How to find and defeat Giovanni in Pokemon Go

No hero journey is complete without a villain and Pokémon Go features one of the most iconic villains in the entire franchise. Here is everything you need to know about how to find and defeat Giovanni in Pokemon Go.

Originally from Kanto, Giovanni made his first appearance in Pokémon Red and Blue as the Viridian City Gym Leader, specializing in Ground type Pokémon. Giovanni is the former head of Team Rocket and the current boss of Team Go Rocket. Wherever he goes, Giovanni takes his loyal Persian with him and Pokemon Go is no exception.

How do I find Giovanni in Pokémon Go?

Giovanni shows up once a month in Pokémon Go. To find him, trainers need a Super Rocket Radar. This item is earned after defeating Team Go Rocket Leaders Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra. The item works like a regular Rocket Radar, showing the possible location of Giovanni. Some of the locations are grunts disguised as decoys and the actual hideout.

Players get only one opportunity to face Giovanni per month but the rewards make the effort worth it.

Defeating Giovanni grants 5,000 Stardust, Mega Potions, and, best of all, players get the opportunity to catch Latios, a legendary Pokémon.

How to beat Giovanni in Pokémon Go

Giovanni has a strong team:

• Pokemon #1: Persian
• Pokemon #2: Nidoking, Machamp, or Rhyperion
• Pokemong #3: Latios

Like any encounter with a Team Go Rocket leader, facing Giovanni requires strategy.

Persian is the first Pokemon to go out. The best counter are Fighting Pokémon like Machamp, Hariyama, and Lucario.

For the remaining Pokemon, a combination of Water, Fairy, and Psychic Pokémon is a good alternative. A Psychic Fairy type like Gardevoir is useful in multiple scenarios. Kyogre, Gyarados, and Swampert are Water type that can perform against Rhyperion or Nidoking.

Team Go Rocket Leaders do not wait until a Pokémon has lost all of its HP points before replacing it. Being ready for multiple scenarios is key to taking down Giovanni.