Giovanni & Team Rocket Leaders Counters

Giovanni always leads with Persian in Slot 1, which deals heavy Fast Attack damage with Scratch or Feint Attack. Never start the battle with your Persian counter already in the 1st party slot. Instead, put your Slot 2/Slot 3 counter in the 1st slot, and the instant the battle begins, swap into Lucario, Terrakion, or Machamp. This immediate switch freezes Persian for nearly 3 seconds, letting you farm energy and fire two consecutive low-energy Charged Moves (such as Power-Up Punch or Cross Chop) to remove both of Giovanni's protective shields before Persian can KO your fighter.

Giovanni's second slot rotates between bulky Ground, Water, or Dragon/Normal threats (such as Rhyperior, Nidoking, Kingdra, or Kangaskhan). Bring a versatile Water/Ice attacker like Kyogre (Waterfall + Surf), Shadow Mamoswine (Powder Snow + Avalanche), or Mega Swampert (Mud Shot + Hydro Cannon) to clear Slot 2 while banking energy for his final Shadow Legendary in Slot 3. Against Psychic or Ghost Shadow Legendaries, use Dawn Wings Necrozma, Mega Tyranitar, or Hydreigon (Bite + Brutal Swing); against Dragon, Flying, or Ground Shadow Legendaries, use Shadow Mamoswine, Primal Kyogre, orOrigin Forme Palkia.

Unlike Grunts, Team GO Rocket Leaders (Arlo, Cliff, and Sierra) always use two shields on your first two Charged Attacks. Against Arlo, spam fast Steel, Fire, or Rock moves (Melmetal with Double Iron Bash, Lucario, or Smack Down Tyranitar) to break his shields. Against Cliff, who frequently leads with bulky Rock, Fighting, or Grass/Dark Pokémon, use Kartana (Razor Leaf + Leaf Blade), Terrakion, or Machamp. Against Sierra, lead with Polywrath, Lucario, or Melmetal to outpace her fast-attack pressure and sweep her backline with Primal Groudon or Reshiram.

Before battling a Team GO Rocket Grunt, read their pre-battle dialogue line carefully—it reveals their exact Pokémon type: 'Coiled and ready to strike' = Poison (counter with Ground/Psychic like Primal Groudon or Shadow Mewtwo); 'Normal does not mean weak' = Normal (counter with Fighting); 'These waters are treacherous' = Water (counter with Kartana or Zekrom); 'ROAR! ...How'd that sound?' = Dragon (counter with Fairy/Ice like Gardevoir or Mamoswine); 'Don't bother—I've already won' / 'Get ready to be defeated!' / 'Winning is for winners' = Mixed Snorlax/Starter Elite Grunt (bring Lucario + Kyogre + Dragonite).