Shadow Ho-Oh Pokémon GO Raid Guide: Weakness and counters

Shadow Ho-Oh is back in Pokémon GO, featuring in a day of Shadow Raids on Jan. 19. You will be able to encounter Shadow Ho-Oh Raids from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. local time.

In addition, for the first time ever, you will be able to battle these Shadow Raids remotely. Shadow Raids in Pokémon GO are really difficult. For rural players, they have sometimes been tough to do. Thanks to this change, everyone has a chance to get their hands on a Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO.

As a Shadow Pokémon, Ho-Oh is a strong option to have in your collection and you don't want to miss these Raids. So, here is everything you need to know before battling Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO.

Shadow

Ho-Oh has a double weakness to Rock-types, and then single weaknesses to Electric and Water-type attacks. It has a range of resistances, including a 2x resistance to Bug and Grass-type attacks. Crucially it also resists Fairy-type moves, which is a powerful category in PvP.

Here are the best Shadow Ho-Oh counters in Pokémon GO.

Mega Tyranitar is a standout counter for Shadow Ho-Oh Raids in Pokémon GO, and an excellent choice. This is especially applicable to those who don't have a lot of Trainers to take on this Raid with.

Second is Mega Aerodactyl, and this Pokémon shares a typing with Shadow Ho-Oh. That means at Mega Level 2 or Mega Level 3 you will get a range of bonuses from having Aerodactyl Mega Evolved, and it will also be an excellent counter thanks to its Rock-type moves.

In terms of budget options, if you live in the United Kingdom, regional exclusive Stonjourner is a great counter and spawns everywhere. Gigalith also is an excellent budget choice, but you will need it's Community Day move, Meteor Beam.

Yes, after your Shadow Raid, Shadow Ho-Oh can be shiny in Pokémon GO.

Mega Evolutions can help you get more candy and XL candy with every catch. Having a mega level 3 active that boosts candy for Fire and Flying-types will give you an extra 2 candy per catch, as well as a 25% bonus to your XL candy chance.

Here are the Pokémon you can Mega Evolve to get more Ho-Oh candy in Pokémon GO.

For this raid, both Mega Rayquaza and Mega Aerodactyl will both boost Candy and Candy XL for Ho-Oh whilst also being very strong counters. If you have them at Mega Level 3, then use either of these Pokémon when you can during these Raids.

Thankfully, Shadow Ho-Oh has a double weakness. This always makes a Pokémon a lot easier to take down. However, you need to make sure you have Purified Gems before battling. When Shadow Ho-Oh enrages, it does a lot more damage. Purified Gems prevent this.

With those, you can beat Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO with at least three Trainers, especially if you are using Party Power. For lower level Trainers or those without optimal counters, you should aim for a group of six or higher to win this Raid.

Here are the hundo CP values to keep your eye out for to know if you have a 100% Shadow Ho-Oh in Pokémon GO after you complete the Raid. Don't forget, with Shadow Pokémon having a lower IV floor (in person), this would be even rarer than usual.

Weather boost can help you save candy, get better IVs and benefit from power boosts on your team. Here are the weather effects to keep an eye on when taking on these raids.

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