- Shadow Ho-Oh is a Fire and Flying-type Pokemon in Pokemon GO.
- It is weak against Rock, Electric, and Water-type moves.
- The best counters are Shadow Rampardos, Mega Diancie, and Shadow Rhyperior.
Ho-Oh, the iconic Legendary bird from Johto, is already considered one of the strongest Pokemon in the game. However, its shadow form stands out as one of the best attackers in Pokemon GO thanks to the Shadow bonus damage. At the same time, it can one-shot your Pokemon when taking part in raids. That’s why you must learn about its weaknesses and the best counters from our Pokemon GO Shadow Ho-Oh raid guide.
Pokemon GO Shadow Ho-Oh Stats and Moves
Shadow Ho-Oh Raid Boss in Pokemon GO comes with impressive base stats that make it a formidable raid boss. Here they are:
| Shadow Ho-Oh | Stats |
|---|---|
| Image |  |
| Type | Fire and Flying |
| Attack | 289 |
| Defense | 228 |
| Stamina | 214 |
| Max CP | 4367 |
| Raid CP | 2174 – 2263 (Lvl 20) |
| Weather-Boosted Raid CP | 2718 – 2829 (Lvl 25, Sunny/Windy) |
| Research CP | 1672 – 1704 (Lvl 15 research) |
| Fast Moves | Extrasensory (Psychic) Hidden Power (Normal) Incinerate (Fire) Steel Wing (Steel) |
| Charge Moves | Brave Bird (Flying) Earthquake (Ground) Fire Blast (Fire) Sacred Fire (Fire)* Solar Beam (Grass) |
| Base Catch Rate | 2% |
Shadow Ho-Oh Weaknesses and Resistances
As per the Pokemon Type Chart, Shadow Ho-Oh has specific weaknesses you can exploit and resistances you should avoid. These are as follows:
| Shadow Ho-Oh Type | Weaknesses | Resistances |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Electric (1.6x) | Bug (0.625x) |
| Flying | Rock (2.56x) | Fairy (0.625x) |
| – | Water (1.6x) | Fighting (0.625x) |
| – | – | Fire (0.625x) |
| – | – | Grass (0.39x) |
| – | – | Ground (0.625x) |
| – | – | Steel (0.625x) |
Shadow Ho-Oh Best Counters in Pokemon GO
Here are the most effective Pokemon to use against Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokemon GO:
| Pokemon | Fast Move | Charged Move |
|---|---|---|
 Shadow Rampardos | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
 Mega Diancie | Rock Throw | Rock Slide |
 Shadow Rhyperior | Smack Down | Rock Wrecker |
 Mega Tyranitar | Smack Down | Stone Edge |
 Shadow Tyrantrum | Rock Throw | Meteor Beam |
 Mega Aerodactyl | Rock Throw | Rock Slide |
 Shadow Gigalith | Smack Down | Meteor Beam |
 Glimmora | Rock Throw | Meteor Beam |
 Terrakion | Smack Down | Rock Slide |
 Primal Kyogre | Waterfall | Origin Pulse |
How to Catch Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokemon GO
With Shadow Raids available in Pokemon GO, the primary way to obtain Shadow Ho-Oh is through these special Raid Battles. However, Shadow Raids are not part of the regular rotation and usually only appear during major Pokemon GO events such as GO Tour or GO Fest. The last time Shadow Ho-Oh was available was during the Pokemon GO Tour Kalos event on February 24, 2026, so it may be a while before it returns.
Another possible way to get Shadow Ho-Oh is through Giovanni, the Team GO Rocket boss, whose lineup occasionally includes powerful Shadow Legendary Pokemon. After beating Giovanni in Pokemon GO, players might get a chance to encounter and catch Shadow Ho-Oh, if it’s in his current lineup.
Since Shadow Pokemon cannot be traded in Pokemon GO and do not spawn in the wild, these are currently the only two ways to obtain one.
Can Shadow Ho-Oh be Shiny?
Yes, you can encounter a shiny Shadow Ho-Oh only from Shadow Raids, with a 1 in 20 shiny rate. The shiny version features lighter orange feathers and silver coloring on its tail and crest.
Keep in mind that Shadow Raids are currently the only way to obtain a shiny Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokemon GO. Even if Giovanni has Shadow Ho-Oh in his lineup, defeating him will not give you a chance to encounter its shiny variant.
Where is Shadow Ho-Oh Ranked in Pokemon GO?
Shadow Ho-Oh is a Fire / Flying-type Legendary Pokemon that has excellent stats. While regular Ho-Oh is mostly known for PvP Trainer Battles, the Shadow version becomes a more serious offensive threat and gains more value in raids as well. Here’s a simple breakdown of how Shadow Ho-Oh performs in the current Pokemon GO meta:
- Raid Attacker: Shadow Ho-Oh ranks as one of the top raid attackers with its Fire and Flying-type moveset. Among the top overall raid attackers. While it can still deal strong Fire-type damage with Incinerate and Sacred Fire+, there are many stronger and faster raid options like Shadow Heatran, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Blaziken.
- Gym Defender: Shadow Pokemon cannot defend gyms in Pokemon GO, which means Shadow Ho-Oh has no value in the Gym Defender category.
- Fire Type Attacker: Among Fire-type attackers, Shadow Ho-Oh is ranked around #47. If you’re planning to use it, then go with the Incinerate and Sacred Fire+ combination.
- Flying Type Attacker: Shadow Ho-Oh also sits around #47 as a Flying-type attacker, due to Pokemon like Mega Raqquaza, Shadow Moltres, and Mega Salamence. The suggested Flying-type moveset is Extrasensory and Brave Bird.
- Great League and Ultra League: Shadow Ho-Oh performs very poorly in Great League and Ultra League, where it is ranked around #814 and #287, respectively. Its high CP and expensive charged moves make it difficult to use effectively in this format. The recommended moveset here is Incinerate, Brave Bird, and Earthquake, but even then, it struggles against the most common meta Pokemon.
- Master League: Master League is where Shadow Ho-Oh truly shines. It currently sits around #22 in the format. With the combination of Incinerate, Brave Bird, and Sacred Fire, it can pressure many top meta threats, especially Steel-types like Dialga, Metagross, and Melmetal. Even with the Shadow defense drop, Ho-Oh’s natural bulk helps it survive long enough to dominate several matchups.
