Sp. Def and Attack carry most of Ho-oh's stat budget. Defense's the obvious dump stat. Near-impossible to catch and yields 3 Sp. Def EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Its feathers are in seven colors. It is said that anyone seeing it is promised eternal happiness.
Its feathers are in seven colors. It is said that anyone seeing it is promised eternal happiness.
Type-wise, Ho Oh takes extra damage from Rock, Water, and Electric. Watch out for Rock attacks, those deal 4x damage. Ground moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Ho Oh's special bulk (base 154 Sp.Def) helps absorb special-type weaknesses, though physical moves exploit the lower Defense.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Rock |
| 2x (Weak) | Water, Electric |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Fire, Fighting, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Ground |
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Amoonguss builds →Sludge Bomb14-17% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin6-7% Volt Switch 2x11-13% | ||
| B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Forretress builds →Rapid Spin6-7% Volt Switch 2x11-13% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPickpocket ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Tinkaton builds →Knock Off7-8% | ||
 Spidops Bug | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityStakeout ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Spidops builds →Knock Off11-13% | ||
No breeding, no evolution. Ho Oh is a Fire/Flying legendary with 680 base stat total that you obtain once and build around. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Ho Oh's built to absorb hits. Impish nature leans into physical wall duty, Heavy-Duty Boots gives it hazard immunity on every switch-in, and Recover handles sustain. Regenerator and max HP and Defense EVs tie the defensive profile together.
Best Build
Ho-oh best EVs are Defense and HP
Wall Moveset
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Recover
- Whirlwind
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Wall Moveset
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Recover
- Earthquake
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Physical Tank Moveset
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Tailwind
- Protect
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Bulky Support Moveset
- Sacred Fire
- Protect
- Brave Bird
- Tailwind
Recommended Teammates
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 7.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
Moves
TMs carry this one. Ho Oh learns Sky Attack and Overheat naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Rock and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
TMs carry this one. Ho Oh learns Sky Attack and Burn Up naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Rock and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
TMs carry this one. Ho Oh learns Sky Attack and Burn Up naturally for STAB, but the offensive range comes almost entirely from technical machines. Rock and Normal and beyond give it real matchup play.
Hard to wall, honestly. Ho Oh threatens 12 types beyond its own STAB, with Normal and Psychic standing out. Pair that with Sky Attack and Overheat and switchins need to think twice.
Ho-oh doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Gold, Crystal, or Ultra Sun to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
No wild encounters for Ho-oh in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. It's available in Gold, Crystal, or Ultra Sun and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
No wild encounters for Ho-oh in Sword & Shield. It's available in Gold, Crystal, or Ultra Sun and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Ho-oh waits at a fixed spot in this game. Head to Ultra Space Wilds for a one-time encounter. No random spawns or encounter rates involved — it's a set battle at a known location.
Best Locations to Catch Ho-oh in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Ho-oh is a Legendary Pokemon rated S-Tier. At 680 BST, it hits hard. It excels as a wallbreaker. Base 154 Sp. Def stands out.
Ho-oh's biggest threats include Aerodactyl (Rock), Gyarados (Water), and Raikou (Electric), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Aerodactyl is the most dangerous since Rock moves deal 4x damage. Ho-oh has enough bulk to absorb a hit, but don't push the matchup. Pivot to a teammate that resists.
Regenerator is what you want on Ho-oh. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Pressure) work on paper but Regenerator is what makes Ho-oh worth using. Regenerator synergizes with Ho-oh's base 154 Sp.Def, letting it soak special attacks as a pivot.
Base 90 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Ho-oh is leaning toward the physical side (base 130 Attack). Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Regenerator is the hidden ability. It heals for 1/3 max HP upon switching out. Worth hunting for if you want Ho-oh to compete at a higher level.
First obtainable in Gold & Silver, Ho Oh has been featured in 17 titles across 9 generations. Legendary status means a single encounter per playthrough in most games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves