Introduced in generation two and the box art mascot for Pokemon Gold, Ho-Oh is a dual fire/flying type. This legendary Pokemon is the counterpart to Lugia, where Ho-Oh is the guardian of the skies, Lugia is the guardian of the seas. Ho-Oh made multiple appearances throughout the main series anime as a teaser, where it would briefly appear in many different episodes. This trend began at the beginning of the anime with episode one. This guide will showcase Ho-Oh’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Ho-Oh.
About Ho-Oh
This phoenix-like Pokemon made its first appearance in the first episode of the anime. Ash attempted to scan it with the Pokedex, but it was unregistered, and his attempts at explaining to Professor Oak that he had seen it was met with disbelief. Ho-Oh originally disappeared when war broke out in ancient times. It was responsible for creating the trio of legendary beasts, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. All four of these Pokemon disappeared after the war and have not been located according to the Pokemon lore. Originally debuting in the second generation with the Pokemon Gold and Silver games, Ho-Oh continued the standard of powerful legendary type Pokemon. According to the Pokedex, anyone who sees Ho-Oh is promised eternal happiness.
| First appearance in anime | Original Series: Pokemon! I Choose You! |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Gold and Silver |
| Region | Johto |
| Evolution | Not known to evolve from or into any Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | N/A |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | Legends claim this Pokémon flies the world's skies continuously on its magnificent seven-colored wings. |
Ho-Oh Base Stats
| HP | 106 |
| ATTACK | 130 |
| DEFENCE | 90 |
| SP. ATTACK | 110 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 154 |
| SPEED | 90 |
| TOTAL | 680 |
Appearance of Ho-Oh
As a dual fire/flying type, Ho-Oh resembles a phoenix with white feathers on its stomach and red throughout the rest of its body. The Pokedex states that its wings are known to be seven colors and wherever it flies it can leave rainbows behind it. Ho-Oh’s true design is more tame, following the red and white color scheme. Some accents on its body are also golden, perhaps to follow suit with being the mascot Pokemon of Pokemon Gold. It has long golden tail feathers and the tips of Ho-Oh’s wings are bright green. It has red eyes and a golden adornment on top of its head. Ho-Oh is very tall at 12 feet and 6 inches, or 3.8 meters.
Behavior of Ho-Oh
A very elusive Pokemon that fled its original home of the Tin Tower during ancient times. It fled due to the wars that were occurring in the area. Much of what is known about Ho-Oh’s behavior is tied to folklore and legends. It is said to bless anyone that sees it with eternal happiness. This could be in line with how Ash saw it in the first episode of the anime. As an elusive legendary Pokemon, it will only appear before a trainer with a pure heart.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Since Ho-Oh is a legendary Pokemon, its stat values are particularly high. Its physical defense and speed are its lowest stats, but they are still respectably high. For a flying Pokemon, it is exceptionally bulky with very high special defense and a good health pool to keep it alive. Thankfully, rock-type moves are 4x effective, so you can easily get through a Ho-Oh with a rock-type Pokemon on your team. Try not to stay in the battle against Ho-Oh too long, as its signature move Sacred Fire can cause even more problems than its high base stat total can.
Mega Ho-Oh
Mega Ho-Oh does not exist in any of the mainline games. Other than Mewtwo and Rayquaza, no other Pokemon has a mega evolution. You could make an argument for Primordial Kyogre and Groudon, but the point is, mega evolution legendaries are quite uncommon. Therefore, Mega Ho-Oh is not likely to be introduced anytime soon. Especially since the remakes did not include a Mega Ho-Oh or Mega Lugia in the Heartgold and Soulsilver games. This is probably for the best as Mega Ho-Oh’s statline would be quite difficult to balance.
Shiny Ho-Oh
Shiny Ho-Oh becomes very deserving of being the mascot of the Pokemon Gold game. The colors of Shiny Ho-Oh are quite striking as much of the red is replaced for gold, and some of the golden accents are swapped for white. While it is not the most striking difference between regular Ho-Oh and Shiny Ho-Oh, the only color that remains the same is its black talons. Like all shiny Pokemon, Shiny Ho-Oh will gain a starry animation when entering battle.
Best Moveset
It is hard to go wrong with a Ho-Oh moveset considering its high base stats. However, if you are trying to use Ho-Oh on your team, consider its signature move Sacred Fire as this is one the most powerful fire-type moves in the game. Since Ho-Oh comes with the ability regenerator, you can even get away with bulkier builds. For a base moveset to consider, run Sacred Fire, Recover, Toxic, and Defog to get the best success. Sacred Fire is a no-brainer thanks to STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Recover can help Ho-Oh’s longevity in battle, Toxic to get through troublesome types, and Defog to clear any hazards, but specifically stealth rocks, away from Ho-Oh.
| Sacred Fire | Recover |
| Toxic | Defog |
How to Catch Ho-Oh in Pokemon Go
If you want a legendary bird Pokemon for yourself that is promised to grant eternal happiness, good news, you can catch one for yourself in Pokemon Go. You cannot find a Ho-Oh in the wild nature, as it is a legendary Pokemon. Instead, you will have to keep your eyes peeled on nearby Pokemon gyms for 5-star raids. As these are very difficult, gather a good group of fellow trainers to get a chance at catching this phoenix-like Pokemon. Luckily, Ho-Oh is not known to evolve into or from any Pokemon, so any candies you get can go straight into powering up your Ho-Oh.
Video Guide
Trivia
- Ho-Oh is based on the mythical phoenix, specifically the phoenix of Chinese mythology Fenghuang.
- The characters in Ho-Oh’s Chinese name can be translated to mean emperor, king, and flame.
- Out of all fire-type Pokemon available in the games, Ho-Oh has the highest special defense stat.
FAQs
Q. Why is Ho-Oh so Special?
It is the mascot Pokemon for Pokemon Gold and Heartgold. It is also the featured legendary Pokemon for generation two. Ho-Oh was also a source of awe for young trainers watching the anime for the first time, as Ho-Oh appeared in the first episode. Of course, as a legendary Pokemon, it is quite fearsome in battle as well.
Q. Is Ho-Oh the God of Pokemon?
No, Ho-Oh is not considered to be a God. In fact, that title belongs to Arceus in the Pokemon canon. There is nothing about Ho-Oh that classifies it as a God. However, there are some folklore or tales in the Pokemon universe that state that Ho-Oh is capable of resurrecting the dead.
Q. Is Ho-Oh stronger than Lugia?
Between these two legendary birds, Lugia is faster, but Lugia is also more of a defensive Pokemon. Ho-Oh has the benefit of higher attack stats, but not the speed to match. In truth, it is hard to state that one is strictly better than the other. They are both legendary Pokemon and as such are both incredibly powerful in their respective environments.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this phoenix-like Pokemon. Ho-Oh was the first legendary Pokemon seen in the anime, and it was not until the generation two games were released that Ho-Oh became available for capture. As it is a legendary Pokemon, its stats are incredibly high and will likely defeat anything in a casual playthrough of the games. It holds a special place in the hearts of fans as it was one of the first ones that people were introduced to.
