📘 Ho-Oh (Pokémon TCG)

Category: Pokemon TCG · Created: · Updated:

Ho-Oh card art from Celebrations Cel25

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Overview

Ho-Oh appears in the Celebrations expansion as a holofoil Pokémon card with the rarity of Rare. This basic Fire-type Legendary Pokémon showcases the iconic, radiant wings associated with Ho-Oh and is presented as part of a celebratory subset that reintroduces classic characters with updated foil treatments. The card is illustrated by Kouki Saitou, whose artwork emphasizes the bird’s luminous plumage and majestic presence. With a solid 130 HP and two distinct attacks, this Ho-Oh provides a straightforward but memorable option for players seeking a high-impact, energy-costed Fire attacker from the Expanded pool of cards.

Card Information

  • Category: Pokemon
  • Name: Ho-Oh
  • Rarity: Rare
  • Set: Celebrations (Cel25)
  • Dex Number: 250
  • HP: 130
  • Type: Fire
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attacks:
    • Sacred Fire — Cost: Fire, Colorless Effect: This attack does 50 damage to 1 of your opponent's Pokémon. (Don't apply Weakness and Resistance for Benched Pokémon.)
    • Fire Blast — Cost: Fire, Fire, Colorless Effect: Discard an Energy from this Pokémon. Damage: 120
  • Weakness: Lightning ×2
  • Resistance: Fighting −30
  • Retreat Cost: 2
  • Illustrator: Kouki Saitou
  • Evolution: Basic (no evolution line in this card’s print)
  • Regulation & Legality: Regulation Mark E; Legal in Expanded, not Standard (as of the latest update in 2025)
  • Flavor Description: It will reveal itself before a pure-hearted Trainer by shining its bright, rainbow-colored wings.
  • Pricing & Availability (reference data):
    • Cardmarket (EUR): avg 0.18; low 0.02; trend 0.15
    • TCGPlayer (USD, holo prices): low 0.01; mid 0.29; high 5.30; market price 0.29; direct low 0.17
  • Illustrator Note: Kouki Saitou contributed the artwork for this print, continuing the Celebrations series' emphasis on iconic Pokémon rendered in holofoil form.

Gameplay and Strategy

This Ho-Oh functions as a mid-to-late-game Fire attacker in formats that allow its Celebrations print. Its move set combines a reliable early-game poke with a high-damage finisher at the cost of energy management and resource commitment. The two attacks offer distinct strategic avenues:

  • Sacred Fire (Fire + Colorless, 50 damage to one of your opponent’s Pokémon) provides a targeted option for finishing off an opponent’s active Pokémon or sapping a key supporting Pokémon. The ability to apply direct damage to a single target without considering Benched Pokémon for Weakness/Resistance adds predictability when pivoting between threats.
  • Fire Blast (Fire + Fire + Colorless, 120 damage) delivers substantial damage at the cost of discarding a card energy from Ho-Oh. This attack is a powerful payoff move that rewards energy stability and careful energy placement. However, because it requires two Fire energies plus a Colorless, players must plan energy acceleration and retention carefully to avoid leaving Ho-Oh stranded late in the game.

In practice, Ho-Oh tends to pair with strategies that maximize Fire-energy acceleration and energy recycling in Expanded formats. Considering its weakness to Lightning and resistance to Fighting, it can be positioned against common Lightning-types and Fighting-type threats depending on the metagame. The card’s holo presentation also makes it a popular centerpiece for decks that highlight Legendary Pokémon visuals while leveraging classic attack names and effects from earlier card iterations.

Collector and Market Information

As a rare holo print from the Celebrations Cel25 subset, Ho-Oh holds steady interest among collectors for both its aesthetic value and its role in reprints of iconic Pokémon. While not a standard-legal card, the Expanded-legal status ensures continued relevance in that format for collectors and some competitive players who still value older prints for nostalgia or thematic builds. The holofoil variant amplifies its appeal in display and binder collections.

Notable market data as of late 2020s includes pricing snapshots from Cardmarket and TCGPlayer. Cardmarket shows a modest average price around 0.18 EUR with low-end values near 0.02 EUR and a positive trend around 0.15. TCGPlayer data for holo variants lists a broad price range, with low prices around 0.01 USD and mid-to-high values up to 5.30 USD, reflecting both general demand and the card’s status as a holo reprint in a celebratory set. These figures are subject to fluctuation with releases, condition, and market dynamics, and are provided here for reference rather than as a buy/sell recommendation.

Art and Lore

The artwork for this Ho-Oh print is by Kouki Saitou, whose style emphasizes luminous color and dynamic, creature-focused composition. The card’s flavor text—“It will reveal itself before a pure-hearted Trainer by shining its bright, rainbow-colored wings”—evokes Ho-Oh’s legendary status within the Pokémon universe and the enduring mythos surrounding the rainbow-winged guardian. In the Celebrations subset, this depiction aligns with the series’ nostalgia-driven approach, reviving favorite characters in a modern holofoil presentation while maintaining the classic silhouette and motifs associated with Ho-Oh in the broader Pokémon lore.

Trivia

  • Cel25-1 marks Ho-Oh’s specific card number within the Celebrations set, reinforcing its status as an early-release holo in that subset.
  • The card is not Standard-legal but remains Expanded-legal, reflecting the set’s era in relation to the evolving tournament format rules as of 2025.
  • Two attacks—Sacred Fire and Fire Blast—echo the familiar Fire-type theme that Ho-Oh has historically carried in the TCG, with Sacred Fire offering a lower-cost, consistent option and Fire Blast providing a high-damage payoff at the cost of energy retraction.
  • Illustrator Kouki Saitou’s artwork contributes to the celebratory aesthetic of the Cel25 print, aligning with the set’s emphasis on beloved Pokémon rendered with holofoil treatment.
  • The card’s rarity and holofoil treatment make it a notable standout within the Celebrations line, often sought after by collectors seeking the classic Ho-Oh artwork in modern print form.

Product Reference and Network Links

Access a direct data source for the card image and product reference through the linked product page below. The following links are provided as related materials and reference points for our readers:

Ho-Oh (Celebrations Cel25)

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