Pokemon Go: How To Beat Giovanni

"Pokémon Go" launched in 2016, and since then, it has become a global phenomenon. While "Pokémon Go" has come under fire in recent years for its microtransactions and things are looking bad for developer Niantic, it remains popular with millions of players still logging in to battle, explore, and catch more of the lovable pocket monsters.

In their quest to be the best there ever was, players will eventually want to take on the leader of Team Go Rocket, the elusive Giovanni. Finding him is a challenge in itself, and defeating him is one of the toughest battles players will face outside of PvP. Still, the rewards and bragging rights make the effort well worth it. If players go in prepared with the right team and the right strategy, they can emerge victorious. If "Pokémon Go" players can follow these tips, they'll be able to crush Giovanni and send Team Go Rocket blasting off again.

Unlocking the battle with Giovanni is its own struggle. Team Go Rocket doesn't make it easy, and players will have to slog through many other battles to win the honor of facing the boss. First, players will need to complete the "A Troubling Situation" quest, which asks trainers to complete Team Go Rocket-related missions. The reward is access to a monthly quest, which will have a different name and slightly different task each time. Completing the first several parts of the quest will eventually leave players with a mission to take on and defeat the three leaders of Team Go Rocket — Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra.

Tracking down each of these leaders requires a Rocket Radar. Defeat Rocket grunts to acquire pieces of Rocket Radar, and put six pieces together to create a tool that reveals the leaders' location. Finding and defeating a leader will use up the radar and start the process over. After a grueling 18 battles with grunts and one with each of the three leaders, players will have earned a Super Rocket Radar that'll lead to Giovanni. Some stops that look like they have Giovanni will actually turn out to be grunts disguised as their leader to throw players off his trail. Don't get discouraged and just keep checking stops, track him down and get ready to prove you're the best, like no one ever was.

Once ready to face Giovanni, winning is all about knowing his lineup and selecting a team that can counter it. While Niantic makes changes to his Pokemon from time to time, Persian seems a consistent lead. For now, Giovanni will start with Persian, followed by either Nidoking, Machamp, or Rhyperior, and close with a Shadow Latios.

Players will want to start with a Fighting-type, as Persian is only weak against fighting moves. Machamp, Lucario, and Hariyama are all good options here. Without reliable Fighting Pokemon, players can always fall back on other types as long as they have Fighting moves.

The second Pokemon is harder to select, as players won't know what Giovanni will use next. Two good options are Psychic and Water-types. Psychic-type will be strong against both Nidoking and Machamp, while a Water-type will be strong against Nidoking and Rhyperior. Players may opt to favor Psychic, as Rhyperior is also weak against Fighting moves, so players' Fighting-type starter will still be viable. Mewtwo is a good Psychic-type choice, while Kyogre is good for Water-type, but prioritize the strongest Pokémon available.

Finally, Bug, Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice-types are strongest against Giovanni's Dark Latios. That said, avoid Dragon-type, as they'll also be weak against Latios. Dialga is the one exception, as the dual-type of Dragon and Steel protects it from typical Dragon-type weaknesses. With the right team, it's just a matter of out-battling Giovanni.