Giovanni’s April 2026 lineup changed during the month. Before the April 30 Team GO Rocket takeover, he used Shadow Persian, one of three possible second Pokémon, and Shadow Incarnate Forme Thundurus. The takeover announced Shadow Incarnate Forme Landorus as the new featured target, but Pokémon GO’s event notice does not list Giovanni’s complete post-change battle team. Treat the earlier counters below as historical, not as a current lineup.
Giovanni’s team before the April 30, 2026 takeover
An April 8 guide reported this lineup. Giovanni’s second Pokémon was a random choice among three possibilities, so prepare for that branch rather than assuming one fixed team.
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| Battle slot | Pokémon | Suggested attack types |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Persian | Fighting |
| 2 | Shadow Machamp | Flying, Fairy, or Psychic |
| 2 | Shadow Rhyperior | Water or Ice |
| 2 | Shadow Kangaskhan | Fighting |
| 3 | Shadow Incarnate Forme Thundurus | Ice |
The type suggestions and example Pokémon below come from the April 8 guide; they are not a verified ranking or a universal best team. Read the April 2026 Giovanni guide.
Which counters did the April guide suggest?
Shadow Persian
Use Fighting-type attacks. The guide names Machamp and Crowned Sword Zacian with Close Combat as examples. It also mentions Mega Lucario as a shield-pressure option.
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Shadow Machamp
Prepare Flying-, Fairy-, or Psychic-type attacks. The cited guide lists these as Machamp’s weaknesses but does not name a specific counter for this branch.
Shadow Rhyperior
Use Water- or Ice-type attacks. The guide suggests Swampert with Hydro Cannon as an example and also lists Crowned Sword Zacian with Close Combat among its options.
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Shadow Kangaskhan
Use Fighting-type attacks. The guide names Machamp and Crowned Sword Zacian with Close Combat as examples; Mega Lucario is also mentioned for shield pressure.
Shadow Incarnate Forme Thundurus
Use Ice-type attacks. The guide suggests Mamoswine with Avalanche and also mentions White or Black Kyurem.
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How to prepare for the random second slot
The second slot is the main team-building uncertainty. Fighting attacks help against Persian and Kangaskhan, but the guide does not present Fighting as the answer to Machamp or Rhyperior. Water or Ice attacks address Rhyperior; Flying, Fairy, or Psychic attacks address Machamp; Ice also covers the pre-takeover final Pokémon, Thundurus.
- Choose coverage for more than one possible opponent instead of building around a single assumed second Pokémon.
- Once Giovanni reveals slot two, identify which of the three Pokémon appeared before committing the next counter.
- When comparing options, consider coverage, moves and move availability, whether a Pokémon also helps against Persian or Thundurus, and survivability or shield pressure.
The cited guide does not provide a reproducible battle simulation or win-rate data, so there is no evidence here for declaring one definitive optimal team.
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What changed on April 30?
Pokémon GO announced that Steeled Resolve: Taken Over would run from Thursday, April 30, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. through Monday, May 4 at 8:00 p.m. local time. The notice called out “Save Shadow Incarnate Forme Landorus!” and said players could progress through GO Pass: Steeled Resolve – Taken Over to receive a Super Rocket Radar and chase Giovanni. This establishes a late-April featured-target change, but the notice does not enumerate Giovanni’s full post-change lineup or give counter recommendations for every slot. Do not assume the pre-April 30 Thundurus lineup remained intact.
The event notice also said Team GO Rocket appeared more frequently at PokéStops and in balloons during the event. Its listed GO Pass Deluxe price of US$4.99 and GO Pass Deluxe plus six ranks price of US$6.99 were event-specific historical terms, not general current prices or requirements for choosing battle counters. See Pokémon GO’s Steeled Resolve: Taken Over announcement.
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- Catch Pokémon and track your rest rhythm with the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory!
- Keep track of your sleep with the press of a button
- Press and hold the central button on the Pokémon GO Plus + accessory and place it by your pillow to track your rest rhythm on the Pokémon Sleep app
- There’s a Pikachu within your Pokémon GO Plus + that can sing you lullabies and act as your morning alarm; Pikachu grows friendlier the more you sleep, unlocking even more sounds!
- Spin PokéStops or throw Poké Balls automatically in Pokémon GO for hands-free gameplay (and Great Balls and Ultra Balls can be thrown too!)
Why these counters are no longer a current lineup guide
Giovanni’s team rotations change. Leek Duck’s tracker, updated October 2, 2026, lists Persian first, one of Kangaskhan, Rhyperior, or Machamp second, and Zekrom third. That later lineup differs from the pre-takeover April team, so use the April recommendations as a date-bounded record rather than advice for a later rotation. Check Leek Duck’s Team GO Rocket lineups.
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