How to defeat Giovanni in Pokémon GO (November 2022)

A guide on how to defeat Giovanni in Pokémon GO during November 2022. Giovanni has returned, equipped with Shadow Mewtwo, and a select few Shadow Pokémon including Nidoqueen, Steelix, and Rhyperior. 

Learn how to find Giovanni, how to defeat Giovanni, and which Pokémon are the best counters for Giovanni’s Pokémon.

💡 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 Pokémon Lineup

Giovanni’s Pokémon line-up for November 202: Persian as his first Pokémon, Nidoking, Steelix or Rhyperior as his second Pokémon, and Shadow Mewtwo as his final Pokémon.

Giovanni is the Team GO Rocket Boss available in Pokémon GO, overseeing the work of TGR leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.

How to defeat Giovanni’s Persian

Persian

Weak to Fighting, resist Ghost.

Persian uses Dark and Normal fast moves, and it uses Dark, Rock or Fairy charge moves. This combination makes Lucario, Machamp, Buzzwole and Galarian Zapdos some of the best counters for Shadow Persian. Melmetal needs to have Super Power Fighting to be effective. The aim with Persian is to get those shields down as quickly as possible, if it has Scratch it is going to hit hard, so be warned!

Recommended counters

How to defeat Giovanni’s Nidoqueen

Nidoqueen

Giovanni’s Shadow Nidoqueen is a Poison and Ground type that is weak to Ground Ice Psychic and Water. The usual counters are strong Ground types, Psychic-users and a variety of Water types that don’t take increased damage from Nidoqueen.

Recommended counters

How to defeat Giovanni’s Rhyperior

Rhyperior

Giovanni’s Shadow Rhyperior is 2x weak to Grass and Water moves, but also 1x weak to Ground, Fighting, Ice and Steel! We will use these weaknesses heavily to counter it, while also leaning into Pokémon which take reduced damage from its fast moves.

Rhyperior’s pool of charge moves is pretty wide and scary, so it’s better to shield and defeat it before he has a chance to use it.

Recommended counters

Wild pick: Empoleon with Waterfall and Hydro Cannon

How to defeat Giovanni’s Steelix

Steelix

Giovanni’s Shadow Steelix is a Steel and Ground type, with a scary wide move pool, high defence and strong damage output. Steelix is weak to Fighting, Fire, Ground and Water moves.

Picking counters will heavily depend on which Fast move it has. Available fast moves are Thunder Fang (Electric), Dragon Tail (Dragon) and Iron Tail (Steel).

Recommended counters

How to defeat Giovanni’s Mewtwo

Mewtwo

Giovanni’s Shadow Mewtwo is weak to Bug, Dark and Ghost-type moves. As such, there are a wide range of counters to choose from. Other options include any other Dark types like Obstagoon, Hydreigon, Bisharp, Krookodile, Mandibuzz, Umbreon.

Recommended counters

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 November 2022, 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