Pokemon GO Giovanni Guide - Counters, Lineup, and Rewards for September 2026

Giovanni remains the toughest boss to crack in Pokemon GO, and this September he brings a lineup built around raw power and tricky shields. We have battled him more times than we can count, and this guide breaks down exactly what works right now. Let's follow LDShop as we walk through his current team, the best counters, and how to actually find him on the map.

Who Is Giovanni and Why He Matters

Giovanni leads Team GO Rocket, and he only shows up after you clear the three lieutenants first. You need to defeat Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra to earn a Super Rocket Radar. That radar is the only tool that lets you track him down. Without it, you will just keep running into regular Grunts and decoy balloons.

Beating Giovanni also rewards a guaranteed Shadow Pokemon encounter, which is a big draw for most trainers. This month, that reward is Shadow Reshiram, and it can appear shiny. Progress through your monthly Pokemon GO Pass often lines up with this special research too, so keep an eye on both at the same time.

 

Giovanni's Current Lineup

Giovanni's team follows a three phase structure, and the first and last slots never change. Only the middle Pokemon rotates.

Phase	Pokemon	Type
Phase 1	Shadow Persian	Normal
Phase 2	Shadow Rhyperior, Shadow Machamp, or Shadow Kangaskhan	Varies
Phase 3	Shadow Reshiram	Dragon and Fire

Shadow Persian always leads, and it only carries one real weakness worth exploiting. Phase two is where things get unpredictable, since Giovanni picks randomly between three very different Pokemon. Phase three is always Shadow Reshiram, and this is the one players are actually chasing right now.

 

Best Counters for Each Phase

Beating Shadow Persian

Persian is a pure Normal type, so it only has one weakness. Fighting type moves hit it hard, and nothing else really touches it well. Lucario works great here, especially with Power-Up Punch, because it also helps strip Giovanni's shields early. Machamp and Conkeldurr are solid backups if you do not have Lucario built up.

Watch out for Persian's fast attack though. If it rolls Feint Attack, it resists your Fighting type damage a little more than usual. If it uses Scratch instead, your fight becomes noticeably easier.

 

Handling Rhyperior, Machamp, or Kangaskhan

Since you never know which one you will face, building a flexible second Pokemon matters more than picking one hard counter.

• Rhyperior is Ground and Rock, so it takes heavy damage from Water, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel moves.
• Machamp is pure Fighting, and it folds quickly against Fairy, Flying, or Psychic attackers.
• Kangaskhan is pure Normal, just like Persian, so it also only fears Fighting type moves.

Mewtwo is a strong pick for this slot because Psychic covers Machamp cleanly while still doing reasonable damage elsewhere. If you are unsure which attackers are worth investing in right now, our current Pokemon GO tier list breaks down the strongest options across every type. If Mewtwo is not available, a bulky Water or Ground attacker like Swampert handles Rhyperior comfortably.

 

Taking Down Shadow Reshiram

Shadow Reshiram is Dragon and Fire, and its weaknesses are Dragon, Ground, and Rock. It can run Dragon Breath or Fire Fang as a fast move, paired with charged moves like Draco Meteor, Overheat, Crunch, Fusion Flare, or Stone Edge.

Rhyperior is genuinely one of the safest picks against it, since Rock and Ground coverage lines up perfectly without exposing a Dragon weakness back. Dragon type attackers like Rayquaza or Dragonite deal massive damage too, but they take heavy hits in return from Draco Meteor. Reshiram also shows up in five star raids from time to time, so checking the current raid schedule can help you plan extra encounters alongside this fight. If your Dragon attacker is not tanky, lead with Rhyperior instead and save the Dragon type for cleanup.

 

Recommended Team Build

Based on our own runs this month, a balanced three Pokemon team looks like this:

1. Lucario, to pressure Persian and bait out Giovanni's first shield.
2. Mewtwo, to cover Machamp and chip away at whichever second Pokemon appears.
3. Rhyperior, to close out the fight against Shadow Reshiram safely.

Powering up all three properly takes a good amount of Stardust and rare candy, and running short on resources mid season is common. If you want to skip the grind, a Pokemon GO top up can help you get your attackers battle ready faster. This combination gives you fighting coverage, psychic flexibility, and a safe finisher, all without leaving major gaps. Pokemon GO rewards flexible teams more than rigid ones here, since phase two is random every single time. The best platform to make the top-up is LDShop, it lets players top up for less and it is a great way to save money.

 

How to Find Giovanni

Finding Giovanni takes a bit more patience than fighting a regular Grunt. Here is the process.

• Complete the Team GO Rocket special research to earn a Super Rocket Radar.
• Equip the radar from your item bag before you start searching.
• Look for balloons or PokeStops showing Team GO Rocket activity nearby.
• Interact with the marked location, since some hideouts hold decoy Grunts instead of Giovanni.
• Battle him as many times as needed if you lose, since there is no daily limit on attempts.

Giovanni also uses shields during the fight, just like the other leaders. He typically shields after your first two charged attacks connect, so leading with fast charging moves helps bait those shields away from your stronger hits later.

Rewards Worth Fighting For

Winning nets you a solid pile of useful items alongside the guaranteed Shadow encounter. Expect Stardust, Max Potions, Max Revives, and progress toward your Team GO Rocket medal. The bigger prize, though, is catching Shadow Reshiram itself.

Shadow Reshiram carries a shiny chance, which makes repeated attempts genuinely worthwhile for dedicated players. Fights like this one often overlap with bigger seasonal content too, and our Pokemon Horizons celebration event guide covers what else is active in Pokemon GO right now. Even without a shiny, a Shadow Reshiram powers up into a strong Dragon and Fire attacker once purified or trained.

 

A Few Practical Tips From Experience

Giovanni fights move fast, so preparation matters more than reaction speed. Power up your lead Pokemon fully before entering battle, since a mid fight level up rarely saves you. Keep a Revive and Max Potion ready in your bag too, since losing mid fight wastes your radar cooldown timing.

Also pay attention to the taunt text Giovanni sends before each phase. It hints at typing without confirming the exact Pokemon, and reading it can help you adjust your switch order on the fly. With the game's 10th anniversary celebrations bringing extra bonuses this year, now is a good time to stock up on Rocket Radars and take on Giovanni more often than usual.

 

Conclusion

Giovanni continues to test even experienced Pokemon GO trainers, and this month's Shadow Reshiram reward raises the stakes further. Building a flexible team around Lucario, Mewtwo, and Rhyperior covers every phase without major weaknesses. Track down the balloon, equip your Super Rocket Radar, and go claim your Shadow Reshiram before this lineup rotates again. Pokemon GO rewards patience here, and a well built counter team makes the difference between repeated losses and a clean win.