Team Rocket has entered the world of Pokemon Go, bringing with them their notorious leader, Giovanni. As one of the most formidable adversaries in the game, Giovanni presents a significant challenge, and players must strategize effectively to stand a chance at defeating him and securing his Shadow Pokemon.
Once you have battled through the ranks of Arlo, Cliff, Sierra, and a swarm of Grunts, you’ll finally face Giovanni. Known as the Team Go Rocket Boss, Giovanni requires meticulous planning if you’re to emerge victorious.
After confronting Kanto region’s legendary Mewtwo, along with Kyogre and Groudon, Giovanni will now incorporate Shadow Cresselia into his lineup.
Giovanni has allied with Groudon, raising the stakes.
Giovanni’s Pokemon Go Lineup (October 2024)
Giovanni’s lineup updates occasionally, yet his latest team prominently features Shadow Cresselia, which players can capture upon defeating him.
Here’s Giovanni’s current lineup in Pokemon Go:
- Phase 1: Shadow Persian
- Phase 2: Shadow Honchkrow / Shadow Kangaskhan / Shadow Kingdra
- Phase 3: Shadow Cresselia
Giovanni’s team rotates every time there’s a Team Go Rocket Takeover. The latest changes were introduced during the 2024 Pokemon Go Adventure Week Taken Over event.
How to Defeat Giovanni in Pokemon Go
As an exceptionally powerful opponent in Pokemon Go, defeating Giovanni necessitates preparation with potent counters that exploit the weaknesses in his team.
Giovanni begins every battle with his signature Pokemon, Persian. His second choice is randomly selected from a pool of three. Ultimately, players will confront Shadow Cresselia.
Giovanni Counters – Phase 1
Counters for Persian
As a Normal-type Pokemon, Persian is weak to Fighting-type attacks and shows resistance against Ghost-type moves, helping players determine the best counters.
Utilize these counters against Persian in Pokemon Go for optimal success:
| Sprite | Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Terrakion | Double Kick (Fast Move) & Sacred Sword (Charge Move) | |
| Conkeldurr | Counter (Fast Move) & Focus Blast (Charge Move) | |
| Hariyama | Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) | |
| Lucario | Counter (Fast Move) & Aura Sphere (Charge Move) | |
| Machamp | Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) | |
| Breloom | Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
Giovanni Counters – Phase 2
Counters for Honchkrow
Honchkrow, a powerful dual Flying and Dark-type Pokemon, is vulnerable to Rock, Electric, Ice, and Fairy-type moves and resistant to Dark, Ghost, Psychic, Grass, and Ground-type attacks.
To take down Honchkrow, consider these effective counters:
| Sprite | Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Rampardos | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Slide (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Tyranitar | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Stone Edge (Charge Move) | |
| Sacred Heart | Volt Switch (Fast Move) & Nature’s Madness (Charge Move) | |
| Magnezone | Volt Switch (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) | |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Rock Wrecker (Charge Move) | |
| Shadow Raikou | Thunder Shock (Fast Move) & Wild Charge (Charge Move) |
Counters for Kangaskhan
Kangaskhan is also a Normal-type Pokemon, meaning it’s weakened by Fighting-type moves. Conversely, Rhyperior resists Ghost-type attacks, so steer clear of those.
Here are some solid counters to defeat Kangaskhan:
| Sprite | Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Lucario | Force Palm (Fast Move) & Aura Sphere (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Heracross | Counter (Fast Move) & Close Combat (Charge Move) | |
| Terrakion | Double Kick (Fast Move) & Sacred Sword (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Blaziken | Counter (Fast Move) & Focus Blast (Charge Move) | |
| Shadow Machamp | Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) | |
| Conkeldurr | Counter (Fast Move) & Dynamic Punch (Charge Move) |
Counters for Kingdra
Kingdra, being a dual Water/Dragon-type Pokemon, is weak to Dragon and Fairy moves while it shows resistance to Fire, Steel, and Water-type moves.
Effective counters against Kingdra include:
| Sprite | Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Origin Forme Palkia | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Spacial Rend (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Salamence | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Gardevoir | Charm (Fast Move) & Dazzling Gleam (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Latins | Dragon Breath (Fast Move) & Dragon Claw (Charge Move) | |
| Shadow Dragonite | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Dragon Claw (Charge Move) | |
| Haxorus | Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Breaking Swipe (Charge Move) |
Giovanni Counters – Phase 3
Counters for Shadow Cresselia
Giovanni’s final Pokemon, Cresselia, is a pure Psychic-type, making it weak against Bug, Dark, and Ghost-type Pokemon. It also shows resistance to Fighting and Psychic-type moves.
Here are some of the best counters to take down Cresselia:
| Sprite | Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Smack Down (Fast Move) & Crunch (Charge Move) | |
| Yveltal | Snarl (Fast Move) & Dark Pulse (Charge Move) | |
| Guzzlord | Snarl (Fast Move) & Crunch (Charge Move) | |
| Dawn Wings Necrozma | Shadow Claw (Fast Move) & Moongeist Beam (Charge Move) | |
| Mega Absol | Snarl (Fast Move) & Dark Pulse (Charge Move) | |
| Incineroar | Snarl (Fast Move) & Darkest Lariat (Charge Move) |
Giovanni is a formidable opponent, and he’s significantly tougher than the other Team Go Rocket Leaders. Having the right counters with powerful moves is critical for success.
If your strongest Pokemon doesn’t appear in the tables above, opt for your most powerful Pokemon that can exploit Giovanni’s weaknesses. For more insights, consider checking out our weaknesses chart.
Best Pokemon Against Giovanni in Pokemon Go
The top-picks for battling Giovanni in Pokemon Go are Lucario, Tyranitar, and Incineroar. While there are many Pokemon that excel against specific threats, this trio is practical and effective across Giovanni’s entire team.
Since Persian is the first to enter combat, having a strong Fighting-type Pokemon like Lucario, Terrakion, or Conkeldurr is essential. Should you face Honchkrow next, Shadow Weavile could be a viable option as well.
Tyranitar excels with Rock-type moves against Honchkrow, plus it can deal valuable damage to Cresselia using Dark-type attacks. Finally, Incineroar poses a significant threat to Cresselia with its Dark-type moves and can also employ Fighting-type moves such as Double Kick, effectively damaging Persian, Honchkrow, and Kangaskhan. If Kingdra comes into play, consider swapping it out for a different option like Salamence.
All Giovanni Shadow Bosses Ranked by Difficulty
Since Giovanni and Team Go Rocket made their debut in Pokemon Go in 2019, the villainous leader has introduced a variety of party members and Shadow Boss Pokemon.
Beginning with Articuno and later including powerful Legendary Pokemon such as Mewtwo, Lugia, and Groudon, trainers have faced numerous Pokémon threats from Giovanni over the years.
Considering stats, bulk, movesets, and other factors, we have created a simplified guide showcasing the difficulty of every Giovanni’s Shadow Boss Pokemon thus far.
How to Find Giovanni in Pokemon Go
To encounter Giovanni, players must complete Special Research tasks which involve defeating multiple Grunts along with the individual Leaders, Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo. Successfully completing these tasks will grant you a Super Rocket Radar.
Equipping the Super Rocket Radar allows you to track down Giovanni’s hideout and engage in battle!
How to Obtain a Team Rocket Special Research Quest
While battling Giovanni is a challenge in itself, reaching the Team Rocket leader requires navigating through a series of Team Go Rocket Special Research quests.
New players should watch for upcoming Pokemon Go Team Go Rocket events. The last event, Adventure Week: Taken Over, enabled players to initiate the current Special Research quests that reward Trainers with a chance to face Giovanni.
Returning players should also check their Special Research quests for these available quest paths:
- 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
- A Shadowy Disturbance
- Showdown in the Shadows
- It’s a Rocket World
- Adventure Week: Taken Over
Importantly, while players can accumulate multiple Special Research quests for a chance at several Giovanni encounters, the final Raid Pokemon they earn will always be the current featured one, rather than the one available at the quest’s launch.
Therefore, if you aim to obtain the current Shadow Raid boss—Shadow Cresselia—you might want to save the final rewards for a time when you want to farm a specific Pokémon.
How to Defeat Team Leaders in Pokemon Go
That wraps up our essential tips for successfully defeating Giovanni in Pokemon Go.
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