Quick facts
Species: Ho Oh (Legendary)
Types: Fire / Flying
Primary weaknesses: Water, Electric, Rock
Recommended lobby: 3–7 trainers
🔥🕊️ Ho-Oh Raid Guide in Pokémon GO
Ho-Oh is a Legendary Fire and Flying-type Pokémon in Pokémon GO. It is known for its high bulk, powerful Fire-type attacks, and its usefulness in both raids and PvP.
In this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about Ho-Oh raids, including its weaknesses, best counters, moveset, catch CP, weather boost, and the best strategy to defeat it efficiently.
Table of Contents
Weakness Best Pokemon Regular Counters Shadow Counters Mega Counters Moveset Weather Effects Size Rewards FAQs🧬 About Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO
Ho-Oh is a Fire/Flying-type Legendary Pokémon from the Johto region. It has excellent stats and a very strong signature move, Sacred Fire, which makes it especially valuable.
Ho-Oh is popular for:
- Raids (as a Fire-type attacker)
- Master League PvP
- Legendary and shiny collection
Weaknesses & resistances
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| ❌ Weak To: |
 Rock •
 Water •
 Electric
|
| ✅ Resistant To: |
 Fighting •
 Bug •
 Steel •
 Fire •
 Ground •
 Fairy •
 Grass
|
🗡️ Best Counters for Ho-Oh
The best way to defeat Ho-Oh is to use Rock-type Pokémon because of its double weakness to Rock.
🪨 Rock-type Counters
- Ampharos: (Power Gem)
- Crustle: (Smack Down / Rock Wrecker)
- Aggron: (Smack Down / Meteor Beam)
Best Mega Evolutions
Recommended Megas to use against Ho Oh:
- Aggron, Blastoise, Ampharos, Rayquaza, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Diancie – Rock boost
- Blastoise - Water boost
- Rayquaza - Dragon boost
- Ampharos – Electric boost
Difficulty
Large teams can overwhelm it with coordinated counters, while smaller squads must prioritize type advantage, dodging, and optimal DPS rotation.
Best Regular Counters
Regular pokemon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Regular counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | Fast Moves | Charged Moves | Elite Moves | Best Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhyperior | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Skull Bash / Superpower / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Surf / Breaking Swipe | Rock Wrecker | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
| Stonjourner | Rock Throw | Stone Edge / Rock Slide / Stomp | - | Rock Throw (13) and Stone Edge (105) |
| Incarnate Landorus | Mud Shot / Rock Throw | Focus Blast / Earth Power / Rock Slide / Outrage | - | Rock Throw (13) and Focus Blast (140) |
| Gigalith | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Superpower / Rock SLide / Heavy Slam / Solar Beam | Meteor Beam | Mud Slap (19) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Tyrantrum | Rock Throw / Dragon Tail / Charm | Earthquake / Stone Edge / Meteor Beam / Rock Tomb / Crunch / Outrage | - | Charm (20) and Earthquake / Meteor Beam (140) |
| Primal Kyogre | Waterfall | Hydro Pump / Surf / Thunder / Blizzard / Avalanche | Origin Pulse | Waterfall (13) and Hydro Pump (135) |
| Rampardos | Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Rock Slide / Flamethrower / Outrage | - | Smack Down (13) and Outrage (110) |
| Terrakion | Double Kick / Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Close Combat / Earthquake / Rock Slide | Sacred Sword | Smack Down (13) and Earthquake (140) |
| Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Aerodactyl | Rock Throw / Steel Wing / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hyper Beam / Earth Power / Ancient Power / Rock Slide / Iron Head | - | Steel Wing (14) and Hyper Beam (150) |
Best Shadow Counters
Shadow pokemon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Shadow counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | Fast Moves | Charged Moves | Elite Moves | Best Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Rampardos | Smack Down / Zen Headbutt | Rock Slide / Flamethrower / Outrage | - | Smack Down (13) and Outrage (110) |
| Shadow Golem | Mud Slap / Mud Shot / Rock Throw | Stone Edge / Earthquake / Rock Blast / Ancient Power | - | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
| Shadow Omastar | Mud Shot / Water Gun | Hydro Pump / Ancient Power / Rock Blast | Rock Throw / Rock Slide | Rock Throw (13) and Hydro Pump (135) |
| Shadow Aurorus | Rock Throw / Powder Snow / Frost Breath | Ancient Power / Meteor Beam / Hyper Beam / Weather Ball / Blizzard / Thunderbolt | - | Rock Throw (13) and Hyper Beam (150) |
| Shadow Rhyperior | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Skull Bash / Superpower / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Surf / Breaking Swipe | Rock Wrecker | Mud Slap (19) and Earthquake (140) |
| Shadow Tyrantrum | Rock Throw / Dragon Tail / Charm | Earthquake / Stone Edge / Meteor Beam / Rock Tomb / Crunch / Outrage | - | Charm (20) and Earthquake / Meteor Beam (140) |
| Shadow Aerodactyl | Rock Throw / Steel Wing / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hyper Beam / Earth Power / Ancient Power / Rock Slide / Iron Head | - | Steel Wing (14) and Hyper Beam (150) |
| Shadow Gigalith | Mud Slap / Smack Down | Superpower / Rock SLide / Heavy Slam / Solar Beam | Meteor Beam | Mud Slap (19) and Solar Beam (180) |
| Shadow Archeops | Wing Attack / Steel Wing | Dragon Claw / Ancient Power / Crunch | - | Steel Wing (14) and Ancient Power (140) |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
| Shadow Aggron | Smack Down / Iron Tail / Metal Sound / Dragon Tail | Stone Edge / Rock Tomb / Meteor Beam / Heavy Slam / Thunder | - | Iron Tail / Dragon Tail (14) and Meteor Beam (140) |
| Shadow Crustle | Smack Down / Fury Cutter | Rock Slide / Rock Wrecker / Rock Blast / X-Scissor | - | Smack Down (13) and Rock Wrecker (110) |
| Shadow Alola Golem | Volt Switch / Rock Throw | Stone Edge / Wild Charge / Rock Blast | Rollout | Rollout (15) and Stone Edge (105) |
Best Mega Counters
Mega pokemon that amplify the right types give you a powerful edge. Below are top Mega counters with short notes on why they excel.
| Pokémon | Fast Moves | Charged Moves | Elite Moves | Best Moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Diancie | Tackle / Rock Throw | Rock Slide / Power Gem / Moonblast | - | Rock Throw (13) and Moonblast (130) |
| Mega Aerodactyl | Rock Throw / Steel Wing / Dragon Breath / Bite | Hyper Beam / Earth Power / Ancient Power / Rock Slide / Iron Head | - | Steel Wing (14) and Hyper Beam (150) |
| Mega Aggron | Smack Down / Iron Tail / Metal Sound / Dragon Tail | Stone Edge / Rock Tomb / Meteor Beam / Heavy Slam / Thunder | - | Iron Tail / Dragon Tail (14) and Meteor Beam (140) |
| Mega Ampharos | Charge Beam / Volt Switch | Focus Blast / Power Gem / Trailblaze / Zap Cannon / Thunder / Thunder Punch / Brutal Swing | Dragon Pulse | Volt Switch (13) and Focus Blast / Zap Cannon (140) |
| Mega Blastoise | Rollout / Water Gun / Bite | Skull Bash / Flash Cannon / Hydro Pump / Ice Beam | Hydro Cannon | Rollout (15) and Hydro Pump (135) |
| Mega Rayquaza | Air Slash / Dragon Tail | Aerial Ace / Dragon Ascent / Ancient Power / Outrage | Hurricane / Breaking Swipe | Dragon Tail (14) and Dragon Ascent (140) |
| Mega Tyranitar | Iron Tail / Dragon Breath / Bite | Stone Edge / Fire Blast / Crunch / Brutal Swing | Smack Down | Iron Tail (14) and Fire Blast (140) |
🌀 Ho-Oh Moveset
Ho Oh common fast moves are Hidden Power or Steel Wing or Incinerate or Extrasensory. Charged moves include Brave Bird or Fire Blast or Solar Beam. Elite moves include Earthquake or Sacred Fire.
Most dangerous moveset: Incinerate + Sacred Fire or Brave Bird
🌦️ Weather Boost
Ho-Oh gets a weather boost in:
- Sunny weather (boosts Fire)
- Windy weather (boosts Flying)
Your counters get boosted in:
- Partly Cloudy → Rock-types
- Rainy → Water-types
- Rainy → Electric-types
Recommended Teams
🪨 Rock-type Counters
- Mega Tyranitar
- Rampardos
- Rhyperior
- Terrakion
- Tyranitar
- Gigalith
💡 Best Strategy to Defeat Ho-Oh
- Use Rock-type Pokémon only for fastest clear
- Dodge Sacred Fire and Brave Bird if possible
- Mega Tyranitar or Mega Diancie makes this raid very easy
- Raid with friends to save revives
When to avoid
Avoid using fragile Fire or Grass attackers that will faint quickly to Ho Oh’s strong Fire- and Ground-type moves. Also be cautious with Ice attackers if Ho Oh carries Rock coverage.
👥 How Many Trainers Are Needed?
- 2 strong trainers → Easy with Rock teams
- 3–4 trainers → Very safe clear
- Low-level players → Bring at least 5–6 trainers
Rewards
- Chance to catch Ho Oh (with boosted IVs)
- Rare Candy & XL Candy
📌 Is Ho-Oh Worth Raiding?
Yes. Ho-Oh is one of the best Fire-type Pokémon in the game and also a strong pick in Master League PvP. It is definitely worth raiding, especially for its shiny and good IV versions.
PvP Relevance
While Ho Oh isn’t top tier in PvP, it’s a fun spice pick. Ho Oh shines more in raids and PvE content.
FAQ
Can Ho Oh be shiny in Pokémon GO?
Shiny Ho-Oh features a golden-red glow and is available during this raid period.
What are best moveset of Ho Oh?
Best moveset of Ho-Oh are Incinerate which does damage of 32 under Fast Attack and Solar Beam of 180 under Charged Attack.
Are Shadow Pokémon better?
Yes—Shadow forms have +20% attack, making them excellent choices if available.
What is the best weather to raid Ho Oh?
Partly Cloudy weather to boosts Rock types moves, Rainy weather to boosts Water and Electric types moves, Windy weather to boosts Extrasensory and Brave Bird move from Ho-Oh, Snow weather to boosts Steel Wing move from Ho-Oh.
🏁 Conclusion
Ho-Oh is one of the easiest Tier 5 raids if you bring Rock-type Pokémon. Thanks to its double weakness, it goes down very fast.
Related Guides
Looking for more counters? Check out our Mega Diancie Raid Guide, Mega Tyranitar Raid Guide, Mega Aerodactyl Raid Guide
Summary
Efficiently defeating Ho-Oh requires maximizing type advantages, choosing weather-boosted attackers, and timing shields correctly. Even small groups can succeed with high-level Rock, Electric, or Water Pokémon, making the raid rewarding and strategic for trainers of all levels.