How to get Ho-Oh during the Johto Throwback Challenge 2020 event in Pokémon Go

Pokémon Go is celebrating the past 20 years of Pokémon history with a series of Throwback Challenge 2020 events. These events focus on the oldest regions of the game, respectively, the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and the Sinnoh region from the original games. During these events, you can expect week-long rewards and special encounters, such as finding more Pokémon commonly found in those regions wandering the wild. That includes legendary Pokémon.

For those interested in adding new Pokémon to their roster, you can potentially capture Ho-Oh during the Johto Throwback Challenge 2020. The Johto-based research tasks are available starting May 7. Like every research task, there are three different ones offered in sets of eight, so a total of 24 research tasks to complete during the week-long event.

Here are all of the tasks you need to do before capturing Ho-Oh.

Task 1

• Catch 3 Fire, Grass, or Water-type Pokémon – 10 PokéBalls
• Send a gift to a friend – Dunsparce encounter
• Catch a Flying-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Silver Pinap, 2 Golden Razz, Xatu Encounter

Task 2

• Give your buddy 3 treats – 5 Razzberries
• Play with your buddy – Spinarak Encounter
• Catch a Bug-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Silver Pinap Berry, 2 Golden Razzberry, Pineco Encounter

Task 3

• Make 3 Great throws – 1 Charge TM
• Hatch an Egg – Snubbul Encounter
• Catch a Normal-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Silver Pinap Berry, a Miltank Encounter, and 2 Golden Razzberries

Task 4

• Evolve a Pokémon – Sudowoodo encounter
• Catch 5 different species of Pokémon – 10 Great Balls
• Catch a Ghost-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Golden Razzberry, Misdreavus encounter, 2 Silver Pinap Berries

Task 5

• Take 3 Snapshots with your buddy – Shuckle Encounter
• Make 4 Nice Curveball Throws – Mantine Encounter
• Catch a Fighting-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Silver Pinap Berry, Hitmontop Encounter, and 2 Golden Razzberries

Task 6

• Catch an Electric-type Pokémon – 1 Incense
• Power up Pokémon 3 Times – Mareep Encounter
• Catch a Steel-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 1 Golden Razzberry, 2 Silver Pinap berries, and a Pokémon encounter

Task 7

• Catch a Water-type Pokémon – Gligar Encounter
• Catch an Ice-type Pokémon – 500 Stardust
• Evolve a Pokémon – King’s Rock
• Total rewards: 1 Silver Pinap berry, 2 Golden Razzberries, Piloswine Encounter

Task 8

• Take a Snapshot of an Ice-type Pokémon – Dragon Scale
• Battle another trainer – 10 Ultra balls
• Power up a Pokémon 6 times – 500 Stardust
• Total rewards: 2 Silver Pinap berries, 1 Golden Razzberries, and a Donphan Encounter

Task 9

• Claim reward: 3,000 XP
• Claim reward: 3,000 XP
• Claim reward: 3,000 XP
• Total rewards: 10 Rare Candies and a Ho-Oh Encounter

If you complete all of them, not only do you receive the reward for each task, but you unlock a guaranteed encounter with Ho-Oh. The encounter will have Ho-Oh appear before you as a reward, and you can try to capture it using any of the berries and PokéBalls you have available to you in the game. The Ho-Oh quality will vary, but if you do capture it, yours will know the even-exclusive attack Earthquake, alongside any of its potential fast attacks.

Ho-Oh is a Fire and Flying-type Pokémon. It can reach a maximum of 3,863 CP, with an attack of 239, a defense of 244, and has a stamina of 214. It’s weak to Electric, Water, and Rock-type moves. It’s best moves include steel wing and fireblast, steel wing and brave bird, extrasensory and fireblast, and hidden power and fire blast. The Johto event is the first time Ho-Oh can learn earthquake, giving it even more strength and diversity than before.

You must complete all of the Johto-based Throwback Challenge 2020 events available in the game when they release. These research tasks start on May 8 at 1:00pm and conclude on May 15 at 1:00pm in your local timezone.