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You will need a strong Pokemon team to defeat Giovanni. Fill your team with the right Pokemon and get your tactics right and Giovanni will be no match for your might.
Read on for the best tactics and counters to defeat Giovanni in Pokemon Go in January 2024.
Best Giovanni counters for Pokemon Go in January 2024
As with each of the major trainer battles in Pokemon Go, your fight with Giovanni will last for three rounds. He always uses the same first and last Pokemon, but there are three options he might choose from in that second stage in the middle.
As of January 2024, this is what you can expect to go up against, and what Pokemon types you’ll want in each round:
First round:
- Persian (a Normal-type Pokemon, weak against Fighting-type attacks)
Second round:
- Nidoking (a Ground and Poison-type Pokemon, weak against Ground, Ice, Psychic and Water-type attacks)
- Kingler (a Water-Type Pokemon, weak against Grass and Electric-type attacks)
- Garchomp (a Dragon and Ground-type Pokemon, weak against Dragon and Fairy-type attacks, double weak against Ice-type attacks)
Third round:
- Regigigas (a Normal-type Pokemon, weak against Fighting-type attacks)
Looking at those Pokemon listed together, a few patterns emerge which could help you put your battle party together.
A powerful Fighting-type Pokemon is a must against Giovanni. The likes of Machamp and Lucario both strong picks against both Persian and Regigigas while also being capable against Nidoking, Kingler, and Garchomp.
Kyogre is a great pick, too, as it will be effective against Nidoking while being a solid pick against any of the other Pokemon Giovanni has up his sleeves for you. Add an Ice-type Pokemon like Regice or Mamoswine into your team and you should be set. A Grass-type or Electric-type will do well against Kingler.
Best Persian counters in Pokemon Go
Being a Normal-type Pokemon, Persian is very weak against Fighting-type attacks. Any Fighting-type move that you dish out should do 160 per cent extra damage. With this in mind, something like Machamp or Lucario would be a strong counterattack choice! Lucario’s Power-Up Punch or Machamp’s Cross Chop would both be solid attacks to use against Persian.
One thing you will not want to use is a Ghost-type Pokemon. Persian has a resistance to these ghoulish creatures, with their attacks doing 39 per cent less damage to Persian. So don’t use any of those!
Read more on Pokemon:
Best Nidoking counters in Pokemon Go
Being a Ground and Poison-type Pokemon, Nidoking presents something of a challenge, since it’ll be resistant to Bug, Electric, Fairy, Poison, Rock and Fighting-type moves. None of those attacks will do full damage here.
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Nidoking’s weaknesses are Ground, Ice, Psychic and Water-type Pokemon, so you’ll want to bring something along those lines with you.
What do we recommend in terms of counters, then? Well, it might be wise to bring a powerful Water-type like Blastoise or Kyogre with you, just in case Nidoking does make an appearance. A powerful Ice-type such as Regice should do well, too.
Best Kingler counters in Pokemon Go
Kingler is a Water-type Pokemon, so it is strong against a number of different types. It will be strong against Ground, Rock, and Fire-Type Pokemon, so you’re best leaving them out of your team.
In terms of weaknesses, Kingler will be weak against Grass and Electric-type Pokemon. So bring something with either of those types along with you and you’ll counter Kingler well.
Powerful Electric-type Pokemon such as Raikou and Electivire will do well here. Roserade and Venusaur as examples of Grass-type Pokemon are a solid choice too.
Best Garchomp counters in Pokemon Go
Garchomp is a Ground and Dragon-type Pokemon so it will be strong against Dragon, Poison, Rock, Steel, Fire, and Electric-type Pokemon. We recommend you don’t bring along one of those types to fight against Garchomp (other than Dragon).
As a Dragon and Ground-type Pokemon, Garchomp has a number of weaknesses. It will be weak against Dragon and Fairy-type attacks and double weak against Ice-type attacks.
With this in mind, a strong Ice-type Pokemon should be a great counter against Garchomp. Again, Regice is a strong pick here, as is Mamoswine.
Best Regigigas counters in Pokemon Go
As a Normal-type Pokemon, Regigigas will be pretty good against just about all types, and shouldn’t be too effective against anything. As a powerful Normal-type Legendary Pokemon, though, expect Giovanni’s Regigigas to pack a surprise move or two.
Normal-type Pokemon like Regigigas are weak against Fighting-type attacks and that’s it. Bring a powerful Fighting-type Pokemon with you and you should be golden.
Much like Persian above, make sure you have a Machamp or Lucario, they should both get the job done against Regigigas. Again, avoid bringing a Ghost-type Pokemon along to this battle!
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