Shadow Dialga will be making its debut in Pokémon GO. Trainers will be able to find and defeat Giovanni to get an encounter with Shadow Dialga. You can do this during the Crown Clash: Taken Over event.
The Team GO Rocket Taken Over event is going to be from Wednesday, May 14, at 12:00 a.m. to Sunday, May 18, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Event Bonuses
Trainers participating in the event will have access to the following bonuses.
- Team GO Rocket will appear more frequently at PokéStops and also every two (2) hours in balloons.
- You can use a Charged TM to help a Shadow Pokémon forget the Charged Attack Frustration.
- Pokémon caught via one-star and three-star Shadow Raids during the event will have a wider variance of Attack, Defense, and HP.
Shadow Raids during the event
The following Pokémon will be available in the respective raid tiers.
- One-Star Shadow Raids: Shadow Magnemite, Shadow Cyndaquil, Shadow Murkrow, and Shadow Spoink.
- Three-Star Shadow Raids: Shadow Lapras, Shadow Piloswine, and Shadow Gurdurr.
Only Shadow Magnemite and Shadow Lapras can be shiny.
How to Get Shadow Dialga from Giovanni
A free Special Research will be unlocked at the start of this event. Trainers can progress through it by completing the different tasks. Completing the Special Research will award trainers a Super Rocket Radar. You will need The Super Rocket Radar to find and fight Giovanni! Defeating Giovanni will reward you with an encounter with Shadow Dialga.
Additionally, the Special Research will still be available until June 3, 2025, at 9:59 a.m. local time.
Defeating Giovanni
Although, at the moment of writing this, we do NOT know what team line-up Giovanni will be using. However, from previous experiences, Giovanni’s first Pokémon will be Shadow Persian while the last Pokémon will be Shadow Dialga. Based on this, you should get ready to use any of the following Counters.
- Shadow Persian counters: Mega Lucario with Counter as a Fast Attack and Power-Up Punch as a Charged Attack; Mega Tyranitar with Smark Down as a Fast Attack and Brutal Swing as a Charged Attack; Terrakion with Double Kick as a Fast Attack and Sacred Sword as a Charged Attack; Shadow Annihilape with Counter as a Fast Attack and Rage Fist as a Charged Attack; or Marshadow with Counter as a Fast Attack and Fire Punch as a Charged Attack.
- Shadow Dialga counters: Mega Lucario with Force Palm as a Fast Attack and Aura Sphere as a Charged Attack; Primal Groudon (if you didn’t use Mega Lucario. Groudon if you did) with Mud Shot as a Fast Attack and Precipice Blades as a Charged Attack; Terrakion with Double Kick as a Fast Attack and Sacred Sword as a Charged Attack; Shadow Excadrill with Mud-Slap as a Fast Attack and Scorching Sands as a Charged Attack; or Garchomp with Mud Shot as a Fast Attack and Earth Power as a Charged Attack.
The recommended counters for the second Pokémon on Giovanni’s team line-up will be added as soon as we know what those are.
Shadow Pokémon from Team GO Rocket Grunts and their leaders
Team GO Rocket Grunts and their leaders (i.e., Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo) will be using different Shadow Pokémon. The new Shadow Pokémon from Team GO Rocket are as follows.
- Shadow Slakoth
- Shadow Inkay
- Shadow Tyrunt
- Shadow Amaura
READ ALSO: Guaranteed Shadow Hundo Pokémon by CP in Pokémon GO
Other details about the Crown Clash: Taken Over event
- From the beginning of the event, Larvitar and Pawniard will be available in 10 km Eggs and no longer in 12 km Eggs.
- Event-themed Field Research tasks will be available. Completing the Field Research tasks will grant Fast TMs, Charged TMs, and Mysterious Components.
- A paid Timed Research will be available for US$4.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency). Completing the paid event-exclusive Timed Research will award the following.
- One Super Rocket Radar Two Premium Battle Passes Encounters with event-themed Pokémon, including Nidoqueen wearing a crown, Nidoking wearing a crown, and more!
- Be on the lookout for Showcases at different PokéStops where you can enter event-themed Pokémon!
