The Team Rocket boss, Giovanni, knows his way around the battlefield, especially with his elite ensemble of creatures. We’re here to help you defeat him in Pokémon Go by showing you the best Giovanni counters, team lineup, and strategies.
How to defeat Giovanni in Pokémon Go
Once you activate the Super Rocket Radar from the “It’s a Rocket World” quest, you can pinpoint Giovanni’s location at PokéStops or Team Rocket balloons. Before heading into battle, it’s essential to equip the right team members. Depending on your Pokémon Go selection, here are a few ways you can decide on a group for Giovanni:
Best team lineup for Giovanni in Pokémon Go
- Fighting Type: Annihilape, Machamp, Lucario, Conkeldurr, Terrakion, Iron Valiant, or Keldeo
- Water Type: Vaporeon, Swampert, Kyogre, Azumarill, or Blastoise
- Ice Type: Weavile, Kyurem, Mamoswine, Baxcalibur, Galarian Darmanitan, Articuno, or Glaceon
Any of the Pokémon above benefit Giovanni’s fight, but you could also go with one Fighting type and two Ice types instead. For a full breakdown of the entire battle, let’s take a look at the best counters for Pokémon Go’s Giovanni:
Best counters against Giovanni in Pokémon Go
| Giovanni’s Pokémon | Counters |
|---|---|
| Persian | -Annihilape -Machamp -Lucario -Conkeldurr -Terrakion -Keldeo |
| Kingdra (second round possibility) | -Azumarill -Iron Valiant -Baxcalibur |
| Rhyperior (second round possibility) | -Annihilape -Machamp -Lucario -Conkeldurr -Terrakion -Keldeo -Vaporeon -Swampert -Kyogre -Azumarill -Blastoise -Weavile -Kyurem -Mamoswine -Baxcalibur -Galarian Darmanitan -Articuno -Glaceon |
| Garchomp (second round possibility) | -Weavile -Kyurem -Mamoswine -Baxcalibur -Galarian Darmanitan -Articuno -Glaceon |
| Groudon | -Vaporeon -Swampert -Kyogre -Azumarill -Blastoise -Weavile -Kyurem -Mamoswine -Baxcalibur -Galarian Darmanitan -Articuno -Glaceon |
No matter what, Persian will always be the first Pokémon shown in Giovanni’s fight. So, it’s best to take advantage of its weakness in Fighting Types. The three most popular choices amongst the community for this match are Annihilape, Machamp, and Lucario.
The next round could either bring out Kingdra, Rhyperior, or Garchomp. The first choice is a bit tricky since it’s one of the few creatures that presents a different set of weaknesses with Dragon and Fairy types. Thus, if you land on the Kingdra, utilize dual types like Azumarill, Iron Valiant, or Baxicalibur. In particular, the Iron Valiant can be great against Persian, Kingdra, and Groudon, thanks to its Fairy and Fighting abilities.
Rhyperior is another option for Giovanni’s second round, leaning more toward Fighting and Water types (and other types as well). However, Garchomp may arrive instead, so it’s better to try out Dragon, Ice, and Fairy types. Groudon will be the last Pokémon to go against, who is weak against Water and Ice types. Swampert or Kyogre are good choices for this creature, but many others can be just as valuable.
