[OVERVIEW]
Thanks to its astronomical bulk, 32 PP Recover, and good defensive typing, Ho-Oh makes for a very good wall capable of checking important Pokemon in the metagame like Mewtwo, Steelix, Gengar, Heracross, and non-Rock Slide Mew. It's also capable of phazing Pokemon like Curse Snorlax in a pinch thanks to its decent physical bulk. Access to Toxic helps Ho-Oh put Pokemon that would otherwise check it, like Tyranitar and Zapdos, on a timer. Ho-Oh also functions as a good lead on teams, as its massive bulk and the rarity of enemy leads that can threaten it such as Zapdos let it scout and gain information about the opposing team without much trouble while still applying some pressure itself thanks to its respectable Special Attack and Toxic.
However, Ho-Oh is very susceptible to status moves like Lovely Kiss and Toxic, as they greatly hinder its ability to check the Pokemon it's supposed to check. A complete inability to get past Tyranitar means that Ho-Oh teams oftentimes find themselves having to deal with Roar + Spikes, which can wear Ho-Oh's team down quickly. Ho-Oh can also be lured out by Explosion from Mewtwo, Mew, and Gengar, all common users of the move and Pokemon Ho-Oh regularly switches into. The prevalence of Growth + Baton Pass Pokemon like Jolteon also hurts Ho-Oh's ability to check the Pokemon it's supposed to, like Mewtwo, as Ho-Oh can no longer switch into them if they have been a passed a Growth boost.
[SET]
name: Standard Wall
move 1: Flamethrower
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Recover
move 4: Whirlwind
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Ho-Oh can be annoyance to deal with, as there are no Pokemon in the game that can simultaneously deal with its respectable Special Attack stat, high-Base Power move in Flamethrower and access to Toxic. Flamethrower is used over Sacred Fire because Sacred Fire only has 8 PP. Recover allows Ho-Oh to stay healthy throughout the game and consistently check threats like Mewtwo and Gengar. Whirlwind phazes Snorlax and Mew in a pinch while also phazing and threatening out Pokemon like Cloyster and Celebi, both of which can't do much to Ho-Oh without Explosion.
Ho-Oh is a great soft check to many threats in GSC Ubers thanks to its insane bulk and 32 PP Recover, which give it and its team many ways of pivoting in and out of trouble. Being able to spread Toxic, deal damage with Flamethrower, and phaze with Whirlwind makes Ho-Oh a very irritable pressence for opposing teams to deal with.
Team Options
========
Ho-Oh is greatly hindered by status like paralysis, because getting fully paralyzed means Ho-Oh is no longer able to properly check Pokemon like Mewtwo and Gengar. Because of this, Heal Bell Celebi is one of the best possible teammates for Ho-Oh, as it helps against both status and counters to Ho-Oh like Tyranitar and Rest + Sleep Talk Zapdos. Ho-Oh, in return, checks very troublesome Pokemon for Celebi like Mewtwo and Heracross. While it has decent physical bulk and a good typing, Ho-Oh can still get overwhelmed by common physical attackers like Curse Snorlax. Because of this, having physically bulky Pokemon like Barrier Mewtwo and Skarmory is advised to give Ho-Oh and its team a strong defensive backbone. Barrier Mewtwo especially is a very good teammate for Ho-Oh, as it can check Pokemon that are very threatening to stall like Marowak. Secondary checks to Snorlax, like Forretress and Cloyster, are also good teammates, as they can also set Spikes that Ho-Oh can take advantage of with Whirlwind.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Ho-Oh can run a set of Flamethrower, Recover, Earthquake, and one of Toxic or Whirlwind on teams that appreciate Ho-Oh baiting Tyranitar in and hitting it hard, potentially dealing enough damage for a teammate to finish it off. Earthquake also hits Jolteon hard, which, in conjunction with Whirlwind, can deny Growth + Baton Pass attempts, as Ho-Oh lives a +1 Thunder from full. However, running Earthquake means Ho-Oh needs to forgo one of Whirlwind or Toxic, potentially denying either the ability to phaze or the free turns Toxic can give. A set with Curse, Sacred Fire, Recover, and Return can be used, allowing Ho-Oh to become a potential late-game threat once Pokemon like Tyranitar are removed. Insane bulk coupled with Recover and Sacred Fire's chance to burn some phazers like Lugia and Tyranitar are some unique traits that Ho-Oh has over other Curse sweepers. However, Ho-Oh's early-game utility is then greatly reduced, with its damage output lacking even after a few Curse boosts due to a lack of physical STAB move. Furthermore, Ho-Oh also becomes unable to prevent phazing attempts due to the lack of Whirlwind on this set, making it only a late-game presence.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Rock-types**: Due to Ho-Oh's critical weakness to Rock, Rock-types naturally pose a big threat to it. Tyranitar is the best available counter to Ho-Oh, as it is capable of nullifying Toxic with Rest, negating Whirlwind with a slower Roar, and OHKOing Ho-Oh with Rock Slide while not minding Flamethrower. Rhydon is another Rock-type that can deal extreme damage to Ho-Oh, but it must be careful of Toxic, as it can quickly wear Rhydon down.
**Electric-types and Coverage**: Zapdos and Raikou both comfortably switch into Ho-Oh and scare it out thanks to their STAB Thunder; they also commonly run Rest, meaning that Toxic from Ho-Oh won't keep them down for long. Although it doesn't appreciate switching directly into Ho-Oh, Jolteon can boost its Special Attack with Growth and force it out. Electric-type coverage moves from Pokemon like Mewtwo and Gengar can also potentially scare Ho-Oh out.
**Status and Explosion users**: Paralysis, sleep, and poison all hinder Ho-Oh's ability to consistently check Pokemon it's supposed to check, like Mewtwo, non-Rock Slide Mew, Gengar, and weakened threats like Marowak. Even if not statused, Ho-Oh should still be careful of them, as Mewtwo, Mew, and Gengar can lure in and KO Ho-Oh with a well-timed Explosion. Other Pokemon like Snorlax, Cloyster, Steelix, Forretress, and Exeggutor can also use Explosion on Ho-Oh if it is paralyzed, so making sure Ho-Oh is not statused is key.
**Water-types**: Pokemon like Suicune and Quagsire don't care about anything Ho-Oh throws at them, as they commonly run Rest to shrug off any Toxic attempts and also resist Flamethrower. Starmie can come in on Ho-Oh and freely use Rapid Spin. These Pokemon can also hit Ho-Oh with a decently strong Surf. Vaporeon also scares out Ho-Oh thanks to Growth and Surf, as a +1 Vaporeon 2HKOes Ho-Oh.
**Snorlax**: Snorlax can comfortably switch into Ho-Oh and threaten to use it as setup fodder for Curse; it can also potentially use Love Kiss on Ho-Oh, rendering it useless for up to 6 turns. It should be careful of Toxic, however, as a Snorlax without Sleep Talk or Rest can be played around with relative ease.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/corvere.306317/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mr-378.5541/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/isa.168574/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aurora.109385/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Last edited:
