Beating Cliff used to be a cakewalk. You'd just throw a Lucario or a Machamp at whatever Lead he had and call it a day, but the Pokemon Go Cliff May 2025 rotation has officially ended those easy wins. Niantic really leaned into the "Team GO Rocket Takeover" mechanics this season. If you aren't prepared for the specific shield-baiting tactics his current lineup requires, you're going to burn through Max Potions faster than a Pikachu runs from a curveball.
Honestly, it’s frustrating.
The current meta for May 2025 revolves around a very specific Shadow lead that punishes anyone trying to "muscle" through with raw CP. We aren't just talking about high stats here; we’re talking about the specific AI behavior patterns that Cliff uses to waste your shields while he hammers your backline with heavy-hitting Fast Moves.
The Current Shadow Lead: Why It’s a Problem
Cliff is currently leading with Shadow Lileep. It sounds harmless, right? It's a fossil. It's goofy-looking. But in the Pokemon Go Cliff May 2025 meta, this thing is a nightmare because of Bullet Seed. The energy generation is absurd.
If you don't have a fast-charging Fighting or Bug-type move ready, Lileep will reach its Charged Moves before you’ve even made a dent in its health. Most veteran players are pivoting to Lucario with Power-Up Punch specifically to burn Cliff’s shields early. It’s a chess match. You aren't trying to KO the Lileep immediately; you're trying to force Cliff to use his two shields so your second and third Pokemon can actually land a hit.
Sometimes the game feels rigged when that Shadow boost kicks in. A Shadow Lileep's Ancient Power can occasionally proc a stat boost, and if that happens in the first thirty seconds, you might as well just top left and restart the encounter. It’s not worth the stress.
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Breaking Down the Middle Row
Once you (hopefully) get past the plant-fossil, Cliff throws a curveball. His second slot for May is currently a rotation between Shadow Kingdra, Shadow Gallade, and Shadow Aerodactyl.
- Shadow Kingdra is the run-ender. Because it's a Water/Dragon type, its only weaknesses are Fairy and Dragon. If you brought a Grass type to handle Lileep, Kingdra will absolutely melt you with Dragon Breath.
- Shadow Gallade is almost as bad. It hits like a truck. Confusion is a slow Fast Move, but the raw damage output from a Shadow version means your Fighting-type lead (like that Lucario you used for Lileep) will be deleted in four or five hits.
- Shadow Aerodactyl is the "classic" Cliff annoyance. It’s fast. It’s mean. It’s the reason why carrying a Rock or Electric type in your pocket is mandatory this month.
You've gotta be flexible.
Successful players right now are leaning heavily on Togekiss or Sylveon for that middle slot. Charm damage is still king when you're facing a Shadow Dragon or a Psychic/Fighting hybrid. It’s slow, sure, but it’s consistent. You don't want to rely on Charged Moves against Kingdra because it’s surprisingly tanky for a Shadow. Just Charm it down.
The Heavy Hitters: Cliff's May 2025 Closers
The final boss of this encounter is usually the deal-breaker. For the Pokemon Go Cliff May 2025 cycle, he’s rocking Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Cradily, or Shadow Mamoswine.
If you see the Shadow Tyranitar, count your blessings. Even though it has massive Attack, that double weakness to Fighting means a leftover Lucario or a fresh Conkeldurr can delete it before it even breathes. But the Mamoswine? That’s where the trouble starts. High Horsepower will one-shot almost anything you have left if you don't have a shield.
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The "Stall" Tactic
One thing people keep forgetting is the "switch stun." When you swap your Pokemon, the Team GO Rocket AI freezes for about two seconds. In the high-stakes world of May 2025 Cliff battles, those two seconds are the difference between life and death.
- Start with your "secondary" attacker.
- Immediately switch to your "lead" (like Lucario).
- Use those free hits to build energy.
- Never throw a Charged Move the second it's ready; wait for the AI to stop "flinching."
Best Counters to Use Right Now
You need a versatile team. Don't go in with three of the same type.
Melmetal is still a GOAT (Greatest of All Time) for Rocket leaders. Rock Slide and Superpower give you coverage against Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, and Mamoswine. Plus, it’s a tank. It can eat a few hits while you're figuring out which moveset Cliff is running.
Greninja with Hydro Cannon is another sleeper hit this month. It’s glassy, yeah, but the speed! You can spam those moves so fast Cliff won't know what hit him. Just be careful—if he has Gallade in the second slot, your Greninja is toast.
Magnezone is also seeing a lot of play. Since Cliff has a lot of Flying and Water potential this month, Wild Charge can flip the script. Just remember that Wild Charge debuffs your own Defense. You have to be smart. Use it, then swap out to reset your stats.
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Mistakes Most People Make
The biggest mistake? Using the "Recommended" team.
The game’s auto-selector is notoriously bad at predicting Shadow damage. It looks at types, but it doesn't account for how fast the Shadow Pokemon will shred your HP. If the game recommends an Aggron, ignore it. Please. Aggron has no place in a high-level Cliff fight.
Another issue is over-shielding. You only get two. If you use both on your first Pokemon just to save a Lileep encounter, you're going to get leveled by the Tyranitar or Kingdra at the end. Take some damage. Let your first Pokemon go down if it means saving a shield for the final stretch.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Encounter
To wrap this up and get you that Shadow Lileep (which has decent PvP IV potential this month if purified or kept for certain niche cups), follow this specific sequence.
First, check the grunts nearby to see if you can farm some extra energy before hitting the leader, though that’s rarely an option with the current radar setup. Instead, lead with a Kyogre or Swampert if you suspect the Aerodactyl, but keep a Machamp in the wings.
The "Safe Swap" strategy is your best bet:
- Put your Lucario (Counter/Power-Up Punch) in the second slot.
- Start the battle with a Dragonite or something bulky.
- Switch to Lucario the very millisecond the countdown ends.
- Spam Power-Up Punch to boost your attack and strip Cliff's shields.
- Save your Metagross or Kyogre for the final slot to clean up.
If you get stuck on a specific lineup—like the Kingdra/Mamoswine combo—don't keep throwing the same team at it. Change your lead to a Fairy type and see if that shifts the momentum. Cliff is beatable, but May 2025 isn't the month to play lazy. Catch that Shadow, check the stats, and move on to Arlo.