Giovanni, the notorious boss of Team GO Rocket, returns to Pokémon GO for July 2025, bringing with him a formidable challenge and a new Shadow Legendary Pokémon to rescue. This guide will show you how to beat Giovanni, covering his current team lineup, optimal counters, essential battle tactics, and even tips on how a tool like LocaRun can help you track him down. Get ready to claim your victory!
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Who is Giovanni in Pokémon GO?
Giovanni stands as the undisputed leader of Team GO Rocket. He’s the ultimate boss of Pokémon GO’s villainous team battles and the mastermind behind the entire Shadow Organization. He commands incredibly powerful Shadow Pokémon, including rare Shadow Legendaries that many trainers seek. Defeating him is one of the game’s toughest challenges, but the rewards are well worth the effort, as victory grants you a chance to catch his current Shadow Legendary.
Finding Giovanni
Before you can strategize against Giovanni, you first need to track him down. This involves some preparatory work in Pokémon GO. He typically appears as the final boss in specific Team GO Rocket Special Research missions provided by Professor Willow. These tasks guide you through defeating Grunts and Lieutenants (Arlo, Cliff, Sierra) until you earn a Super Rocket Radar; just make sure to equip it.
With the radar active, Giovanni will appear at certain Rocket-controlled PokéStops or in Team GO Rocket Balloons. However, a word of caution: many of these will be decoys – just regular Grunts disguised as him. You’ll need to tap on and check a few marked locations or balloons until you finally stumble upon the real boss!
Tip: Giovanni can also appear in Team GO Rocket Balloons while your Super Rocket Radar is active. This often proves to be the easiest and quickest way to find him, so check your game every six hours when these balloons typically spawn.
How to Beat Giovanni (July 2025)
Defeating Giovanni in Pokémon GO goes beyond just having your strongest Pokémon. It truly hinges on strategic planning, the right team composition, and a precise understanding of his current lineup. Below, you’ll find his confirmed team for July 2025, along with the very best Pokémon counters to help you dispatch him efficiently.
Giovanni’s Current Team Lineup
Giovanni consistently opens his battles with Persian. This is then followed by one of three potential Pokémon for his second slot. He always finishes with a powerful Shadow Legendary. For July 2025, Giovanni’s team lineup is as follows:
| Phase | Pokémon | Type |
|---|---|---|
| First | Shadow Persian | Normal |
| Second (Randomly chosen from these three) | ||
| Shadow Kangaskhan | Normal | |
| Shadow Nidoking | Poison/Ground | |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Ground/Rock | |
| Third | Shadow Legendary | (Varies monthly) |
Best Counters to Beat Giovanni
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the best Pokémon counters tailored for each phase of Giovanni’s battle in July 2025.
Phase 1: Taking on Shadow Persian
Shadow Persian is a pure Normal-type and is exclusively weak to Fighting-type attacks. Your primary goal here isn’t just to knock it out immediately. Instead, you need to quickly force Giovanni to burn both of his Protect Shields.
To do this, lead with a Fighting-type Pokémon that boasts a very fast-charging Charged Attack.
Top Picks for Persian:
- Lucario: Counter (Fast) + Power-Up Punch or Aura Sphere (Charged). Power-Up Punch charges incredibly quickly, making it perfect for shield baiting.
- Machamp: Counter (Fast) + Cross Chop or Dynamic Punch (Charged).
- Conkeldurr: Counter (Fast) + Dynamic Punch (Charged).
- Terrakion: Double Kick (Fast) + Sacred Sword (Charged).
Tip: Use a fast-charging move like Power-Up Punch or Cross Chop to trigger Giovanni’s shields early in the fight.
Phase 2: Countering Giovanni’s Mid-Battle Choice
This stage demands adaptability, as Giovanni will randomly select one of three potent Pokémon for his second slot. Always be ready to adjust!
Random 1: Shadow Kangaskhan (Normal-type) Just like Persian, Kangaskhan’s only vulnerability is Fighting-type moves. If your lead Pokémon is still in good shape, it might even be able to continue the fight effectively here.
Best Counters for Kangaskhan:
- Lucario: Counter (Fast) + Aura Sphere (Charged)
- Machamp: Counter (Fast) + Dynamic Punch (Charged)
- Conkeldurr: Counter (Fast) + Dynamic Punch (Charged)
Random 2: Shadow Nidoking (Poison/Ground-type) Nidoking is vulnerable to Water, Ice, Ground, and Psychic-type moves.
Best Counters for Nidoking:
- Primal Kyogre: Waterfall (Fast) + Origin Pulse (Charged)
- Primal Groudon: Mud Shot (Fast) + Precipice Blades (Charged)
- Garchomp: Mud Shot (Fast) + Earth Power (Charged)
- Mewtwo: Psycho Cut (Fast) + Psystrike (Charged)
- Swampert: Water Gun (Fast) + Hydro Cannon (Charged)
Random 3: Shadow Rhyperior (Ground/Rock-type) The fearsome Rhyperior has a wide range of weaknesses: Water, Grass, Fighting, Ice, and Steel-type moves. Among these, Water and Grass attackers often provide the most consistent and powerful damage.
Best Counters for Rhyperior:
- Primal Kyogre: Waterfall (Fast) + Origin Pulse (Charged)
- Swampert: Mud Shot (Fast) + Hydro Cannon (Charged)
- Mega Sceptile: Bullet Seed (Fast) + Frenzy Plant (Charged)
- Venusaur: Vine Whip (Fast) + Frenzy Plant (Charged)
- Zarude: Vine Whip (Fast) + Power Whip (Charged)
Phase 3: Confronting the Shadow Legendary
The final showdown will be against a formidable Shadow Legendary Pokémon. Its specific type will directly determine your optimal counter strategy. As the exact July Legendary isn’t yet announced, it’s smart to have a diverse roster of strong Pokémon ready across different types. Once the Legendary is revealed, focus on bringing in Pokémon that specifically exploit its weaknesses. For example, if it’s a Water-type, prioritize your best Grass or Electric attackers; if it’s Dragon/Steel, your top Fighting or Ground types will be crucial.
Tip: Shadow Legendaries can deal massive damage, even to resistant Pokémon. Always try to keep at least one shield for this final encounter to block a powerful Charged Move.
Outsmarting Giovanni: Key Battle Strategies
Having the right Pokémon is a huge step, but truly mastering the battle’s nuances can ultimately secure your win against Giovanni. These strategic tips will significantly boost your chances of victory.
LocaRun: Your Tool for Location Flexibility
Sometimes, tracking Giovanni down can feel like a chore, especially if you’re in an area with fewer PokéStops or if Rocket Balloons aren’t appearing frequently. This is precisely where a Pokémon GO Spoofer tool like LocaRun can offer a significant advantage.
LocaRun is a GPS spoofing tool designed to change your device’s GPS location virtually. For Pokémon GO trainers, this translates into a unique ability to find elusive encounters more easily, offering several key benefits:
- Effortless Giovanni Hunts: Instead of physically traveling to various PokéStops or patiently waiting hours for Rocket Balloons to appear, LocaRun lets you instantly “teleport” your in-game character.
- Wider Access: You can virtually check multiple Rocket-infested PokéStops across different cities or access Giovanni balloon spawns from various time zones, all without leaving your physical location.
- Convenience and Time-Saving: This significantly streamlines the hunt, allowing you to focus on the battle itself. It’s especially beneficial for players with limited mobility, busy schedules, or those in rural areas.
Burn Giovanni’s Shields Quickly
Giovanni consistently uses two Protect Shields, and he’ll deploy them on your first two Charged Attacks without fail, regardless of which Pokémon you’re using. So, always start with a Pokémon that can quickly charge up and unleash a Charged Attack. For instance, Lucario with Power-Up Punch or Machamp with Cross Chop are excellent choices to efficiently force out those shields early, leaving their subsequent Pokémon vulnerable.
Switch Strategically
Giovanni often delays his own Pokémon switch. This gives you a critical tactical edge: after you see his second Pokémon appear, you can manually swap to its ideal counter without any penalty. For example, if Giovanni sends out Rhyperior, immediately switch to your best Water or Grass-type counter like Kyogre or Swampert to gain the upper hand before it can build significant energy.
Save a Shield for the Final Phase
The Shadow Legendary Pokémon Giovanni uses as his final combatant can unleash incredibly powerful Charged Moves that can swiftly take down even well-prepared teams. It’s a very smart move to hold onto at least one of your own Protect Shields specifically for this final encounter. Blocking one of its powerful moves can be the decisive factor in your victory.
Power Up Your Team
Even with perfect counters, under-leveled Pokémon will struggle immensely. Make sure your chosen attackers are powered up as much as possible – ideally to Level 40 or even higher if you can. Also, double-check that they have the optimal movesets; sometimes, this means using an Elite TM for those crucial Legacy Moves.
Don’t Fear the Rematch
If your first attempt against Giovanni doesn’t go as planned, don’t worry about it! Your Super Rocket Radar isn’t consumed unless you actually win the battle. Use that initial fight as a valuable scouting mission: confirm his exact second Pokémon if you were unsure, then adjust your team composition and try again. Perseverance truly pays off!
Consider Using Shadows or Megas
For more advanced trainers, strategically utilizing powered-up Shadow Pokémon with high DPS (Damage Per Second) can be very effective. Similarly, unleashing Mega Evolutions like Mega Gardevoir or Mega Swampert can provide significant extra power and crucial type advantages, potentially turning a tough fight into a dominant one.
FAQs About Battling Giovanni
Conclusion
Defeating Giovanni in Pokémon GO is a thrilling and rewarding challenge that truly demands both astute strategy and careful team preparation. With this updated guide for July 2025, and with LocaRun by your side to help you track him down effortlessly, you’re now well-equipped to face him head-on, claim that powerful monthly Shadow Legendary, and firmly remind Team GO Rocket who’s truly in charge. Good luck, trainer – your next victory awaits!
Take your Pokémon GO skills to the next level with these guides:
- How to Change Teams in Pokemon GO (2025)
- How to Get a Metal Coat in Pokemon Go: Your Guide to Rare Evolutions
- 5 Best Pokemon GO Raid Finders in 2025: Your Guide to Global Raids
- 10 Best Pokemon GO Spoofers for iOS and Android in 2025
Hi, I’m Danny, a cybersecurity expert with 15+ years in digital privacy. I lead Locarun’s technical content on geolocation security solutions. My industry background helps me translate complex privacy technologies into practical strategies for protecting your online identity. I’m dedicated to empowering users with effective tools to control their digital footprint through our GPS location changer.
