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.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Ho-Oh Raid in Pokémon GO

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.

• Mega Blastoise (Water)

  • Fast Attack: Water Gun (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Cannon (Water), Hydro Pump (Water)

• Omastar / Shadow Omastar (Rock/Water)

  • Fast Attack: Rock Throw (Rock), Water Gun (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock), Hydro Pump (Water), Rock Blast (Rock), Rock Slide (Rock)

• Swampert / Shadow Swampert (Water/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Water Gun (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Cannon (Water), Muddy Water (Water), Surf (Water)

• Empoleon (Water/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Waterfall (Water)

  • Charged Attack: Hydro Cannon (Water), Hydro Pump (Water)

• 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)

  • Fast Attack: Charge Beam (Electric)

  • Charged Attack: Wild Charge (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)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Stone Edge (Rock)

• Rampardos (Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Slide (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)

  • Fast Attack: Wing Attack (Flying)

  • Charged Attack: Ancient Power (Rock)

• Terrakion (Rock/Fighting)

  • Fast Attack: Smack Down (Rock)

  • Charged Attack: Rock Slide (Rock)

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

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.

What to Do with Ho-Oh Once You’ve Caught It

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.co.uk/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.