Giovanni Pokemon GO: Lineup, Counters & Rewards

If you have been grinding through Pokemon Go and you are finally facing Giovanni in Pokemon Go, you are in for one of the game’s biggest boss battles. This isn’t just some random Team GO Rocket grunt; Giovanni is the kingpin. As the shadowy leader of Team GO Rocket, he shows up with some of the most brutal Shadow Pokémon in the game, including a rotating lineup that always ends with a powerful Legendary. That makes him a massive deal in the Pokemon Go Gameplay Format, especially for trainers looking to clear Special Research, collect rare Pokémon, or flex in the endgame. If you have ever wondered how to beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go, or what the best Giovanni Pokemon Go counters are this month, you are in the right place. We are breaking down exactly who he’s using, why it matters, and how you can shut him down.

How to find Giovanni in Pokemon Go?

You can’t just bump into Giovanni Pokemon Go by spinning PokéStops or wandering around. Niantic makes you work for it. Here is exactly how to track him down:

Step 1: Complete Team GO Rocket Special Research

Every few months, Pokemon Go drops a new Special Research storyline that ends with a showdown against Giovanni. You will need to complete all previous Rocket Research tasks before the current one unlocks.

Step 2: Get a Super Rocket Radar

This is your key to finding Giovanni. You will earn it near the end of the Special Research questline. Regular Rocket Radars won’t work on him; only a Super Rocket Radar will sniff him out.

Step 3: Use the Super Rocket Radar

Once activated, it will reveal Giovanni’s possible locations on the map. However, here’s the catch: some of those PokéStops are decoys, with disguised Grunts pretending to be him. You will need to visit each location until you find the real boss.

Step 4: Challenge Giovanni

If you find him, you need to get your best team ready. This isn’t a fight you want to sleepwalk through, especially if you are aiming to beat him fast and clean using the right Giovanni Pokemon Go counters.

How to get a Team Rocket Special Research Quest?

If you are trying to take down Giovanni Pokemon Go, the first step is unlocking the Team GO Rocket Special Research. It is not something you get from spinning PokéStops or levelling up it only drops during specific events and under a few conditions. Here is how it works:
1. Clear Out Any Old Rocket Research

Before the game hands you a new Rocket storyline, it checks if you have already got one going. If you have started a previous Team Rocket quest and you are even one step into it, you have to finish it first. The only way to unlock the next one is to wrap up whatever is pending. This step’s crucial if you are serious about battling pokemon go giovanni.
2. Wait for a Rocket Takeover Event

These Special Research quests don’t just appear randomly; they only get released during Team GO Rocket Takeover events. These happen every few months and are tied to the overall pokemon go giovanni storyline. Once the event starts in your time zone, the new research should auto-drop into your quest tab.
3. Log In During the Event

Once the event is live, and you have cleared your older Rocket research, all you have to do is open the game. The new Special Research will show up under the “Special” tab, and from there, you’re officially on the path toward learning how to beat Giovanni Pokemon Go and claiming a Shadow Legendary.
4. Finish the Research and Get the Super Rocket Radar

The questline usually involves battling Grunts, purifying Shadow Pokémon, and taking down the Rocket leaders Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo. Once that is done, you will earn a Super Rocket Radar, which is the only way to find and fight Giovanni Pokemon Go again. Once he shows up, it is time to bring your best Giovanni Pokemon Go counters.
This Rocket storyline is a major part of the boss battle loop and easily one of the best long-term challenges in the game, especially if you are looking for rare Shadow Legendaries.

Pokemon Go Giovanni team line-up

If you are facing Giovanni Pokemon Go in August 2025, his team always starts and ends the same but the middle slot rotates between three wildcards, and each one demands a different strategy. That is what makes pokemon go giovanni battles tricky: if you are not prepared for all three possible second-slot Pokémon, you are setting yourself up for pain. Right now, Giovanni opens with the always-annoying Persiann, a tanky Normal-type that hits fast and burns shields. His second Pokémon can be Rhyperior, Kingdra, or Nidoking, each with their own elemental threat. And finally, the star of the show: Shadow Dialga is his current closer. Knowing this lineup is the first step if you are serious about learning how to beat Giovanni Pokemon Go. You will need flexible counters that can handle Normal, Ground, Dragon, and Poison threats back-to-back and still save enough firepower for that brutal final boss.

Pokemon Go Giovanni Counters

If you are here to figure out how to beat Giovanni Pokemon Go, it all comes down to counter picks. This isn’t like taking on a random grunt; you need a squad that can punch through shields, handle type mismatches, and survive long enough to take down that monster Shadow Dialga. That is where the right Giovanni Pokemon Go counters come in. Giovanni’s first Pokémon is always Persian, which means you will want a strong Fighting-type to lead. His second slot rotates, so your team needs to cover Ground, Dragon, and Poison threats. Then there is Shadow Dialga at the end, a tanky, high-DPS Dragon/Steel type that punishes slow or under-levelled counters. You have only got three Pokémon, so every slot has to pull weight across multiple matchups.

Opening Pokémon

Giovanni always leads with Persian, and it is fast, aggressive, and built to burn your shields. Your move should be to open with a strong Fighting-type that charges fast and wipes it out early. If you don’t shut Persian down quickly, the rest of the battle gets difficult. This is the first wall in every Giovanni Pokemon Go battle.

Secondary Pokémon

This is where pokemon go giovanni battles get tricky. His second pick could be Rhyperior, Kingdra, or Nidoking, and each one changes your game plan. Ground, Water, Dragon, and Poison types all come into play here, so you need flexible counters that can pivot fast. Coverage is everything if you want to crack the mid-round.

Closing Pokémon

The final boss is the Shadow Dialga. With Dragon/Steel typing and boosted stats, this thing tanks hits and dishes out pain. This last phase makes or breaks your run. Bring a high-level counter with strong moves, and time your shield plays perfectly. Without the right Giovanni Pokemon Go counters, Dialga will annihilate your squad and your shot at victory.

How to beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go?

To beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go, you need more than power; you need strategy. His team hits fast, rotates threats, and ends with a monster like Shadow Dialga. The play is to burn his shields early using fast-charging moves on Persian, prepare for his rotating second slot, and bring a hard counter for the closer. The best Giovanni Pokemon Go counters are flexible, fast, and built to survive. Fighting-types crush Persian, while Ground or Fairy-types handle Dialga. You will need coverage for that mid-slot.

Giovanni Rewards

Defeating Giovanni in Pokemon Go earns you a rare Shadow Legendary right now, it is Shadow Dialga. Along with the Shadow Legendary, you will also get Stardust, max revives, and some high XP standard Rocket boss loot, but boosted because you just took down the boss. These are exclusive and insanely strong for PvP and raids. You will also score Stardust, XP, and high-tier items. In a nutshell, if you beat pokemon go giovanni, you are walking away with power and prestige.