Pokemon GO Giovanni counters and lineup (Delightful Days Taken Over): How to beat the GO Rocket Boss

Pokemon GO Giovanni counters
Pokemon GO Giovanni August 2025 (Image via TPC)

Defeating Pokemon GO Giovanni's Delightful Days Taken Over team requires in-depth knowledge of the best counters. His current ace will be Shadow Giratina, a creature from Generation IV. This follows Shadow Palkia and Shadow Dialga from the last two seasons. This lineup went live at midnight local time on August 11, 2025 and will remain active until the next season's Team GO Rocket Take Over event.

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To find the best Pokemon GO Giovanni' Delightful Days Taken Over team counters in your collection, use these search strings:

  • Fighting&@Fighting&cp2000-
  • Fairy&@Fairy&cp2000-
  • Ice&@Ice&cp2000-
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Check out the current Pokemon GO raid bosses that you can encounter in-game

Best team to defeat Pokemon GO Giovanni Delightful Days Taken Over

The following is Sportskeeda Gaming's recommendation for the best team composition to counter Giovanni's lineup after the Delightful Days Taken Over event:

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  • Mega Lucario with Force Palm, Aura Sphere, and Shadow Ball
  • Shadow or regular Baxcalibur with Ice Fang, Icy Wind, and Dragon Claw
  • Gardevoir with Charm, Dazzling Gleam, and Triple Axel

This list consists of the most accessible creatures of this type. Two Fighting-types and a Water-type attacker will easily get you across the line when it comes to beating Giovanni in Pokemon GO in August 2025.


How to find Giovanni in Pokemon GO

You will need a Super Rocket Radar to find Giovanni in Pokemon GO. You will get the item from the Delightful Days Taken Over Giovanni Special Research. In it, you are tasked with defeating the three GO Rocket Leaders — Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo, after which you will get the Super Rocket Radar.

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With the item equipped, Giovanni will spawn in GO Rocket balloons or GO Rocket PokeStops like other leaders from the outfit. Unlike the latter, you may encounter a grunt disguised as the GO Rocket Boss.

Once you have found the right one, don't worry if you can't beat him on the first try. You can battle Giovanni as many times as you want. So, check out the guide and find out how to counter him and catch Shadow Giratina in Pokemon GO.

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Pokemon GO Giovanni lineup in August 2025

Pokemon GO Giovanni Delightful Days lineup (Image via TPC)
Pokemon GO Giovanni Delightful Days lineup (Image via TPC)

You will find Giovanni sporting the following lineup:

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Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3
Shadow Persian (Normal-type)
Shadow Rhyperior (Ground- & Rock-type)
Shadow Giratina (Ghost- & Dragon-type)
Shadow Kangaskhan (Normal-type)
Shadow Nidoking (Poison- & Ground-type)
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Pokemon GO Giovanni Counters

How to beat the Pokemon GO Giovanni team in Pokemon GO

To defeat Giovanni's Delightful Days Taken Over team, utilize one Fighting-type, one Ice-type, and one Fairy-type. There are no apparent threats from the team.

Make sure to bait out both shields while Persian is on the field, ideally with a Fighting-type that is quick to Fast Moves (Karate Chop/Cross Chop Machamp and Force Palm/Power-Up Punch Lucario are both good options). Once that is done, switch to the required type counters for each Pokemon you face.

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Best Fighting-type counters to Giovanni: Good against Persian and Kangaskhan

PokemonFast MoveCharged Move
Mega LucarioForce PalmAura Sphere
Mega BlazikenCounterFocus Blast
TerrakionDouble KickSacred Sword
KeldeoLow KickSacred Sword
Shadow ConkeldurrCounterDynamic Punch
Shadow MachampKarate ChopCross Chop
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Best Ice-type counters to Giovanni: Good against Nidoking, Rhyperior, and Giratina

PokemonFast MoveCharged Move
Black KyuremDragon TailFreeze Shock
White KyuremIce FangIce Burn
Shadow MamoswinePowder SnowAvalanche
Shadow WeavileIce ShardAvalanche
KyuremDragon BreathGlaciate
BaxcaliburIce FangAvalanche
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Best Fairy-type counters to Giovanni: Good against Giratina

PokemonFast MoveCharged Move(s)
Mega/Shadow/Regular GardevoirCharmDazzling Gleam and Triple Axel
Incarnate Forme EnamorusFairy WindDazzling Gleam
Tapu LeleAstonishNature's Madness
ZacianQuick AttackPlay Rough and Wild Charge
XerneasGeomancyMoonblast and Thunder
TogekissCharmDazzling Gleam and Flamethrower
SylveonCharmMoonblast and Thunder
HattereneCharmDazzling Gleam
PrimarnaCharmDisarming Voice and Hydro Cannon
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You don't need to have a Pokemon with a second Charged Attack. If you are wondering how to get so, check out our guide on how to unlock a second Charged Attack for your Pokemon in Pokemon GO.


Check out our other Pokemon GO guides:

🚨 Calculate the Pokemon type effectiveness to win battles with our newly launched Pokemon GO Type Calculator 🚨

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Edited by Adarsh J Kumar
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