Giovanni Team Lineup in Pokémon GO: Beating Guide
by Ryan Carter Updated on 2025-09-22 / Update for Fake GPS
If you’ve been playing Pokémon GO for a while, you already know that Giovanni is the toughest leader of Team GO Rocket. Many trainers look for ways to beat Giovanni Pokémon GO, but it’s not always easy. His lineup changes often, and each battle requires different strategies and counters. Without the right preparation, his powerful Pokémon can quickly overwhelm your team. In this guide, we’ll walk you through Giovanni’s current lineup, his possible weaknesses, and the best Pokémon you can use to gain the upper hand. With the right tips, you’ll finally be ready to take down the boss. Let’s dive into the guide of how to beat Giovanni Pokémon GO.
- Who Is Giovanni in Pokémon GO?
- Giovanni Pokémon GO Team Lineup (Current Month)
- How to Find Giovanni in Pokémon GO
- How to Use iAnyGo for Pokémon GO
Who Is Giovanni in Pokémon GO?
In the world of Giovanni Pokémon GO, he is known as the ultimate boss of Team GO Rocket. While regular grunts and leaders like Cliff, Sierra, and Arlo can give you a hard time, Giovanni is on a whole different level. He usually appears as the final challenge in Team GO Rocket Special Research tasks, making him one of the toughest opponents you’ll face.
To encounter Giovanni, you need to complete a set of Team GO Rocket Special Research. This often involves defeating grunts, leaders, and collecting a Super Rocket Radar. Once you have it, you can track him down and prepare for the big battle.
Giovanni Pokémon GO Team Lineup (Current Month)
One of the tricky parts about facing Giovanni is that his team isn’t always the same. The Giovanni Pokémon lineup changes from month to month, which keeps battles fresh but also more challenging. If you want the upper hand, it’s important to know what you’ll be up against before starting the fight.
For August 2025, the Giovanni team Pokémon GO lineup looks like this:
| Battle Slot | Pokémon (Shadow) | Notes & Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|
| First (Fixed) | Persian | Always the opener — Normal-type; very weak to Fighting-type moves |
| Second (Random) | Rhyperior, Nidoking, Kangaskhan |
Rhyperior (Ground/Rock) → weak to Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel, Ice Nidoking (Poison/Ground) → weak to Water, Ice, Psychic, Ground Kangaskhan (Normal) → weak to Fighting |
| Third (Fixed Legendary Reward) | Altered Shadow Giratina | Dragon/Ghost-type; vulnerable to Ice, Fairy, Ghost, Dark, and Dragon-type moves |
Best Counters for Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Giovanni hits hard and shields your first two Charged Attacks, so you’ll need fast-charging moves and type advantage. The Giovanni Pokémon GO counters below focus on reliable, widely available picks confirmed for the August 2025 lineup (Persian → one of Rhyperior/Nidoking/Kangaskhan → Altered Shadow Giratina).
How to beat Shadow Persian for Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Persian (Normal) folds to strong Fighting types. Aim to burn shields quickly using low-cost Charged Moves.
| Counter | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucario / Mega Lucario | |
Counter | Power-Up Punch / Aura Sphere |
| Machamp (Shadow/regular) | |
Counter | Cross Chop / Dynamic Punch |
| Terrakion | |
Double Kick | Sacred Sword |
| Conkeldurr | |
Counter | Dynamic Punch |
| Hariyama (Shadow) | |
Counter | Close Combat / Superpower |
Tips: Open with a Fighter to remove shields fast (e.g., Power-Up Punch Machamp/Lucario). If Persian has Feint Attack, Fighters still win; if it has Scratch, consider a bulkier Fighter or swap after shields are down.
How to beat Altered Shadow Giratina for Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Altered Shadow Giratina (Dragon/Ghost) is weak to Ice, Fairy, Ghost, Dark, and Dragon. Avoid bringing Psychic- or Fighting-weak counters into Shadow Claw spam.
| Counter Pokémon | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Rayquaza / Dragonite | |
Dragon Tail | Outrage |
| Mega Gengar / Chandelure | |
Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball |
| Hydreigon | |
Bite / Dragon Breath | Brutal Swing |
| Darkrai | |
Snarl | Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball |
| Mamoswine | |
Powder Snow | Avalanche |
| Weavile | |
Snarl / Ice Shard | Foul Play / Avalanche |
| Baxcalibur | |
Ice Fang | Avalanche |
| Haxorus | |
Dragon Tail | Dragon Claw |
Tips: If you still have shields, Dragons (Rayquaza/Dragonite/Haxorus) melt Giratina. Without shields, prefer Dark/Ghost or Ice to avoid losing mirror-match HP races. Time a Charged Move right after Giratina throws to sneak in extra fast moves.
Counters for Giovanni’s Second Pokémon (August 2025)
Giovanni can send Rhyperior, Nidoking, or Kangaskhan in slot two. Prep one slot on your team to cover all three.
Rhyperior (Ground/Rock) — weak to Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Steel, Ice
| Counter Pokémon | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Swampert / Swampert | |
Mud Shot / Water Gun | Hydro Cannon / Hydro Pump |
| Kyogre | |
Waterfall | Surf / Origin Pulse |
| Zarude / Kartana | |
Vine Whip / Razor Leaf | Power Whip / Leaf Blade |
| Garchomp | |
Mud Shot | Earth Power |
| Mamoswine | |
Powder Snow | Avalanche / High Horsepower |
Nidoking (Poison/Ground) — weak to Water, Ice, Psychic, Ground
| Counter Pokémon | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mewtwo | |
Psycho Cut | Psystrike |
| Swampert / Kyogre | |
Mud Shot / Waterfall | Hydro Cannon / Surf |
| Garchomp / Excadrill | |
Mud Shot | Earth Power / Drill Run |
| Mamoswine / Weavile | |
Powder Snow / Ice Shard | Avalanche |
Kangaskhan (Normal) — weak to Fighting
| Counter Pokémon | Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucario / Mega Lucario | |
Counter | Aura Sphere / Power-Up Punch |
| Terrakion | |
Double Kick | Sacred Sword |
| Machamp / Conkeldurr | |
Counter | Dynamic Punch / Cross Chop |
Tips for slot two: A Water like Swampert or Kyogre handles Rhyperior and Nidoking; pack a Fighting (Lucario/Machamp/Terrakion) to delete Kangaskhan. If you can only choose one flexible anchor, Mega Swampert covers two options and still chips Persian before swapping.
How to Find Giovanni in Pokémon GO
Many players wonder how to find Giovanni Pokémon GO, since he doesn’t just appear anywhere on the map. After completing Team GO Rocket Special Research and activating a Super Rocket Radar, Giovanni will begin spawning at select PokéStops marked with the Rocket Boss icon, or sometimes in special Rocket Balloons. However, it can still take time to track him down, as some encounters are decoys.
To make the search for Giovanni easier, many trainers turn toiAnyGo, a location changer tool from Tenorshare. With iAnyGo, you can explore different parts of the map in Pokémon GO without leaving your home, making it much simpler to track down Team GO Rocket bosses. Instead of walking for hours hoping Giovanni appears, you can teleport to different PokéStops, check for Rocket activity, and save valuable time. This makes iAnyGo especially handy if Giovanni isn’t nearby, as you can still complete your Super Rocket Radar tasks and face him without the usual waiting or traveling.
Features of iAnyGo Pokémon GO Spoofer
- Safe Play (No Cracked Mode): Use iAnyGo without putting your Pokémon GO account at risk.
- Cooldown Timer: Helps you wait the right amount of time between moves so the game doesn’t detect unusual activity.
- Auto Scan: Quickly find nearby PokéStops, Gyms, and even Giovanni’s location.
- Custom Speed Control: Choose how fast you want to move in the game—walk, run, or even cycle.
- GPX Route Import: Create and follow your own custom travel routes for smarter gameplay.
- Bluetooth Support: Connect your phone via Bluetooth and control your movement easily.
How to Use iAnyGo for Pokémon GO
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you:
Note: Keep in mind that this feature works only on the latest version of iAnyGo, and it is currently limited to Taiwan.
- Step 1. Get iAnyGo on Your Computer
- Step 2. Pick a Spot on the Map
- Step 3. Scan Area and Plan a Route
- Step 4. Activate Location Change
First, download the latest iAnyGo setup file and complete the installation. Once it’s installed, open the program to begin.
Tap the first icon at the bottom left of the screen. Now choose the location on the map where you’d like to search for Team GO Rocket. The software will show leaders nearby, how far they are, and when they disappear. Press “Go” to instantly jump to that point.
The tool will automatically search a 5km radius to detect any Rocket leaders. You can also tap the route icon to create a multi-stop path, which makes the search more effective and covers more ground.
Hit “Start to Modify” and iAnyGo will either teleport you straight to the new place or follow the route you set. If you see “No data nearby,” wait a moment and try again until results appear. For the best accuracy, switch your virtual location to Taiwan since it has wider coverage.
If you see “No data nearby,” wait a bit for the system to load. Tap a few times and the data should show up. You can also set your location to Taiwan for better coverage.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to beat Giovanni in Pokémon GO comes down to understanding his monthly lineup, preparing the right counters, and playing smart with shields. Giovanni is one of the toughest bosses in the game, but with the strategies above, you’ll have the edge you need. If finding him feels like the hardest part, tools like iAnyGo make the process much easier by letting you change your GPS location safely. With the right counters and smart planning, you can defeat Giovanni, catch his Shadow Legendary, and enjoy one of the most rewarding challenges Pokémon GO has to offer.
