How To Beat Giovanni In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

In order to beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO in May 2024, you will need to prepare your strongest creatures in order to counter his lineup. Most of his selected creatures are fixed, which is very helpful when building a proper three-Pokémon party to fight him, but there is one random element in his selections that can significantly impede your progress. Depending on how you are taken by the encounter, you may even be forced to rechallenge him, adapting your team’s composition to adequately counter the unexpected wild element he incorporates. Giovanni is one of the toughest Trainers in the game.

This is fitting since he is the boss of Team GO Rocket, and stands above the trio of leaders, Clive, Arlo, and Sierra in Pokémon GO. While his fight brings a bit less random choices to lineups when compared to his subordinates, Giovanni does use strong creatures in battle, from his signature Persian to the temporarily fixed Legendary Pokémon in the final slot. This can put a lot of pressure on the fight against Giovanni, but knowing the best counters for his lineup in advance can give you the upper hand and a chance at defeating him in one try.

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Best Counters For Giovanni’s Lineup In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

Team GO Rocket Boss Uses A Shadow Groudon

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As was previously mentioned, the lineup used by Giovanni is mostly fixed, with his first pick always being the same. The second possible creature he uses can be one out of three different ones. Though they are not Legendary, they are still strong and can pose quite a threat to unprepared Trainers, especially when caught off guard. The final pick is always a Shadow Legendary. This creature rotates from time to time, but with the recent update in mid-April, it will be a while before Giovanni renews his lineup.

In fact, in May 2024, you can mostly use the same strategy they used to beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO in April 2024. The table below lists all of Giovanni’s Pokémon in May 2024, and counter suggestions to beat them:

Giovanni's Shadow Pokémon & Types (May 2024) Weaknesses Best Counters 1 - Persian (Normal-type) Fighting-type Machamp / Shadow Machamp

Lucario

Terrakion

Poliwrath

Blaziken / Shadow Blaziken / Mega Blaziken

Hariyama / Shadow Hariyama 2A - Nidoking (Poison- and Ground-type) Ground-, Water-, Psychic-, and Ice-type Gyarados

Kyogre

Swampert / Mega Swampert

Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine

Weavile / Shadow Weavile

Galarian Darmanitan 2B - Rhyperior (Ground- and Rock-type) Water-, Grass-, Ice-, Fighting-, Ground-, and Steel-type Torterra

Gyarados

Kyogre

Swampert / Mega Swampert 2C - Garchomp (Dragon- and Ground-type) Ice-, Dragon-, and Fairy -type Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine

Weavile / Shadow Weavile

Galarian Darmanitan

Togekiss

Sylveon

Gardevoir / Shadow Gardevoir/ Mega Gardevoir 3 - Groudon (Ground-type) Water-, Grass-, and Ice-type Torterra

Gyarados

Kyogre

Swampert / Mega Swampert

The first Pokémon used by Giovanni, regardless of how much his lineup changes, is always a Persian. This is his signature Pokémon from the core games and the anime series, and that choice is reflected in the mobile game as well. Giovanni’s Shadow Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon, meaning it is weak against Fighting-type moves. To beat it, you need only use a strong Fighting-type creature, like a Machamp, a Hariyama, or a Lucario, for instance. Shadow versions of these creatures can also be effective, as they deal increased damage to those they attack, including Giovanni’s Shadow Persian.

It is worth remembering that, while they do deal increased damage, Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon GO are also subject to more damage intake, which can be risky.

Giovanni’s second pick can be one of three possible choices, and it is impossible to determine beforehand exactly which creature he will use until you start the battle. As such, the best strategy to deal with Giovanni’s second Pokémon in May 2024 is to prepare a counter that can fight as many creatures as possible. With the change from a Kingdra to a Nidoking, it is easier to cover more ground. With a Water-type Pokémon, you can ensure a counter against two of his possible picks – and, if they survive, they can even aid when facing his third pick.

Of course, a Water-type Pokémon would be a good counter for Nidoking and Rhyperior, but it would not be as effective against Garchomp, if that is the creature he is using in the battle. If it is, it would be best to restart the battle, heal up your damaged and knocked-out creatures, and exchange your sturdy Water-type Pokémon for an Ice-type, as that would hit with four times the efficiency against Garchomp. Getting flustered with his second pick is often what leads to defeat when facing Giovanni in Pokémon GO in May 2024, though you need only to adapt accordingly.

The third and final pick, at least during May 2024, is fixed on a Shadow Groudon. This Legendary creature from Generation 3 games came into his lineup with an update in late March and will remain in rotation for some while, as his Shadow Legendaries often take some time to exit. Before that, he was using a Shadow Kyogre, but now you need to face the behemoth-inspired monster. As a Ground-type, Groudon is weak against Water-, Grass-, and Ice-type moves, making picks for counters against Giovanni in Pokémon GO a whole lot easier.

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This is especially true when you can overlap counters from previous phases into this one. For instance, a Water- or Ice-type creature you used to counter Giovanni’s second pick can easily be used to help deplete Shadow Groudon’s HP bar, even before your third creature enters the battlefield. This can optimize your chances of winning in a drastic manner.

Tips To Beat Giovanni In Pokémon GO (May 2024)

Shield Management & Quick Charged Attacks Are Key

In addition to picking proper counters, there are a few tips that you can employ when facing Giovanni. The first is using creatures that can quickly deploy Charged Attacks against the Team GO Rocket boss’ creatures. This opponent will use his shields, so you need to get those out of the way as swiftly as possible. Using proper counters that have quicker Charged Attacks can take down all of Giovanni’s shields in Pokémon GO before his second pick enters the field, so this can substantially aid you for the rest of the battle.

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The other thing to take note of is that it may not be worth using a shield, at times. If you know the attack will not knock your Pokémon out or that your creature only has a small portion of HP left with no Charged Attack to use, it may be best to let Giovanni’s attack land. Shield management is extremely important, especially in a tough fight like this. Nevertheless, with the right counters and a good flow to your strategy, you should be able to beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO during May 2024 and get a chance to catch a Shadow Groudon.