Should I Purify Ho Oh?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You have excess stardust and candy and want to use Ho-Oh in regular battles or raids where a balanced stat spread is more valuable than the Shadow attack boost.
• Good fit: You are aiming to complete research tasks that specifically require a non‑Shadow version of Ho-Oh, such as certain Special Research or Family Research milestones.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You rely on Ho-Oh’s heightened attack for high‑damage raid boss strategies; purifying will reduce that attack advantage.
• Warning sign: You are low on resources and cannot afford the additional candy and stardust costs to power up a purified Ho-Oh back to its former CP.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Purifying grants 2 extra candies and reduces the stardust cost for powering up and unlocking a second charged move.
• A purified Ho-Oh can learn a wider selection of charged moves, giving you more strategic flexibility in battles.

Cons

• The Shadow attack boost (approximately +20%) is lost, which can lower Ho-Oh’s damage output in fast‑play scenarios.
• Powering up a purified Ho-Oh back to its previous CP can be expensive if you lack sufficient candy and stardust.

Decision Checklist

• Do I need the extra candy and cheaper upgrade costs more than I value the Shadow attack boost?
• Will I be using Ho-Oh primarily in activities that require a normal Pokémon (e.g., Team GO Rocket battles, certain research tasks)?
• Do I have enough resources to re‑power a purified Ho-Oh without hindering my broader team development?

Alternatives to Consider

Instead of purifying Ho-Oh, you could keep it as a Shadow for damage‑focused raids, or transfer it for candy and obtain a fresh Ho-Oh from future events. Another option is to use a different legendary (e.g., Mewtwo or Rayquaza) that already meets your battle needs without the trade‑off of purification.

Final Recommendation

If you need extra candy, cheaper power‑ups, or a normal Ho-Oh for specific research tasks, purifying is a sensible choice—provided you have the resources to maintain its CP. If your primary goal is raw damage in raids or you’re resource‑constrained, keep Ho-Oh as a Shadow. Always assess your current inventory and battle objectives before deciding.