How to fight Jesse and James in Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO players may be looking for Jesse and James, especially if they are trying to complete the shiny Celebi research task. Luckily, the two Team Rocket characters come and go in the game all the time.

Despite them being in Pokemon GO at a pretty frequent rate, it's not a guaranteed deal to find them. That's because their encounter is based on luck.

Jesse and James will only appear in a Meowth-shaped hot air balloon that floats above the player on the map. When it does appear on the Pokemon GO map, all that players need to do is tap on the balloon to start the encounter.

The meeting itself is based on luck because there is no real way to make them appear. Two aspects of Jesse and James need to line up in Pokemon GO for them to appear.

First, they need to be specifically available in Pokemon GO. Even though they are featured often and for long periods, the Team Rocket goons aren't always available to fight.

Second, players need to hope that one of their four balloon encounters each day happens to be Jesse and James. Every six hours, a balloon encounter is guaranteed from Team Rocket. A balloon will appear in that time frame, and when it does, players have 20 minutes to start the meeting before the balloon disappears.

With any luck, that balloon will be the Meowth head that everyone recognizes, and gamers can battle the iconic duo.

---

Battling Jesse and James from Team Rocket in Pokemon GO

Like other prominent Team Rocket leaders that players can battle, Jesse and James have their unique character models in battle. The same way that they have a unique balloon shape for their rare encounter.

What also sets Jesse and James is the battle itself, or how it plays out. Instead of just one fight, or a dual battle against both Team Rocket members simultaneously, players need to battle them separately.

Both will give players a chance to choose three Pokemon for the battle, and each will fight on their own.

Once defeated, they will also both offer up their own shadow Pokemon for the player to catch in Pokemon GO. Overall, that's two full battles and two shadow Pokemon to capture from one balloon encounter. It's no wonder the meeting itself is on the rare side.