Species guide · Ages 10+ · July 2026

Ho-Oh

Say it: HO-oh

Kids summary (simpler)Tap to expand

Ho-Oh is the Rainbow Pokémon — Fire and Flying legendary. In Pokémon GO it is a Fire/Flying attacker. Fire helps against Grass, Bug, Ice, and Steel; Flying helps against Fighting, Bug, and Grass. Water, Electric, and Rock punish it. Sacred Fire is a limited exclusive when available. Catch Ho-Oh from legendary raids and events. No Shadow form is listed in our worklist.

Say it: HO-oh

Ho-Oh (#250) is a Fire / Flying legendary Pokémon in Pokémon GO. Trainers use it as a Fire (and Flying) attacker with Incinerate / Extrasensory / Steel Wing / Hidden Power + Sacred Fire / Brave Bird / Fire Blast / Solar Beam. Against Ho-Oh, lead with Water, Electric, or Rock. Stats, type chart, moves, and counter picks below use our Game Master snapshot.

FireFlying#250

Type-colored placeholder — not official Pokémon artwork (see IP notice below).

Pokédex notes

Ho-Oh is Fire/Flying with huge raid DPS when moves align. Shadow Ho-Oh is a premium investment — check our Shadow guide before purifying.

Where in GO: Legendary raids, seasonal returns

Invest tip: Priority move: Sacred Fire when available (Elite Charged TM / event if missing). Incinerate + Sacred Fire / Brave Bird is the usual kit. No Community Day exclusive is required beyond Sacred Fire windows.

Type matchups

Fire moves hit Grass, Ice, Bug, and Steel hard.
Flying moves hit Grass, Fighting, and Bug hard.

When Ho-Oh is your opponent, Water, Electric, Rock hits hard.

Full type matchup guide →

GO base stats

From Game Master snapshot — IVs, buddy, and power-ups change real battle stats.

Attack: 239
Defense: 244
Stamina: 214

Weak to

WaterElectricRock

Resists

FireGrassFightingGroundBugSteelFairy

Best Pokémon to use against it

When this species is your opponent (Rocket battle, gym, raid, or PvP), these picks exploit its typings. Each list is a pool of options — not a required 12-Pokémon lobby.

1. Primal Kyogre · beats Water
Waterfall + Origin Pulse — Primal lobby boost
2. Shadow Kyogre · beats Water
Waterfall + Origin Pulse
3. Mega Swampert · beats Water
Water Gun + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
4. Kyogre · beats Water
Waterfall + Origin Pulse
5. Shadow Kingler · beats Water
Bubble + Crabhammer
6. Shadow Feraligatr · beats Water
Waterfall + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
7. Kingler · beats Water
Bubble + Crabhammer
8. Swampert · beats Water
Water Gun + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
9. Feraligatr · beats Water
Waterfall + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
10. Samurott · beats Water
Waterfall + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
11. Gyarados · beats Water
Waterfall + Aqua Tail
12. Empoleon · beats Water
Waterfall + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM

Budget

Solid alternatives when you cannot build the Recommended picks.

1. Kingler · beats Water
Bubble + Crabhammer
2. Gyarados · beats Water
Waterfall + Aqua Tail
3. Vaporeon · beats Water
Water Gun + Aqua Tail
4. Feraligatr · beats Water
Waterfall + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
5. Swampert · beats Water
Water Gun + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
6. Clawitzer · beats Water
Water Gun + Crabhammer
7. Floatzel · beats Water
Water Gun + Aqua Jet
8. Seismitoad · beats Water
Mud Shot + Hydro Pump
9. Carracosta · beats Water
Water Gun + Hydro Pump
10. Blastoise · beats Water
Water Gun + Hydro Cannon · Elite TM
11. Wailord · beats Water
Water Gun + Surf
12. Golisopod · beats Water
Waterfall + Aqua Jet

Recommended moves

Game Master “moves in GO” lists the always-available TM pool. Sacred Fire may need an Elite TM if you missed the featured window.

Fast

Incinerate · Standard
Fire energy / default
Extrasensory · Standard
Psychic energy
Steel Wing · Standard
Steel fast option
Hidden Power · Standard
Variable typing

Charged

Sacred Fire · Elite / event
Best Fire nuke
Brave Bird · Standard
Flying nuke
Fire Blast · Standard
Fire alternate
Solar Beam · Standard
Grass coverage

Moves in GO

Always-available Game Master learnset (regular TMs). Community Day / Elite TM moves appear above when we have curated notes for this species.

Fast

extrasensory
steel wing
hidden power
incinerate

Charged

brave bird
fire blast
solar beam

PvP league ranks (family snapshot)

Great League · rank #360 of 954 · CP 1490
Steel Wing + Brave Bird
Ultra League · rank #238 of 747 · CP 2483
Steel Wing + Brave Bird
Master League · rank #26 of 1023 · CP 4367
Steel Wing + Brave Bird

Open battle tools →

In your Collect

Name match only (text). Cards you have saved in Card Nexus Collect — not official art.

Open Collect →

Raid and PvP advice uses our Game Master snapshot (updated July 2026).

As a raid boss

5-star · Fire / Flying · weak to Rock (2×), Electric, Water

Watch out: Sacred Fire, Brave Bird.

1. Shadow Rampardos
Smack Down + Rock Slide
2. Rampardos
Smack Down + Rock Slide
3. Primal Kyogre
Waterfall + Origin Pulse
4. Zekrom
Charge Beam + Fusion Bolt
5. Shadow Rhyperior
Smack Down + Rock Wrecker
6. Tyranitar
Smack Down + Stone Edge

Open in raid lobby →

In the Competitive Guide

Ch. 3: Current Meta Tier Lists (July 2026)
…ath Aqua Tail / Special Rend Safe Switch Great speed and coverage; excellent pivot option Ho-Oh Fire / Flying Incinerate Sacred Fire* / Brave Bird Pivot Exceptional TDO; Sacred Fire req…
Ch. 7: Recommended Movesets
…alkia (Origin) Dragon Breath Aqua Tail Special Rend ML pivot; fast and excellent coverage Ho-Oh Incinerate Sacred Fire* Brave Bird ML pivot; Pokémon Fast Move Charged Move 1 Charged Mov…
Ch. 10: Stardust, Investment & Seasonal Strategy
…lable) or Dragon Breath (original CD move) - Machamp — Dynamic Punch (Elite Charged TM) - Ho-Oh — Sacred Fire (Elite Charged TM; essential for PvP) - Umbreon — Last Resort (Elite Charge…
Ch. 12: Raid Counters — 5-Star Legendaries
…id Water, Grass, and Electric types — they deal neutral damage here and are not efficient Ho-Oh (Fire/Flying) Weaknesses: Rock (×2 double weakness), Electric, Water | Resistances: Bug, …
Ch. 20: Lucky Pokémon & Family Trades
When lucky status matters for trades and Stardust savings.
Ch. 21: Best Friends & Lucky Friends
Friendship steps for raid bonuses and lucky trades.

Related species

Also named in the same guide chapters (text only).

Costume Ho-Oh Shadow Type Type Null Costume Kyogre Costume Palkia Eternatus Kyogre Machamp

Pokédex browser Search GO Companion Family trades

GO Companion · free guide

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Competitive Guide content is informational and dated from our Game Master snapshot. Metas, moves, and raid counters change with Niantic patches. We do not guarantee wins, ranks, or raid success. Trade Stardust costs and curated event dates are snapshots — confirm costs and dates in Pokémon GO before acting.

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