Finding Giovanni in September 2024 wasn't just about showing up; it was a race against the clock for a very specific legendary. Honestly, if you didn't log in during the first three days of the month, you basically missed the boat on the "Adventure Week: Taken Over" special research. That research was the golden ticket. It gave you the Super Rocket Radar needed to hunt down the boss himself.
September was a weird transition month. We were moving out of the Shared Skies season and into Max Out. Because of that, the window to claim the research to fight Giovanni was tiny. It closed on September 3, 2024, at 9:59 a.m. local time. If you had the radar, you could fight him whenever, but getting that radar was the hard part.
The Big Reward: Shadow Cresselia
The real reason everyone was hunting Giovanni in September 2024 was Shadow Cresselia. This was its big debut. Usually, Cresselia is this bulky, defensive tank in Great and Ultra League. But the Shadow version? That’s a different beast entirely. It gets a 20% attack boost. It loses some defense, sure, but in the hands of a skilled PvP player, it's terrifying.
A lot of people actually debated whether to even catch it. Some "pro" players suggested stacking the Super Rocket Radar instead. They wanted to save it for a future Shadow Rayquaza or something higher on the tier list. But for most of us? Getting a Shadow Legendary is the whole point of the game.
Giovanni's September 2024 Lineup
Giovanni doesn't play fair. He always starts with his signature Persian, but the middle of his team is a total guessing game. In September 2024, he had three possible options for his second slot. You didn't know which one you were getting until the battle started.
- Slot 1: Shadow Persian (Every single time)
- Slot 2: Shadow Kangaskhan, Shadow Kingdra, or Shadow Honchkrow
- Slot 3: Shadow Cresselia
If you ran into Honchkrow, you needed Rock or Ice. If he pulled out Kingdra, you were looking at a Dragon or Fairy fight. It made the "blind" first attempt at the battle kinda frustrating if you didn't bring a versatile team.
How to Beat Him Without Losing Your Mind
The trick with Giovanni isn't just picking strong Pokémon. It's about breaking his shields. He uses his shields on the first two charged moves you throw, no matter what they are.
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Lucario was the MVP for September.
Why? Because of Power-Up Punch. It charges incredibly fast. You could burn both of Giovanni's shields before his Persian even got to a second move. Plus, Lucario resists Persian's Normal-type attacks.
Once the shields were gone, the rest was just math. For the second slot, Tyranitar or Magnezone worked wonders. Magnezone specifically could handle Honchkrow with ease and put a dent in Kingdra.
For the finale against Shadow Cresselia, you needed Bug, Ghost, or Dark. Tyranitar with Brutal Swing was the go-to. It’s bulky enough to survive Cresselia’s Moonblast and hits like a truck with Dark-type damage. Hydreigon was another solid pick, though you had to watch out for those Fairy-type moves that Cresselia loves to run.
The "Stun" Mechanic
If you want to win easily, use the switch-in trick. Don't start with your shield breaker. Start with something else, then immediately swap to your Lucario or Machamp as soon as the battle begins. This "stuns" Giovanni for about two or three seconds. He just stops attacking. You can get three or four free fast moves in. You should also do this every time you use a charged move. That extra breathing room is usually the difference between winning and having to use another Max Revive.
Why Some People Couldn't Find Him
I saw a lot of people complaining in September that they couldn't find Giovanni even with the radar equipped. Here’s the deal: the Super Rocket Radar doesn't just point to Giovanni. It points to "Decoy Grunts" too.
You’d walk all the way to a PokéStop thinking you’ve found the boss, only for some random Grunt to pop up and laugh at you. It’s annoying. The best way to find the real Giovanni in September was to check the Team GO Rocket Balloons. The balloons that fly over your head every few hours are guaranteed to be the Boss if you have the Super Rocket Radar equipped. No decoys. No walking.
Actionable Steps for Future Takeovers
Even though September 2024 is behind us, the pattern stays the same. If you want to be ready for the next time the Team GO Rocket Boss rotates his lineup, do these things:
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- Finish your current research: You can’t get a new Rocket quest if you're still stuck on an old one. If you have "Showdown in the Shadows" or "It’s a Rocket World" unfinished, clear it now.
- Save your Charged TMs: You can only remove the move "Frustration" during specific Takeover events. September had one early on. If you missed it, you're stuck with a useless move until the next event.
- Build a "Shield Breaker": Invest in a Lucario, Polywrath, or Machamp with low-energy charged moves. They are essential for every Giovanni fight, regardless of what Legendary he's carrying.
Beating Giovanni is less about raw power and more about timing. Catching that Shadow Cresselia was a highlight for many, but the real prize was just proving you could take down the head of the organization once again.