PoGO – Pokémon GO: A growing challenge - Guide

Pokémon Go’s recurring monthly special research, “A Growing Challenge,” will reward you with a Super Rocket Radar and an encounter with Team Go Rocket boss Giovanni upon completion. In January 2020, you’ll be able to get your hands on Crypto-Lavados! Check out our guide with countering tips for Giovanni!

Update from January 2, 2020: After Pokémon Go players were able to get Crypto-Zapdos via the recurring special research “A Growing Challenge” in December 2019, Crypto-Lavados is on the schedule for January 2020. Generally, it works as follows: You’ll complete all the steps of the “A Growing Challenge” special research that we’ve described below, and you’ll receive a Super Rocket Radar that you can use to track down Giovanni.

Due to the fact that Giovanni has Crypto-Lavados in his team in January 2020, there are some adjustments in the best counters for fighting the boss of Team Go Rocket. Giovanni can take the following Pokémon into battle:

Pokémon No. 1: Always Snobilikat

Pokémon – No. 2: Austos, Kangama or Knakrack

Pokémon – No. 3 : Always Lavados

The following Pocket Monsters are always suitable for battle, no matter which Pokémon Giovanni chooses in the second part of the battle.

Lucario with Counter, Incremental Strike, and Spookball as counters against Snobilikat and Austos, and as a Pokémon to use up the shields of Giovanni’s Pocket Monster.
Quappo with Clay Shot, Blast, and Increasing Blow as a counter against Snobilikat and Austos, and as a Pokémon to use up Giovanni’s Pocket Monster’s shields.
Dragoran with Fire Ember, Dragon Claw and Draco Meteor as a counter against Kangama and Knakrack.
Despotar with Catapult, Stone Edge and Crusher as a counter against Lavados, Zapdos and Arktos.

Alternatively, you can still use the following pocket monsters

Against Snobilikat: Machomei with counter and Cross Slash, Lohgock with counter and Fire Sweep.
Against Austos: Machomei with counter and cross slash, Lohgock with counter and fire sweep.
Against Kangama: Machomei with counter and cross cut.
Against Knakrack: Regice with target shot and blizzard, Mamutel with powder snow and avalanche.
Against Arktos and Lavados: Regirock with Aim Shot and Stone Edge, Stolloss with Catapult and Stone Edge, Tornupto with Dark Claw and Lohe Cannonade.
Against Zapdos: Rihornior with Catapult and Stone Edge, Mamutel with Powder Snow and Avalanche, Regice with Target Shot and Blizzard.

We have also updated our counter guide to Giovanni accordingly.

Original news from December 2, 2019: Those Pokémon Go players who have completed the Team Go Rocket special research “A Long Shadow” will be pleased to see a new entry in their special research tab, as the monthly recurring special research “A Growing Challenge” is now available in-game. You’ll receive this monthly if you complete the six associated steps to track down and battle (and hopefully defeat) Team Go Rocket boss Giovanni with a Super Rocket Radar once every four weeks, then grab one of the Legendary Crypto Pokémon that Giovanni brings to battle. Currently, there’s Crypto Zapdos up for grabs from him, following Crypto Arktos’ turn in November 2019. So it’s hard to assume that you’ll then be allowed to catch Crypto Lavados in January via “A Growing Challenge”.

So far, the steps for the special research “A Growing Challenge” are the same as for the one-time special research “A Long Shadow” – including timegate at step 2. As soon as there is news regarding adjustments, or if everything stays the same, we will update this guide accordingly.

Pokémon Go: A growing challenge – Step 1/6

Defeat 3 Team Go Rocket bullies – Reward: 500 XP
Turn the photo dial of 10 PokéStops – Reward: 500 XP
Catch a Crypto Pokémon – Reward: 500 XP

Reward for step 1: 500 stardust, 10 x Pokéballs, 10 x Himmihberry

Pokémon Go: A Growing Challenge – Step 2/6.

Visit a PokéStop for 5 consecutive days – Reward: 750 XP
Recover 15 Crypto Pokémon – Reward: 750 XP
Win 5 Raids – Reward: 750 XP

Reward for step 2: 1,000 stardust, 3 x hyper potion, 3 x revival potion

Pokémon Go: A Long Shadow – Step 3/6

Use 6 very effective charging attacks in Arena battles – Reward: 1,000 XP
Win 3 battles against another trainer in Super League – Reward: 1,000 XP
Defeat 6 Team Go Rocket bullies – Reward: 1,000 XP

Reward for step 3: 1,500 stardust, 15 x Superball, 5 x Sanana Berry

Pokémon Go: A Long Shadow – Step 4/6

Defeat Team Go Rocket Boss Cliff – Reward: 1,250 XP
Defeat Team Go Rocket Boss Arlo- Reward: 1,250 XP
Defeat Team Go Rocket Boss Sierra – Reward: 1,250 XP

Reward for Step 4: 2,000 Stardust, 1 x Rocket Radar, 3 x Golden Himmihberry – Hints on what Pokémon the bosses use in battle can be found here.

Pokémon Go: A Long Shadow – Step 5/6

Find the boss of Team Go Rocket – Reward: 2,500 stardust.
Fight the boss of Team Go Rocket – Reward: 1,500 XP
Defeat the boss of Team Go Rocket – Reward: 3 x Silver Sanana Berry

Reward for Step 5: 3,000 Stardust, 1 x Charge TM, 1 x Instant TM

Pokémon Go: A Long Shadow – Step 6/6

will be completed automatically – Reward: 2,000 XP
will be completed automatically – Reward: 2,000 XP
will be completed automatically – Reward: 2,000 XP

Reward for Step 6: 3 x Star Piece. 20 x hyperball, 3 x special candy.

Pokémon GO

Pokémon Go is the mobile spin-off of Nintendo’s popular Pokémon game series for Android and iOS. It is a so-called “location-based game”, i.e. a game that uses the player’s immediate surroundings. It is based on the principle of augmented reality.

Pokémon Map: Between landmarks and sights

Pokémon Go uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) to determine the player’s location and displays it on a map that also represents the playing field. The map is based on OpenStreetMap maps. The game is played mostly outdoors and uses landmarks, landmarks and other notable or eye-catching objects in the world to position either PokéStops or arenas there for you to battle for supremacy. Join either Team Intuition (Team Yellow, Zapdos), Team Wisdom (Team Blue, Arktos), or Team Daring (Team Red, Lavados). Under their flag you can then fight for the arenas, which are placed at hotspots like churches or similar. Pokémon can appear anywhere, though.

Pocket monsters visible on the Pokémon Go Map are randomly loaded into the game’s virtual map by the game server. If several players are playing in the same location, each player can see and catch the Pokémon independently of the others.

Pokémon Go Updates, News, Raids and More

The developers at Niantic regularly provide Pokémon Go with new updates or special raids that should only be tackled in a group of several people. The Pokémon Go Raids are therefore very popular, as they also offer the prospect of particularly rare Pokémon. For example, in the past, legendary Pokémon could always be caught on special occasions (Pokémon Go events). For particularly eager mobile or smartphone Pokémon trainers, there is also an external IV calculator, such as the online tool from Pokemon.gameinfo.io or on Pokefans.net, to check the values of your Pokémon.