Giovanni is arguably Pokemon GO’s greatest challenge as the Team Rocket leader has a stacked team of three powerful Pokemon, including a Shadow Legendary. And while trainers prepare to take on whatever behemoth awaits them at the end of Giovanni’s roster, Persian tends to be an unforeseen roadblock.
How To Beat Persian In Pokemon GO
NPCs in Pokemon GO normally lead with their weakest Pokemon, and Giovanni is no exception. However, thanks to Persian’s Normal typing and hefty health bar, this big cat can be a nuisance.
That said, Normal-type Pokemon are weak to a single type: Fighting. You’ll notice that most of your attacks won’t deal Super-Effective damage unless you’re using a Fighting-type Pokemon.
| Pokemon | Type | Vulnerable To | Weak Against |
|---|---|---|---|
 Persian | Normal | Fighting | Rock Steel Ghost |
We recommend a high-CP Machamp. You can even use a Shadow Machamp for a buff to attack damage. Opt for Counter as your quick attack and Dynamic Punch as your charged attack. This alone should be enough to take out Persian in a few seconds, but Machamp is also great to use against Giovanni’s whole roster.
| Pokemon | Moves |
|---|---|
 Machamp | Counter Dynamic Punch |
Machamp is weak to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy-type moves, so it won’t put up much of a fight if Giovanni is using a Shadow Mewtwo. Machamp won’t fare well in Calyrex, Hoopa, Deoxys, or Zacian raids, but it can be a phenomenal addition to raids of other types.
Regardless, Machamp is a blender when it comes to facing off with Normal-type. He dominates against several types and turns Giovanni’s stubborn Persian into a pile of mush.
If you aren’t sure where to find a Machop to evolve into a Machamp, we recommend checking every Team Rocket Balloon and Stop that spawns. Machop may not spawn in the wild all of the time, but it’s normally one of the Team Rocket Shadow Spawns.
