Ho-Oh Pokémon GO Raid Battle Strategy

Ho-Oh is a Fire- and Flying-type Legendary
Pokémon originally discovered in the Johto region. Legend says that Ho-Oh’s
body glows in seven colors, and a rainbow is said to form behind it when it
flies. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Ho-Oh,
how to catch Ho-Oh after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Rainbow
Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon, Ho-Oh is vulnerable to Water-, Electric-, and Rock-type attacks, with Rock-type
attacks dealing the most damage. When choosing six Pokémon for your Ho-Oh Raid
Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and Charged
Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible.
Because Rock-type attacks are the most effective against Ho-Oh, Rock-type
Pokémon should be your top choice. It’s not necessary to choose only Water-,
Electric-, or Rock-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these
attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these
attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

Remember that speed of victory effects how many Premier
Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful raid battle, so bring
your strongest Pokémon and defeat Ho-Oh as quickly as possible.

• Zapdos / Shadow Zapdos (Electric/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Shock (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Mega Ampharos (Electric/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Thunder Punch (Electric), Zap Cannon (Electric)

• Raikou / Shadow Raikou (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Thunder Shock (Electric), Volt Switch (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Thunderbolt (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Mega Manectric (Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric), Thunder Fang (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Thunder (Electric), Wild Charge (Electric)

• Zekrom (Dragon/Electric)

• Golem (Rock/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Blast (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Alolan Golem (Rock/Electric)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Blast (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Aerodactyl / Shadow Aerodactyl (Rock/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

• Rampardos (Rock)

• Rhyperior (Ground/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Wrecker (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Gigalith (Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Slide (Rock), Stone Edge (Rock)

• Archeops (Rock/Flying)

• Terrakion (Rock/Fighting)

After a successful Ho-Oh raid, you’ll have a limited number
of Premier Balls you can use to catch Ho-Oh, so make each one count. You can
earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Ho-Oh more
quickly.

In an encounter with Ho-Oh, your chance of catching it is
greatest when the target ring is small enough for you score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your
chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can
reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws
rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Ho-Oh isn’t going to make it easy on you
by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier
Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Ho-Oh to get a feel
for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one of
these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts
to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent
Throw.

Berries can help you catch Ho-Oh. A Razz
Berry will make Ho-Oh easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it
much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab
Berry will calm Ho-Oh, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to
make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Ho-Oh Candy, using a Silver
Pinap Berry will make Ho-Oh easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you
catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a
Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a
Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce
it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh is
tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by
stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz
Berries—and try again.

As a Fire- and Flying-type Pokémon, Ho-Oh is resistant to Fire-,
Grass-, Ice-, Fighting-, Ground-, Bug-, and Steel-type attacks. In addition to
being a useful addition to Raid Battle lineups, Ho-Oh is a solid choice for Ultra
League and Master League battles. This is due in large measure to the lengthy
list of Pokémon types it is resistant to.

Ho-Oh is useful against a number of Raid Bosses, including
Mega Venusaur, Regice, Abomasnow, Virizion, and many others. This Legendary
Pokémon’s extensive list of resistances, impressive max CP, and substantial
range of Fast and Charged Attacks also make it a powerful asset in the GO
Battle League. While Ho-Oh is somewhat better suited to the Master League,
Grass-type Pokémon do tend to appear in the Ultra League, and Ho-Oh is an
excellent counter to them.

Ho-Oh’s numerous Fast Attack and Charged Attack options make
it difficult to choose the best moves. When it comes to Fast Attacks, the
Fire-type Incinerate benefits from a same-type attack bonus while generating
substantial energy per second (EPS).
Its Charged Attacks—particularly Brave Bird—are especially effective after your
opponent has used both their Protect Shields. Given Ho-Oh’s vulnerability to
Rock-type Pokémon, the Ground-type Charged Attack Earthquake can shake up
Rock-type opponents. When choosing two Charged Attacks for Ho-Oh, be sure to consider
your entire team to help you determine which attacks will best round out your
roster.

If you’re aiming to bring Ho-Oh to the GO Battle League, you
should increase its CP and teach it a second Charged Attack. Raising Ho-Oh’s CP
to its maximum requires a lot of Ho-Oh Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as
many Ho-Oh as possible to help you get there faster—and don’t forget the Pinap
Berries!

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.

Source: Pokemon