Pokémon Go Giovanni Counters (April 2023)

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As of March 2023, Giovanni has returned to Pokémon GO, equipped with Shadow Regice and a few other Shadow Pokémon, including Nidoking, Kingler, and Kingdra. If you’re looking to defeat Giovanni, you’ll need to know his current Pokémon lineup and which counters work best against them.

Discover how to locate and take down Giovanni, and which Pokémon are the most effective counters against his lineup. Giovanni is the chief of Team GO Rocket in Pokémon GO and supervises the operations of Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra, the organization’s leaders.

Read more: Where to buy Pokémon Crown Zenith Elite Trainer Box US & UK

What are the Giovanni counters in Pokemon Go?

Giovanni’s Shadow Pokémon Line-Up

• First Pokémon: Shadow Persian
• Second Pokémon: Shadow Nidoking, Shadow Kingler, or Shadow Kingdra
• Third Pokémon: Shadow Regice

To beat Giovanni, you need to exploit his Pokémon’s weaknesses and use counters that deal super-effective damage. One of the best teams you can use against him is Machamp, Primarina, and Tyranitar.

Best Pokemon Go Giovanni Counters

• Persian: Weakness – Fighting.
  • Best Counters – Machamp, Conkeldurr, Keldeo.
  • Moveset: Charge Move – Cross Chop, Fast Move – Counter.
• Nidoking: Weakness – Ground, Water, Psychic, Ice.
  • Best Counters – Rhyperior, Swampert, Espeon.
  • Moveset: Charge Move – Earthquake, Fast Move – Mud-Slap.
• Cloyster: Weakness – Fighting, Rock, Grass, Electric.
  • Best Counters – Machamp, Tyranitar, Lucario.
  • Moveset: Charge Move – Cross Chop, Fast Move – Counter.
• Regice: Weakness – Fighting, Rock, Fire, Steel.
  • Best Counters – Aggron, Terrakion, Charizard.
  • Moveset: Charge Move – Meteor Beam, Fast Move – Iron Tail.

Machamp is a strong Fighting-type Pokémon that can deal super-effective damage against Persian and Regice. Tyranitar, on the other hand, is a great Rock and Dark-type Pokémon that can counter Persian and deal significant damage to Nidoking and Regice.

Finally, Primarina, a powerful Fairy and Water-type hybrid, is an excellent choice against Nidoking and Kingdra, with some use against Persian and Kingler.

Best Pokémon to defeat Giovanni’s Persian

To defeat Giovanni’s Persian, it’s best to start with a strong Fighting-type Pokémon that can burn through Giovanni’s shields efficiently. Persian is a Normal-type Pokémon weak to Fighting-type moves and resistant to Ghost-type moves.

Some excellent choices for countering Persian include Breloom with Dynamic Punch, Galarian Zapdos with Ancient Power, and Scrafty with Counter and Power-Up Punch.

Giovanni’s Nidoking counters

To defeat Giovanni’s Nidoking, you’ll need strong Ground-type Pokémon like Groudon, Excadrill, or Garchomp. These Pokémon can resist Nidoking’s Poison-type attacks and deal super-effective damage.

• Rhyperior
  • Mud Slap
  • Rock Wrecker
  • Surf
• Kyogre
  • Waterfall
  • Surf
  • Blizzard
• Swampert
  • Mud Shot
  • Hydro Cannon
  • Earthquake
• Mamoswine
  • Powder Snow
  • Avalanche
  • Ancient Power

Giovanni’s Kingler counters

For Kingler, you’ll need Grass or Electric-type Pokémon like Roserade or Electivire, respectively. It takes reduced damage from Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water type moves.

• Kartana
  • Razor Leaf
  • Leaf Blade
  • Night Slash
• Raikou
  • Volt Switch
  • Wild Charge
  • Shadow Ball
• Torterra
  • Razor Leaf
  • Frenzy Plant
  • Stone Edge
• Ampharos
  • Volt Switch
  • Brutal Swing
  • Thunder Punch
• Sceptile
  • Bullet Seed
  • Leaf Blade
  • Dragon Claw

Giovanni’s Kingdra counters

Kingdra, on the other hand, is weak to Fairy and Dragon-type moves, so using Pokémon like Togekiss or Dialga can be incredibly effective.

• Dragonite
  • Dragon Tail
  • Dragon Claw
  • Superpower
• Togekiss
  • Charm
  • Ancient Power
  • Flamethrower
• Primarina
  • Charm
  • Moonblast
  • Hydro Pump
• Gardevoir
  • Charm
  • Synchronoise
  • Shadow Ball
• Clefable
  • Charm
  • Moonblast
  • Meteor Mash

Giovanni’s Regice counters

To wrap up the Giovanni encounter, target Regice with super effective moves since it has multiple weaknesses.

Regice is an Ice-type Pokémon, making it susceptible to Fighting, Fire, Rock, and Steel type moves. However, be aware that Regice takes less damage from Ice-type moves.

• Terrakion
  • Double Kick
  • Sacred Sword
  • Rock Slide
• Tyranitar
  • Smack Down
  • Crunch
  • Stone Edge
• Blaziken
  • Counter
  • Blaze Kick
  • Blast Burn
• Lucario
  • Counter
  • Power-Up Punch
  • Shadow Ball
• Machamp
  • Counter
  • Cross Chop
  • Rock Slide
• Entei
  • Fire Spin
  • Flame Charge
  • Iron Head

In summary, to defeat Giovanni in March 2023, you need to choose your team wisely, exploit his Pokémon’s weaknesses, and use the best counters available to you. By following these tips, you can take down the Team GO Rocket Boss and save the day in Pokémon GO.

How to find Giovanni in Pokémon Go

1. Complete the currently active Team GO Rocket Special Research, which may have a different name depending on when you’re playing. The current quest for finding Giovanni is called Ultra Beast Protection Efforts.
2. After completing the fourth step of the Rocket Special Research, you’ll obtain a Super Rocket Radar.
3. The Super Rocket Radar functions like a regular Rocket Radar, except it tracks Giovanni instead of GO Rocket leaders.
4. The radar displays the locations of both decoy Grunts who look like Giovanni and Giovanni’s actual Hideout.
5. You’ll need to visit each PokéStop and investigate to find out where Giovanni is hiding.
6. If you lose, you can have a rematch, but if you win, your Super Rocket Radar will be consumed.

Defeating Giovanni rewards in Pokémon Go

Once you defeat Giovanni in Pokémon GO, you’ll be rewarded with the following:

• A selection of rare reward bundles that may include a Legendary Shadow Pokémon.
• 5,000 Stardust.
• Three item bundles that contain Max Potions or Max Revives (when available).
• The opportunity to catch the Legendary Shadow Pokémon that Giovanni used in battle.
• Note that Giovanni does not drop Strange Eggs as a reward, regardless of how many egg inventory slots you have.

The reward bundles for defeating Team GO Rocket Boss Giovanni include:

• Guaranteed: 5,000 Stardust.
• A random drop of three of the following items (which can stack):
  • 4x Revive
  • 4x Max Revive
  • 4x Hyper Potion
  • 4x Max Potion
  • 1x Unova Stone

Each of the three item bundles has an equal chance of containing either 4 Max Potions or 4 Max Revives. For example, a typical reward drop might include 8 Max Potions and 4 Max Revives.