Shadow Ho-Oh is a beast. Honestly, if you walk into this raid thinking your standard high-CP water types are going to carry you, you're probably going to end up burning through way too many Max Potions. It’s one of those specific encounters in Pokémon GO where the "Shadow" buff isn't just a cosmetic flex—it’s a genuine threat to your raid pass. The boss hits like a freight train, especially if it’s running Brave Bird or Fire Blast.
You've probably seen people suggesting Kyogre. Sure, Kyogre is great, but it isn't the best. Not even close. If you want to take this thing down with a small group—maybe a duo or a trio if you're feeling brave—you have to exploit its massive, glaring weakness to Rock-type moves. Because Ho-Oh is Fire and Flying, Rock hits it for 2.56x damage. That’s the "double weak" sweet spot.
The Best Shadow Ho-Oh Counters Right Now
The undisputed king of this raid is Rampardos. It’s basically a glass cannon, but in this specific matchup, it’s more like a glass nuke. It has the highest non-Mega DPS (Damage Per Second) because Smack Down and Rock Slide just shred Ho-Oh’s HP bar. But here’s the thing: it dies fast. If Ho-Oh has Solar Beam? Forget it. Your Rampardos will vanish before it can even blink.
That’s why you need a mix.
Rhyperior is the more reliable workhorse. You specifically want Rhyperior with the legacy move Rock Wrecker. If you’re using Stone Edge, you’re leaving a lot of damage on the table. Rhyperior is tanky enough to survive a few hits, which is vital because you spend less time in the "re-lobby" screen and more time actually throwing rocks.
Then there’s Tyrantrum. It’s become a top-tier pick lately. With Meteor Beam, it’s legitimately scary. Most players overlook it because they're stuck in the 2021 meta of just using Tyranitar. Speaking of Tyranitar, it’s still good, but only if you have the Mega evolved or the Shadow version. A regular Tyranitar is... fine. But "fine" doesn't get you a shiny Shadow Ho-Oh with 15/15/15 stats.
Why Water and Electric Are Often Traps
It’s tempting to bring in your Xurkitree or your Primal Kyogre. Don’t get me wrong, they do damage. But they only deal 1.6x damage. When you compare that to the 2.56x from Rock types, the math just doesn't favor them.
The only exception is if the weather is raining. Even then, a Rock-type team in Partly Cloudy weather will still outpace almost anything else. Also, watch out for Ho-Oh's movepool. Solar Beam is the "party wiper." It deals 180 base damage and, as a Grass move, it absolutely deletes the Rock, Ground, and Water types you're likely using. If you see your Pokémon getting one-shot by a green beam of light, you need to start dodging.
Seriously. Dodge.
The Secret Weapon: Mega Aerodactyl
If you are raiding in a group, someone must run Mega Aerodactyl. It provides a 30% damage boost to everyone else's Rock moves while it's on the field. Because everyone should be using Rock types, this boost is massive.
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- Prioritize Rock Wrecker Rhyperior. It's the gold standard for a reason.
- Shadow Tyranitar with Smack Down. If you have the Elite Fast TM to spare, this is a monster.
- Terrakion. Most people think of it as a Fighting attacker, but with Smack Down and Rock Slide, it’s an elite Shadow Ho-Oh counter.
- Archeops. Only if you’re desperate. It’s fragile, but it hits hard.
I’ve seen people try to use Aggron. Please, for the love of everything, don’t use Aggron. Its attack stat is too low for a Tier 5 Shadow Raid. You’ll be "surviving" the fight, but you won't be contributing enough damage to actually beat the clock.
The Purified Gem Problem
You can't talk about Shadow Ho-Oh counters without talking about Gems. Shadow bosses go into a "Subdued" state once they lose enough health. They get a massive defense and attack boost when they're enraged. If your team doesn't have enough Purified Gems (it takes 8 total from the raid group to subdue it), you’re going to fail.
It doesn't matter if you have six Level 50 Shadow Rampardos. If the boss is enraged and you aren't using gems, you're hitting a brick wall. Coordinate with your local group. Make sure everyone has their shards ready.
Understanding the Moveset Variance
Ho-Oh is tricky because its fast moves—Extrasensory, Incinerate, and Steel Wing—all demand different things from your team. Steel Wing hurts your Rock types. Incinerate is slow but hits like a truck.
If you're facing a Ho-Oh with Hidden Power (Water or Grass), it can be an absolute nightmare. This is where the "Expert" part of the advice comes in: check the "recommended" screen before the raid starts. If the game is recommending a bunch of Dragons, Ho-Oh probably has Solar Beam. If it’s recommending Waters, it likely has Fire Blast. Use that meta-knowledge to pick your specific lineup.
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Real-World Performance Stats
In a vacuum, Shadow Rampardos has a Time-to-Win (TTW) of about 320 seconds against an average Ho-Oh moveset. In a duo, you have 600 seconds total (300 each). That means, theoretically, two players with maxed-out Rampardos can duo this boss. But you have to account for the lobby timer and the fact that you’ll probably faint out three times.
In reality, most players should aim for a group of 4. This ensures that even if a few people are using sub-optimal counters like Golem or Gigalith, you’ll still clear it comfortably.
Your Action Plan for the Next Raid
Stop overthinking the "perfect" IVs and start focusing on the right species and movesets. A 0-star Shadow Tyranitar is better than a 100% IV regular Tyranitar in almost every raid scenario.
Step 1: Check your storage for any Rhyhorn or Cranidos you’ve been sitting on. Evolve them. Use those TMs to get Rock-type moves.
Step 2: Stock up on Shadow Shards by beating Team GO Rocket grunts before the weekend hits. You cannot win without Purified Gems.
Step 3: Set up a "Rock" tag in your Pokémon storage. Pre-making your battle party saves those precious 15-20 seconds during the raid when you have to heal and jump back in.
Step 4: Find a Mega Aerodactyl or Mega Tyranitar. If you're the high-level player in your group, it’s your job to provide that Mega boost for everyone else.
By sticking to Rock types and ignoring the "auto-recommend" button when it tries to give you Lugia or Blissey, you’ll maximize your Premier Balls and actually catch the bird. Remember, the encounter is harder than the catch—don't waste the opportunity by bringing weak attackers to the party.