Finding Giovanni in 2025 isn't just about clicking a Rocket Radar and hoping for the best. It’s a process. Honestly, if you’ve played Pokémon GO for more than a week, you know the drill: beat the three leaders, get the Super Rocket Radar, and then go hunt the big boss. But things feel different this year. Niantic has been cycling through Shadow Legendaries faster than ever, and if you aren't prepared for the specific defensive pivots needed for his 2025 lineup, you're going to burn through Max Potions like they're going out of style.
He’s still hiding. You'll find him in balloons or at PokeStops, but the decoys are everywhere. It’s annoying. You tap a stop thinking you've finally cornered the head of Team GO Rocket, only to find a Grunt who wants to talk about how "the waters are treacherous."
Tracking Down Giovanni 2025 Pokemon Go Locations
You can't just stumble into this fight. You need the Super Rocket Radar. Usually, these are locked behind Seasonal Special Research tasks or specifically timed events like "Timed Investigation: Team GO Rocket Takeover." If you don’t see a quest in your "Special" tab that rewards the black radar, you basically can't fight him right now. That's just how the game works.
Once you equip that radar, the map changes. You'll see several Giovanni markers. Most are fakes. The decoys use a specific team—usually featuring Shadow Bellsprout or Weepinbell—and while they are great for farming Mysterious Components or the Purified medal, they aren't the man himself. You have to physically go to the stops or wait for the 6:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 6:00 PM, or midnight balloons to check if it's the real deal.
The strategy for 2025 involves a lot of patience. If you’re a rural player, the balloons are your only real shot. If you’re in a city, don’t waste your time on every single decoy. Tap them, see if the dialogue starts with the classic Giovanni arrogance, and if it’s just a Grunt, back out and move to the next block.
The 2025 Lineup: What You’re Actually Fighting
Giovanni always starts with Shadow Persian. It’s his signature. It’s also a nightmare if you don't respect it. In 2025, Persian’s "Scratch" fast move deals a ridiculous amount of neutral damage. If you lead with something squishy, you’ll lose your first Pokémon before you even see his second choice.
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Breaking the Shields
Your first priority is burning his two shields. Giovanni always shields the first two Charged Attacks you throw. Because of this, you need a "spammy" lead. Lucario with Power-Up Punch is the gold standard here. You swap into Lucario immediately—taking advantage of that brief "stun" period where the AI stops attacking—and spam Power-Up Punch. It boosts your attack and forces him to waste shields. Cross Chop Machamp works too, but it doesn't have the same defensive utility against Persian’s Normal-type moves.
The Second Slot Variety
This is where people usually mess up. In the current 2025 rotation, Giovanni's second Pokémon is a toss-up. We’ve seen him lean heavily on Ground and Steel types lately. Whether it's Shadow Nidoking, Shadow Kingler, or Shadow Rhyperior, you need a flexible middle-man.
A strong Kyogre with Surf covers most of these bases. If he pulls out Nidoking, the Water-type moves melt it. If it’s Rhyperior, it’s a double-weakness win. However, if he switches it up with something like Garchomp, you’re going to wish you had a Mamoswine with Avalanche. The trick is to fail once. Seriously. Go into the fight, see what his second Pokémon is, lose on purpose, and then rebuild your team specifically to counter that exact lineup. The game doesn't change his team for that specific PokeStop once you’ve engaged him.
The 2025 Shadow Legendary
The real prize this year has revolved around the return of the Shadow Heatran and the rumored rotation of the Shadow Weather Trio. Depending on the exact month in 2025, you’re likely facing a massive, high-CP Shadow Legendary that hits like a freight train.
If it’s a Fire-type like Shadow Heatran, you absolutely need a Primal Kyogre or a high-level Garchomp. If he’s running one of the Birds again, Tyranitar with Smack Down is the only way to go. These Shadow Legendaries have a 20% attack boost. They will delete your health bar in seconds.
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Advanced Tactics: The "Switch Stun"
Most casual players don't realize that the Team GO Rocket AI pauses for about two seconds every time you switch your Pokémon or every time a Charged Attack ends. This is the "stun."
To win against Giovanni 2025 Pokemon Go teams when your CP is lower than his, you have to abuse this mechanic.
- Start the match with your second-best Pokémon.
- Immediately switch to your actual lead (like Lucario).
- The AI will stop attacking for two seconds.
- Use those free hits to build energy.
- Repeat this after every Charged Attack.
It sounds like cheating. It’s not. It’s how the game is coded. If you don't use the stun, Giovanni's Persian will likely farm you down before you even reach a second move.
Best Counters for the Current Meta
Forget about "balanced" teams. You need hard counters. Here is what's working best right now:
Terrakion (Double Kick / Sacred Sword): This is arguably the best Rocket-fighting Pokémon in the game. Sacred Sword charges so fast that Giovanni can’t keep up. It resists Persian’s Normal moves and crushes almost any Steel or Rock types in the second slot.
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Melmetal (Thunder Shock / Rock Slide): If you have a Mystery Box from Pokemon HOME, use it. Melmetal is a tank. Rock Slide is great for baiting shields and taking out any flying types Giovanni might throw your way. Plus, it's cheap to power up since candy is essentially infinite.
Swampert (Mud Shot / Hydro Cannon): The classic. Mud Shot generates energy faster than almost any other move. If you're facing a Ground-weak Giovanni lineup, Swampert can solo half the fight.
Common Mistakes People Make in 2025
Don't use your highest CP Pokémon just because the number is big. A 4000 CP Slaking is useless here. It has no fast move pressure and just sits there taking damage. You need efficiency.
Also, stop purifying the Shadow Legendary immediately. I know, the "return" move is okay and the IVs go up, but a 0-0-0 IV Shadow Pokémon deals more damage than a 15-15-15 non-shadow version. In the 2025 raid meta, Shadow Legendaries are king. Keep it salty. Keep the shadow aura. Only purify it if you absolutely need the Hundo for a Mega Evolution later on.
Check your items before the fight. There is nothing worse than beating Giovanni, getting to the catch screen, and realizing you're out of Golden Razz Berries. While the catch isn't a 100% guaranteed first-ball hit like a shiny raid boss, the catch rate is significantly buffed. Still, use a Silver Pinap or a Golden Razz. You didn't do all that work to let a Shadow Legendary flee.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Encounter
If you have a Super Rocket Radar sitting in your bag right now, follow this exact sequence:
- Check the current "Lineup" online: Niantic changes the second and third Pokémon every few months. Look for the most recent reports from the current month in 2025 to see if he's currently carrying a Shadow Groudon, Kyogre, or something else.
- Set up a "Rocket" Tag: Go into your Pokémon storage and tag your best shield-breakers (Lucario, Polywrath, Greninja) and your heavy hitters (Kartana, Kyogre, Tyranitar).
- The "Burn" Strategy: Lead with a Fighting-type that has a low-energy Charged Move. Break both shields before his Persian is at half health.
- Wait for the Balloon: If you can't travel, the 12:00 PM balloon is your best friend. It saves you the gas money of hunting through decoys at local parks.
- Save your Radar: If you don't like the current Shadow Legendary, don't use the radar. You can keep it in your inventory for the next event. If you want two of the next Legendary, this is the only way to do it.
Winning this fight is about mechanics, not just power. Master the swap-stun, pick the right shield-breaker, and you'll have that Shadow Legendary in your collection without breaking a sweat.