Pokémon TCG: Top 10 Best Ho-Oh of All Time

Today, we'll discuss the best Ho-Oh in Pokémon TCG, since the Wizards of the Coast era until today.

Please note that we won't include Ho-Oh ex from "Pokémon TCG: Classic Collection" because all cards in this product cannot be used in sanctioned leagues, including Expanded.

10- Ho-Oh (Heart Gold/Soul Silver: Call of Legends)

To use its attack, Scorching Wing, the best strategy in the 2010/2011 Standard format was to attach energies to this Ho-Oh with Emboar BLW 20's ability.

However, you still had to toss a coin, and, if you got "tails", you'd be forced to discard all energies attached to Ho-Oh! This means it was either incredible or terrible.

9- Ho-Oh (X/Y: Promo Card)

Its attack, Stoke, lets you attach two Basic Fire Energy sv3 230 to Ho-Oh if you get "heads" with your coin toss. Its second attack, Fire Wing, deals 100 damage, so it's a great option that is not tied to any coin toss (which often force you to discard energies).

In Expanded, there are many support cards for the Fire archetype, and Ho-Oh often sees play with two Supporters: Welder UNB 189a (which lets you attach two Basic Fire Energy sv3 230 from your hand to Ho-Oh and draws you cards), and Blacksmith FLF 88 (which lets you get two Basic Fire Energy sv3 230 from your discard pile and attach them to any Fire Pokémon).

To get the four energies you need for its attack, Fire Wing, you can use Charizard PGO 10 and its ability, Burn Brightly. This ability turns every Fire energy you use into two, so you'll only need two Basic Fire Energy sv3 230 to use Ho-Oh PR-XY XY153's attack.

To deal even more damage against Grass and Metal Pokémon, you can use Supereffective Glasses ASR 152. With it, you can deal up to 300 damage. Furthermore, you can also use other Pokémon like Volcanion-EX PR-XY XY173 or Rapidash PR-SW SWSH270 to deal even more damage.

8- Shining Ho-Oh (Sun/Moon: Promo Card)

Its ability, Golden Wing, is what earned it a spot in our list. It lets you recycle the energies attached to Shining Ho-Oh when it is knocked out of the active position. You can move these two energies to any other Pokémon you have however you like.

Its attack, Fire Blast, also deals a lot of damage for a basic Pokémon, despite forcing you to discard one energy attached to it. It is also a bit expensive: it costs one Fire energy and three colorless energies.

As we said before, you can use Welder UNB 189a, Blacksmith FLF 88, and Charizard PGO 10, which doubles Basic Fire Energy sv3 230, to get the energies you need.

7- Ho-Oh (Sword/Shield: Celebrations)

Today, this is considered one of the best "baby" Ho-Oh around because of its attacks:

Sacred Fire deals 50 damage to any enemy Pokémon, benched or not. You can also use Wide Lens ROS 95 with it to deal even more damage.

Fire Blast deals 120 damage to the enemy Active Pokémon, and only forces you to discard one energy from Ho-Oh. With Welder UNB 189a and Blacksmith FLF 88, this will be no issue.

6- Ho-Oh "BREAK" (X/Y: Promo Card)

The BREAK mechanic lets you upgrade a "baby Pokémon" by putting a BREAK card on top of it. A Pokémon BREAK has the attacks, abilities, weaknesses, resistances, and retreat cost of its previous stage.

For instance, if you put Ho-Oh BREAK PR-XY XY154 over Ho-Oh PR-XY XY153, you can both use the Shining Flame attack, and Stoke, and Fire Wing.

In Expanded, you can also put Ho-Oh BREAK PR-XY XY154 over Ho-Oh CEL 1 to use both Shining Flame and Sacred Fire and Fire Blast.

Ho-Oh BREAK Special Box

Unboxing

5- Ho-Oh-EX (Black/White: Dragon Exalted)

This Ho-Oh-EX needs a certain strategy to shine. If you use Battle Compressor Team Flare Gear PHF 92, you can discard Ho-Oh itself and several basic energies to the discard pile, and thus activate Rebirth, its ability. This ability lets you, after you toss a coin and get "heads", put Ho-Oh-EX DRX 22 on your bench and attach up to three different basic energies to it.

Then, you can use Ho-Oh-EX's attack, Rainbow Burn, which deals 20 extra damage for each different basic energy attached to it.

To get the energies you need and deal even more damage with this attack, you can use cards like Xerneas CEL 12, Alcremie PR-SW SWSH058, Earthen Vessel sv4 163, and ACE SPEC: Energy Search PRO. ACE SPEC: Energy Search PRO will be released in the Scarlet/Violet: Surging Sparks set.

4- Ho-Oh "LEGEND" (Heart Gold/Soul Silver)

Released in the Heart Gold/Soul Silver block, this Ho-Oh features an "Exodia" mechanic. The Pokémon is split into two, and you need to combine these parts together to use it entirely.

Its ability (Poké-Body), Sacred Rainbow, stands out: it turns all energies attached to Ho-Oh LEGEND into Basic Fire Energy sv3 230. In 2010/2011's Standard format, this Pokémon had an incredible synergy with Emboar BLW 20.

3- Ho-Oh-EX (X/Y: BREAKpoint)

Ho-Oh-EX's Purifying Fire ability heals it by 50 damage if you attach a Basic Fire Energy sv3 230 to it.

Its main attack deals 130 damage to the enemy Active Pokémon and 30 damage to one of the opponent's benched Pokémon (without applying weakness and resistance).

You'll need different energies to use this attack, which is challenging, but cards like Lugia VSTAR SIT 139 and Archeops SIT 147 are a great help in Expanded. Lugia VSTAR SIT 139's VStar ability lets you put two Archeops SIT 147 in play, which, in turn, can get Aurora Energy SSH 186 or Prism Energy NXD 93 to you. That's how you'll use Ho-Oh-EX's attack.

2- Ho-Oh V (Sword/Shield: Silver Tempest)

This Ho-Oh was also released in the Silver Tempest set, and works just like Ho-Oh-EX DRX 22. However, it has 230 HP, which is a huge advantage.

Its ability, Reviving Flame, lets you get it from your discard pile and put it on your bench. Then, you can attach up to four basic energies to it, but there's a catch: once you activate this ability, you'll immediately pass your turn.

To protect it against Boss's Orders RCL 154, which can pull it into the Active position (and thus make it vulnerable to enemy attacks), your best bet is a Pokémon like Diancie ASR 68. It will protect it against Supporters.

1- Ho-Oh-GX (Sun/Moon: Burning Shadows)

Our first place is Ho-Oh-GX, whose GX attack, Eternal Flame, is its greatest strength. It lets you get up to three Fire Pokémon EX or GX from your discard pile and put them on your bench.

Considering Pokémon ex have returned (in the Scarlet/Violet block), this Ho-Oh has become even more relevant. Both "Pokémon-EX" (upper case) and "Pokémon ex" (lower case) work with its GX attack. With it, you'll be able to pull Pokémon like Charizard ex sv3pt5 6 from your discard pile and put them on your bench.

Furthermore, its attacks are also powerful:

Sacred Fire deals 50 damage to any enemy Pokémon. With Wide Lens ROS 95, you'll be able to apply weakness against Grass and Metal Pokémon on the bench.

Phoenix Burn deals 180 damage to the enemy Active Pokémon, but you can't use it on the following turn. To get around this restriction, you can retreat Ho-Oh-GX BUS 21 and put another backup Pokémon on the Active spot.

What did you think of our list? What would your "Top 10 Best Ho-Oh" list look like? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!