summon Blastoise, Charizard, or Steelix, and once that second Pokemon has been dispatched he will call forth Dragonite, Salamence, or Scizor. With that established, here are details on how to beat all of Arlo's Pokemon in August 2020:

How to Beat Arlo's Pineco

Pineco is a Bug-type Pokemon that can utilize Bug, Ground, Normal, Rock, and Steel attacks. It is weak to Fire, Flying, and Rock moves, while being resistant to Fighting, Grass, and Ground attacks, and here are some ideal counters:

Reshiram (Fire Fang | Overheat)
Darmanitan (Fire Fang | Overheat)
Entei (Fire Fang | Overheat)
Rhyperior (Smack Down | Rock Wrecker)
Volcarona (Fire Spin | Overheat)

How to Beat Arlo's Blastoise

Blastoise is a Water-type with an array of Dark, Ice, Normal, Steel, and Water moves at its disposal. It is weak to Grass and Electric attacks and strong against Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water moves, and here are recommended counters:

Zekrom (Charge Beam | Wild Charge)
Raikou (Thunder Shock | Wild Charge)
Magnezone (Spark | Wild Charge)
Electivire (Thunder Shock | Wild Charge)
Zapdos (Thunder Shock | Thunderbolt)

How to Beat Arlo's Charizard

Charizard is a Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon that can use Dragon, Fire, and Flying attacks. Its weaknesses are Electric, Rock, and Water moves, and it is resistant to Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Steel attacks. Here is a list of counters that can take down Charizard with ease:

Rhyperior (Smack Down | Rock Wrecker)
Rampardos (Smack Down | Rock Slide)
Terrakion (Smack Down | Rock Slide)
Tyranitar (Smack Down | Stone Edge)
Landorus (Rock Throw | Rock Slide)

How to Beat Arlo's Steelix

Steelix is a Steel- and Ground-type that has Dark, Dragon, Electric, Ground, and Steel attacks. It is weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water moves, while it is strong against Poison, Electric, Rock, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Normal, Psychic, and Steel attacks. Here are some good counters to Steelix in PoGO:

Volcarona (Fire Spin | Overheat)
Reshiram (Fire Fang | Overheat)
Kyogre (Waterfall | Hydro Pump)
Landorus (Mud Shot | Earth Power)
Groudon (Mud Shot | Earthquake)

How to Beat Arlo's Dragonite

Dragonite is a Dragon- and Flying-type Pokemon with Dragon, Flying, Normal, and Steel moves. Dragonite's weaknesses are Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock attacks, and it is resistant to Grass, Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, and Water moves. These counters should make short work of this Gen 1 Pokemon:

Darmanitan (Ice Fang | Avalanche)
Mamoswine (Powder Snow | Avalanche)
Glaceon (Frost Breath | Avalanche)
Weavile (Ice Shard | Avalanche)
Articuno (Frost Breath | Blizzard)

How to Beat Arlo's Salamence

Salamence is a Dragon- and Flying-type Pokemon that has Dark, Dragon, Fire, and Water attacks. It is weak to Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock moves, while being strong against Grass, Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, and Water attacks, and here are some counters to try:

Darmanitan (Ice Fang | Avalanche)
Glaceon (Frost Breath | Ice Beam)
Cloyster (Frost Breath | Avalanche)
Articuno (Frost Breath | Ice Beam)
Mamoswine (Powder Snow | Avalanche)

How to Beat Arlo's Scizor

Scizor is a Bug- and Steel-type Pokemon that can use Dark, Bug, and Steel attacks. Its only weakness is Fire, and it is resistant to Grass, Poison, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Ice, Normal, Psychic, and Steel moves. PoGO players that bring one of these counters to the fight should have little trouble with Scizor: