Stats & Training
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.
Ho-oh Weakness
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 |
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, Slowking's Scald hits Ho Oh for 35-41%. Rhyperior threatens a KO with Stone Edge (180-212%). Gyarados's Waterfall also KOs at 87-103%.
Slowking WaterPsychic | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemColbur Berry NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Slowking builds →Scald 2x35-41% | ||
Rhyperior GroundRock | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySolidrock ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Rhyperior builds →Stone Edge 4x180-212%KO | ||
Gyarados Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityMoxie ItemLeftovers NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Ho Oh View Gyarados builds →Waterfall 2x87-103%KO Bounce46-54% Ice Fang24-28% | ||
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Evolution
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
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Ho-oh Best Moveset
Best Build
No build content available for this Pokemon in Gen 8.
Try selecting a different game/generation filter, or check back later.
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.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Ho-oh in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Ho-oh Guide
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, 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.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, 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 a physical attacker with base 130 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
In Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, 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.
Game Availability
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
