In-battle formes
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| HP: | 106 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Attack: | 130 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Defense: | 90 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Atk: | 110 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sp. Def: | 154 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speed: | 90 |
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Strategies
- en
Overview
Ho-Oh's main niche is a check to strong special attackers such as Mega Mewtwo Y, Mega Gengar, Pixilate Mega Diancie, and Gale Wings Mega Rayquaza. It has a good Attack stat that gives Ho-Oh reasonable offensive presence. Its typing is also reasonably good, as offensively, Fire and Flying have good neutral coverage, only missing out on Rock-types and Flash Fire Steel-types. Defensively, two of its weaknesses in Water and Electric are uncommon, and the Fairy-type resistance allows it to check Pixilate Mega Diancie.
However, Ho-Oh's main drawback is its low physical bulk, leaving it very vulnerable to powerful physical attackers such as Kyurem-B, Mega Mewtwo X, Regigigas, and Mega Tyranitar. Furthermore, its 4x Stealth Rock weakness limits Ho-Oh to running Magic Guard sets and thus preventing it from running other, arguably better, abilities. The presence of Diamond Storm + Poison Heal Mega Tyranitar, which is able switch in on Ho-Oh's STAB moves and easily KO back with Diamond Storm, is no help either. Thousand Arrows also leaves Ho-Oh vulnerable to other Ground-type moves.
Defensive Magic Guard
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Moves
Recover keeps Ho-Oh healthy throughout the match and allows it to keep checking special attackers. Flare Blitz is Ho-Oh's main STAB move due to it being highly spammable with Magic Guard negating recoil. Sacred Fire can be used for the high burn chance, allowing Ho-Oh to wear down walls, cripple physical attackers, KO Sturdy Shedinja that lack Lum Berry, and make up for Ho-Oh's weak Defense, but it has significantly lower PP. If hitting Pokemon that resist Fire such as Giratina and Mega Rayquaza is a priority, Brave Bird can be used, but then Ho-Oh will have no way to touch Steel-types. It also makes Ho-Oh more vulnerable to Imposter users, as Ho-Oh takes neutral damage from Flying. Knock Off can be used over Flare Blitz for general utility, removing items such as Eviolite from Chansey, Life Orb, Safety Goggles, and Spooky Plate from Mega Gengar, and Toxic Orb from Poison Heal users. Will-O-Wisp can be used over Knock Off if a more reliable way to spread burns is desired. Ho-Oh's Fire typing makes it immune to burns, thus making it not a problem if opposing Magic Bounce users switch in and end up bouncing back the move. However, you lose out on removing useful items. Whirlwind can stop some setup sweepers such as Tail Glow Mega Rayquaza and Shell Smash Mega Gengar. U-turn works well with Ho-Oh's relatively low Speed, getting most teammates in safely. Stealth Rock allows Ho-Oh to get chip damage on the opponent's team. It meshes well with Ho-Oh's Fire typing due to forcing out many Magic Bounce Steel-types with Flare Blitz. It can backfire, however, if the opponent has bulky Magic Bounce users that aren't Steel-type or if Ho-Oh uses Brave Bird over Flare Blitz, in which case Steel-types can safely switch in. Defog could also be used in the last slot, as Ho-Oh gets many opportunities to switch in and use the move to remove entry hazards.
Set Details
A simple spread of maximum HP and maximum Special Defense gives Ho-Oh the bulk it needs to check most special attackers, including taking a +2 Judgment from Mega Gengar, while a Sassy nature and 0 Speed IVs make Ho-Oh's U-turn as slow as possible, enabling it to easily bring a sweeper in safely. Magic Guard allows Ho-Oh to avoid residual damage from Stealth Rock, Leech Seed, weather, and Curse, as well as recoil damage from Flare Blitz (or Brave Bird, if it is used). Toxic Orb meshes well with Magic Guard, as Ho-Oh being badly poisoned allows it to be immune to status once Toxic Orb activates, letting Ho-Oh switch in on Spore and Dark Void freely, stopping frail sweepers that carry the move as well as Prankster Registeel.
Usage Tips
Getting Ho-Oh in without taking a Knock Off is important, as it won't be immune to status before its Toxic Orb activates. After Toxic Orb activates, Ho-Oh is a good Knock Off absorber due to the lack of need for its item unless you have a cleric on the team. If possible, use Stealth Rock to provide chip damage on the opposing team. Flare Blitz, or Brave Bird if it is used over Flare Blitz, is highly spammable due to Magic Guard negating recoil. The high Base Power of both moves make them good options to use when you don't know what is going to switch in. Use Whirlwind if a Flash Fire Pokemon switches in, such as Aegislash, or if something else, like Mega Rayquaza, is already behind a Substitute. U-turn should be used to get a Pokemon in safely. This helps when a strong physical attacker like Mega Mewtwo X, Kyurem-B, Regigigas, or Mega Rayquaza switches in, as Ho-Oh can U-turn to a check or counter like Registeel, Giratina, or Fur Coat Chansey. Knock Off should be used on predicted switches to remove items from would-be checks like Safety Goggles and Spooky Plate from Mega Gengar and Eviolite from Chansey, as well as Toxic Orbs from Pokemon with Poison Heal, but it must be used as they switch in or else Toxic Orb will activate.
Team Options
Steel-type walls such as Registeel and Aegislash are almost mandatory due to their ability to check Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B. Physical walls such as Giratina, Mega Slowbro, and Fur Coat Mega Audino that can switch in on physical attackers such as Mega Mewtwo X and Regigigas are helpful due to Ho-Oh's lack of physical bulk. Pokemon that appreciate the extra damage from Stealth Rock to secure KOs, such as Kyurem-B, Mega Mewtwo X and Y, and Mega Rayquaza, make good teammates.
Offensive Magic Guard
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Moves
Flare Blitz and Brave Bird are powerful and highly spammable due to recoil being ignored by Magic Guard. Sacred Fire can be used over Flare Blitz; though it is weaker and has less PP, the higher burn rate can potentially allow Ho-Oh to beat Sturdy Shedinja that carry Safety Goggles. High Jump Kick allows Ho-Oh to OHKO Mega Tyranitar and 2HKO Regirock, both of which can switch in on everything else and potentially OHKO Ho-Oh with Diamond Storm. Crash damage is ignored due to Magic Guard, making High Jump Kick a strong and very spammable coverage move. Shift Gear boosts Ho-Oh's Attack and Speed, giving Ho-Oh the power and speed it needs to clean up late-game. U-turn can be used to gain momentum upon predicting a switch or to bring in a teammate safely in order to deal with strong physical attackers. It is very difficult to fit on this set, though, due to a loss of a reliable way to clean late-game.
Set Details
Maximum Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Ho-Oh to hit as hard as possible, while 16 Speed EVs enable Ho-Oh to outrun everything up to positive-natured base 150 Speed Pokemon such as Timid Mega Sceptile and Jolly Mega Aerodactyl after a Shift Gear. The rest of the EVs go into HP, which allows Ho-Oh to narrowly avoid the 2HKO from Spooky Plate Mega Gengar Judgment or avoid the OHKO if Mega Gengar is already at +2. Magic Guard makes Ho-Oh immune to indirect damage, such as recoil damage from Flare Blitz and Brave Bird, as well as crash damage from High Jump Kick. Due to this, Ho-Oh can afford to run Life Orb for a free power boost, but it can also run Toxic Orb if the immunity to status is preferred. However, if it runs Toxic Orb, Ho-Oh will be significantly weaker.
Usage Tips
It is best to save setting up for late-game, when all of Ho-Oh's counters have been removed. Flare Blitz and Brave Bird are highly spammable due to Magic Guard nullifying recoil. High Jump Kick should be used to OHKO Mega Tyranitar and 2HKO Regirock. This Ho-Oh variant can also be used as a wallbreaker, dealing high damage and then switching out. It can still switch into special attackers like Mega Gengar, but it will take significantly more damage than if it is brought in via a slow U-turn from RegenVest Regirock or another slow pivot.
Team Options
A check to your own Ho-Oh is required if this set gets copied by an Imposter Chansey if it is already boosted. Some good checks are Unaware or Fur Coat Giratina and Mega Slowbro. Because this variant of Ho-Oh has less bulk and no recovery, it is mandatory to have checks to physical attackers. As such, Giratina, especially with Fur Coat, as well as Fur Coat Chansey are vital to check Mega Mewtwo X and Regigigas. Steel-types like Registeel and Aegislash can check -ate variants of Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Mold Breaker Giratina can easily secure KOs such as High Jump Kick on Regirock. As a bonus, Giratina can eliminate Sturdy Shedinja with Pursuit, giving Ho-Oh more room to set up and sweep. Walls like Regirock and Registeel can provide a slow U-turn to bring Ho-Oh in safely.
Other Options
Ho-Oh can run Dark Void if Knock Off isn't being used. However, it has lower accuracy than Spore and only really fits on the defensive set due to that running Toxic Orb anyway. Both sets can run Spore to put counters and Imposter Chansey to sleep. It is best used with Knock Off to remove Safety Goggles so more foes will switch out against Ho-Oh, making Stealth Rock optimal for chip damage. However, Spore is not easy to fit on the offensive set and makes Ho-Oh weaker because it needs to run Toxic Orb for the sleep immunity in case it encounters a Magic Bounce user. On the defensive set, Ho-Oh can run High Jump Kick to function as a Mega Tyranitar lure. Will-O-Wisp and Leech Seed also fit on the defensive set because if they are bounced, they do nothing to Ho-Oh because of its Fire typing and Magic Guard, respectively. Will-O-Wisp in conjunction with Knock Off and Leech Seed also helps in beating Sturdy Shedinja. Non-Magic Guard sets are usually very bad due to having a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, but Water Absorb or Desolate Land can be used to beat Water-types such as Kyogre and Mega Slowbro. Ho-Oh can also run a decent Unburden set to lure in Imposter Chansey after using Belly Drum and OHKOing with Diamond Storm. However, Ho-Oh will have an enormous Stealth Rock weakness and the Unburden set will need a lot of support. Psycho Shift can, in theory, spread poison around the opponent's team. In practice, it's pretty bad, since Psycho Shift removes Ho-Oh's poison, which means Ho-Oh is no longer a good Knock Off absorber, and this tactic can potentially poison a Pokemon with Poison Heal.
Checks and Counters
Physical Attackers and Psystrike Users: Physical attackers such as Mega Rayquaza and Kyurem-B can easily take down Ho-Oh with Fake Out + Extreme Speed. Mega Mewtwo X and Regigigas can leave Ho-Oh severely weakened with their strong physical moves. Mega Latios and Mega Mewtwo Y can easily take down Ho-Oh with STAB Psystrike, which hits Ho-Oh's weaker Defense.
Extremely Strong Special Attackers: Though Ho-Oh has very high special bulk, extremely strong special attacks like Mega Rayquaza's Aerilate Boomburst can 2HKO it.
Rock-type Pokemon and Moves: Rock-types such as Regirock and Mega Tyranitar can switch in on nearly any move from Ho-Oh and OHKO it with Diamond Storm. The former will be left heavily weakened if Ho-Oh is already at +1 though, and the latter must be wary of High Jump Kick, as it will be OHKOed. Pokemon that Ho-Oh can check sometimes carry Rock-type moves just to beat it as well. A notable example is Diamond Storm Mega Diancie.
Flash Fire Steel-types: If a Steel-type with Flash Fire, such as Aegislash or Registeel, can get in on Ho-Oh, it can force out Ho-Oh with Entrainment, making it take damage from Toxic Orb or Life Orb on the defensive and offensive set, respectively. The offensive set also will take large amounts of recoil from Flare Blitz, Brave Bird, and High Jump Kick missing or being blocked by Spiky Shield or King's Shield.
Imposter Chansey: Imposter Chansey can beat the offensive set even if Ho-Oh has already set up, as it can counter sweep a team that lacks a counter to its own Ho-Oh set.
Physical Walls: Ho-Oh cannot break through Giratina, Mega Slowbro, and Fur Coat Chansey due to their reliable recovery. Giratina can also block damage and wear down Ho-Oh with Spiky Shield, and all three can weaken Ho-Oh severely with King's Shield due to all of Ho-Oh's common attacking moves making contact. Mega Slowbro can even force Ho-Oh to switch out with Perish Song or weaken it with Parting Shot.
Poison Heal Pokemon: Physical attackers with Poison Heal, such as Mega Garchomp, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Tyranitar, are all capable of switching in on most of Ho-Oh's moves and dealing heavy damage, leaving Ho-Oh severely weakened and unable to check what it needs to. On the other hand, Poison Heal physical walls, such as Giratina or Mega Audino, can easily take hits from Ho-Oh and damage it with Spiky Shield or weaken it with King's Shield due to Ho-Oh's attacking moves making contact.
Water-types: Although the only two relevant Water-types are Kyogre and Mega Slowbro, they can easily take down Ho-Oh with Scald or Steam Eruption. They lose if Ho-Oh runs Water Absorb or Desolate Land, though.
Credits
- Written by Heavyweapons Mann
- Quality checked by morogrim, Uselesscrab, and E4 Flint
- Grammar checked by Rare Poison and GatoDelFuego
