Ho-Oh

The Rainbow Pokémon
#250 - Ho-Oh
Debut	Pokémon: Gold Version Pokémon: Silver Version
Species Info
Type	+ +
Height	3.8 m (12'06")
Weight	199.0 (438.7 lbs.)
Color	Red
Gender Ratio	Genderless
Ability	Pressure
Hidden Ability	Regenerator
Egg Group	Unbreedable
Icon		Sprite
		File:250sprite.png
Footprint
30px
Base Statistics
Hit Points	106	Speed	90
Attack	130	Sp. Attack	110
Defense	90	Sp. Defense	154
Training Info
Catch Rate	003	Hatch Steps	30,720
Base Exp.	220	Effort Points	SpD
Happiness	0		SpD
To Lv.100	Slow		SpD

Kanto #	Johto #	Hoenn #	Sinnoh #
< 250 >	< 248 >
Unova #	Johto (IV) #
	< 253 >

Ho-Oh is one of the two legendary birds featured as the primary legendary Pokémon for the second generation Pokémon: Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver Versions, with the other being Lugia. Ho-Oh is featured as the mascot for Gold and HeartGold versions.

Information

Ho-Oh is a Pokémon resembling a large phoenix with rainbow-colored feathers that is constantly wandering the skies. Its body glows in seven colors, and it is said that this causes rainbows to form behind it when it flies. Ho-Oh is said to only appear before pure-hearted trainers, and that those who see it are promised eternal happiness.

Ho-Oh also some backstory in the second generation games. After the Brass Tower (which apparently was in tribute to Lugia) was burned down, Ho-Oh descended from the sky and revived three Pokémon that had died in the fire as the legendary dog Pokémon Entei, Raikou and Suicune. It is said that out of those, Suicune was closest to Ho-Oh. Ho-Oh was also said to have roamed the skies continuously after the Brass Tower's burning, and it would only descend for something familiar, such as its Rainbow Wing. In HeartGold, it is specifically the combination of the Rainbow Wing and the heart of a trainer who could truly bring people and Pokémon together.

Appearances

Mainstream Games

In Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver, Ho-Oh appears at the top of the Bell Tower (or Tin Tower as it was called in the original games) to accept the player's challenge when they arrive at a Rainbow Wing, which is achieved at different points in the games. In Gold and HeartGold it is found earlier and Ho-Oh is the first of the two birds to be battled, while in Silver and SoulSilver it is found later, so Ho-Oh is the latter of the two birds that can be challenged, and it is found at a significantly higher level. In Crystal, Ho-Oh is also the last legendary Pokémon over all that can be found in the game, as the three legendary dogs must be captured or defeated in order to reach the upper part of the Tin Tower.

HeartGold alters Ho-Oh's capture somewhat. Ho-Oh can only appear when the player has both the Rainbow Wing and Clear Bell items. The Clear Bell was originally used to battle Suicune at the Bell Tower in Crystal, but in HeartGold it is instead associated with Ho-Oh and can be earned only by defeating Ecruteak City's Kimono Girls, who can be challenged only after the player has earned all eight Johto gym badges. The Kimono Girls then perform a ceremony atop the Bell Tower with the Clear Bell that summons Ho-Oh for the player to deal with. If the player defeats it instead of capturing it, it reappears for a second opportunity after defeating the Elite Four.

In Pokémon: FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald Versions, Ho-Oh is found in the upper area of Naval Rock, which can only be reached with a MysticTicket (which is obtainable exclusively through Nintendo events)

Other Games

Ho-Oh appears in Pokémon Stadium 2, Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. In Colosseum, Ho-Oh can be earned by completing the 100-trainer Mt. Battle challenge after completing the game's Story Mode and purifying all the Shadow Pokémon within. Ho-Oh could then be transferred into any of the Gameboy Advance games (this being the only legitimate way to obtain Ho-Oh in the third generation games without a Nintendo Event). Ho-Oh also played a role in the game's storyline, making a brief appearance at the end to destroy Es Cade's escape helicopter.

In Pokémon Trozei!, Ho-Oh could be obtained through Random Agent Cards or Mr. Who's Den. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Teams, Ho-Oh is the boss of Mt. Faraway. After being defeated the first time, it can be rechallenged in order to be recruited into the player's party. In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time and Darkness, Ho-Oh could be found on the nineteenth floor of Mt. Mistral if the player has spoken to Manaphy and has the Secret Slab or Mystery Part in their bag. In Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, Ho-Oh appeared as the boss of Rainbow Dais.

Other Appearances

Video Games

• In the Super Smash Bros. series, Ho-Oh initially appeared in Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Brawl as one of the Pokémon that can released at random from the Poké Ball item. After being summoned, it would release a spiral-shaped Sacred Fire attack which brutally damages any combatants that are caught in it. In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Ho-Oh could appear in the background of the Kalos Pokémon League stage when in its Blazing Chamber form. Ho-Oh's appearance would cause pillars of flame to rise across the stage.
  • Ho-Oh has also been represented by a trophy in Melee, a trophy and sticker in Brawl, a trophy in the Wii-U game and a Legend-rank Support Spirit (which granted an extra jump) in Ultimate. When fought against in a Spirit battle, Ho-Oh's Spirit would possess a Charizard with a perpetual Superspicy Curry effect (effectively granting it everlasting flame breath), and it with an added resistance to fire and explosion attacks. The battle was also held in the Blazing Chamber of the Kalos Pokémon League, where Ho-Oh's stage effect could come into play.

Other Media

• Ho-Oh notably makes a cameo appearance at the end of the very first episode of the Pokémon anime (several years before the release of the second generation games, and not long after the first generation games that had been made), where Ash Ketchum sees one flying overhead when he starts his Pokémon journey. Ho-Oh was first mentioned by name during the Johto episodes, where it was said that the towers of Ecruteak were burned down in a great war after which Ho-Oh created the three legendary dogs and all four vanished, despite the Tin Tower's restoration. Ash saw Ho-Oh again after losing the Silver Conference at the end of the Johto arc, which helped him to recover from the depression of his loss. Ho-Oh is later seen by Ash, May and the rest of their companions at the end of a Battle Frontier episode.
• Ho-Oh appears during the Gold/Silver/Crystal arc of the Pokémon Adventures manga, where it was shown that The Mask of Ice took control of Ho-Oh years ago and used it to abduct children whom he raised and trained as his devoted followers. His primary purpose for Ho-Oh and Lugia however, was to use their feathers for his GS Ball so that he could capture and control Celebi. During the present time, he has Team Rocket attack Tin Tower to lure Ho-Oh out and then captures it again, later entrusting both birds to Will and Karen for use in the battles with the Pokédex trainers at Ilex Forest until the Pokédex trainers defeat them with help from Kanto's three legendary birds, and Ho-Oh and Lugia are freed afterwards.

Trivia

• Its name is a variation on "Houou", the Japanese name for the phoenix.