Is Ho-Oh viable in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

Ho-Oh is ranked #6 in Gen 9 Anything Goes with 25.19% usage according to Smogon Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 data.

What beats Ho-Oh in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

The best counter for Ho-Oh in Gen 9 Anything Goes is Garganacl with a 86.6% win rate when they meet. Based on Smogon's Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 usage data, the top Pokémon that beat Ho-Oh include Garganacl, Basculegion, Kyurem-Black, Arceus-Water, Ursaluna.

What is the best counter for Ho-Oh in Gen 9 Anything Goes?

Garganacl is the best counter for Ho-Oh in Gen 9 Anything Goes, KOing or forcing it out in 86.6% of their encounters.

Ho-Oh counters

Gen 9 Anything Goes · Sorted by reliability score · Smogon · Apr 2026 - Jun 2026

#0250 Ho-Oh

FireFlying

USAGE 25.2% #6

ABILITYRegenerator

BASE STATS

HP 106

ATK 130

DEF 90

SPA 110

SPD 154

SPE 90

BST680

TYPE MATCHUPS

4×

Rock

2×

WaterElectric

½×

FireFightingSteelFairy

¼×

GrassBug

0×

Ground

Moves

Sacred Fire 98.9% Brave Bird 96.1% Recover 82.0% Whirlwind 61.4% Earthquake 27.7% Substitute 12.8% Fire Spin 12.0% Aerial Ace 1.9%

Items

Heavy-Duty Boots 81.1% Assault Vest 13.3% Rocky Helmet 2.1% Life Orb 1.0% Choice Band 1.0% Leftovers 0.9% Choice Scarf 0.2% Wacan Berry 0.1%

Abilities

Regenerator99.7%Pressure0.3%

Tera Types

Grass 32.8% Fairy 29.8% Ground 12.8% Steel 11.7% Flying 8.8% Dark 1.5% Fire 1.4% Water 0.7%

Common Teammates

Browse Gen 9 Anything Goes teams using Ho-Oh →

Teams using Arceus-Water 77%

Checks & Counters

Reliability ranks observed matchups; KO rate is how often the checker knocked out or forced out the target. “Checker faints” reports the checker's own observed death rate. Categories use matchup reliability plus offensive and defensive base stats.

How to read this table

Use encounter count to judge sample size. A high-reliability check with a modest KO rate can still be useful when it consistently forces switches or limits the target.

# Checker Encounters Reliability KO Rate

Garganacl

Rock DEFENSIVE COUNTER

97.884

86.6% checker faints 5.92%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garganacl: 146-172 (36.1 - 42.5%) -- 93.2% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

View Garganacl counters →

Basculegion

WaterGhost OFFENSIVE CHECK

22.671

86.4% checker faints 7.20%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Basculegion Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 422-500 (101.4 - 120.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Basculegion counters →

Kyurem-Black

DragonIce OFFENSIVE CHECK

155.714

83.9% checker faints 4.98%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Kyurem-Black Fusion Bolt vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 320-378 (76.9 - 90.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Kyurem-Black counters →

Arceus-Water

Water DEFENSIVE COUNTER

280.935

76.7% checker faints 4.35%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Water: 136-162 (30.6 - 36.4%) -- 58.2% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus-Water counters → Teams with Arceus-Water →

Ursaluna

GroundNormal OFFENSIVE CHECK

78.164

75.2% checker faints 6.56%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ursaluna Facade vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 145-172 (34.8 - 41.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Ursaluna counters →

Arceus-Dark

Dark DEFENSIVE COUNTER

28.015

71.1% checker faints 8.56%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Dark: 136-162 (30.6 - 36.4%) -- 58.2% chance to 3HKO

Arceus-Ground

Ground DEFENSIVE COUNTER

1,150.362

69.7% checker faints 2.34%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Ground: 136-162 (30.6 - 36.4%) -- 58.2% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus-Ground counters → Teams with Arceus-Ground →

Arceus-Poison

Poison DEFENSIVE COUNTER

194.463

69.4% checker faints 5.59%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Poison: 152-180 (34.2 - 40.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Arceus-Poison counters →

Dondozo

Water DEFENSIVE COUNTER

291.714

69.3% checker faints 4.63%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 142-168 (28.1 - 33.3%) -- 91.1% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery

View Dondozo counters →

Glalie

Ice DEFENSIVE COUNTER

38.729

67.9% checker faints 7.50%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Sacred Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Glalie: 300-354 (82.4 - 97.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Carbink

RockFairy DEFENSIVE COUNTER

32.952

66.6% checker faints 8.21%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Carbink: 130-154 (42.7 - 50.6%) -- 2.3% chance to 2HKO

Calyrex-Ice

PsychicIce DEFENSIVE COUNTER

497.134

64.6% checker faints 3.66%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Sacred Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Calyrex-Ice: 194-230 (48 - 56.9%) -- 90.6% chance to 2HKO

View Calyrex-Ice counters → Teams with Calyrex-Ice →

Glimmora

RockPoison OFFENSIVE CHECK

604.473

63.9% checker faints 3.34%

DAMAGE CALC

0- SpA Glimmora Power Gem vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ho-Oh: 204-244 (49 - 58.6%) -- 98% chance to 2HKO

View Glimmora counters → Teams with Glimmora →

Eternatus

PoisonDragon OFFENSIVE CHECK

473.528

63.1% checker faints 3.78%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Eternatus Dynamax Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ho-Oh: 103-123 (24.7 - 29.5%) -- 99.9% chance to 4HKO

View Eternatus counters → Teams with Eternatus →

Sneasler

FightingPoison OFFENSIVE CHECK

113.793

61.1% checker faints 7.71%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Sneasler Dire Claw vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 157-186 (37.7 - 44.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Sneasler counters →

Arceus-Fairy

Fairy DEFENSIVE COUNTER

629.935

60.4% checker faints 3.37%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus-Fairy: 136-162 (30.6 - 36.4%) -- 58.2% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus-Fairy counters → Teams with Arceus-Fairy →

Pecharunt

PoisonGhost DEFENSIVE COUNTER

22.589

60.4% checker faints 10.29%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Pecharunt: 124-146 (32.6 - 38.4%) -- 97.9% chance to 3HKO

Necrozma-Dusk-Mane

PsychicSteel OFFENSIVE CHECK

263.131

59.9% checker faints 5.18%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Photon Geyser vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 226-267 (54.3 - 64.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Necrozma-Dusk-Mane counters →

Toxapex

PoisonWater DEFENSIVE COUNTER

202.43

58.8% checker faints 5.86%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 128-152 (42.1 - 50%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO

View Toxapex counters → Teams with Toxapex →

Arceus

Normal DEFENSIVE COUNTER

1,353.528

58.7% checker faints 2.30%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Arceus: 136-162 (30.6 - 36.4%) -- 58.2% chance to 3HKO

View Arceus counters → Teams with Arceus →

Grafaiai

PoisonNormal OFFENSIVE CHECK

119.252

57.9% checker faints 5.62%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Grafaiai Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 102-121 (24.5 - 29%) -- 99.9% chance to 4HKO

View Grafaiai counters →

Kyogre

Water DEFENSIVE COUNTER

840.031

57.3% checker faints 2.93%

DAMAGE CALCRain

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Kyogre: 166-196 (41 - 48.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Kyogre counters → Teams with Kyogre →

Zacian-Crowned

FairySteel OFFENSIVE CHECK

676.869

55.9% checker faints 3.27%

DAMAGE CALC

+1 252+ Atk Zacian-Crowned Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 392-462 (94.2 - 111%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO

View Zacian-Crowned counters → Teams with Zacian-Crowned →

Groudon

Ground DEFENSIVE COUNTER

103.614

55.5% checker faints 6.86%

DAMAGE CALCSun

252+ Atk Ho-Oh Sacred Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Groudon in Sun: 153-181 (37.8 - 44.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Groudon counters →

Walking Wake

WaterDragon SOFT CHECK

35.423

54.9% checker faints 8.36%

Calyrex-Shadow

PsychicGhost SOFT CHECK

3,436.543

53.0% checker faints 1.47%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Calyrex-Shadow Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 187-222 (44.9 - 53.3%) -- 33.2% chance to 2HKO

View Calyrex-Shadow counters → Teams with Calyrex-Shadow →

Terapagos

Normal SOFT CHECK

174.662

52.2% checker faints 6.41%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Terapagos Tera Starstorm vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ho-Oh: 73-87 (17.5 - 20.9%) -- possible 5HKO

View Terapagos counters →

Lunala

PsychicGhost SOFT CHECK

85.665

51.0% checker faints 7.59%

DAMAGE CALC

+1 252+ SpA Lunala Meteor Beam vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Ho-Oh: 476-560 (114.4 - 134.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Lunala counters →

Koraidon

FightingDragon SOFT CHECK

2,544.249

50.9% checker faints 1.71%

DAMAGE CALCSun

252+ Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Outrage vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ho-Oh: 322-381 (77.4 - 91.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Koraidon counters → Teams with Koraidon →

Kyurem-White

DragonIce SOFT CHECK

70.364

49.7% checker faints 8.31%

Ranked #6 with 25.19% usage. Sorted by reliability score.