How to Beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go: August 2024 Lineup, Counters & Weaknesses

How to Beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go: In Pokemon Go, Giovanni stands as the final obstacle for Team Go Rocket, posing a significant challenge that necessitates thorough preparation and strategic thinking. Our guide is designed to assist trainers by outlining his current Pokemon lineup, their weaknesses, and the most effective strategies for defeating his team.

After valiantly battling your way through Arlo, Cliff, Sierra, and plenty of Grunts, you will at last have the opportunity to take on Giovanni. It is crucial to carefully consider your strategy in order to emerge victorious against the formidable Team Go Rocket Boss.

After facing the Legendary Mewtwo and Kyogre in the Kanto region, the antagonist has now introduced Shadow Groudon into their ranks. We will present a detailed breakdown to assist you in overcoming this challenge and achieving victory in battle.

Also read: How to Get Meloetta In Pokémon Go

Giovanni Pokemon Go lineup

Giovanni’s team composition varies from time to time, but the standout member of his current lineup is Shadow Groudon, obtainable upon defeating him.

Here’s Giovanni’s current lineup in Pokemon Go:

Phase 1: Persian
Phase 2: Nidoking / Rhyperior / Garchomp
Phase 3: Shadow Groudon

How to beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go

Giovanni poses a significant challenge in Pokemon Go, hence, defeating him requires careful planning and the use of strong counters that can target the weaknesses of his team.

Giovanni always starts each battle by sending out his signature Pokemon, Persian. His second Pokemon choice is randomly selected from a pool of three. Ultimately, you will come face to face with Shadow Groudon.

Giovanni counters phase 1

Persian counters

Persian, being a Normal-type Pokemon, is vulnerable to Fighting-type moves and has a resistance to Ghost-type moves, simplifying the decision of which Pokemon to use.

Utilize these specific counters when facing Persian in Pokemon Go to maximize your chances of victory.

Persian Counters
	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

Nidoking counters

Nidoking, being a dual Poison/Ground-type Pokemon, is vulnerable to Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water-type moves, while it shows resistance to Electric, Poison, Bug, Fairy, Fighting, and Rock-type attacks.

Here are several top choices for countering Nidoking and emerging victorious:

Nidoking Counters
	Mewtwo	Psycho Cut (Fast Move) & Psychic/Psystrike (Charge Move)
	Kyogre	Waterfall (Fast Move) & Origin Pulse (Charge Move)
	Garchomp	Mud Shot (Fast Move) & Earth Power (Charge Move)
	Glaceon	Ice Shard (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)
	Galarian Darmanitan	Ice Fang (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)
	Espeon	Confusion (Fast Move) & Psychic (Charge Move)

Rhyperior counters

Rhyperior, categorized as a Ground/Rock-type Pokemon, is prone to weaknesses from Fighting, Ground, Steel, Water, Grass, and Ice attacks. On the flip side, it showcases resilience against Normal, Flying, Poison, Rock, and Fire moves, thus it is recommended to refrain from using them. Moreover, it is immune to Electric-type moves.

Listed below are some of the most effective counters to help you emerge victorious against Rhyperior:

Rhyperior Counters
	Mega Swampert	Water Gun & Hydro Cannon
	Kartana	Razor Leaf & Leaf Blade
	Mega Sceptile	Bullet Seed & Leaf Blade
	Mega Gyarados	Waterfall & Hydro Pump
	Kyogre	Waterfall & Origin Pulse
	Zarude	Vine Whip & Power Whip

Garchomp counters

Garchomp, being a dual Dragon/Ground-type Pokemon, is susceptible to Dragon, Fairy, and Ice-type attacks. Its specific weakness lies in Ice-type attacks, so it is advisable to concentrate on utilizing those in battle.

Garchomp, however, shows resistance against Electric, Fire, Poison, and Rock-type attacks, resulting in minimal damage when used in battle.

Here, you will find a selection of the finest Garchomp counters available:

Garchomp Counters
	Articuno	Frost Breath (Fast Move) & Ice Breath (Charge Move)
	Galarian Darmanitan	Ice Fang (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)
	Mamoswine	Powder Snow (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)
	Glaceon	Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move)
	Dragonite	Dragon Tail (Fast Move) & Outrage (Charge Move)
	Weavile	Ice Shard (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)

Giovanni counters phase 3

Shadow Groudon counters

Groudon, categorized as a Ground-type Pokemon, is easily defeated by Water, Grass, and Ice attacks but can withstand Poison, Rock, and Electric-type moves. To secure a win against Groudon, it is crucial to exploit its vulnerabilities by utilizing both Fast and Charged super-effective attacks.

Here are a few of the best strategies to overcome Groudon in combat:

Shadow Groudon Counters
	Primal Kyogre	Waterfall (Fast Move) & Origin Pulse (Charge Move)
	Mega Swampert	Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move)
	Mega Sceptile	Fury Cutter (Fast Move) & Frenzy Plant (Charge Move)
	Mega Blastoise	Water Gun (Fast Move) & Hydro Cannon (Charge Move)
	Shadow Mamoswine	Powder Snow (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)
	Galarian Darmanitan	Ice Fang (Fast Move) & Avalanche (Charge Move)

Giovanni delivers a powerful blow and presents a greater challenge compared to the other Team Go Rocket Leaders. Merely having the appropriate counters with optimal movesets is insufficient – their power level must also be sufficiently boosted to overcome the obstacle.

In case you do not spot any of your owned Pokemon in the provided tables, opt for your most powerful Pokemon that can exploit Giovanni’s vulnerabilities. You may refer to our weaknesses chart to align your choice with his weaknesses.

Best Pokemon against Giovanni in Pokemon Go

Terrakion, Mega Sceptile, and Galarian Darmanitan are a top choice for battling Giovanni in Pokemon Go. With Giovanni’s new team lineup being more straightforward in terms of weaknesses, these Pokemon can help you prepare effectively for the battle.

It is important to include a powerful Fighting type like Terrakion on your team, as Giovanni’s initial Pokemon will always be Persian, and its weakness lies solely in Fighting type attacks.

Moving forward, we advise including a powerful Ice-type Pokemon such as Galarian Darmanitan in your team. By doing so, you will have the ability to target two of Giovanni’s potential Pokemon: Nidoking and Garchomp.

Giovanni’s team includes Rhyperior, the only member not protected by the other two Pokemon. However, Mega Sceptile can effectively counter Rhyperior due to its Ground/Rock typing. Furthermore, Mega Sceptile will prove to be a valuable asset against Shadow Groudon because of its Grass-type advantage.

One of the benefits of facing off against Giovanni (or any other Team Go Rocket member) is the ability to have multiple rematches until you emerge victorious. This means that if your current team is not effective, you can make necessary adjustments and attempt the battle again.

How to find Giovanni in Pokemon Go

If you’re looking for Giovanni, the best way to track him down is by completing a Team Go Rocket-related Special Research quest, such as Shadowy Skirmishes. These quests become available for claiming once you reach Level 8.

To complete these Special Research quests, you must overcome multiple Grunts and the Leaders Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo. After finishing these challenges, you will obtain a Super Rocket Radar.

By obtaining the Super Rocket Radar, you will have the ability to locate Giovanni’s secret base and engage in a battle with him.

How to defeat Team Leaders in Pokemon Go

If you are seeking to confront the remaining Team Go Rocket Leaders, we suggest referring to our guide for defeating Arlo, our guide for conquering Cliff, and lastly, our guide for vanquishing Sierra.

All the necessary information to emerge victorious against Giovanni in Pokemon Go is available to you. For additional assistance, make sure to check out the latest Spotlight Hour schedule and the current Raid bosses.