Um I guess it could be worth a mention but I'm not certain. Other QC input would be necessary but it has a small niche I suppose.
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Mewtwo
- Thread starter haxiom
- Start date
Point and laugh at the new user, but I disagree. Bug Arceus is only a shaky check to Mewtwo as there's always the chance that Mewtwo carries Fire Blast or Stone Edge, which wrecks Bug Arceus completely, especially with rocks taken into account. No Bugceus would be defensive anyway, plus Mewtwo outspeeds it.
Not a reliable check, far from a counter.
Not a reliable check, far from a counter.
PROBLEMS
AHEAD OF HIS TIME
Everything looks in order apart from the support mewtwo-x set which lives +2 life orb espeed after rocks. Don't have the set right now as I'm on my phone, just looked it's the same as the one posted above lol. Alongside his taunt Y also still has a nice niche vs balance. Also please slash shadow ball in on the main set its still really useful
Mentioned balance matchup with taunt and slashed shadow ball, though I'm not terribly sure if it was the right slash. If you aren't on your phone I can't quite tell what you were saying about the spread so if I could get it that would be cool.
I spoke with him on PS! and he seemed to be mentioning some wisp recover set so idk but yeah I'll implement that first spread.
I have been using CM Life Orb Mewtwo a bit recently, and I have been finding that its strength is being a strong midgame mon (this is what i find it normally does), with the potential of being a threatening late game mon as well, something that offensive cores really like to have. Its presence midgame and revenge killing ability is what sell it to me, so why don't you go over this a bit more in usage tips simce many people just think of mewtwo as a sweeper instead of what it really can be midgame (i.e. breaking down checks to other threats in your offensive core to extremely managable levels with its power and coverage.
I will read over the rest later, but so far this is looking pretty good!
E:
Overview:
try to mix in a little bit of what I said above, because all Mewtwo formes do very well as mid game tenderizers depending on the match up of course (Mega Sableye ruins MMX at this role and CM is usually needed to do he damage needed with Life Orb Mewtwo and MMY). This looked very good!
Special Attacker:
- Moves: Remove the mention of Heatran as a Focus Blast target. In fact, I would remove the mention that it hits Steel-types and just mention Ferrothorn and Dialga here, since the rest of the relevant Steel-types take it neutrally or are immune altogether. The ones that it hits neutrally dislike taking it though, which can be big if the proper variant of Geomancy Xerneas is its offensive partner, I will leave it up to you whether you want to include this small detail though even though I would personally add it. This detail is more true when describing Fire Blast, so you can connect ideas here if you want. The rest looks good.
- Usage Tips: Mention what I wrote before the edit and this is good.
- Team Options: Mention Pokemon that love a Mewtwo midgame as very good offensive partners: Xerneas(Already mentioned, maybe go a into a bit more depth? You can use this as a transition point if you want.), Arceus-Normal (Loves Mewtwo's ability to bring in and damage Ghosts), anything that likes to have Steel-, Ghost-, or Dark-types chipped pretty much. It looks fine otherwise.
Physical Attacker:
- Set Details: The ability Steadfast lets Mewtwo avoid flinches after taking one because of the Speed boost it gets because of this ability. It does not allow MMX to avoid flinches altogether. Just a slight nitpick here.
- Usage Tips: You did good to mention what Taunt is meant to stop, but it would be better if you went into why you want to stop these. Defog is obvious, I will give you that one, but mention that stopping recovery makes it that much better as a mid game team tenderizer to set up for another partner's late game sweep. Being unable to recover with something like a Lugia(which don't carry Aeroblast anymore) or a Mega Scizor / Jirachi against MMX means the rest of the offensive core has a lot more leeway.
- Team Options: Geomancy Xerneas is a fantastic offensive partner to this, mention it imo. MMX will bring in more Ghost-types, and lighter / bulkier Steel-types that take ~base 20 neutral damage from Low Kick or are just straight immune to it. Pokemon that like these weakened are excellent partners (E-Killer, Xerneas(this deserves its own mention like I stated above though), Calm Mind Arceus formes etc). Remove Heatran and Bronzong please, these just don't work anymore unfortunately.
Add these, and I will give this its final check.
E2:
Remove the Mawile mention for Sucker Punch users ad replace it with Yveltal imo. Yveltal isn't the most relevant mon in the world, but it does better than Mawile in the viability department.
I will read over the rest later, but so far this is looking pretty good!
E:
Overview:
try to mix in a little bit of what I said above, because all Mewtwo formes do very well as mid game tenderizers depending on the match up of course (Mega Sableye ruins MMX at this role and CM is usually needed to do he damage needed with Life Orb Mewtwo and MMY). This looked very good!
Special Attacker:
- Moves: Remove the mention of Heatran as a Focus Blast target. In fact, I would remove the mention that it hits Steel-types and just mention Ferrothorn and Dialga here, since the rest of the relevant Steel-types take it neutrally or are immune altogether. The ones that it hits neutrally dislike taking it though, which can be big if the proper variant of Geomancy Xerneas is its offensive partner, I will leave it up to you whether you want to include this small detail though even though I would personally add it. This detail is more true when describing Fire Blast, so you can connect ideas here if you want. The rest looks good.
- Usage Tips: Mention what I wrote before the edit and this is good.
- Team Options: Mention Pokemon that love a Mewtwo midgame as very good offensive partners: Xerneas(Already mentioned, maybe go a into a bit more depth? You can use this as a transition point if you want.), Arceus-Normal (Loves Mewtwo's ability to bring in and damage Ghosts), anything that likes to have Steel-, Ghost-, or Dark-types chipped pretty much. It looks fine otherwise.
Physical Attacker:
- Set Details: The ability Steadfast lets Mewtwo avoid flinches after taking one because of the Speed boost it gets because of this ability. It does not allow MMX to avoid flinches altogether. Just a slight nitpick here.
- Usage Tips: You did good to mention what Taunt is meant to stop, but it would be better if you went into why you want to stop these. Defog is obvious, I will give you that one, but mention that stopping recovery makes it that much better as a mid game team tenderizer to set up for another partner's late game sweep. Being unable to recover with something like a Lugia(which don't carry Aeroblast anymore) or a Mega Scizor / Jirachi against MMX means the rest of the offensive core has a lot more leeway.
- Team Options: Geomancy Xerneas is a fantastic offensive partner to this, mention it imo. MMX will bring in more Ghost-types, and lighter / bulkier Steel-types that take ~base 20 neutral damage from Low Kick or are just straight immune to it. Pokemon that like these weakened are excellent partners (E-Killer, Xerneas(this deserves its own mention like I stated above though), Calm Mind Arceus formes etc). Remove Heatran and Bronzong please, these just don't work anymore unfortunately.
Add these, and I will give this its final check.
E2:
Remove the Mawile mention for Sucker Punch users ad replace it with Yveltal imo. Yveltal isn't the most relevant mon in the world, but it does better than Mawile in the viability department.
Last edited:
Did this I'm pretty sure.
QC 3/3
add/correct remove comments
1/2
Overview
########
Mewtwo has a lot going for it in Ubers which make it a dangerous offensive threat. It has exceptionally high base offensive stats, [rc] and two separate Mega Evolutions which grant it great versatility and unpredictability, [rc] to the point where it is nearly impossible to counter before its forme is revealed. Furthermore, Mewtwo sits at a Speed tier where at which it can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame bar some Deoxys formes. It also has access to a wide movepool, with many viable coverage moves in addition to moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind, [ac] which further its versatility. Mewtwo's abilities, while not particularly great, are all situationally useful. All this makes Mewtwo a formidable mid-game Pokemon that can to break down opposing teams, with the potential to clean late-game as well. However, in spite of sky-high offenses, Mewtwo's attacks falls short of a lot of important OHKOs [no apostrophe], and its typing leaves much to be desired on from the defensive side of things, being a bit lacking in useful resistances. Nevertheless, Mewtwo is a frighteningly versatile and powerful offensive monster in the Ubers metagame.
Special Attacker
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
move 4: Fire Blast / Taunt / Calm Mind
ability: Pressure
item: Life Orb / Mewtwonite Y
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Psystrike serves as the obligatory STAB move, dealing a lot of damage to neutral foes and circumventing dedicated special walls. Focus Blast allows Mewtwo to hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Dialga super effectively, as well as hit Dark-types such as Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, and Darkrai. Ice Beam hits Mega Salamence, Arceus-Ground, Yveltal, and Lugia for super effective damage, while Fire Blast allows Mewtwo to roast Steel-types that resist Psystrike, including Aegislash, Ferrothorn, Scizor, Jirachi, and Klefki. Shadow Ball is also a potential move which helps Mewtwo against Lugia, Aegislash, and Arceus-Ghost. Taunt can be used over Fire Blast to avoid status such as paralysis, annoy support Pokemon, and match up well against bulkier stall and balance teams in general. Alternately, Calm Mind can be used as a setup move which can significantly pressure many teams, as a +1 Psystrike smashes most neutral foes and makes Mewtwo difficult to stop in conjunction with its high base Speed.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature is used to abuse Mewtwo's great Speed tier. 252 Special Attack EVs are is also used to maximize Mewtwo's offensive capabilities, allowing it to most efficiently fulfill its role as a fast, strong Special Attacker. Investing 4 Defense EVs gives Mewtwo a minimal buffer against physical attacks, though this is mostly insignificant and can also go in Special Defense. It is worth noting that investing in Special Defense on the Life Orb set will give Genesect an Attack boost, which may not be desired. Life Orb is the optimal item to be used with 4 attacks on Mewtwo; however, the Mewtwonite Y is the better item for Taunt and Calm Mind sets. Mega Mewtwo Y's ability Insomnia allows for an immunity to Darkrai's Dark Void and Smeargle's Spore, which is something to keep in mind.
Usage Tips
========
When using Mewtwo, it is best to try to get it in safely, as it is not especially bulky. In fact, Mega Mewtwo Y's its physical bulk is notably lacking for Mega Mewtwo Y, and damage can add up quickly for the Life Orb variant if it is forced to take too many hits. Mewtwo works very effectively in the mid-game to weaken checks for another Pokemon, and it can also clean late-game itself. If running Taunt, it should be used liberally against support Pokemon to prevent recovery, support moves such as Defog, and status moves, [ac] which Mewtwo dislikes, especially paralysis. It can be an effective strategy to delay Mewtwo's Mega Evolution if running the Mewtwonite Y, as Mewtwo's base forme has a higher base Defense. With that being said, it is important to weigh the importance of having a higher base Speed and Special Defense. In general, Mewtwo has trouble outright OHKOing a fair number of targets, so using the appropriate coverage move and getting prior damage on opposing Pokemon can be essential to Mewtwo's success.
Team Options
========
Fairy-types, such as Klefki and Xerneas, are good partners for Mewtwo, as it appreciates Dark-type Pokemon being checked. Xerneas especially appreciates that Mewtwo can weaken or remove a lot of its Steel-type checks, which allows it to be effective in the late-game. Similarly, Extreme Killer Arceus appreciates Mewtwo weakening its Ghost-type checks. Dark-types, such as Arceus-Dark, Darkrai, and Yveltal, can check Ghost-types which threaten Mewtwo. Since Mewtwo does not enjoy taking hits throughout the course of a battle, tanks and bulky pivots that can take hits for Mewtwo pair well with it. For example, physically defensive sets for both Yveltal and Salamence can sponge attacks nicely. Finally, Volt Switch and U-turn can grant Mewtwo free switches, so users of these moves make for good teammates. Genesect, Scizor, and Yveltal can all use U-turn, while Zekrom is a viable user of Volt Switch.
Physical Attacker
########
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Kick
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
ability: Pressure
item: Mewtwonite X
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Low Kick is a powerful STAB move which reliably hits with 120 BP Base Power thanks to the general weight of the Pokemon in the Ubers metagame. Taunt allows for a way to block Will-O-Wisp, paralysis, and other status, or as well as force out some walls which may threaten to stop Mewtwo. Earthquake is a nice coverage move to hit Aegislash and Groudon with pretty hard, as well as Gengar and some Steel- and Rock-types which are neutral to Low Kick or very light such as Jirachi, Klefki, and Diancie respectively. Ice Punch hits Flying-types such as Salamence, Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Lugia, as well as bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, and finally Latias, Latios, and Giratina-O for super effective damage. Ice Beam can be used instead of Ice Punch in order to hit Salamence harder, but it is significantly weaker against Latias and Latios. Stone Edge hits the aforementioned Flying-types, [rc] and also can OHKO Ho-Oh. Rock Slide can be used for accuracy over Stone Edge, as it still OHKOes most Ho-Oh variants. Zen Headbutt is a possible secondary STAB move, [rc] which achieves pretty solid coverage with Low Kick, but does not target many specific threats. Finally, Poison Jab or Iron Tail can be used for Fairy-Types, though they are ineffective move options outside of this.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature and 252 Attack EVs are investment is run in order to abuse its sky-high 190 Attack stat and great Speed tier. 4 Defense EVs give Mewtwo adds an insignificant increase to its physical bulk. However, if Ice Beam is run, these 4 EVs should be moved to Special Attack, [rc] and a Naive nature should be run. The item choice of Mewtwonite X is self explanatory, [rc] and necessary to access Mega Mewtwo X's typing and stats, which greatly differ from the base forme. An alternate spread of 180 HP / 76 Attack / 252 Speed Spe can be used to allow Mega Mewtwo X to check Extreme Killer Arceus by surviving a +2 LO Extreme Speed from Extreme Killer Arceus, [rc] and retaliating back with a Low Kick. The ability Steadfast, [ac] which Mewtwo gains upon Mega Evolution, [ac] does have a small niche in gaining a Speed boost to when flinched by Choice Scarf variants of both Genesect and Shaymin-S, after which it avoids further flinches from these Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Taunt should be used often against support Pokemon to prevent Defog, recovery, status, and other support moves, [rc] so a team can keep up its entry hazards, [rc] and help overwhelm and weaken Pokemon so that something else might be able to clean or sweep later on. The type change when Mega Evolving can catch some threats off guard, as Mewtwo gains neutrality to Dark- and Bug-type moves as well as a resistance to Rock, which can be advantageous when timed properly. Try to maintain and abuse the unpredictability to net a surprise KO or two, as the checks for Mewtwo's sets greatly differ, meaning that many can be caught off guard by a strong physical attack.
Team Options
========
Checks to Fairy-types are important partners, as since this Mewtwo variant is especially weak to them. These include Groudon, Ho-Oh, Klefki, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Dark-types, such as Arceus-Dark, Darkrai, and Yveltal, [ac] are useful to check Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus are a great offensive partners which both benefit from Mewtwo's ability to weaken their checks. Again, Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Genesect, Scizor, Yveltal, and Zekrom give Mewtwo free switches, [ac] which it can capitalize on.
Other Options
########
Mewtwo has a lot of other sets and moves that further its versatility. Stalltwo, a Mewtwo set with Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, Psystrike, and Recover, can be used, but it struggles in a metagame dominated by Primal Groudon. Bulk Up Mega Mewtwo X can be run to give a nice way to boost Attack and Defense, coupled with a powerful Drain Punch to regain HP and improve longevity. Substitute can be used on either a physical or special set to ease prediction and block status. Mewtwo also has a lot of potential coverage moves such as like Thunder, Hurricane, and the elemental punches. Self-Destruct is another useful move that which is able to prevent Latias and Latios from using Defog, but it fails to stop other Defog users, specifically Giratina-O, Salamence, and Arceus. A bulky CM set with Recover is plausible, as it provides more setup opportunities in addition to increased longevity. A Choice Scarf set is also usable, [rc] and can revenge very fast threats such as a +1 Salamence. Mewtwo also has access to both Reflect and Light Screen, so a set utilizing both of those can be useful, especially in conjunction with Taunt and Self-Destruct. A special set with the Mewtwonite X can work too, as the secondary Fighting-type allows for a much more powerful STAB Focus Blast and neutrality to Dark-type moves such as Yveltal's Sucker Punch.
Checks & Counters
########
**Arceus-Ghost**: Arceus-Ghost is probably the closest thing to a reliable counter to most Mewtwo variants. It is not 2HKOed by any unboosted attack, bar the relatively uncommon Shadow Ball, and can recover off damage while threatening back with a super effective Judgment. However, with Stealth Rock up or a bit of prior damage, Arceus-Ghost risks being 2HKOed if it switches a 2HKO switching into Psystrike.
**Giratina-O**: Giratina-O can switch in on most of Mewtwo's attacks, [rc] and threaten back with a super effective Shadow Sneak. It is susceptible to being worn down by repeated attacks and entry hazard damage, however.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal struggles to switch in on Low Kick and Ice Beam, but once in safely and in good health, it can threaten Mewtwo with a powerful Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Oblivion Wing, or even Foul Play. It is also immune to Psystrike, so it can come in on that move in particular with relative ease.
**Aegislash**: By virtue of typing, Aegislash can resist a lot of Mewtwo's attacks. It can also threaten back with a powerful Gyro Ball or Shadow Sneak. It must be wary of Earthquake from the physical set and Fire Blast from the special set, but it can still check these variants at least once.
**Sableye**: Sableye can avoid the 2HKO from all of Mewtwo's attacks, and its typing grants it an immunity to both of Mewtwo's STAB moves. Furthermore, it is able to bounce back Taunt with Magic Bounce and spam Recover. With that being said, it cannot beat Calm Mind Mewtwo, as it will be overwhelmed by a +1 Mewtwo. Furthermore, Sableye can lose with a bit of prior damage or entry hazard damage.
**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark's typing lets it check the Special Attacker and set up Calm Minds relatively well while threatening back with a Judgment. However, Mewtwo frequently run powerful Fighting-type moves, such as Focus Blast and Low Kick, which will hit Arceus-Dark extremely hard, with the former dealing a minimum of 74% damage with a Life Orb, and the latter having a good chance to outright OHKO.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Arceus-Psychic can wall most Mewtwo variants, but cannot do much in return, and it loses to Taunt and Calm Mind. Lugia similarly can wall Mewtwo, but cannot threaten. It can potentially Toxic stall Mewtwo, but will be stopped completely by Taunt if it lacks Dragon Tail or Aeroblast for Mega Mewtwo X. Deoxys-D takes hits well and can set Spikes and possibly fire off a status move, but is shut down by Taunt. Wobbuffet can deal with Mewtwo well with its select movepool, using Encore to prevent setup and is able to hit Mewtwo with Mirror Coat or Counter. It cannot beat the rare Stalltwo, but beats most other variants. Latias and Latios can tank hits fairly well but Ice Punch from Mega Mewtwo X hurts a lot.
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Arceus-Fairy is able to take on Mewtwo decently well, not fearing too much and possibly OHKOing Mega Mewtwo X, though it does not do very much against the special set. Xerneas can beat Mega Mewtwo X with the exception of rare Iron Tail or Poison Jab variants, though it struggles to beat special variants. Klefki is notable because it can come in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and cripple it with a Thunder Wave, but it will be severely weakened in the process, especially if Mewtwo is running Earthquake or Fire Blast.
**Revenge Killers**: Mewtwo can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame, but most Choice Scarf users, such as Genesect, can outspeed and revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Pokemon such as Kangaskhan and Yveltal, [rc] or Extreme Speed from Arceus can revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, due to being one of the few Pokemon in the Ubers metagame boasting higher base Speed than Mewtwo, Deoxys-A can effectively revenge kill Mewtwo, as it has with Knock Off to deal with Life Orb Mewtwo and Mega Mewtwo Y variants, [rc] and Psycho Boost to beat Mega Mewtwo X. However, Knock Off only has a chance to OHKO Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rocks damage.
**Status**: In general, Mewtwo dislikes being crippled by status. Specifically, paralysis renders Mewtwo's excellent Speed stat useless, while the physical set also hates being burned and having its Attack stat halved.
########
Mewtwo has a lot going for it in Ubers which make it a dangerous offensive threat. It has exceptionally high base offensive stats, [rc] and two separate Mega Evolutions which grant it great versatility and unpredictability, [rc] to the point where it is nearly impossible to counter before its forme is revealed. Furthermore, Mewtwo sits at a Speed tier where at which it can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame bar some Deoxys formes. It also has access to a wide movepool, with many viable coverage moves in addition to moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind, [ac] which further its versatility. Mewtwo's abilities, while not particularly great, are all situationally useful. All this makes Mewtwo a formidable mid-game Pokemon that can to break down opposing teams, with the potential to clean late-game as well. However, in spite of sky-high offenses, Mewtwo's attacks falls short of a lot of important OHKOs [no apostrophe], and its typing leaves much to be desired on from the defensive side of things, being a bit lacking in useful resistances. Nevertheless, Mewtwo is a frighteningly versatile and powerful offensive monster in the Ubers metagame.
Special Attacker
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
move 4: Fire Blast / Taunt / Calm Mind
ability: Pressure
item: Life Orb / Mewtwonite Y
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Psystrike serves as the obligatory STAB move, dealing a lot of damage to neutral foes and circumventing dedicated special walls. Focus Blast allows Mewtwo to hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Dialga super effectively, as well as hit Dark-types such as Arceus-Dark, Tyranitar, and Darkrai. Ice Beam hits Mega Salamence, Arceus-Ground, Yveltal, and Lugia for super effective damage, while Fire Blast allows Mewtwo to roast Steel-types that resist Psystrike, including Aegislash, Ferrothorn, Scizor, Jirachi, and Klefki. Shadow Ball is also a potential move which helps Mewtwo against Lugia, Aegislash, and Arceus-Ghost. Taunt can be used over Fire Blast to avoid status such as paralysis, annoy support Pokemon, and match up well against bulkier stall and balance teams in general. Alternately, Calm Mind can be used as a setup move which can significantly pressure many teams, as a +1 Psystrike smashes most neutral foes and makes Mewtwo difficult to stop in conjunction with its high base Speed.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature is used to abuse Mewtwo's great Speed tier. 252 Special Attack EVs are is also used to maximize Mewtwo's offensive capabilities, allowing it to most efficiently fulfill its role as a fast, strong Special Attacker. Investing 4 Defense EVs gives Mewtwo a minimal buffer against physical attacks, though this is mostly insignificant and can also go in Special Defense. It is worth noting that investing in Special Defense on the Life Orb set will give Genesect an Attack boost, which may not be desired. Life Orb is the optimal item to be used with 4 attacks on Mewtwo; however, the Mewtwonite Y is the better item for Taunt and Calm Mind sets. Mega Mewtwo Y's ability Insomnia allows for an immunity to Darkrai's Dark Void and Smeargle's Spore, which is something to keep in mind.
Usage Tips
========
When using Mewtwo, it is best to try to get it in safely, as it is not especially bulky. In fact, Mega Mewtwo Y's its physical bulk is notably lacking for Mega Mewtwo Y, and damage can add up quickly for the Life Orb variant if it is forced to take too many hits. Mewtwo works very effectively in the mid-game to weaken checks for another Pokemon, and it can also clean late-game itself. If running Taunt, it should be used liberally against support Pokemon to prevent recovery, support moves such as Defog, and status moves, [ac] which Mewtwo dislikes, especially paralysis. It can be an effective strategy to delay Mewtwo's Mega Evolution if running the Mewtwonite Y, as Mewtwo's base forme has a higher base Defense. With that being said, it is important to weigh the importance of having a higher base Speed and Special Defense. In general, Mewtwo has trouble outright OHKOing a fair number of targets, so using the appropriate coverage move and getting prior damage on opposing Pokemon can be essential to Mewtwo's success.
Team Options
========
Fairy-types, such as Klefki and Xerneas, are good partners for Mewtwo, as it appreciates Dark-type Pokemon being checked. Xerneas especially appreciates that Mewtwo can weaken or remove a lot of its Steel-type checks, which allows it to be effective in the late-game. Similarly, Extreme Killer Arceus appreciates Mewtwo weakening its Ghost-type checks. Dark-types, such as Arceus-Dark, Darkrai, and Yveltal, can check Ghost-types which threaten Mewtwo. Since Mewtwo does not enjoy taking hits throughout the course of a battle, tanks and bulky pivots that can take hits for Mewtwo pair well with it. For example, physically defensive sets for both Yveltal and Salamence can sponge attacks nicely. Finally, Volt Switch and U-turn can grant Mewtwo free switches, so users of these moves make for good teammates. Genesect, Scizor, and Yveltal can all use U-turn, while Zekrom is a viable user of Volt Switch.
Physical Attacker
########
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Kick
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
ability: Pressure
item: Mewtwonite X
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Low Kick is a powerful STAB move which reliably hits with 120 BP Base Power thanks to the general weight of the Pokemon in the Ubers metagame. Taunt allows for a way to block Will-O-Wisp, paralysis, and other status, or as well as force out some walls which may threaten to stop Mewtwo. Earthquake is a nice coverage move to hit Aegislash and Groudon with pretty hard, as well as Gengar and some Steel- and Rock-types which are neutral to Low Kick or very light such as Jirachi, Klefki, and Diancie respectively. Ice Punch hits Flying-types such as Salamence, Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Lugia, as well as bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, and finally Latias, Latios, and Giratina-O for super effective damage. Ice Beam can be used instead of Ice Punch in order to hit Salamence harder, but it is significantly weaker against Latias and Latios. Stone Edge hits the aforementioned Flying-types, [rc] and also can OHKO Ho-Oh. Rock Slide can be used for accuracy over Stone Edge, as it still OHKOes most Ho-Oh variants. Zen Headbutt is a possible secondary STAB move, [rc] which achieves pretty solid coverage with Low Kick, but does not target many specific threats. Finally, Poison Jab or Iron Tail can be used for Fairy-Types, though they are ineffective move options outside of this.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature and 252 Attack EVs are investment is run in order to abuse its sky-high 190 Attack stat and great Speed tier. 4 Defense EVs give Mewtwo adds an insignificant increase to its physical bulk. However, if Ice Beam is run, these 4 EVs should be moved to Special Attack, [rc] and a Naive nature should be run. The item choice of Mewtwonite X is self explanatory, [rc] and necessary to access Mega Mewtwo X's typing and stats, which greatly differ from the base forme. An alternate spread of 180 HP / 76 Attack / 252 Speed Spe can be used to allow Mega Mewtwo X to check Extreme Killer Arceus by surviving a +2 LO Extreme Speed from Extreme Killer Arceus, [rc] and retaliating back with a Low Kick. The ability Steadfast, [ac] which Mewtwo gains upon Mega Evolution, [ac] does have a small niche in gaining a Speed boost to when flinched by Choice Scarf variants of both Genesect and Shaymin-S, after which it avoids further flinches from these Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Taunt should be used often against support Pokemon to prevent Defog, recovery, status, and other support moves, [rc] so a team can keep up its entry hazards, [rc] and help overwhelm and weaken Pokemon so that something else might be able to clean or sweep later on. The type change when Mega Evolving can catch some threats off guard, as Mewtwo gains neutrality to Dark- and Bug-type moves as well as a resistance to Rock, which can be advantageous when timed properly. Try to maintain and abuse the unpredictability to net a surprise KO or two, as the checks for Mewtwo's sets greatly differ, meaning that many can be caught off guard by a strong physical attack.
Team Options
========
Checks to Fairy-types are important partners, as since this Mewtwo variant is especially weak to them. These include Groudon, Ho-Oh, Klefki, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Dark-types, such as Arceus-Dark, Darkrai, and Yveltal, [ac] are useful to check Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus are a great offensive partners which both benefit from Mewtwo's ability to weaken their checks. Again, Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Genesect, Scizor, Yveltal, and Zekrom give Mewtwo free switches, [ac] which it can capitalize on.
Other Options
########
Mewtwo has a lot of other sets and moves that further its versatility. Stalltwo, a Mewtwo set with Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, Psystrike, and Recover, can be used, but it struggles in a metagame dominated by Primal Groudon. Bulk Up Mega Mewtwo X can be run to give a nice way to boost Attack and Defense, coupled with a powerful Drain Punch to regain HP and improve longevity. Substitute can be used on either a physical or special set to ease prediction and block status. Mewtwo also has a lot of potential coverage moves such as like Thunder, Hurricane, and the elemental punches. Self-Destruct is another useful move that which is able to prevent Latias and Latios from using Defog, but it fails to stop other Defog users, specifically Giratina-O, Salamence, and Arceus. A bulky CM set with Recover is plausible, as it provides more setup opportunities in addition to increased longevity. A Choice Scarf set is also usable, [rc] and can revenge very fast threats such as a +1 Salamence. Mewtwo also has access to both Reflect and Light Screen, so a set utilizing both of those can be useful, especially in conjunction with Taunt and Self-Destruct. A special set with the Mewtwonite X can work too, as the secondary Fighting-type allows for a much more powerful STAB Focus Blast and neutrality to Dark-type moves such as Yveltal's Sucker Punch.
Checks & Counters
########
**Arceus-Ghost**: Arceus-Ghost is probably the closest thing to a reliable counter to most Mewtwo variants. It is not 2HKOed by any unboosted attack, bar the relatively uncommon Shadow Ball, and can recover off damage while threatening back with a super effective Judgment. However, with Stealth Rock up or a bit of prior damage, Arceus-Ghost risks being 2HKOed if it switches a 2HKO switching into Psystrike.
**Giratina-O**: Giratina-O can switch in on most of Mewtwo's attacks, [rc] and threaten back with a super effective Shadow Sneak. It is susceptible to being worn down by repeated attacks and entry hazard damage, however.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal struggles to switch in on Low Kick and Ice Beam, but once in safely and in good health, it can threaten Mewtwo with a powerful Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Oblivion Wing, or even Foul Play. It is also immune to Psystrike, so it can come in on that move in particular with relative ease.
**Aegislash**: By virtue of typing, Aegislash can resist a lot of Mewtwo's attacks. It can also threaten back with a powerful Gyro Ball or Shadow Sneak. It must be wary of Earthquake from the physical set and Fire Blast from the special set, but it can still check these variants at least once.
**Sableye**: Sableye can avoid the 2HKO from all of Mewtwo's attacks, and its typing grants it an immunity to both of Mewtwo's STAB moves. Furthermore, it is able to bounce back Taunt with Magic Bounce and spam Recover. With that being said, it cannot beat Calm Mind Mewtwo, as it will be overwhelmed by a +1 Mewtwo. Furthermore, Sableye can lose with a bit of prior damage or entry hazard damage.
**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark's typing lets it check the Special Attacker and set up Calm Minds relatively well while threatening back with a Judgment. However, Mewtwo frequently run powerful Fighting-type moves, such as Focus Blast and Low Kick, which will hit Arceus-Dark extremely hard, with the former dealing a minimum of 74% damage with a Life Orb, and the latter having a good chance to outright OHKO.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Arceus-Psychic can wall most Mewtwo variants, but cannot do much in return, and it loses to Taunt and Calm Mind. Lugia similarly can wall Mewtwo, but cannot threaten. It can potentially Toxic stall Mewtwo, but will be stopped completely by Taunt if it lacks Dragon Tail or Aeroblast for Mega Mewtwo X. Deoxys-D takes hits well and can set Spikes and possibly fire off a status move, but is shut down by Taunt. Wobbuffet can deal with Mewtwo well with its select movepool, using Encore to prevent setup and is able to hit Mewtwo with Mirror Coat or Counter. It cannot beat the rare Stalltwo, but beats most other variants. Latias and Latios can tank hits fairly well but Ice Punch from Mega Mewtwo X hurts a lot.
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Arceus-Fairy is able to take on Mewtwo decently well, not fearing too much and possibly OHKOing Mega Mewtwo X, though it does not do very much against the special set. Xerneas can beat Mega Mewtwo X with the exception of rare Iron Tail or Poison Jab variants, though it struggles to beat special variants. Klefki is notable because it can come in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and cripple it with a Thunder Wave, but it will be severely weakened in the process, especially if Mewtwo is running Earthquake or Fire Blast.
**Revenge Killers**: Mewtwo can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame, but most Choice Scarf users, such as Genesect, can outspeed and revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Pokemon such as Kangaskhan and Yveltal, [rc] or Extreme Speed from Arceus can revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, due to being one of the few Pokemon in the Ubers metagame boasting higher base Speed than Mewtwo, Deoxys-A can effectively revenge kill Mewtwo, as it has with Knock Off to deal with Life Orb Mewtwo and Mega Mewtwo Y variants, [rc] and Psycho Boost to beat Mega Mewtwo X. However, Knock Off only has a chance to OHKO Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rocks damage.
**Status**: In general, Mewtwo dislikes being crippled by status. Specifically, paralysis renders Mewtwo's excellent Speed stat useless, while the physical set also hates being burned and having its Attack stat halved.
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Overview
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Mewtwo has exceptionally high base offensive stats and two separate Mega Evolutions which grant it great versatility and unpredictability to the point where it is nearly impossible to counter before its forme is revealed. Furthermore, Mewtwo sits at a Speed tier where it can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame bar some Deoxys formes. It also has access to a wide movepool, with many viable coverage moves in addition to moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind, which further its versatility. Mewtwo's abilities, while not particularly great, are all situationally useful. All this makes Mewtwo a formidable mid-game Pokemon that can break down opposing teams, with the potential to clean late-game as well. However, in spite of sky-high offenses, Mewtwo's attacksfalls fall short of a lot of important OHKOs, and its typing leaves much to be desired defensively on the defensive side, being a bit lacking in useful resistances. Nevertheless, Mewtwo is a frighteningly versatile and powerful offensive monster in the Ubers metagame.
Special Attacker
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name: Special Attacker
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
move 4: Fire Blast / Taunt / Calm Mind
ability: Pressure
item: Life Orb / Mewtwonite Y
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Psystrike serves as the obligatory STAB move, dealing a lot of damage to neutral foes and circumventing dedicated special walls. Focus Blast allows Mewtwo to hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Dialga and Dark-types such as Dark Arceus, Tyranitar, and Darkrai super effectively, as well as hit Dark-types such as Dark Arceus, Tyranitar, and Darkrai. Ice Beam hits Mega Salamence, Ground Arceus, Yveltal, and Lugia for super effective damage, while Fire Blast allows Mewtwo to roast Steel-types that resist Psystrike, including Aegislash, Ferrothorn, Scizor, Jirachi, and Klefki. Shadow Ball is also a potential move which helps Mewtwo against Lugia, Aegislash, and Ghost Arceus. Taunt can be used over Fire Blast to avoid status such as paralysis, annoy support Pokemon, and match up well against bulkier stall and balance teams in general. Alternately, Calm Mind can be used as a setup move which can significantly pressure many teams, as a +1 Psystrike smashes most neutral foes and makes Mewtwo difficult to stop in conjunction with its high base Speed.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature is used toabuse take advantage of Mewtwo's great Speed tier. 252 Special Attack EVs are also used to maximize Mewtwo's offensive capabilities, allowing it to most efficiently fulfill its role as a fast, strong special attacker. Investing 4 Defense EVs gives Mewtwo a minimal buffer against physical attacks, though this is mostly insignificant and can also go in Special Defense. It is worth noting that investing in Special Defense on the Life Orb set will give Genesect an Attack boost, which may not be desired. Life Orb is the optimal item to be used with 4 four attacks on Mewtwo; however, the Mewtwonite Y is the better item for Taunt and Calm Mind sets. Mega Mewtwo Y's ability(comma) Insomnia(comma) allows for gives it an immunity to Darkrai's Dark Void and Smeargle's Spore, which is something to keep in mind.
Usage Tips
========
When using Mewtwo, it is best to try to get it in safely, as it is not especially bulky. In fact, Mega Mewtwo Y's physical bulk is notably lacking, and damage can add up quickly for the Life Orb variant if it is forced to take too many hits. Mewtwo works very effectively in the mid-game to weaken checks for another Pokemon, and it can also clean late-game itself. If running Taunt, it should be used liberally against support Pokemon to prevent recovery, support moves such as Defog, and status moves, which Mewtwo dislikes, especially paralysis. It can be an effective strategy to delay Mewtwo's Mega Evolution if runningthe Mewtwonite Y, as Mewtwo's base forme has a higher base Defense. With that being said, it is important vital (bc you say "importance" later in this sentence; you can replace this with a similar/better word if you like) to weigh the importance of having a higher base Speed and Special Defense. In general, Mewtwo has trouble outright OHKOing a fair number of targets, so using the appropriate coverage move and getting prior damage on opposing Pokemon can be essential to Mewtwo's success.
Team Options
========
Fairy-types, such as Klefki and Xerneas, are good partners for Mewtwo, as it appreciates Dark-type Pokemon being checked. Xerneas especially appreciates that Mewtwo can weaken or remove a lot of its Steel-type checks, which allows it to be effective late-game. Similarly, Extreme Killer Arceus appreciates Mewtwo weakening its Ghost-type checks. Dark-types, such as Dark Arceus, Darkrai, and Yveltal, can check Ghost-types which threaten Mewtwo.Since Because Mewtwo does not enjoy taking hits throughout the course of a battle, tanks and bulky pivots that can take hits for Mewtwo pair well with it. For example, physically defensive sets for both Yveltal and Salamence can sponge attacks nicely. Finally, Volt Switch and U-turn can grant Mewtwo free switches, so users of these moves make for good teammates. Genesect, Scizor, and Yveltal can all use U-turn, while Zekrom is a viable user of Volt Switch.
Physical Attacker
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name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Kick
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
ability: Pressure
item: Mewtwonite X
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Low Kick is a powerful STAB move which reliably hits with 120 Base Power thanks to the general weight of the Pokemon in the Ubers metagame. Taunt allows for a way to block Will-O-Wisp, paralysis, and other status, or force out some walls which may threaten to stop Mewtwo. Earthquake is a nice coverage move to hit Aegislash and Groudonwith pretty hard, as well as Mega Gengar and some Steel- and Rock-types which are neutral to Low Kick or very light such as Jirachi, Klefki, and Diancie(comma) respectively. Ice Punch hits Flying-types such as Salamence, Rayquaza, Yveltal, and Lugia, as well as(semicolon) bulky Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Gliscor,(semicolon) and finally Latias, Latios, and Giratina-O for super effective damage. Ice Beam can be used instead of Ice Punch in order to hit Salamence harder, but it is significantly weaker against Latias and Latios. Stone Edge hits the aforementioned Flying-types and also can OHKO Ho-Oh. Rock Slide can be used over Stone Edge for more accuracy over Stone Edge, as it still OHKOes most Ho-Oh variants. Zen Headbutt is a possible secondary STAB move which achieves pretty solid coverage with Low Kick, but it does not target many specific threats. Finally, Poison Jab or Iron Tail can be used for Fairy-types, though they are ineffective move options outside of this.
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature and 252 Attack EVs are run in order toabuse its take advantage of Mega Mewtwo X's sky-high 190 Attack stat and great Speed tier. 4 Defense EVs give Mewtwo an insignificant increase to physical bulk. However, if Ice Beam is run, these 4 EVs should be moved to Special Attack and a Naive nature should be run. The item choice of Mewtwonite X is self(dash)explanatory and necessary to access Mega Mewtwo X's typing and stats, which greatly differ from those of the base forme. An alternate spread of 180 HP / 76 Attack / 252 Speed Spe can be used to allow Mega Mewtwo X to check Extreme Killer Arceus by surviving a +2 LO Extreme Speed from Extreme Killer Arceus and retaliating back with a Low Kick. The ability Steadfast, which Mewtwo gains upon Mega Evolution, (fix space) does have a small niche in gaining giving Mewtwo a Speed boost when flinched by Choice Scarf variants of both Genesect and Shaymin-S cause it to flinch, after which it avoids further flinches from these Pokemon.
Usage Tips
========
Taunt should be used often against support Pokemon to prevent Defog, recovery, status, and other support moves soa Mewtwo's team can keep up its entry hazards and help overwhelm and weaken Pokemon so that something else a teammate might be able to clean or sweep later on. The type change when Mega Evolving can catch some threats off(dash)guard, as Mewtwo gains neutrality to Dark- and Bug-type moves as well as a resistance to Rock, which can be advantageous when timed properly. Try to maintain and abuse the take advantage of Mewtwo's unpredictability to net a surprise KO or two, as the checks for Mewtwo's sets greatly differ, meaning that many can be caught off(dash)guard by a strong physical attack.
Team Options
========
Checks to Fairy-types are important partners, as this Mewtwo variant is especially weak to them. These include Groudon, Ho-Oh, Klefki, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Dark-types, such as Dark Arceus, Darkrai, and Yveltal, are useful to check Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus area great offensive partners which both benefit from Mewtwo's ability to weaken their checks. Again, Volt Switch and U-turn and Volt Switch users such as Genesect, Scizor, Yveltal, and Zekrom give Mewtwo free switches, which it can capitalize on.
Other Options
########
Mewtwo has a lot of other sets and moves that further its versatility. Stalltwo, a Mewtwo set with Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, Psystrike, and Recover, can be used, but it struggles in a metagame dominated by Primal Groudon. Bulk Up Mega Mewtwo X can be runto give for a nice way to boost Attack and Defense, coupled with a powerful Drain Punch to regain HP and improve longevity. Substitute can be used on either a physical or special set to ease prediction and block status. Mewtwo also has a lot of potential coverage moves such as Thunder, Hurricane, and the elemental punches. Self-Destruct is another useful move that is able to prevent Latias and Latios from using Defog, but it fails to stop other Defog users, specifically Giratina-O, Salamence, and Arceus. A bulky CM Calm Mind set with Recover is plausible, as it provides more setup opportunities in addition to increased longevity. A Choice Scarf set is also usable and can revenge kill very fast threats such as a +1 Salamence. Mewtwo also has access to both Reflect and Light Screen, so a set utilizing both of those can be useful, especially in conjunction with Taunt and Self-Destruct. A special set with the Mewtwonite X can work too, as the secondary Fighting(remove dash)type allows for a much more powerful STAB Focus Blast and neutrality to Dark-type moves such as Yveltal's Sucker Punch.
Checks & Counters
########
**Ghost Arceus**: Ghost Arceus is probably the closest thing to a reliable counter to most Mewtwo variants. It is not 2HKOed by any unboosted attack, bar the relatively uncommon Shadow Ball, and can recover off damage while threatening back with a super effective Judgment. However, with Stealth Rock up or a bit of prior damage, Ghost Arceus risks being 2HKOed if it switches into Psystrike.
**Giratina-O**: Giratina-O can switch in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and threaten back with a super effective Shadow Sneak. It is susceptible to being worn down by repeated attacks and entry hazard damage, however.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal struggles to switch in on Low Kick and Ice Beam, but once in safely and in good health, it can threaten Mewtwo with a powerful Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Oblivion Wing, or even Foul Play. It is also immune to Psystrike, so it can come in on that move in particular with relative ease.
**Aegislash**: By virtue of typing, Aegislash can resist a lot of Mewtwo's attacks. It can also threaten back with a powerful Gyro Ball or Shadow Sneak. It must be wary of Earthquake from the physical set and Fire Blast from the special set, but it can still check these variants at least once.
**Sableye**: Sableye can avoid the 2HKO from all of Mewtwo's attacks, and its typing grants itan immunity immunities to both of Mewtwo's STAB moves. Furthermore, it is able to bounce back Taunt with Magic Bounce and spam Recover. With that being said, it cannot beat Calm Mind Mewtwo, as it will be overwhelmed by a +1 Mewtwo. Furthermore, Sableye can lose with a bit of prior damage or entry hazard damage.
**Dark Arceus**: Dark Arceus's typing lets it check the Special Attacker set and set up Calm Minds relatively well while threatening back with a Judgment. However, Mewtwo frequently runs powerful Fighting-type moves, such as Focus Blast and Low Kick, which will hit Dark Arceus extremely hard, with the former dealing a minimum of 74% damage with a Life Orb, (remove comma) and the latter having a good chance to outright OHKO.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Psychic Arceus can wall most Mewtwo variants, (remove comma) but cannot do much in return, and it loses to Taunt and Calm Mind. Lugia similarly can wall Mewtwo, (remove comma) but cannot threaten it. It Lugia can potentially Toxic stall Mewtwo, but it will be stopped completely by Taunt if it lacks Dragon Tail or Aeroblast for Mega Mewtwo X. Deoxys-D takes hits well and can set Spikes and possibly fire off a status move, but it is shut down by Taunt. Wobbuffet can deal with Mewtwo well with its select movepool, using Encore to prevent setup and is being able to hit Mewtwo with Mirror Coat or Counter. It cannot beat the rare Stalltwo, but it beats most other variants. Latias and Latios can tank hits fairly well(comma) but Ice Punch from Mega Mewtwo X hurts a lot.
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Fairy Arceus is able to take on Mewtwo decently well, not fearing too much and possibly OHKOing Mega Mewtwo X, though it does not do very much against the special set. Xerneas can beat Mega Mewtwo X with the exception of rare Iron Tail or Poison Jab variants, though it struggles to beat special variants. Klefki is notable because it can come in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and cripple it with a Thunder Wave, but it will be severely weakened in the process, especially if Mewtwo is running Earthquake or Fire Blast.
**Revenge Killers**: Mewtwo can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame, but most Choice Scarf users, such as Genesect, can outspeed and revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Kangaskhan and Yveltal or Extreme Speed from Arceus can revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, due to being one of the few Pokemon in the Ubers metagame boasting higher base Speed than Mewtwo, Deoxys-A can effectively revenge kill Mewtwo, as it has Knock Off to deal with Life Orb Mewtwo and Mega Mewtwo Y variants and Psycho Boost to beat Mega Mewtwo X. However, Knock Off only has a chance to OHKO Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rock damage.
**Status**: In general, Mewtwo dislikes being crippled by status. Specifically, paralysis renders Mewtwo's excellent Speed stat useless, while the physical set also hates being burned and having its Attack stat halved.
########
Mewtwo has exceptionally high base offensive stats and two separate Mega Evolutions which grant it great versatility and unpredictability to the point where it is nearly impossible to counter before its forme is revealed. Furthermore, Mewtwo sits at a Speed tier where it can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame bar some Deoxys formes. It also has access to a wide movepool, with many viable coverage moves in addition to moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind, which further its versatility. Mewtwo's abilities, while not particularly great, are all situationally useful. All this makes Mewtwo a formidable mid-game Pokemon that can break down opposing teams, with the potential to clean late-game as well. However, in spite of sky-high offenses, Mewtwo's attacks
Special Attacker
########
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam / Shadow Ball
move 4: Fire Blast / Taunt / Calm Mind
ability: Pressure
item: Life Orb / Mewtwonite Y
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Psystrike serves as the obligatory STAB move, dealing a lot of damage to neutral foes and circumventing dedicated special walls. Focus Blast allows Mewtwo to hit Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Dialga and Dark-types such as Dark Arceus, Tyranitar, and Darkrai super effectively
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature is used to
Usage Tips
========
When using Mewtwo, it is best to try to get it in safely, as it is not especially bulky. In fact, Mega Mewtwo Y's physical bulk is notably lacking, and damage can add up quickly for the Life Orb variant if it is forced to take too many hits. Mewtwo works very effectively in the mid-game to weaken checks for another Pokemon, and it can also clean late-game itself. If running Taunt, it should be used liberally against support Pokemon to prevent recovery, support moves such as Defog, and status moves, which Mewtwo dislikes, especially paralysis. It can be an effective strategy to delay Mewtwo's Mega Evolution if running
Team Options
========
Fairy-types, such as Klefki and Xerneas, are good partners for Mewtwo, as it appreciates Dark-type Pokemon being checked. Xerneas especially appreciates that Mewtwo can weaken or remove a lot of its Steel-type checks, which allows it to be effective late-game. Similarly, Extreme Killer Arceus appreciates Mewtwo weakening its Ghost-type checks. Dark-types, such as Dark Arceus, Darkrai, and Yveltal, can check Ghost-types which threaten Mewtwo.
Physical Attacker
########
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Low Kick
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
ability: Pressure
item: Mewtwonite X
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
========
Low Kick is a powerful STAB move which reliably hits with 120 Base Power thanks to the general weight of the Pokemon in the Ubers metagame. Taunt allows for a way to block Will-O-Wisp, paralysis, and other status, or force out some walls which may threaten to stop Mewtwo. Earthquake is a nice coverage move to hit Aegislash and Groudon
Set Details
========
252 Speed EVs with a Jolly nature and 252 Attack EVs are run in order to
Usage Tips
========
Taunt should be used often against support Pokemon to prevent Defog, recovery, status, and other support moves so
Team Options
========
Checks to Fairy-types are important partners, as this Mewtwo variant is especially weak to them. These include Groudon, Ho-Oh, Klefki, Aegislash, and Jirachi. Dark-types, such as Dark Arceus, Darkrai, and Yveltal, are useful to check Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon. Geomancy Xerneas and Extreme Killer Arceus are
Other Options
########
Mewtwo has a lot of other sets and moves that further its versatility. Stalltwo, a Mewtwo set with Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, Psystrike, and Recover, can be used, but it struggles in a metagame dominated by Primal Groudon. Bulk Up Mega Mewtwo X can be run
Checks & Counters
########
**Ghost Arceus**: Ghost Arceus is probably the closest thing to a reliable counter to most Mewtwo variants. It is not 2HKOed by any unboosted attack, bar the relatively uncommon Shadow Ball, and can recover off damage while threatening back with a super effective Judgment. However, with Stealth Rock up or a bit of prior damage, Ghost Arceus risks being 2HKOed if it switches into Psystrike.
**Giratina-O**: Giratina-O can switch in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and threaten back with a super effective Shadow Sneak. It is susceptible to being worn down by repeated attacks and entry hazard damage, however.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal struggles to switch in on Low Kick and Ice Beam, but once in safely and in good health, it can threaten Mewtwo with a powerful Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Oblivion Wing, or even Foul Play. It is also immune to Psystrike, so it can come in on that move in particular with relative ease.
**Aegislash**: By virtue of typing, Aegislash can resist a lot of Mewtwo's attacks. It can also threaten back with a powerful Gyro Ball or Shadow Sneak. It must be wary of Earthquake from the physical set and Fire Blast from the special set, but it can still check these variants at least once.
**Sableye**: Sableye can avoid the 2HKO from all of Mewtwo's attacks, and its typing grants it
**Dark Arceus**: Dark Arceus's typing lets it check the Special Attacker set and set up Calm Minds relatively well while threatening back with a Judgment. However, Mewtwo frequently runs powerful Fighting-type moves, such as Focus Blast and Low Kick, which will hit Dark Arceus extremely hard, with the former dealing a minimum of 74% damage with a Life Orb
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Psychic Arceus can wall most Mewtwo variants
**Bulky Fairy-types**: Fairy Arceus is able to take on Mewtwo decently well, not fearing too much and possibly OHKOing Mega Mewtwo X, though it does not do very much against the special set. Xerneas can beat Mega Mewtwo X with the exception of rare Iron Tail or Poison Jab variants, though it struggles to beat special variants. Klefki is notable because it can come in on most of Mewtwo's attacks and cripple it with a Thunder Wave, but it will be severely weakened in the process, especially if Mewtwo is running Earthquake or Fire Blast.
**Revenge Killers**: Mewtwo can outspeed the majority of the unboosted Ubers metagame, but most Choice Scarf users, such as Genesect, can outspeed and revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, priority moves such as Sucker Punch from Kangaskhan and Yveltal or Extreme Speed from Arceus can revenge kill Mewtwo. Additionally, due to being one of the few Pokemon in the Ubers metagame boasting higher base Speed than Mewtwo, Deoxys-A can effectively revenge kill Mewtwo, as it has Knock Off to deal with Life Orb Mewtwo and Mega Mewtwo Y variants and Psycho Boost to beat Mega Mewtwo X. However, Knock Off only has a chance to OHKO Mega Mewtwo Y after Stealth Rock damage.
**Status**: In general, Mewtwo dislikes being crippled by status. Specifically, paralysis renders Mewtwo's excellent Speed stat useless, while the physical set also hates being burned and having its Attack stat halved.
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