Pokémon GO Giovanni Counters (March 2023)

A complete guide on how to find and defeat Giovanni in Pokémon GO during the month of March 2023, including Giovanni’s current Pokémon line-up. Giovanni has returned, equipped with Shadow Registeel, and a select few Shadow Pokémon including Nidoqueen, Cloyster, and Garchomp. 

Learn how to find Giovanni, how to defeat Giovanni, and which Pokémon are the best counters for Giovanni’s Pokémon. Giovanni is the Team GO Rocket Boss available in Pokémon GO, overseeing the work of Team GO Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.

💡 Note: In Trainer Battles, counters need not always be Pokémon that do super-effective damage. We include Pokémon that are more viable to defeat Giovanni, rather than those who do maximum damage.

Giovanni’s Shadow Pokémon Line-Up

Giovanni uses the following Shadow Pokémon during the month of March 2023:

• Giovanni’s first Pokémon is Shadow Persian
• Giovanni’s second Pokémon can be Shadow Nidoking, Shadow Cloyster, or Shadow Garchomp.
• Giovanni’s third Pokémon is Shadow Registeel

Best team to defeat Giovanni

To beat Giovannni’s current Pokemon, you need to exploit their weaknesses and use best counters you can use to defeat each one. One of the best Teams you can use against Team GO Rocket Giovanni in Pokémon GO is Machamp, Swampert, and Mamoswine.

Machamp – or any other strong Fighting-type – is a great choice against Giovanni, as  Persian, Cloyster, and Registeel are all weak to Fighting-type moves, making this a mandatory choice.

Swampert is an amazing Water and Ground-type that will easily counter Nidoking and Registeel, while dealing neutral damage to Garchomp and Persian. A combination of Ground-type quick move and Water-type charge move is perfect.

Mamoswine is a strong choice to defeat Giovanni’s Garchomp, with some use against Persian, Nidoking, and Registeel. Mamoswine can even play a role of a Rock-type attacker with Ancient Power, allowing it to be super-effective over Cloyster as well.

Best Pokémon to defeat Giovanni’s Persian

Persian (Shadow)

Open with a strong Pokémon that can burn Giovanni’s shields efficiently – the aim is at least one. Since we are always facing Persian, we strongly recommend going with a strong Fighting type.

Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon. It is weak to Fighting type moves. It takes reduced damage from Ghost type moves.

Additional picks include Breloom (with Dynamic Punch) and Galarian Zapdos with Ancient Power, but also the good ol’ Scrafty with Counter and Power-Up Punch. Some of these will be great for Cloyster and Registeel as well.

Defeat Giovanni’s Nidoking, Cloyster and Garchomp (Second Pokémon)

Follow up with a Pokémon that is super effective against Giovanni’s pick, but be careful who you are against. Nidoking is weak to Ground and Water, and then Cloyster is weak to Fighting and Rock, and Garchomp is weak to Ice and Dragon, so there’s quite a lot of variety.

Nidoking counters

Nidoking (Shadow)

Nidoking is a Poison and Ground-type Pokémon. It is weak to Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water type moves. It takes reduced damage from Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, Electric, and Poison type moves.

Cloyster counters

Cloyster (Shadow)

Cloyster is a Water and Ice-type Pokémon. It is weak to Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock type moves. It takes reduced damage from Water, and Ice type moves.

Garchomp counters

Garchomp (Shadow)

Garchomp is a Dragon and Ground-type Pokémon. It is weak to Ice, Dragon, and Fairy type moves. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Poison, Rock, and Electric type moves.

Defeat Giovanni’s Registeel

Registeel (Shadow)

Finish your Giovanni encounter by dealing large amounts of super effective damage to Registeel, which shouldn’t pose a big problem, given it’s weaknesses.

Registeel is a Steel-type Pokémon. It is weak to Fighting, Fire, and Ground type moves. It takes reduced damage from Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Rock, Steel, and Poison type moves.

How to find Giovanni in Pokémon GO

In order to find Giovanni, you need to complete a currently active Team GO Rocket Special Research. Depending on the time you played, this can vary. Currently, Giovanni has returned with Shadow Mewtwo as part of the Team GO Rocket Takeover Event, and the Special Research quest is called Ultra Beast Protection Efforts.

Once you complete the fourth step of the current Rocket Special Research, you will get a Super Rocket Radar.

• It works like a regular Rocket Radar, but it tracks Giovanni, not GO Rocket leaders.
• The Super Rocket Radar doesn’t immediately lead you to Giovanni; it displays locations of both decoy Grunts disguised as Giovanni and Giovanni’s actual Hideout.
• You’ll need to approach each PokéStop and investigate yourself to find where Giovanni’s hiding.
• You can rematch if you lose, and your Super Rocket Radar will be consumed if you win.

Rewards for defeating Giovanni in Pokémon GO

Trainers who manage to defeat Giovanni will receive selection of rare reward bundles, including the chance to get a Legendary Shadow Pokémon.

• Trainers receive 5,000 Stardust for defeating Giovanni
• Defeating Giovanni (when available) rewards three item bundles including Max Potions or Max Revives
• Trainers have the opportunity to catch the Legendary Shadow Pokémon used by Giovanni at the moment of defeating him. 
• Giovanni does not drop Strange Eggs as a reward, regardless of open egg inventory slots.

Reward bundles

Guaranteed

5000x Stardust

Random drop of three of these (can stack)

Defeating Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni yields three item bundles, each of which has an equal chance of containing 4 Max Potions or 4 Max Revives. As an example, a typical reward drop might contain 8 Max Potions and 4 Max Revives.

More Team GO Rocket Guides