QC: Nayrz / Fireburn / Dominatio
GP: P Squared
[OVERVIEW]
* Mewtwo's high base offensive stats allow it to effectively wallbreak while also being able to clean up late-game.
* Mewtwo sits at an excellent Speed tier and is thus able to outspeed many offensive threats in the metagame, including Shaymin-S and anything slower.
* Mewtwo has an excellent movepool that consists of powerful coverage options, utility, and setup moves.
* When holding a Psychium Z, Mewtwo has access to a 180-Base Power attack.
* Mewtwo has amazing potential with Psychic Terrain support, as it greatly increases the power of Psystrike.
* Mewtwo checks some of the new additions to the tier, such as Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Zygarde-C, with its coverage options.
* However, Mewtwo's attacks can fall short of a lot of important OHKOs.
* Although Mewtwo has decent bulk for an offensive Pokemon, its typing is lacking in useful resistances.
* Mewtwo suffers from four-moveslot-syndrome, so it can't run all of the coverage moves it wants to.
* Mewtwo also faces competition from Deoxys-A as a fast Psychic-type wallbreaker.
[SET]
name: Special Attacker
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Focus Blast
move 3: Ice Beam
move 4: Fire Blast / Calm Mind / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Pressure
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Psystrike serves as the obligatory STAB move, capable of OHKOing and 2HKOing many Pokemon that don't resist it while bypassing dedicated special walls, such as Blissey.
* Focus Blast allows Mewtwo to hit Steel-types such as Dialga and Dark-types such as Arceus-Dark and Darkrai super effectively.
* Ice Beam gives Mewtwo much-needed coverage, OHKOing Mega Salamence and hitting Rayqyaza, Yveltal, Lugia, Giratina-O, and Arceus-Ground hard.
* Fire Blast lets Mewtwo hit certain Steel-types harder than Psystrike or Focus Blast, such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, Magearna, Aegislash, Celesteela, and Solgaleo.
* Taunt can be used over Fire Blast to improve Mewtwo's matchup against more defensive teams, but Mewtwo needs as much coverage as it can get.
* Mewtwo can also use Calm Mind, granting it the ability to set up; after a boost, it can OHKO and 2HKO most offensive Pokemon.
* Shadow Ball OHKOes Lunala when Shadow Shield is down and gives Mewtwo a reliable way of hitting Pokemon such as Arceus-Ghost.
Set Details
========
* Full Special Attack and Speed investment with a Timid nature makes Mewtwo as fast and as powerful as possible.
* Pressure is the better ability Mewtwo gets, but it's very situational.
* Life Orb is used over to increase Mewtwo's overall damage output.
* When running Calm Mind, Psychium Z can be used, as Mewtwo's boosted attacks make up for the loss of Life Orb. A +1 Shattered Psyche also OHKOes many offensive Arceus formes.
Usage Tips
========
* Try to get Mewtwo in safely, such as by double switching or using a pivot, as it isn't bulky and can't switch in on a powerful attack.
* Mewtwo works best as a mid-game wallbreaker, weakening checks for another Pokemon on your team to sweep.
* It can also clean up late-game if given the opportunity.
* If running Taunt, it should be used liberally to prevent support Pokemon from using recovery moves, status moves, or utility moves like Defog.
* Due to Mewtwo's inability to pick up OHKOs on certain targets, it is best to use the appropriate coverage move, especially on a predicted switch or on a read, to wallbreak more effectively.
* When using Calm Mind on Mewtwo, it is best to set up on a predicted switch or on defensive Pokemon that either can't do too much back to Mewtwo or are weak to Mewtwo's moves, such as Toxapex and some support Arceus formes.
* Due to the lack of coverage when using Calm Mind, appropriate foes should be eliminated before setting up.
* If running Ice Beam, Pokemon such as Aegislash must be eliminated before trying to sweep.
* If using Shadow Ball or Fire Blast, it is easier to set up due to their great coverage combined with Psystrike and Focus Blast, but certain Pokemon weak to Ice, such as Yveltal and Mega Salamence, must be weakened a bit before attempting to sweep.
* If Mewtwo is in a position to sweep after a Calm Mind boost, it is extremely important to only set up when all of Mewtwo's checks are gone and all faster threats and priority users have been eliminated.
* If running Psychium Z, be aware that an unboosted Shattered Psyche will not OHKO certain walls, so don't preemptively use it unless you know it will KO.
252 SpA Mewtwo Shattered Psyche (180 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Arceus-Water: 285-336 (64.1 - 75.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Mewtwo Shattered Psyche (180 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Primal Groudon: 258-304 (64 - 75.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Team Options
========
* Mewtwo really appreciates Pokemon with access to entry hazards, as hazards help Mewtwo achieve more OHKOes and 2HKOes. These Pokemon include Primal Groudon, Toxapex, Deoxys-S, and Dialga.
* Dark-types, such as Darkrai, Arceus-Dark, and Yveltal can deal with the Ghost-types that trouble Mewtwo, particularly Arceus-Ghost, Giratina-O, and Aegislash.
* Darkrai and Mewtwo form a fast and formidable wallbreaking core that offers perfect coverage.
* Fairy-types, such as Xerneas and Klefki, are great partners for Mewtwo due to their ability to check Dark-types, while Mewtwo can check Poison- and Steel-types that trouble them in return.
* Tapu Lele, although not able to check Dark-types, can provide Mewtwo with Psychic Terrain support, increasing the power of Psystrike.
* Setup sweepers, such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Salamence, appreciate Mewtwo's ability to weaken Pokemon such as Zygarde-C and Toxapex for a sweep.
* Mewtwo appreciates bulky walls, such as Primal Groudon, Arceus-Water, defensive Primal Kyogre, and defensive Yveltal, for their ability to sponge attacks aimed at Mewtwo.
* U-turn grants Mewtwo free and safe switches, so Pokemon like Mega Scizor, Genesect, and defensive Yveltal form good teammates.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Thunder can be used to hit Arceus-Water, Lugia, and physically defensive Primal Kyogre for more damage; however, Thunder offers inferior coverage compared to Mewtwo's other moves.
* A bulkier Calm Mind set with Recover can be run, trading immediate firepower for more setup opportunities and increased longevity.
* Choice Specs can offer more power than Life Orb, but Mewtwo greatly appreciates the ability to switch up moves.
* Mewtwo has access to both Reflect and Light Screen, but Klefki and Deoxys-S are better choices for these moves.
* Recover can be used for increased longevity, but again, Mewtwo usually doesn't have the room to run it.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ghost-types**: The Ghost-types within the tier all pose as threats to Mewtwo. Giratina-O can threaten Mewtwo with a super effective Hex, Shadow Sneak, or Shadow Force depending on the set. Aegislash threatens Mewtwo with Gyro Ball and Shadow Sneak and resists almost all of Mewtwo's attacks, and if Calm Mind Mewtwo isn't carrying Fire Blast and Shadow Ball, Aegislash completely walls it. Giratina can come in on a Psystrike and can hit Mewtwo with a status move in return. Mega Sableye is immune to Psystrike and Focus Blast, and it can 2HKO Mewtwo with Foul Play and can status it; however, Life Orb Mewtwo's Fire Blast does 2HKO, and Mega Sableye cannot beat Calm Mind Mewtwo one-on-one.
**Lunala**: Lunala hard checks any Mewtwo set without Shadow Ball and can OHKO Mewtwo with Moongiest Beam. Lunala also has high Special Defense and resists Psystrike, so it can come in on Mewtwo rather easily. However, Lunala gets outsped by Mewtwo, and if Mewtwo is carrying Shadow Ball, it will be OHKOed without its Shadow Shield.
**Arceus-Ghost**: If Mewtwo is not running Life Orb, Arceus-Ghost avoids the 2HKO from any unboosted attack barring Shadow Ball, and it can threaten Mewtwo with a super effective Shadow Claw. However, Life Orb Mewtwo can 2HKO Arceus-Ghost on the switch.
**Arceus-Dark**: Arceus-Dark is immune to Psystrike and threatens Mewtwo with a Judgment. However, Mewtwo is faster than Arceus-Dark, and Focus Blast will 2HKO it.
**Yveltal**: Yveltal struggles to switch in on Mewtwo's Ice Beam, but once in safely, it can threaten Mewtwo with a powerful Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, or Foul Play. Yveltal is also immune to Psystrike.
**Alolan Muk**: Alolan Muk avoids the 2HKO from all of Mewtwo's attacks even at +1, and it can Pursuit trap Mewtwo or potentially poison it.
**Bulky Psychic-types**: Bulky Psychic-types, such as Arceus-Psychic, Lugia, Deoxys-D, Mega Slowbro, and specially defensive Solgaleo can take most of Mewtwo's hits relatively comfortably and can status Mewtwo in return. However, all of them are hit decently hard by Shadow Ball, and in some cases, appropriate coverage moves, and they can't really do too much back to Mewtwo other than statusing it. Also, all of these bulky Psychic-types are stopped by Taunt, if Mewtwo is running it.
**Faster Threats and Priority**: One of Mewtwo's major selling points is its very high Speed. Therefore, faster Pokemon and revenge killers, such as Pheromosa, Deoxys-A, and Choice Scarf Genesect, Xerneas, Zekrom, and Lunala, can outspeed Mewtwo and do heavy damage to it or revenge kill it. Furthermore, priority users, such as Mega Scizor and Extreme Killer Arceus, can deter a potential Mewtwo sweep.
**Status**: In general, Mewtwo dislikes being crippled by status. Specifically, paralysis severely hinders Mewtwo by lowering its Speed, thus leaving Mewtwo very vulnerable to attacks.
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