Giovanni Pokémon GO Guide (November 2024)

Learn how to find and defeat Giovanni in Pokémon GO. Updated for November 2024.

Learn how to defeat Giovanni in Pokémon during the month of November 2024 in Pokémon GO. This page details Giovanni’s Pokémon lineup, the most effective counters , and the best team to win against Giovanni. We also outline the steps to find Giovanni, understand the rewards for defeating him, and common issues with Team GO Rocket Special Research.

Giovanni’s Pokémon Lineup Team Rocket icon

As the notorious Team GO Rocket Boss in Pokémon GO, Giovanni commands the relentless Team GO Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. Don’t miss our comprehensive Grunts Lineups and Counters Guide. Giovanni is currently using the following Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO:

  • Giovanni’s Current Pokémon Line-Up: Giovanni’s team includes Shadow Pokémon such as Persian, Rhyperior, Nidoking, Kingdra and the Shadow Heatran
  • How to find Giovanni: In order to find Giovanni, you need to complete the previous Team GO Rocket Research, check below for a full list

Optimal Team Selection for Battling Giovanni Team Rocket icon

One of the best Teams you can use against Team GO Rocket Giovanni in Pokémon GO is Machamp, Togekiss, and Garchomp.

  • Machamp/Lucario – or any other strong Fighting-type – is a great choice against Giovanni, as  Persian is weak to Fighting-type moves, and you more or less want a Fighting-type on your team. They also work for Kangaskhan, so there may be line ups that need two Fighting-types.
  • Swampert – Swampert provides coverage for both Rhyperior and Nidoking, leaving just Kingdra to deal with. For Kingdra, Togekiss, or any other strong Fairy-type with Charm, which hits like a truck, and you should be able to Charm it down without needing many Charged Attacks.
  • Garchomp is a strong choice to defeat Giovanni’s Heatran. It has been available via a Community Day, and works with either Earth Power or Earthquake depending on what you have available.

💡 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. Defeating Giovanni rewards 4× Shadow Shards.


Comprehensive Counters for Giovanni’s Pokémon

  • Persian: Use strong Fighting or Steel-type Pokémon like Machamp, Lucario, Melmetal, or Dialga.
  • Honchkrow: Effective counters include Rock and Electric types like Rampardos, Electivire, Xurkitree and Rhyperior, and Fairy types like Togekiss and Gardevoir.
  • Kangaskhan: Fighting types are your only option here, Machamp, Conkeldurr, Lucario, stick with the classics and they can do double duty for Persian and Kangaskhan.
  • Kingdra: Fairy and Dragon types are your two weaknesses, so there is a small amount of crossover with Honchkrow, but otherwise, bring out your Dragonites, Palkia, Dialga and Rayquaza.
  • Heatran: Use Ground, Fighting or Water types like Garchomp, Groudon or Rhyperior.

Shadow Persian Counters

Persian (Shadow)

Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon, weak to Fighting type moves. It takes reduced damage from Ghost type moves and has a wide move pool variety. Best counters are strong Fighters, but also Steel-typed Pokémon like Melmetal and Dialga.

Persian Counters
Pokémon Moves
Terrakion Double Kick, Sacred Sword, Rock Slide
Tyranitar Smack Down, Brutal Swing, Stone Edge
Lucario Counter/Force Palm, Power-Up Punch, Shadow Ball
Machamp Counter, Close Combat, Stone Edge
Melmetal Thunder Shock, Double Iron Bash, Superpower
Dialga Dragon Breath, Iron Head, Draco Meteor

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.

Shadow Rhyperior Counters

Rhyperior (Shadow)

Rhyperior is a Rock and Flying-type Pokémon. Rhyperior is weak to Grass (2x), Water (2x), Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel moves. It is strong against Fire, Flying, Normal, Rock, Electric, and Poison moves.

Rhyperior Counters
Pokémon Moves
Swampert Mud Shot, Hydro Cannon
Kyogre Waterfall, Origin Pulse
Decidueye Leafage, Frenzy Plant
Primarina Waterfall, Hydro Cannon
Greninja Bubble, Hydro Cannon
Zarude Vine Whip, Power Whip
Meowscarada Leafage, Grass Knot

Shadow Nidoking Counters

Nidoking (Shadow)

Shadow Nidoking is a Poison and Ground type, and as such is weak to Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water moves. It is strong against Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, Electric, and Poison moves.

Nidoking Counters
Pokémon Moves
Swampert Mud Shot, Hydro Cannon
Mewtwo Psycho Cut, Psystrike
Groudon Mud Shot, Precipice Blades
Kyogre Waterfall, Origin Pulse
Primarina Waterfall, Hydro Cannon

Shadow Kingdra Counters

Kingdra (Shadow)

Kingdra is a Dragon and Water-type Pokémon. It is weak to Dragon and Fairy type moves. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Water, and Steel type moves.

Kingdra Counters
Pokémon Moves
Togekiss Charm, Dazzling Gleam
Sylveon Charm, Moonblast
Dialga Dragon Breath, Iron Head, Draco Meteor
Palkia Dragon Breath, Aqua Tail, Draco Meteor
Gardevoir Charm, Dazzling Gleam

Shadow Cresselia Counters

Heatran (Shadow)

Giovanni’s Shadow Heatran is a Fire and Steel-type Pokémon. It is 2x weak to Ground, as well as being weak to Fighting and Water-type moves, which means you have a good set of options ahead of you. We’d stick with Ground types where possible because of that 2x weakeness. We have included a mixture of options here that are not necessarily the top ranked, but also include more accessible options.

Cresselia
Pokémon Moves
Garchomp Mud Shot, Earth Power/Earthquake
Groudon Mud Shot, Precipice Blades/Earthquake
Rhyperior Mud-Slap, Earthquake
Swampert Mud Shot, Earthquake/Hydro Cannon
Excadrill Mud Shot, Scorching Sands
Landorus Mud Shot, Earth Power

Rewards for defeating 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 Heatran as part of the Galarian Expedition: Taken Over event.

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.

Locating Giovanni: A Step-by-Step Guide

Giovanni Pokemon GO
Giovanni Pokemon 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

Stardust icon 5000× Stardust

Random drop of three of these (can stack)

  • Revive icon 4× Revive
  • Max Revive icon 4× Max Revive
  • Hyper Potion icon 4× Hyper Potion
  • Max Potion icon 4× Max Potion
  • Unova Stone icon 1× Unova Stone

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.


Troubleshooting: Why You Might Not Have the Latest Team GO Rocket Special Research

Giovanni and Shadow Mewtwo

Every single time there is a new Rocket Takeover event, we get a bunch of readers wondering why they haven’t received the new Special Research to go along with it (yet).

The most likely explanation is: You still have an unfinished Team GO Rocket research in your (right) Special Research tab.

If you have any of these Special Research stories, and you have progressed beyond the first page of it, you need to finish it, before you can receive any new Team GO Rocket Special Research:

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Zeroghan
Zeroghanhttps://pokemongohub.net/
Zeroghan started the Hub in July 2016 and hasn't had much sleep since. A lover of all things Pokémon, web development, and writing.
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