Currently, Team GO Rocket is back in takeover mode in Pokémon GO. We have looked at which strong monsters you should definitely catch here.
Since September 16, 2025, the Psychic Spectacle: Takeover has been running in Pokémon GO. During this event, you can challenge Giovanni again and steal a legendary Crypto monster from him. However, the other Rocket bosses and Grunts are also active in large numbers during the event.
We have put together some strong monsters that you should definitely catch in the current event. Due to the high number of Rockets in the game, you can hunt and collect the strong monsters much more easily than usual.
Important: When you click on a Rocket Grunt in the game, they will first greet you with a message. After the greeting, you will see another line from the Grunt, under which you can also start the battle. These lines are important if you want to hunt monsters specifically.
Boreas (Incarnate Form)
What kind of Pokémon is this? Boreas is a legendary monster of the Flying type. Since the regular variant of the monster is already a strong Flying attacker, the Crypto variant of the monster is even stronger.
How do I get this Pokémon? If you complete the special research of the event and successfully defeat Giovanni, you can catch Boreas as a Crypto monster from him. If you have trouble in battle, we have the right help for you: Defeating Giovanni – Best Counters in September 2025.
Larvitar
What kind of Pokémon is this? Larvitar is a monster from the 2nd generation. It can evolve into Pupitar and then into Tyranitar.
Tyranitar, especially in its Crypto variant, is still one of the strongest attackers of the Rock and Dark types in Pokémon GO. So it’s worth having one or two specimens in your team.
How do I get this Pokémon? You can catch Larvitar when you find and defeat the Rocket boss Cliff.
Capuno
What kind of Pokémon is this? Capuno is from the 5th generation and has the types Dark and Dragon. It evolves into Duodino and then into Trikephalo. With Trikephalo, you get one of the strongest attackers in Pokémon GO of the Dark type.
How do I get this Pokémon? To get Capuno, you must look for Rocket Grunts who say the line “A good roar is half the battle!” before the battle. Here you can obtain Capuno, as well as Dratini and Balgoras.
Balgoras
What kind of Pokémon is this? Balgoras is a Rock and Dragon monster from the 6th generation. It can evolve into Monargoras.
Crypto-Monargoras is one of the best Rock attackers that you can currently obtain in Pokémon GO.
How do I get this Pokémon? Balgoras is also waiting with the phrase “A good roar is half the battle!” from Rocket Grunts. However, you can also receive Dratini or Capuno instead.
Magnetilo
What kind of Pokémon is this? Magnetilo is from the 1st generation. It can evolve into Magneton and then into Magnezone. It has the types Electric and Steel.
Magnezone is found among the top Electric attackers. If you still need it, you should use this event to catch Crypto-Magnetilo.
How do I get this Pokémon? If you find a Rocket Grunt who says before the fight, “You will be shocked!”, you can get Magnetilo here. Alternatively, you can also find Wattzapf and Voltilamm here. Magnetilo can also appear as Shiny.
Trasla and Kirlia
What kind of Pokémon is this? Kirlia is the evolution of Trasla. While the female Kirlia can evolve into Gardevoir, the male variant can evolve into both Gardevoir and Gallade.
Gardevoir has the types Fairy and Psychic and is one of the strongest Fairy attackers in the game.
How do I get this Pokémon? If you see the line “Look at how cute my Pokémon is!” before the battle, you can receive Kirlia here. But beware: with Rocket Grunts that say this line, you can also receive Snubbull, Flunkifer, Alola Vulpix, or Galar Smogmog instead.
Trasla, which you can also obtain as Shiny, is also available from Grunts who say, “Are you afraid of invisible forces?” You can also receive Puppance and Iscalar from this Grunt.
Strepoli
What kind of Pokémon is this? Strepoli is the evolution of Praktibalk and the pre-evolution of Meistagrif. With Crypto-Meistagrif, you receive one of the best Fighting attackers in the game.
How do I get this Pokémon? If you find trainers with the line “This muscular body is not just for show!”, you can receive Strepoli here. However, these Grunts may also have Manki, Machollo, Makuhita, Kicklee, or Nockchan.
Rihorn
What kind of Pokémon is this? Rihorn is from the 1st generation and has the types Ground and Rock. It can evolve into Rizeros and then into Rihornior.
Crypto-Rihornior is a true powerhouse. As a Ground attacker, it is among the top 10 monsters; as a Rock attacker, it is even among the top 3 strongest attackers of that type.
How do I get this Pokémon? If a Rocket Grunt says before the battle, “We will stomp you into the ground!”, you can receive Rihorn here.
Quiekel
What kind of Pokémon is this? This monster is from the 2nd generation. With Keifel and Mamutel, it has 2 evolutions. All 3 Pokémon have the types Ground and Ice.
Mamutel is one of the best Ice attackers overall and can also be used as a very strong Ground attacker.
How do I get this Pokémon? If a Rocket Grunt greets you with the phrase “You are walking on thin ice!”, you can receive Quiekel here. Alternatively, you might also encounter Amarino and Sniebel here.
Tanhel
What kind of Pokémon is this? Tanhel has existed since the 3rd generation and has the types Steel and Psychic. It can evolve into Metang and then into Metagross.
Crypto-Metagross is one of the strongest Steel attackers overall. It can also be used as a Psychic attacker.
How do I get this Pokémon? “You will not overcome my iron will!” is the phrase a Rocket Grunt must say for you to obtain Tanhel. You can also get it as Shiny. Other potential monsters from this Rocket Grunt are Alolan Sandshrew and Alolan Diglett.
More good monsters
There are other monsters that have strengths and can currently be obtained from Rocket Grunts. Pokémon that can also be obtained as Shiny are marked with a *.
| Pokémon | Evolution | Line from Rocket Grunt |
|---|---|---|
| Dratini* | Dragonair, good Dragon attacker | “A good roar is half the battle!” |
| Snubbull | Granbull, good Fairy attacker | “Look at how cute my Pokémon is!” |
| Machollo* | Machoke, good Fighting attacker | “This muscular body is not just for show!” |
| Flampion | Flampivian, good Fire attacker | “Do you know how hot a Pokémon’s fire breath can be?” |
| Nebulak und Alpollo | Gengar, good Ghost attacker | “Boo… Boohoo…!” |
| Tentacha* | Tentoxa, good monster for the Hyper League | “We are ready. You can count on that!” |
Not only the Rocket event is running in September in Pokémon GO. As usual, there are a variety of events, raids, and other content waiting for you this month. If you want to know what they are, feel free to take a look at our overview with all events in September 2025 in Pokémon GO.
