Team GO Rocket is just as nefarious as all the other manifestations of Team Rocket in the vast Pokemon franchise. At the very top of the sprawling criminal network is Giovanni, the big boss of Team GO Rocket. Suiting his position, Giovanni is one of the toughest Team GO Rocket trainers for players to beat in Pokemon GO, and it’s important to bring the right team.
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Giovanni’s First Pokemon
Like all the other Team GO Rocket bosses, Giovanni always leads with his signature Pokemon, the one that has been at his side throughout all the games, movies, and tv series’. Persian is a Normal-type Pokemon, and therefore is weak to Fighting, It also uses a blend of Normal, Dark, Rock, and Fairy moves, making it difficult to counter.
Players should make sure to exploit Persian’s weakness with a strong Fighting Pokemon, though Rock-type Pokemon can also be effective in a pinch. Machamp, Lucario, or Hariyama with the Counter move will all handle Persian easily, as will Tyranitar or Terrakion using Smack Down.
Giovanni’s Second Pokemon
Giovanni’s second Pokemon in February 2022 can be either Water-type Kingler, Poison/Ground-type Nidoking, or Ground/Rock-type Rhyperior. This uncertainty makes planning a good counter pick tricky, but there are some crossovers that players can exploit. Kingler is weak to Electric and Grass, Nidoking is weak to Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water, and Rhyperior is weak to Water and Grass.
There are two points of crossover between these weaknesses, with both Kingler and Rhyperior being weak to Grass, while Rhyperior and Nidoking are weak to Water. A strong Water-type like Empoleon with Waterfall and Hydro Cannon should easily be able to handle the latter two, while a Grass-type like Zarude with Vine Whip or Torterra with Razor Leaf can cover the other main weakness. Grass is the more logical choice to bring, as Kingler is resistant to Water while Nidoking is not resistant to Grass.
Giovanni’s Final Pokemon
Giovanni’s third and final Pokemon in February 2022 is Shadow Lugia, a corrupted version of the Legendary Psychic/Flying Pokemon. Shadow Lugia’s unusual type combination and Shadow nature make it a difficult Pokemon to counter, with an eclectic mix of weaknesses. The Diving Pokemon is weak to Rock, Ghost, Electric, Ice, and Dark, resistant to Fighting, Grass, and Psychic, and completely immune to Ground.
Players will need to bring an exceptional Pokemon in order to comfortably defeat Shadow Lugia, and the best picks include Zacian, Yveltal, and Melmetal, all of which are Legendary or Mythical. Zacian and Yveltal will be able to defeat Shadow Lugia quickly using their Dark and Electric attacks, with particular standouts being Wild Charge, Snarl, and Dark Pulse. Melmetal won’t take down Lugia as quickly, but stands a better chance of survival with its high resistances.
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