Arlo is kind of a jerk. Honestly, if you’ve been playing Pokémon GO for a while, you know the drill: you build a Rocket Radar, you’re hoping for a specific shiny Shadow, and then Arlo shows up with a team that completely shreds your lead. It’s frustrating.
By July 2025, the meta has shifted significantly with the introduction of new Dynamax mechanics and the 9th Anniversary events, but the core of the Arlo Pokémon GO July 2025 experience remains a tactical puzzle. If you aren't prepared for his shield-baiting and high CP Shadow buffs, you’re going to burn through Max Potions faster than you can spin Stops.
The July 2025 Lineup: Who You're Actually Fighting
Unlike the lower-level Grunts, Arlo doesn't just stick to one type. He’s unpredictable. Well, sort of. His first slot is always the same, but the second and third are basically a coin flip between three different nightmares.
Slot 1: The Guaranteed Lead
- Shadow Horsea: This is your target. It's the one you get to catch afterward, and yes, the shiny chance is still there if the luck gods are on your side.
Slot 2: The Mid-Game Pivot
- Shadow Slowbro: A tanky Water/Psychic mix that loves to waste your time.
- Shadow Crobat: Fast, annoying, and resists a lot of common "generalist" attackers.
- Shadow Steelix: The absolute worst. It’s a literal wall of iron and dirt.
Slot 3: The Heavy Hitters
- Shadow Scizor: If you don't bring fire, just quit. Seriously.
- Shadow Alakazam: Glass cannon, but it hits like a freight train.
- Shadow Alolan Muk: Only weak to Ground. If you're out of Ground attackers by this point, it’s a slow death.
How to Actually Beat Him Without Losing Your Mind
The biggest mistake I see people make? They lead with their strongest Pokémon. Don't do that. Arlo is hard-coded to use his shields on your first two Charged Attacks. Period. If you fire off a massive, slow-charging move like Solar Beam, he’ll just shield it, and you’ve wasted all that energy.
You need a "Shield Breaker."
I personally love using something like Therian Thundurus or Greninja with Hydro Cannon. You want moves that charge in about three seconds. You spam the move, he burns his shields, and then you bring in the heavy hitters.
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Best Counters for the July 2025 Meta
Since we're deep into 2025, you should have access to some of the Ultra Unlock rewards. If you managed to snag a Dawn Wings Necrozma during the recent events, use it. It absolutely deletes Wobbuffet (from previous rotations) and the current Alakazam/Slowbro options.
For Shadow Horsea & Slowbro:
Electric types are your best friend here. Xurkitree or Zekrom are the gold standard. If you’re a budget player, a high-level Magnezone with Wild Charge does the job, though it’s a bit squishy against Steelix.
For Shadow Steelix & Alolan Muk:
You need Ground moves. Primal Groudon with Precipice Blades is the "I win" button. If you don't have a Primal, Garchomp or Excadrill (with Scorching Sands) are fantastic. Excadrill is particularly good because its Steel typing lets it resist a lot of the Poison and Flying junk Arlo throws at you.
The Scizor Problem:
Scizor has a double weakness to Fire. It’s basically paper in a blowtorch. Mega Charizard Y or Ho-Oh will melt it in seconds. Even a Blaziken with Blast Burn makes this part of the fight a joke.
A "Catch-All" Team Composition
If you don't want to keep backing out and changing your team, try this specific trio. It covers about 90% of Arlo’s possible July 2025 combinations:
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- Therian Thundurus (Volt Switch / Wildbolt Storm): Handles Horsea, Slowbro, and Crobat.
- Ho-Oh (Incinerate / Brave Bird or Sacred Fire): Your answer to Scizor and a solid neutral hitter.
- Groudon (Mud Shot / Precipice Blades): Cleans up Alolan Muk and Steelix.
Wait, what about Alakazam? Honestly, Thundurus and Ho-Oh hit it hard enough with neutral damage that you can usually power through it, especially if you saved a shield for the end.
Why July 2025 Feels Different
The 9th Anniversary celebration changed the "feel" of these battles. With Shadow Registeel lurking in weekend raids and the debut of Gigantamax forms, the power creep is real. Arlo’s Pokémon have higher effective stats than they did two years ago.
Also, don't forget the "Stagger Rule." Every time you use a Charged Attack or swap your Pokémon, Arlo (and all Rocket NPCs) will stop attacking for about two seconds. Use this. Don't just tap mindlessly. If you swap right after he finishes a move, you get two free seconds of energy generation. It’s the difference between winning with half health and losing by one HP.
What Happens After the Win?
Once you beat Arlo, you get the encounter with Shadow Horsea. In July 2025, the shiny rate for Leader Shadows is still roughly 1 in 64, which is better than wild odds but still requires a lot of grinding. You’ll also get 1,000 Stardust and a chance at some rare items:
- 12km Strange Eggs: These are the only way to get stuff like Salandit or Pancham.
- Unova Stones: Mostly fodder by now, but good for New Year's evolutions.
- Max Revives/Potions: You'll need them to fix the team Arlo just bruised.
Building a solid counter team isn't just about winning; it's about efficiency. If you can beat him in 60 seconds instead of three minutes, you can get back to hunting those Dynamax Gastly or whatever else is spawning in the July heat.
Your next step should be checking your storage for a high-IV Excadrill or Groudon. If you have some Rare Candy XL burning a hole in your bag, dumping them into a Primal Groudon will make every Team GO Rocket Leader battle for the rest of 2025 significantly easier.