Giovanni’s team got a shake-up in Pokémon Go with the late-summer 2025 Psychic Spectacular: Taken Over event.
As it stands in January 2025, following an update rolled out on Sept. 16, 2025, Giovanni’s roster now has a few branches — and it all wraps with Shadow Tornadus as the current legendary target.
If you’re eyeing Shadow Tornadus, try to snag it sooner rather than later. Team Go Rocket lineups rotate every so often, and the Shadow legendary at the end usually changes with them.
He’s still a tough fight, so below you’ll find his current team line-up, smart counters, and a quick plan for how to beat Giovanni in Pokémon Go.
How to find Giovanni in Pokémon Go
The Team Go Rocket boss usually appears through Team Go Rocket Special Research. These research lines pop up every few months and culminate with a Shadow legendary encounter.
From mid-September 2025, the active quest is “Psychic Spectacular: Taken Over.”
Work through the steps and, after you defeat all three Rocket leaders, you’ll receive a Super Rocket Radar. With it equipped, Giovanni can show up in Team Go Rocket balloons or at invaded PokéStops. Expect decoy grunts along the way — keep checking and the real boss will turn up.
Once you’ve located him, you can rematch as many times as you need (as long as you stay within range of the PokéStop), which helps a lot given how hard Giovanni hits.
Pokémon Go Giovanni team line-up
Giovanni can use the following team:
- Persian (normal)
- Kangaskhan (normal), Rhyperior (ground/rock), or Nidoking (poison/ground)
- Tornadus (flying)
Broadly speaking, packing a fighting-type, a grass-type, and a ground-type will cover most of Giovanni’s branches this time. For Tornadus specifically, ice-, electric-, or rock-type damage is what you want. Not too shabby!
Pokémon Go Giovanni counters
Because Giovanni has fewer potential picks than the Rocket leaders, he’s a bit easier to game-plan for — though his CP is higher, so bring your strongest Pokémon and be ready to swap counters on the fly.
Opening Pokémon (Persian) counters
Against Persian, use a strong fighting-type to shred its health and burn through shields quickly:
- Terrakion with Double Kick and Sacred Sword
- Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch
- Lucario with Counter and Aura Sphere
- Conkeldurr with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Second possible Pokémon counters
If Giovanni sends out Kangaskhan, stay with fighting-types such as:
- Terrakion with Double Kick and Sacred Sword
- Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch
- Lucario with Counter and Aura Sphere
- Conkeldurr with Counter and Dynamic Punch
(Yes, the same picks as Persian. Consider bringing two fighters in case Persian knocks one out early.)
If he uses Rhyperior, lean on grass-types:
- Decidueye with Leafage and Frenzy Plant
- Venusaur with Vine Whip and Frenzy Plant
If he uses Nidoking, go with water-, grass-, or ground-types:
- Kyogre with Waterfall and Hydro Pump
- Primarina with Waterfall and Hydro Cannon
- Kartana with Razor Leaf and Leaf Blade
- Rillaboom with Razor Leaf and Grass Knot
- Groudon with Mud Shot and Precipice Blades
- Garchomp with Mud Shot and Earth Power
Closing Pokémon (Tornadus) counters
For Shadow Tornadus, prioritize ice or electric damage:
- Mamoswine with Powder Snow and Avalanche
- Galarian Darmanitan with Ice Fang and Avalanche
- Zekrom with Charge Beam and Fusion Bolt
- Electivire with Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
How to beat Giovanni in Pokémon Go
Just like the Rocket leaders, Giovanni will shield the first two charged attacks. Open with a fighting-type that can chip Persian while spamming charged moves to break both shields fast, then pivot into your specific counters for slot two and Tornadus.
After the win, you’ll get an encounter with the current Shadow legendary — and it’s a guaranteed catch. Toss a Pinap Berry to scoop extra candy.
Beating Giovanni also pays out Shadow Shards toward Purified Gems. Each victory gives four Shards, which is exactly one Gem.
Correction (Sept. 16): The wrong typing was listed for Kangaskhan in a previous version of this guide. This has been fixed.