Giovanni is back once again in Pokemon GO, and this time he’s added a powerful Shadow Latios to his team that will be a challenge for unprepared trainers to defeat. With the right team of Pokemon and the appropriate counters, however, you can make quick work of Giovanni and the rest of Team Rocket this month. Before you can challenge the leader of Team Rocket in Pokemon GO, you’ll have to take down his subordinates. We have guides for the best Arlo counters, the best ways to beat Sierra, and the best weaknesses for Cliff in August 2022 though, so they shouldn’t be too difficult to defeat.
With that trio out of the way, it’s time to face Giovanni. While his Persian and other Pokemon are easy to counter since trainers battle him basically every month, the Shadow Latios he uses to finish the battle is a bit tricker to take down. Here are the best counters and weaknesses for Shadow Latios and the rest of Giovanni’s Pokemon GO team in August 2022.
Giovanni’s Team Composition in August 2022
This month, Giovanni uses his signature Persian and other standard Pokemon in addition to Shadow Latios as the final opponent.
- Phase 1: Persian
- Phase 2: Nidoking/Machamp/Rhyperior
- Phase 3: Shadow Latios
Best Persian Counters
If you’ve faced Giovanni before, then you already know that Persian is hardly a threat. It’s a Normal-type Pokemon, so you’ll want to use Fighting-type attacks to capitalize on its weakness. These are the best Persian counters.
| Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Lucario | Counter | Power-Up Punch |
| Melmetal | Thunder Shock | Thunderbolt |
| Machamp | Counter | Cross Chop |
| Rhyperior | Mud Slap | Stone Edge |
| Tyranitar | Smack Down | Crunch |
| Hariyama | Counter | Dynamic Punch |
Best Nidoking Counters
Nidoking is a dual Poison/Ground-type Pokemon. Its weaknesses are Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water-type attacks. Use these Pokemon and moves to easily defeat Nidoking.
| Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Mewtwo | Confusion | Psystrike |
| Hoopa | Confusion | Psychic |
| Kyogre | Waterfall | Surf |
| Empoleon | Waterfall | Hydro Cannon |
| Excadrill | Mud Shot | Drill Run |
| Garchomp | Mud Shot | Earth Power |
Best Machamp Counters
Machamp is a pure Fighting-type Pokemon, so it’s weak to Fairy, Flying, and Psychic-type moves. These are the best counters to help you defeat Machamp.
| Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Mewtwo | Psycho Cut | Psystrike |
| Gardevoir | Charm | Psychic |
| Togekiss | Charm | Psyshock |
| Sylveon | Charm | Moonblast |
| Rayquaza | Air Slash | Aerial Ace |
| Electivire | Thunder Shock | Wild Charge |
Best Rhyperior Counters
Rhyperior is a Ground/Rock-type Pokemon, making it extremely weak to Grass and Water-type moves. It’s also weak to Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel-type attacks, but you should prioritize Grass and Water-type attacks to capitalize on the double weakness. Use these Pokemon and moves to counter Rhyperior.
| Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Kyogre | Waterfall | Surf |
| Empoleon | Waterfall | Hydro Cannon |
| Zarude | Vine Whip | Power Whip |
| Swampert | Mud Shot | Hydro Cannon |
| Torterra | Razor Leaf | Frenzy Plant |
| Roserade | Razor Leaf | Solar Beam |
Shadow Latios Counters and Weaknesses
Shadow Latios is a dual Psychic/Dragon-type Pokemon, so it’s weak to Bug, Dark, Dragon, Ice, Fairy, and Ghost-type moves. These Pokemon are the best counters to battle Shadow Latios with.
| Pokemon | Fast Attack | Charged Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Dialga | Dragon Breath | Draco Meteor |
| Palkia | Dragon Tail | Draco Meteor |
| Garchomp | Dragon Tail | Outrage |
| Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Outrage |
| Gengar | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball |
| Zacian | Snarl | Play Rough |
With Shadow Latios defeated, you’ll be finished with the Giovanni battle for August 2022. There’s still plenty to do this month in Pokemon GO, however, and you’ll want to make sure you get everything done before the Season of Go ends soon. There’s an all-new Research Breakthrough this month that gives you a chance to catch a Galarian Stunfisk, and there are weekly Spotlight Hours to keep you busy in the meantime. August 2022 is packed with plenty of Pokemon GO events, so stay tuned to see what’s in store for trainers in the coming weeks.
Pokemon GO is available now on mobile devices.
