Giovanni’s September 2026 team consists of Shadow Persian, one of Shadow Rhyperior, Shadow Machamp, or Shadow Kangaskhan, and Shadow Reshiram. The best all-purpose team for defeating Giovanni is Lucario, Mewtwo, and Rhyperior.
Lead with Lucario to pressure Persian and remove Giovanni’s shields with Power-Up Punch. Lucario can also handle Rhyperior or Kangaskhan in the second slot, while Mewtwo covers Machamp and Rhyperior finishes Shadow Reshiram.
- 🔔 Updated for September 2026: Giovanni’s current reward encounter is Shadow Reshiram.
- 🔗 Other GO Rocket guides: Arlo lineup and counters, Sierra lineup and counters, Cliff lineup and counters, Team GO Rocket Grunt lineups
Giovanni’s Pokémon Lineup
Giovanni uses Persian in the first slot and Shadow Reshiram in the final slot. His second Pokémon is chosen randomly from Shadow Rhyperior, Machamp, and Kangaskhan.
Slot #2
Giovanni’s second Pokémon can be Shadow Rhyperior, Shadow Machamp or Shadow Kangaskhan.
Slot #3
Giovanni’s final Pokémon is Shadow Reshiram. Defeating Giovanni gives you an opportunity to catch it.
Best Team to Beat Giovanni in September 2026
- Lead with Lucario or another Fighting type. Persian, Rhyperior, and Kangaskhan are all weak to Fighting-type attacks. Use Power-Up Punch early to remove Giovanni’s two shields while increasing Lucario’s attack.
- Mewtwo covers Shadow Machamp, the only possible second Pokémon that Lucario does not counter comfortably. Psycho Cut reaches Psystrike quickly and keeps pressure on Giovanni after his shields are gone.
- Rhyperior is the safest answer to Shadow Reshiram. Its Rock and Ground-type attacks deal super-effective damage, and it avoids the risk of bringing a Dragon-type into Reshiram’s Dragon Breath or Draco Meteor.
If you do not have these Pokémon, use a strong Fighting-type such as Machamp or Terrakion for Persian, a Psychic-type for Machamp, and a strong Ground or Rock-type for Reshiram. Swampert and Kyogre are particularly effective if Giovanni uses Rhyperior.
💡 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 that do maximum damage. Defeating Giovanni rewards 4× Shadow Shards.
Shadow Persian Counters
Shadow Persian
Giovanni’s Shadow Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon that is weak to Fighting-type moves and resists Ghost-type attacks. A strong Fighting-type lead is the most reliable choice.
Open with a Pokémon that can reach Charged Attacks quickly. Giovanni always shields the first two Charged Attacks used against him, so your first job is to remove those shields. Lucario with Power-Up Punch is ideal because it applies fast shield pressure while increasing its own attack.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Lucario
|
Force Palm, Power-Up Punch, Aura Sphere |
Machamp
|
Karate Chop, Cross Chop, Stone Edge |
Terrakion
|
Double Kick, Sacred Sword |
Resolute Keldeo
|
Low Kick, Secret Sword |
Conkeldurr
|
Counter, Dynamic Punch |
Shadow Rhyperior Counters
Shadow Rhyperior
Shadow Rhyperior is a Rock and Ground-type Pokémon. It has a double weakness to Grass and Water-type attacks, and is also weak to Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel. Continue with your Fighting-type lead if it has enough health, or switch to a strong Water-type counter.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Swampert
|
Mud Shot, Hydro Cannon |
Kyogre
|
Waterfall, Origin Pulse |
Poliwrath
|
Bubble, Scald, Dynamic Punch |
Mamoswine
|
Powder Snow, Icicle Spear |
Quaquaval
|
Waterfall, Hydro Cannon, Close Combat |
Sceptile
|
Bullet Seed, Leaf Blade |
Kartana
|
Razor Leaf, Leaf Blade |
Shadow Machamp Counters
Shadow Machamp
Shadow Machamp is a Fighting-type Pokémon that is weak to Fairy, , and Psychic-type attacks. Its weaknesses do not overlap with the rest of Giovanni’s lineup, which is why Mewtwo is included in the recommended team.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Rayquaza
|
Air Slash, Dragon Ascent |
Mewtwo
|
Psycho Cut, Psystrike |
Tapu Lele
|
Confusion, Nature’s Madness |
Yveltal
|
Gust, Oblivion Wing |
Metagross
|
Zen Headbutt, Psychic |
Crowned Sword Zacian
|
Air Slash, Play Rough |
Shadow Kangaskhan Counters
Shadow Kangaskhan
Kangaskhan is a pure Normal-type Pokémon, so it is only weak to Fighting-type attacks and resists Ghost-type moves. Lucario can usually continue from the Persian matchup and handle Kangaskhan without requiring a switch.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
|
Lucario
|
Force Palm, Power-Up Punch, Aura Sphere |
|
Machamp
|
Karate Chop, Cross Chop |
|
Terrakion
|
Double Kick, Sacred Sword |
|
Conkeldurr
|
Counter, Dynamic Punch |
|
Resolute Keldeo
|
Low Kick, Secret Sword |
Shadow Reshiram Counters
Shadow Reshiram
Giovanni’s Shadow Reshiram is a Dragon and Fire-type Pokémon. It is weak to Dragon, Ground, and Rock-type attacks.
Shadow Reshiram can use Dragon Breath or Fire Fang as its Fast Attack, with Crunch, Draco Meteor, Overheat, Fusion Flare, or Stone Edge as Charged Attacks. Dragon-type counters can defeat it quickly, but they also take heavy damage from Dragon Breath and Draco Meteor. Rhyperior is the safer general option.
| Pokémon | Moves |
|---|---|
Origin Palkia
|
Dragon Tail, Spacial Rend |
Palkia
|
Dragon Tail, Draco Meteor |
Eternatus
|
Dragon Tail, Dynamax Cannon |
Garchomp
|
Dragon Tail, Breaking Swipe |
Haxorus
|
Dragon Tail, Breaking Swipe |
|
Rhyperior
|
Mud-Slap, Rock Wrecker |
How to find Giovanni in Pokémon GO
To find Giovanni in September 2026, you need an unused Super Rocket Radar earned from GO Pass: Flying Taxi. The GO Pass has ended and its rewards expired on July 1, so you can no longer obtain that Radar from the pass. If you claimed one and have not used it, equip it from your Item Bag and check the marked PokéStops on the map.
- A regular Rocket Radar only finds Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. Giovanni requires a Super Rocket Radar.
- Giovanni is currently available at PokéStops rather than Team GO Rocket balloons.
- The Super Rocket Radar reveals both Giovanni’s hideout and decoy Grunts disguised as Giovanni.
- Visit the marked PokéStops until you find the real Giovanni.
- You can rematch Giovanni if you lose. The Super Rocket Radar is only consumed after you defeat him.
Rewards for defeating Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Defeating Giovanni awards Stardust, three item bundles, and an encounter with his current Legendary Shadow Pokémon.
- Trainers receive 5,000 Stardust for defeating Giovanni
- Defeating Giovanni rewards three item bundles including Max Potions or Max Revives
- You can catch Shadow Reshiram after the battle.
- Giovanni does not drop Strange Eggs as a reward, regardless of open egg inventory slots.
Reward bundles
Guaranteed
5000×
Stardust
Random drop of three of these (can stack)
-
4×
Revive
-
4×
Max Revive
-
4×
Hyper Potion
-
4×
Max Potion
-
1×
Unova Stone
The three random reward bundles can repeat, so you may receive more than one bundle of the same item.
Giovanni Frequently Asked Questions
What Pokémon does Giovanni use in September 2026?
Giovanni opens with Shadow Persian, uses Shadow Rhyperior, Shadow Machamp, or Shadow Kangaskhan in the second slot, and finishes with Shadow Reshiram.
What is the best team to defeat Giovanni?
Lucario, Mewtwo, and Rhyperior provide coverage against every Pokémon in Giovanni’s current lineup. Lead with Lucario and use Power-Up Punch to remove Giovanni’s shields quickly.
What Shadow Pokémon do you catch after defeating Giovanni?
Giovanni’s current reward encounter is Shadow Reshiram.
Why can’t I find Giovanni?
Make sure you have a Super Rocket Radar equipped. A regular Rocket Radar cannot find Giovanni. In the current rotation, Giovanni is found at PokéStops, and some marked locations may contain decoy Grunts instead of the real Giovanni.
