Team Go Rocket continues to bring double trouble to Pokémon Go!
- feb
- 07
A new Special Research has been released to Pokémon Go featuring Giovanni and Team Go Rocket!
Team Go Rocket is back for February, 2020 and this time Giovanni has captured the Legendary beast, Raikou! By completing the Special Research: A Professor's Work is Never Finished, you can defeat Giovanni, rescue Shadow Raikou, and Purify the Legendary Beast.
What is Team Go Rocket anyway?
Based on the original antagonists of Pokémon, Team Rocket is an infamous criminal organization led by Giovanni. The group seeks to steal valuable Pokémon and force those Pokémon to further Giovanni's endeavors. In Pokémon Go, the group is much of the same, known as Team Go Rocket. Basically, they're the bad guys who've been missing from the game since day one. They're here now, and once a month, you can complete a Special Research to take on their leader, Giovanni and potentially rescue a Legendary Shadow Pokémon from him.
Can I start right away?
Probably but, unlike some other Special Research, players must complete specific Special Researches to begin A Professor's Work is Never Finished. If you haven't completed A Troubling Situation, Looming in the Shadows, A Challenging Development, and The Take-Over Continues, you'll have to finish those first. Fortunately, A Troubling Situation is pretty quick, and we have a guide that will walk you through it fast. Looming in the Shadows, A Challenging Development, and The Take-Over Continues take longer. However, we also have guides to walk you through each of them.
You must also be at least Level eight to begin this Special Research.
A Professor's Work is Never Finished
Once you've completed the previous Team Go Rocket Special Research, you will find A Professor's Work is Never Finished in your list of Special Research quests. This Special Research is split up into six steps of three tasks each.
Step One
- Spin 10 PokéStops for Sandslash Encounter
- Defeat 3 Team GO Rocket Grunts for 500 XP
- Catch 1 Shadow Pokémon for 500 XP
Completion Rewards: 500 Stardust, 10 Poké Balls, 10 Razz Berries
Step Two
- Spin a PokéStop 3 days in a row for 750 XP
- Purify 5 Shadow Pokémon for 750 XP
- Win 5 raids for 750 XP
Completion rewards: 1,000 Stardust, 3 Hyper Potions, and 3 Revives
Step Three
- Use six super effective Carged Atacks in Gym Bttles for 1,000 XP
- Win three Great League Trainer Battles against another Trainer for 1,000 XP
- Defeat six Go Rocket Grunts for 1,000 XP
Completion rewards: 1,500 Stardust, 15 Great Balls, and five Pinap Berries
Step Four
- Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Arlo for 1,250 XP
- Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Cliff for 1,250 XP
- Defeat Team Go Rocket Leader Sierra for 1,250 XP
Completion rewards: 2,000 Stardust, 1 Super Rocket Radar, and three Golden Razz Berries
Step Five
- Find the Team Go Rocket Boss for 2,500 Stardust
- Battle the Team Go Rocket Boss for 1,500 XP
- Defeat the Team Go Rocket Boss for three Silver Pinap Berries
Completion rewards: 3,000 Stardust, one Charged TM, and 1 Fast TM
Step Six
- Autocompleted for 2,000 XP
- Autocompleted for 2,000 XP
- Autocompleted for 2,000 XP
Completion rewards: three Max Revives, 20 Ultra Balls, and three Rare Candies
The Leaders of Team Go Rocket
Part of the Looming Shadows update added a new feature to Pokémon Go: Team Go Rocket Hideouts. By assembling Rocket Radars, players can track down Team Go Rocket Hideouts, where they can challenge the Leaders of Team Go Rocket. In addition to completing Special Research, defeating Team Go Rocket Leaders come with plenty of potential rewards, including:
- Max Revive
- Revive
- Max Potion
- Unova Stone
- Sinnoh Stone
- Encounter with Shadow Pokémon, some of which have the potential to be shiny
While a Rocket Radar is necessary to find the Team Go Rocket Hideouts, once a player has completed their first, additional Rocket Radars will be able to be crafted or purchased for Pokécoins from the Pokémon Shop. Once equipped, the Hideouts will be visible on the map and can be challenged in the same way that players challenge the Team Go Rocket Grunts, but the Leaders are much stronger and use their shields. Don't worry if you don't beat the Team Go Rocket Leader the first time. You can heal your Pokémon, power them up, and try again until you can defeat them. For a more in-depth dive into the possible counters for the Leaders of Team Go Rocket, see our guide.
Cliff
The first of the Team Go Rocket Executives, Cliff can bring the following Shadow Pokémon into battle:
The best counters for going up against Cliff are Moltres, Venusaur, Rhyperior, and Machamp.
Sierra
The second of the Team Go Rocket Executives, Sierra can bring the following Shadow Pokémon into battle:
The best counters for going up against Sierra are Darkrai, Machamp, and Yanmega.
Arlo
The third of the Team Go Rocket Executives and former friend of Team Valor's Candela, Arlo can bring the following Shadow Pokémon into battle:
The best counters for going up against Arlo are Moltres, Rhyperior or Venusaur, and Regice.
Giovanni
The Boss of Team Go Rocket himself, Giovanni can bring Legendary Shadow Pokémon into battle. Currently, Raikou is in his third slot, but that changes each month. Next month, he will likely have Entei. The Pokémon Giovanni has and the Shadow Pokémon you can rescue from him is not dependent on which Special Research you're working on. His current lineup includes:
The best Pokémon to counter Giovanni are Machamp, Venusaur, and Rhyperior
Unlike the other Leaders of Team Go Rocket, Giovanni can only be found using the Super Rocket Radar. This can be obtained by completing Looming in the Shadows Special Research once per calendar month. The Super Rocket Radar will lead players to several potential encounters, but many of those encounters will be decoys, as opposed to Giovanni himself. Keep trying, and eventually, you will find the real Team Go Rocket Boss!
Any questions about A Professor's Work is Never Done?
Do you have any questions about the Special Research, A Professor's Work is Never Done, or taking on the Leaders of Team Go Rocket? Drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our other Pokémon Guides so you too can be a Pokémon Master!
