Pokémon Go: The Higher They Fly Special Research - iMore

Pokémon Go's Team GO Rocket is back with more Special Research and another chance to challenge Giovanni!

Beginning on February 28, 2021, Trainers can begin The Higher They Fly, a six step Special Research which rewards players with a Super Rocket Radar to track down and beat the head of Team GO Rocket.

Be sure to check out our guide for beating the leaders of Team GO Rocket, as well as our best Pokémon Go accessories so you're fully equipped for the battles ahead.

Roughly once a month, you can complete a Special Research to take on their leader, Giovanni and potentially rescue a Legendary Shadow Pokémon from him.

While these Special Research lines don't expire, you can only complete one a month, even if you haven't completed past months, so make sure to complete one every month so you don't miss out on a chance at another Shadow Legendary Pokémon.

If you haven't completed A Troubling Situation and a previously started Team GO Rocket Special Research line, you'll have to finish that first.

Once you've completed the previous Team GO Rocket Special Research lines, you will find The Higher They Fly in your list of Special Research quests.

In addition to completing Special Research, defeating Team GO Rocket Leaders come with plenty of potential rewards, including:.

Cliff brings in a team of three Pokémon with the second and third being chosen from a pool of different strong Shadow Pokémon.

A Rock and Flying type, it can deal Rock, Ground, Steel, Normal, and Dark type damage, while taking double damage from Rock, Steel, Water, Electric, and Ice.

This Rock and Dark type pseudo-Legendary has access to Dark, Rock, Steel, and Fire type moves, and is takes super effective damage from Fighting, while also being weak to Ground, Bug, Steel, Water, Grass, and Fairy.

Fighting type counters or Pokémon with access to Fighting type moves, such as Hariyama, Machamp, Conkeldurr, Heracross, or Sirfetch'd, are going to be your best bet, but a relative newcomer to Pokémon Go, Chesnaught performs really well here too.

Your best options to counter a Shadow Hippowdon are Mega Blastoise, Mega Venusaur, Mega Abomasnow, or Kyogre, but more commonly available Pokémon that work well here include Galarian Darmanitan, Kingler, and Mamoswine.

If Sierra's second Pokémon is Mismagius, its only weaknesses are Ghost and Dark, and it has Ghost, Dark, and Fairy type moves.

If Houndoom is her third choice, Shadow Machamp, Shadow Swampert, or Mega Blastoise are the best counters.

Beldum is a Psychic and Steel type, weak to Ground, Ghost, Fire, and Dark.

Arlo's second Pokémon could be the Steel and Rock type, Aggron.

As a Steel and Bug type, Scizor's only weakness is to Fire but, fortunately, its Steel, Bug, and Dark type moves shouldn't be a problem for your counters.

The Founder of Team GO Rocket, Giovanni is the only one bringing in Legendary Shadow Pokémon.

Giovanni's third Pokémon is currently the very best Pokémon in all of Go: Shadow Mewtwo

Ghost and Dark type attacks are going to serve you best, especially Shadow Ball, but you can also take advantage of Mewtwo's weakness to Bug types with Mega Beedrill or Genesect, so long as it doesn't have Flamethrower

Do you have any questions about the Special Research, The Higher They Fly, or taking on the Leaders of Team Go Rocket