Ho-Oh looks like a straightforward raid boss on paper, but veterans know this Legendary bird punishes sloppy prep harder than most Tier 5s. Its massive CP, oppressive charged moves, and awkward defensive typing combine to create a fight where casual counters crumble and optimized teams shine. If you’ve ever watched your top attackers melt in seconds, you already understand why Ho-Oh demands respect.
Fire and Flying Typing Explained
Ho-Oh’s Fire and Flying typing is both its biggest liability and its greatest shield. This combination gives it a crippling double weakness to Rock-type attacks, making Rock specialists the undisputed kings of this raid. At the same time, Ho-Oh resists Bug, Fairy, Fire, Fighting, Grass, Steel, and Ground, which quietly invalidates a huge chunk of commonly powered attackers.
This means many “strong” Pokémon on paper deal underwhelming DPS once resistances kick in. Bringing the wrong types doesn’t just slow the raid down, it actively increases relobby risk and strains smaller groups. Ho-Oh is a check on whether your team is built for efficiency or comfort.
Key Weaknesses and What Actually Works
Rock-type damage is the win condition, full stop. Rock attackers hit Ho-Oh for double super-effective damage and avoid most of its resistances, allowing consistent DPS even through charge move pressure. Electric and Water are only single super-effective and come with serious caveats due to Ho-Oh’s moveset and bulk.
Electric types often struggle with survivability against Fire-type charged moves, while Water attackers can lose value against Solar Beam variants. The gap between Rock counters and everything else is massive, which is why optimized groups stack Rock almost exclusively.
Why Ho-Oh Feels So Punishing
Ho-Oh’s moveset is the real raid killer. Fast moves like Incinerate hit hard and generate pressure fast, while charged moves such as Brave Bird, Fire Blast, and Solar Beam can one-shot frailer attackers if you mistime a dodge. Solar Beam in particular is infamous for deleting Water and Rock/Ground Pokémon through sheer raw damage.
Add in Ho-Oh’s high stamina and defensive stats, and you get a boss that stretches the clock while draining teams through attrition. Poor RNG on charge moves can force early relobbies, which quietly destroys clear times and Premier Ball rewards.
Weather, Dodging, and Raid Flow
Sunny weather is a double-edged sword in this raid. While it boosts your Rock-type damage indirectly through faster clears, it also supercharges Ho-Oh’s Fire-type moves and Solar Beam, making mistakes brutally expensive. Windy weather boosts Ho-Oh’s Flying-type attacks, turning Brave Bird into a nightmare for glass cannons.
Dodging matters more here than in most raids. Proper I-frame timing can be the difference between staying in for another charged move or getting kicked back to the lobby. Ho-Oh isn’t just a DPS check, it’s a discipline check, and that’s exactly why counter selection matters so much.
Ho-Oh Movesets to Watch Out For (Fast & Charged Attacks That Matter)
Before locking in your counter team, you need to understand exactly what Ho-Oh can throw at you. This raid boss doesn’t just hit hard, it hits unpredictably, and certain move combinations can completely flip the difficulty of the fight. Knowing what to expect lets you adjust dodging, team order, and even whether you should re-lobby early to save time.
Fast Moves: Where the Pressure Starts
Incinerate is the fast move that defines this raid. It has long animation frames, heavy damage, and strong energy generation, which means Ho-Oh reaches its charged attacks faster than most players expect. Even bulky Rock-types feel the chip damage over time, especially if you’re not dodging consistently.
Hidden Power is the wild card. Its typing is random, but when it rolls Grass or Ground, it can quietly punish common Rock and Water counters without looking threatening on paper. If your Rock-types are fainting faster than expected and Incinerate isn’t in play, Hidden Power is usually the culprit.
Charged Moves That End Runs
Brave Bird is Ho-Oh’s most dangerous Flying-type option and a major threat to glassy Rock attackers. It comes out fast, hits absurdly hard, and is often what causes unexpected relobbies in otherwise clean runs. In Windy weather, Brave Bird becomes especially lethal, turning missed dodges into instant knockouts.
Fire Blast is slower but deceptively punishing. While Rock-types resist Fire, the raw base power combined with Ho-Oh’s stats means neutral targets get shredded. This move also thrives in Sunny weather, where even well-built teams can bleed revives if players get greedy with DPS.
Solar Beam is the move that keeps Water-types and Rock/Ground Pokémon on a short leash. It’s slow, telegraphed, and absolutely devastating, often deleting targets from full health if you fail a dodge. This is the move that punishes casual teams the hardest and is the main reason Water attackers are considered risky despite their type advantage.
Why Moveset RNG Changes Everything
Not all Ho-Oh raids are created equal. An Incinerate plus Solar Beam set demands disciplined dodging and favors pure Rock attackers, while Hidden Power with Brave Bird can chew through glass cannons unexpectedly. Identifying the charged move early lets experienced groups adjust aggro expectations and decide whether to push or reset.
This is why top raid groups watch Ho-Oh’s energy bar like hawks. Understanding its moveset isn’t optional here, it’s part of optimizing clear times, minimizing relobbies, and squeezing every last Premier Ball out of the encounter.
S-Tier Counters: Absolute Best Pokémon for Maximum DPS
Once you’ve identified Ho-Oh’s moveset, this is where optimization really begins. These Pokémon sit at the very top of the raid meta because they combine elite DPS with favorable resistances, letting skilled raiders stay in longer, relobby less, and consistently push faster clear times. If you’re building a serious Ho-Oh team, this is the tier that matters most.
Mega Tyranitar
Mega Tyranitar is the gold standard for Ho-Oh raids and the single biggest force multiplier you can bring. Rock typing double-resists Ho-Oh’s Flying damage and shrugs off Fire, while Smack Down and Stone Edge deliver absurd Rock-type DPS. On top of that, its Mega boost supercharges every other Rock attacker on the field, making coordinated groups dramatically more efficient.
The only real threat is Solar Beam, which hits Mega Tyranitar for massive neutral damage if you don’t dodge. In Incinerate or Brave Bird sets, though, Mega Tyranitar becomes borderline oppressive and often dictates the fastest possible clear times.
Shadow Rampardos
If raw DPS is the goal and you’re comfortable living on the edge, Shadow Rampardos is unmatched. Smack Down paired with Rock Slide or Stone Edge deletes Ho-Oh’s health bar faster than almost anything else in the game. In small groups or duos, this is often the Pokémon doing the heaviest lifting.
The downside is survivability, or lack of it. Shadow Rampardos folds quickly to Brave Bird and Fire Blast, meaning dodging isn’t optional. In experienced hands, though, its damage output more than justifies the fragility.
Mega Diancie
Mega Diancie is a sleeper MVP that shines even brighter in optimized lobbies. Rock/Fairy typing gives it excellent offensive pressure with Rock Throw and Rock Slide while also boosting allied Rock-type damage through its Mega aura. Unlike Tyranitar, it avoids Solar Beam’s worst-case scenarios thanks to neutral damage instead of super effective.
Its lower bulk compared to Mega Tyranitar means positioning and dodging matter more, but in coordinated raid groups, Mega Diancie often enables cleaner clears with fewer deaths across the entire team.
Shadow Rhyperior
Shadow Rhyperior strikes a near-perfect balance between damage and durability. Smack Down and Rock Wrecker provide elite Rock-type DPS, while its natural bulk gives it more breathing room against Fire Blast and Incinerate. It’s especially strong in raids where Brave Bird is in play, as it can usually tank at least one without instantly fainting.
Solar Beam is still a hard counter, so awareness is key. When Ho-Oh isn’t running Grass coverage, Shadow Rhyperior becomes one of the most consistent top performers available.
Terrakion
Terrakion earns its S-tier spot by being one of the safest high-DPS Rock attackers in the game. Smack Down and Rock Slide give it excellent sustained damage, and its Fighting sub-typing helps it survive neutral hits better than most glass cannons. It doesn’t spike quite as hard as Shadow Rampardos, but it stays on the field longer, which often translates to more real-world damage.
For players without access to top Shadows or Megas, Terrakion is often the backbone of elite Ho-Oh raid teams and performs reliably across nearly every moveset combination.
When Shadows and Megas Decide the Raid
In high-level play, Ho-Oh raids are often decided by how well a team stacks Shadows and Megas. One Mega Tyranitar or Mega Diancie paired with multiple Shadow Rock attackers can shave significant time off the clock, turning tight clears into comfortable wins. This synergy is why experienced groups coordinate Megas before the lobby even fills.
If you’re chasing speed, efficiency, or low-man clears, these S-tier picks aren’t optional upgrades. They are the difference between surviving Ho-Oh’s move RNG and completely overwhelming it before those charged moves ever become a problem.
Mega & Shadow Powerhouses: When to Use Them and Team Synergy Tips
Once you understand Ho-Oh’s move pool and your best Rock-type counters, the next layer is maximizing Mega and Shadow value. This is where good raid teams turn into fast, efficient clears instead of messy relobbies. Proper Mega timing and Shadow stacking can easily swing a borderline raid in your favor.
Choosing the Right Mega for the Lobby
Mega Tyranitar and Mega Diancie are the clear standouts, but they serve different raid goals. Mega Tyranitar excels in longer fights thanks to its bulk and Dark typing, making it ideal for mixed-skill lobbies or weather-boosted Ho-Oh movesets. Mega Diancie, on the other hand, is the speedrunner’s pick, pushing raw Rock-type DPS at the cost of survivability.
If your group is confident with dodging and coordination, Mega Diancie enables brutal early damage that can delete Ho-Oh’s first HP chunk before it fires multiple charged moves. In more casual or remote-heavy lobbies, Mega Tyranitar’s stability often leads to higher total damage across the full timer.
Shadow Stack Value and Risk Management
Shadow Pokémon are where raids are won or lost against Ho-Oh. Shadow Rhyperior, Shadow Rampardos, and Shadow Tyranitar all bring absurd DPS, but they demand awareness of Ho-Oh’s charged moves. Fire Blast and Solar Beam punish greedy play, especially if you ignore dodging entirely.
The key is understanding when to push damage and when to respect RNG. Dodging a single Solar Beam can save an entire Shadow lineup, reducing relobby time and preserving momentum. Shadows thrive when Ho-Oh is locked into Brave Bird or Fire Spin-based sets, where their damage output outpaces the incoming pressure.
Mega Boost Synergy and Team Coordination
Mega boosts are multiplicative value, not personal buffs, and that mindset matters. One properly chosen Mega amplifies the entire raid’s Rock-type damage, especially when multiple players are running Shadow attackers. This is why experienced groups coordinate Megas before the countdown even starts instead of stacking redundant picks.
Ideally, only one Mega stays active at a time to maintain continuous uptime. If another player has a second Mega queued for relobby, the team keeps the damage bonus rolling instead of wasting it early.
Weather, Relobbies, and Clear-Time Optimization
Partly Cloudy weather pushes Rock-type damage even further, turning Shadow attackers into absolute monsters. In these conditions, aggressive teams can often brute-force Ho-Oh before it cycles through multiple charged moves. Sunny weather, however, boosts Ho-Oh’s Fire attacks, making bulkier Shadows and Mega Tyranitar more attractive.
Relobby planning matters more than most players realize. Leading with Shadows under a Mega boost, then swapping to bulkier Rock-types after fainting, often results in higher net DPS than trying to tank everything upfront.
Budget Players and Smart Mega Pairings
Even if you don’t have a full Shadow lineup, Megas still provide massive value. Pairing a Mega Tyranitar with non-Shadow Rhyperior, Terrakion, or Rampardos lets budget teams punch far above their weight. The Mega boost smooths out DPS gaps and helps compensate for missing XL candy or optimal IVs.
This is why Megas are often the single best investment for Ho-Oh raids. They scale with your entire team, reward coordination, and remain relevant no matter how the meta shifts.
Strong Budget & Accessible Counters for Casual and Remote Raiders
Not every raid group has six maxed Shadows and perfectly timed Megas, and that’s fine. Ho-Oh’s typing gives casual and remote raiders a real opening, because Rock-type damage is both widely available and brutally effective. With the right moves and a little planning, budget teams can still pull their weight and avoid being carried.
The key is consistency over perfection. You want Pokémon that are easy to build, reasonably bulky, and don’t collapse the moment Ho-Oh sneezes out a Brave Bird.
Rhyperior: The Budget MVP That Refuses to Leave the Meta
Rhyperior with Smack Down and Rock Wrecker remains one of the best value counters in the entire raid ecosystem. It’s tanky enough to survive multiple charged moves, especially outside of Solar Beam sets, and its DPS stays competitive even without XL investment. For many players, this is the backbone of a reliable Ho-Oh team.
What makes Rhyperior shine for remote raids is stability. Fewer faints mean fewer relobbies, which directly translates into higher real-world DPS and less stress when latency or dodge timing gets messy.
Rampardos: High DPS, Low Cost, High Risk
Rampardos with Smack Down and Rock Slide is still one of the hardest-hitting non-Shadow options available. If you’ve raided or hatched Cranidos over the years, there’s a good chance you already have one ready to go. Its raw damage is excellent under Mega boosts and Partly Cloudy weather.
The downside is survivability. Rampardos evaporates to Solar Beam and takes heavy punishment from Fire Blast, so expect relobbies. It works best when slotted early under a Mega boost to maximize damage before it inevitably faints.
Tyranitar and Gigalith: Bulk-First Rock Damage
Tyranitar with Smack Down and Stone Edge is no longer the DPS king, but it’s incredibly forgiving. Its bulk lets it soak charged moves that would instantly delete glassier attackers, making it ideal for casual players who don’t want to dodge aggressively. It also pairs naturally with Mega Tyranitar boosts when available.
Gigalith fills a similar role and is even more accessible thanks to Community Day availability. While its DPS trails behind top-tier options, it stays on the field longer than most budget picks, which matters more than spreadsheets suggest in real raid conditions.
Terrakion: Premium Damage Without Shadow Investment
Terrakion with Smack Down and Rock Slide sits at a sweet spot between DPS and durability. It hits significantly harder than most budget Rock-types while still surviving long enough to justify the investment. For players who raid legendaries regularly but avoid Shadow grinds, this is one of the best uses of rare candy.
It performs especially well when Ho-Oh is running Brave Bird, where Terrakion’s neutral bulk keeps it from folding instantly. Under Mega boosts, it starts approaching Shadow-level output without the fragility.
When to Avoid Off-Type and “Recommended” Traps
The in-game recommended system loves suggesting Water, Electric, or even Dragon-types against Ho-Oh, and that’s a trap. These options look safe but dramatically underperform compared to Rock damage, stretching raids longer than necessary. Longer fights mean more charged moves from Ho-Oh, more faints, and more lost DPS.
If it doesn’t throw Rock-type damage, it shouldn’t be on your team. Even mid-tier Rock attackers outperform most off-type picks simply by exploiting Ho-Oh’s double weakness.
Smart Team Composition for Remote and Casual Groups
A balanced budget team usually outperforms an all-glass lineup. Leading with one or two higher-DPS options like Rampardos or Terrakion, then transitioning into Rhyperior or Tyranitar after fainting, keeps damage flowing without constant relobbies. This approach is especially effective when paired with a coordinated Mega boost from another player.
Ho-Oh is a raid where preparation beats perfection. If your team is Rock-focused, properly moved, and synced with a Mega, you’re already doing more than enough to secure the clear and contribute meaningful damage, even from halfway across the world.
Weather Boosts, Friendship Bonuses, and Raid Group Optimization
Even with the right counters, Ho-Oh raids are won or lost in the margins. Weather, friendship level, and how your group stacks buffs can quietly swing DPS checks in your favor or drag an otherwise clean raid into relobby chaos. If you’re already bringing Rock-types, this is where you squeeze out every last percentage point of damage.
Weather Boosts: When the Sky Decides the Meta
Partly Cloudy weather is the dream scenario for this raid. It boosts Rock-type moves, turning already strong counters like Rampardos, Rhyperior, and Terrakion into absolute monsters and shortening the fight by a noticeable margin. In small groups, Partly Cloudy can be the difference between a comfortable clear and a last-second wipe.
Sunny weather, on the other hand, works against you. It boosts Ho-Oh’s Fire-type moves, making Brave Bird and Sacred Fire hit harder and accelerating faint cycles on glass cannons. In Sunny conditions, bulkier Rock-types gain value, and dodging charged moves becomes more important than chasing perfect DPS sims.
Friendship Bonuses: Free Damage You Should Never Ignore
Best Friend and Ultra Friend bonuses are effectively invisible DPS multipliers, but they matter more than most players realize. A full lobby of Best Friends can add the equivalent of another high-tier attacker without anyone changing their team. In tight clears, especially with four or fewer players, this bonus is often the silent MVP.
For remote raiders, coordinating friendship levels is one of the easiest optimizations available. If you’re choosing between two invites, take the higher friendship every time. Raw counter strength matters, but boosted damage across the entire raid adds up faster than swapping one Pokémon.
Mega Coordination: One Boost, Maximum Value
Only one Mega should be active per raid, and for Ho-Oh, Mega Tyranitar is the clear winner. It boosts Rock-type damage for the entire lobby while also contributing meaningful personal DPS, making it far superior to passive or off-type Megas. If Mega Tyranitar isn’t available, Mega Aerodactyl is a solid fallback for Rock boosts.
The key is coordination. Multiple Megas waste potential, especially in remote lobbies where communication is limited. Agreeing ahead of time who brings the Mega ensures everyone benefits, and it pushes mid-tier Rock attackers into premium damage territory.
Optimizing Group Size and Relobby Flow
Ho-Oh is very forgiving for well-prepared small groups. Three strong players with Rock teams, friendship bonuses, and a Mega can clear comfortably, especially outside Sunny weather. Larger lobbies speed things up, but they don’t fix poor team composition or off-type damage.
Minimize relobbies whenever possible. Fainting out resets your damage momentum and costs more time than players expect. Mixing high-DPS leads with bulkier anchors, as discussed earlier, keeps pressure on Ho-Oh and reduces the chance of the raid spiraling due to repeated wipes.
Why Optimization Matters More Than Raw Power
Ho-Oh isn’t about brute force alone; it’s about efficiency. Weather alignment, friendship bonuses, and Mega planning amplify every Rock-type you bring, turning “good enough” teams into raid-dominating lineups. When all three align, Ho-Oh melts faster than most players anticipate, even without Shadows or perfect IVs.
This is where prepared groups separate themselves from recommended-button raiders. If your squad stacks these advantages, Ho-Oh stops feeling like a legendary wall and starts feeling like a well-earned victory.
Recommended Team Compositions by Raid Size (Solo, Duo, Small Group)
With optimization fundamentals locked in, the next step is building teams that actually match your raid size. Ho-Oh scales dramatically depending on how many trainers are attacking it, and the difference between a clean clear and a timeout usually comes down to whether your lineup matches the headcount. These recommendations assume Rock-focused teams, proper Mega coordination, and at least moderate move optimization.
Solo Attempts: Theoretical, Weather-Dependent, and Brutal
Soloing Ho-Oh is not realistically achievable under standard conditions, even with maxed Shadow attackers. The combination of its bulk, high defense, and frequent Fire-type charge moves pushes the DPS check beyond what one trainer can sustain. Even perfect Rock teams fall short once relobbies and energy loss enter the equation.
The only scenario where a solo becomes remotely plausible is extreme weather abuse with Snowy or Partly Cloudy boosting Rock damage, paired with full Shadow Rampardos or Shadow Rhyperior teams and flawless execution. Even then, it’s more a showcase challenge than a practical goal. For most players, Ho-Oh remains a firm “no-solo” raid.
Duo Raids: High Skill, High Risk, High Reward
Duos are where Ho-Oh transitions from impossible to barely controllable. Two highly optimized trainers can clear the raid with time to spare, but only if both run near-identical Rock-heavy teams and avoid off-type fillers. Shadow Rampardos, Shadow Rhyperior, and Shadow Tyranitar dominate here, with Mega Tyranitar acting as both a damage amplifier and a frontline tank.
Relobbies are the main enemy in duo runs. Lead with your highest DPS Shadows to burn Ho-Oh early, then anchor with bulkier Rock-types like Rhyperior or Tyranitar to stabilize the back half. Ho-Oh’s Solar Beam set is especially punishing, so dodging selectively can preserve Shadows long enough to avoid a second relobby.
Small Groups (3–4 Trainers): The Optimal Farming Zone
Three to four players is the sweet spot for Ho-Oh raids. Damage requirements drop sharply, allowing more flexibility in team building without sacrificing clear speed. This is where well-built non-Shadow attackers like Rampardos, Terrakion with Smack Down, and Rhyperior truly shine, especially when backed by a Mega Rock boost.
In these groups, consistency beats raw DPS. Mixing one or two glass cannons with reliable anchors keeps pressure constant and prevents wipe chains. Players can also afford limited budget picks like Gigalith or Tyrantrum without dragging the raid down, as long as Rock remains the primary damage type.
Remote-Friendly Groups: Managing Variance and RNG
Remote lobbies introduce unpredictability, from latency to uneven team quality. In these cases, assume at least one player will underperform and build accordingly. Bringing a full Rock team with minimal revives needed helps stabilize the raid when others faint early or run auto-selected counters.
Mega Tyranitar becomes even more valuable here, as its lobby-wide boost compensates for weaker teammates. Avoid niche counters or risky Shadows if you expect lag, and prioritize survivability over peak DPS. A steady, low-relobby clear is far more reliable than gambling on perfect execution in remote conditions.
Common Mistakes vs Ho-Oh and How to Avoid Wasted Revives
Even experienced raiders lose efficiency against Ho-Oh by making small, repeatable errors. This boss looks straightforward, but its move pool, bulk, and typing punish sloppy prep harder than most Legendary raids. If you’re burning through revives or relobbying more than once, one of the mistakes below is almost always the culprit.
Running Auto-Selected Teams or Off-Type Fillers
Auto-select loves throwing in Water, Electric, or even Grass-types that look strong on paper but collapse under Ho-Oh’s Fire and Flying coverage. These Pokémon inflate your CP total while contributing mediocre DPS and fainting fast, which snowballs into wasted revives and lost uptime.
Lock in full Rock teams manually every time. Even mid-tier Rock attackers outperform neutral damage options here, and consistent Rock DPS keeps Ho-Oh’s HP dropping without forcing emergency relobbies.
Ignoring Ho-Oh’s Charged Move RNG
Ho-Oh’s moveset variance is brutal, especially Solar Beam. Rock-types resist Fire but get deleted by un-dodged Solar Beams, which is why some raids feel smooth while others feel like revive sinks.
At the start of the fight, watch the first charged move carefully. If you confirm Solar Beam, prioritize dodging on Shadows and glass cannons to extend their lifespan. One well-timed dodge saves more revives than brute-forcing damage ever will.
Overcommitting to Glass Cannons in Small or Remote Groups
Shadow Rampardos and Shadow Tyranitar top the DPS charts, but stacking six of them without anchors is a common trap. When they go down together, you lose pressure, trigger relobbies, and waste time reviving instead of dealing damage.
Balance is key. Lead with high DPS Shadows to front-load damage, then transition into bulkier Rock-types like Rhyperior or standard Tyranitar to stabilize the mid and late phases. This keeps aggro consistent and prevents wipe chains.
Misusing Megas or Bringing the Wrong One
A Mega that doesn’t boost Rock-type damage is effectively dead weight in this raid. Players often bring Mega Charizard or Mega Blaziken out of habit, which boosts nothing relevant and actively increases fainting due to shared weaknesses.
Mega Tyranitar is the gold standard here. It boosts the entire lobby’s Rock DPS, tanks hits better than most attackers, and reduces overall revive consumption for everyone involved. One correct Mega does more than two extra attackers.
Relobbying Too Late or Too Early
Staying in with a nearly wiped team leads to staggered fainting, broken damage windows, and chaotic re-entries. On the flip side, panic relobbying at the first faint wastes Pokémon that could have finished their charged move cycle.
If three or more Pokémon drop in quick succession, relobby immediately and reset clean. If only one faints, stay in and fire off your charged move before swapping. Clean transitions save seconds, revives, and mental bandwidth.
Underestimating Weather Boosts
Sunny weather turns Ho-Oh from manageable to punishing by boosting Fire-type damage. Players often ignore this and run the same teams they use in neutral conditions, only to watch their counters evaporate.
In Sunny weather, lean harder into bulk and selective dodging. Shadows still work, but you’ll need cleaner execution. In Partly Cloudy, Rock-types get boosted, making this the ideal condition to minimize revives and maximize clear speed.
Final Battle Strategy: Clearing Ho-Oh Efficiently and Safely
At this point, you’ve built the right team and avoided the common traps. The final step is execution. Ho-Oh is deceptively punishing, with long animations, heavy-hitting charge moves, and enough bulk to punish sloppy play.
This is where disciplined rotations, smart dodging, and lobby awareness turn a close win into a clean clear.
Open Strong, Then Stabilize
Start the fight aggressively. Leading with Shadow Rampardos, Shadow Tyranitar, or other top-tier Rock DPS lets you chunk Ho-Oh early, which is crucial for shortening the raid and reducing late-game pressure.
Once those glass cannons go down, transition smoothly into bulkier anchors like Rhyperior, regular Tyranitar, or Terrakion. This mid-fight stabilization keeps damage consistent and avoids the dreaded wipe cascade that forces bad relobbies.
Dodge With Intent, Not Panic
Ho-Oh’s charge moves have long windups and clear tells. Brave Bird and Solar Beam are worth dodging every time, especially if you’re running Shadows or weather is boosting damage.
Don’t over-dodge fast moves. Incinerate hits hard, but excessive dodging tanks your DPS and stretches the fight. Use dodging selectively to preserve key attackers through their charged move cycles.
Move Awareness Wins Raids
Sacred Fire is less lethal but can still wear down teams if ignored. Solar Beam is the real run-ender, especially for Rock/Ground types like Rhyperior in Sunny weather.
If Ho-Oh is running Solar Beam, prioritize Rock-types that aren’t double-weak to Grass, or be ready to dodge aggressively. Knowing the move set early lets you adjust your playstyle instead of learning the hard way.
Relobby Clean and Together
A clean relobby is faster than trying to salvage a broken team. If your front line collapses, don’t trickle back in. Exit, heal, and re-enter with a full squad to reapply pressure immediately.
Coordinated groups should aim to relobby at similar times. Staggered entries waste Mega boosts and break the damage rhythm that keeps Ho-Oh locked down.
Maximize Mega Value
If Mega Tyranitar is on the field, keep it alive as long as possible. Dodging with it is almost always worth it, because its Rock-type damage boost applies to the entire lobby.
Only one Mega is needed. Additional Megas don’t stack, so everyone else should focus purely on DPS or survivability rather than trying to flex another Mega slot.
Adapt to Weather, Don’t Fight It
Partly Cloudy weather is your green light to go all-in. Rock-types dominate, Shadows shine, and clear times drop dramatically.
Sunny weather demands respect. Scale back glass cannons, dodge more consistently, and accept a slightly longer fight in exchange for fewer relobbies. Winning safely beats wiping fast.
Final Takeaway
Ho-Oh isn’t about brute force alone. It rewards preparation, discipline, and smart team flow more than raw numbers. Balance DPS with bulk, dodge the right moves, and keep your lobby organized.
Do that, and Ho-Oh stops being a resource drain and becomes one of the most efficient legendary raids in Pokémon GO. Good luck out there, and may your charge moves always land before the faint screen.