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.
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:
Slot | Pokémon |
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#1 | |
#2 | |
#3 |
- 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
5000× StardustRandom drop of three of these (can stack)
- 4× Revive
- 4× Max Revive
- 4× Hyper Potion
- 4× Max Potion
- 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
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:
- A Troubling Situation (This is the prerequisite research that you need to finish in order to receive any of the future Team GO Rocket Special Research storylines)
- Looming in the Shadows
- A Challenging Development
- The Take-Over Continues
- A Professor’s Work is Never Done
- The Shadowy Threat Grows
- An Inter-egg-sting Development
- The Higher They Fly…
- A Seven-Colored Shadow
- Silent Schemes
- Field Notes: Team GO Rocket
- Ultra Beast Protection Efforts
- Shadowy Skirmishes
- From the Shadows
- Showdown in the Shadows (Team GO Rocket Special Research)
- Timeless Travels Special Research
- It’s a Rocket World
- Adventure Week: Taken Over