Mewtwo(Revamp - DONE)

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Theorymon

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Moderator
Here are the nitpicks!

Overview
-In the flaws part, I think you should also mention that Mewtwo's typing is pretty poor defensively, with only two resistances (Fighting and Psychic), which makes the bulk problem bigger when you don't invest.

Psycho Killer

-Ice Beam actually does more to Latias before it Calm Mind, Psystrike is more of a tool to beat it in Calm Mind wars so just remove the Latias mention there.

-FYI, even max HP Dialga with no Special Defense investment isn't going to get OHKOed at full health by Aura Sphere (does 72.02 - 84.9%), so while its a heavy wound, I wouldn't call it "destroying" since Dialga can hit you pretty hard if it lives! You might want to also mention that Aura Sphere 2HKOs bulky Excadrill in the rain.

-Ice Beam 2HKOs Giratina and Lugia. In Giratina's case, say Physically Defensive, because Specially Defensive isn't even 2HKOed by an unboosted Ice Beam!

-Might want to mention that if you have sun support, you get some nice OHKOs vs Excadrill, Jirachi, and Steel Arceus!

-For Calm Mind, you should mention how it allows you to bust through Giratina, Lugia, and max HP Arceus more easily. The last two are notable because if they switch into the right move, they can spam Roost / Recover to wear you down since Ice Beam and Psystrike respectively are not guarnteed 2HKOs without a boost.

-For the Sunlight part, mention that using Fire Blast + Aura Sphere WILL make Giratina harder to beat with CM Mewtwo.

Psycho Killer Additional Comments

-A small plus for Shadow Ball is that it does a bit more to unboosted Ghost Arceus than Psystrike.

-In the paragraph about items, get into more details about the power loss stuff. For example, you lose the 2HKO possibilities vs Max HP Arceus, Lugia, and Physically defensive Giratina. Also in Leftover's and Lum Berries case, you may want to reccomend Calm Mind to help somewhat deal with the major power loss (both items also make setting up CM a bit easier too!)

-You should mention Expert Belt in the same paragraph. While it usually won't improve Psystrike's power, it can let you 2HKO Physically Defensive Giratina and Lugia after Stealth Rock, and it takes good advantage of Mewtwo's coverage while letting it last longer than Life Orb. It's also usable on CM sets.

-The other item to be mentioned is Mind Plate for CM variants. It's sorta the same deal as Expert Belt where you gain a bit of power without recoil, except its only for Psystrike. This is still fine for CM since after a boost, you still have enough power to 2HKO max HP Latias, Specially Defensive Giratina, and OHKO max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage.

-In teammates, you might want to mention Thunder Wave Kyogre, who can lure and paralyze Choice Scarf Palkia and Zekrom.

-When you mention Wobbuffet as a teammate, you should mention that Encore support can really help CM Mewtwo set up.

Bulky Booster

-In the first paragraph, I think you should mention right away that picking the last move isn't going to be easy, because it determines what is going to beat your Mewtwo!

-Mention Fire Blast somewhere (for power, and when its raining, it will actually do more to bulky Excadrill than Psystrike)

-When you mention Fighting Arceus as a teammate, you should probably mention that it strikes down Dialga as well (sorta same with Landorus-T and Groudon, but if that Dialga is offensive its going to screw with them).

Stalltwo

-Mention that Will-O-Wisp is a REALLY great way to screw up Tyranitar and Genesect, both of whom are common Mewtwo switch-ins.

-Something nice to mention about Substitute is that Substitute + Taunt in general can screw up most Pokemon that attempt to phaze Mewtwo, not just Giratina!

-For Psystrike, you might want to also mention that it prevents Tentacruel from rapid spinning against you. It also helps against Taunt Thundurus.

-Something to note about Darkrai is that if you run Light Screen and time your taunts right, Darkrai actually won't be able to 2HKO you with Dark Pulse >_>. Not that this Mewtwo likes Darkrai, but I wouldn't call Darkrai a 100% check to this set either!

-Since you mention how Kyogre smashes through some stuff, might as well mention that Sabeleye gets ruined by the special attackers you mentioned!

Choice Scarf

-You should totally mention how Tricking Latias / Latios is a really nasty surprise for them! And of course, when people see Mewtwo without Life Orb damage, Giratina and Lugia like to come in, so Trick can make Mewtwo an alright lure.

-Don't even mention Focus Blast, I swear that is one of the worst moves for Mewtwo ever x____x

-In AC, I would make a short paragraph about some alternate ev spreads for Mewtwo. Mention that all these EV spreads will make you miss some nice speed targets though, mainly, you will miss out on fast weather based mons, RP Adamant Groudon, Scarf Skymin, and Scarf Darkrai. Also note that using these slower spreads will mean that Trick can become more risky, due to Mewtwo getting outsped by stuff it normally outspeeds. So Trick for thes spreads isn't really recommended unless your team is DESPERATE for a Giratina / Lugia lure.

-The first kind is Modest spread. Modest can be nice for that extra power boost, while still outspeeding Scarf Genesect, DD Rayquaza, DD Salamence, Scarf Terrakion, and Scarf Palkia. 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe lets you outspeed up to Choice Scarf Terrakion.

-If you prefer more bulk to power, use either Timid with 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe (to outspeed Scarf Terrakion), or 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe (outspeeds Scarf Palkia, DDmence, and Genesect). While the bulk doesn't really protect you from anything specficly, it does make Mewtwo fairly bulky for an average Choice Scarfer, which is nice if you don't need to outspeed Excadrill and Scarf Skymin.

Other Options

-Remove Expert Belt, its a bit better than other options honestly

-Hmm as for Specs... keep it here for now, but I think there's a chance that this deserves a set in the future (though it'd be the last set for sure).

Checks and Counters

-You should probably mention that Genesect can also be an iffy switch-in because Psystrike and Aura Sphere can actually still 2HKO it! In fact, the only common switch in where Genesect won't be taking a fuck ton of damage from Psycho Killer are Calm Mind and Ice Beam.

-I'd seperate the stuff about Scarfers from the whole "if Mewtwo doesn't have move x" part. Maybe put it in the same paragraph as the Genesect thing, since Scarfers are generally one of the most common ways to beat the Psycho Killer set. In the same paragraph, I'd also mention how Normal Arceus and Giratina-O can snipe Mewtwo at around 50% of its health (or 59% if you are willing to take a hit and rely on life orb recoil) with their priority moves.

-While Chansey can survive some impressive stuff, that thing is really an emergency answer honestly, so I'm not sure if the mention for that should stay >_>

-Since you mention the fact that Mewtwo gets worn down by Tspikes, you might also want to mention how Psycho Killer gets worn down by Sandstream as well.

-Not exactly good for the first line of defense, but Thunder Wave Thundurus can sacrifice itself to ruin offensive Mewtwo, thanks to Prankster.
 
I'll do an amcheck, which I can get up later this evening.

REMOVE CHANGES COMMENTS

<p>The classic God of Pokemon has always been one of the most fearsome combatants of Ubers, but generation 5 has given Mewtwo a gift so great that even Arceus is jealous: Psystrike. This move strikes fear into old nemesis nemeses like Blissey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, because now as it makes Mewtwo has become a fearsome mixed attacker with absolutely none of the normal downsides! Like many other Uber Pokemon, Mewtwo has the stats and movepool to do virtually anything it wants, ranging from a fearsome sweeper to a frustrating staller, its versatility ensures that there is absolutely nothing that can call itself a counter. However, while it is by no means frail, Mewtwo is not the bulkiest Pokemon around,. and with its susceptibility to entry hazards and priority attacks, its longetivity is an issue in the hard hitting Uber metagame. Like other Pokemon with huge movepools, it is a pity that Mewtwo can only use four of them at the same time. These problems highlight its greatest flaw of all, which is that Mewtwo is unable to run everything at once. You have to choose whether it is between bulky or and powerful, sacrificing one for the other, and you need to get that right for Mewtwo to function. It does not help its cause when Mewtwo's typing is rather poor defensively. BW2 also introduced Genesect, which made Mewtwo a lot easier to check for offensive teams. It is otherwise perfect, as its flaws end here. Dr. Fuji's dream was to create the world's most powerful Pokemon, and he most definitely succeeded.</p>


[SET]
name: Psycho Killer
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast
move 4: Fire Blast / Calm Mind
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>If there is one set in the game that embodies the word "uncounterable", this one is probably it. Its blazing base 130 Speed and sky-high base 154 Special Attack make Mewtwo a terrifying sweeper and end-game cleaner. Psystrike may very well be the second best move ever available to it, second only to RBY Amnesia. It allows Mewtwo to take out all sorts of special walls, namely Blissey, Chansey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, without needing to waste EVs in Attack, by striking them on their relatively weaker Defense. Between Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, and Fire Blast, Mewtwo hits everything that resists Psystrike. Aura Sphere destroys the likes of Tyranitar and Darkrai, while doing a lot of damage to Dialga. Ice Beam brings down Lugia and Giratina, especially physically defensive variants. Fire Blast fries Genesect, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, as well as being and is Mewtwo's most powerful option in the sun, OHKOing threats such as Jirachi and Steel Arceus, as well as having a good chance to do the same to Lugia after it has switched into Stealth Rock, if Mewtwo has a Calm Mind boost. I would just remove this last part because it's awkward to keep it in the same sentence, but if it's a really big deal, then you could make it its own sentence. Calm Mind pushes its Mewtwo's Special Attack to even higher levels, as well as and also making makes surprisingly resilient on the special side, taking all sorts of abuse, letting it take attacks such as Draco Meteor from Choice Scarf Palkia. Calm Mind is also extremely important for Mewtwo to take down walls with, since Pokemon such as Lugia, Giratina, and max HP Arceus can could otherwise spam Recover and to Life Orb stall Mewtwo otherwise, provided they switch in unscathed.</p>

<p>In terms of the combination of moves used, you cannot really go terribly wrong if you use Psystrike coupled with three of the accessory moves just mentioned. Generally, four attacks Mewtwo is preferable, since its setup opportunties are usually quite limited. Calm Mind, however, makes Mewtwo much more dangerous and harder to wall. The best general moveset with Calm Mind is Calm Mind / Psystrike / Aura Sphere / Ice Beam, which hits most things in the tier retains excellent general coverage while hitting Lugia and Giratina, the two bulkiest walls in the tier, for super effective damage. However, if you can give it Mewtwo sun support, it is strongly recommended to replace Ice Beam for with Fire Blast, (RC) for its power and coverage, especially against Genesect. The only Pokemon which stands a chance of walling Calm Mind Mewtwo in the sun is physically defensive Giratina, and even it risks getting 2HKOed by Psystrike. It should be noted, however, that Mewtwo is not defeating physically defensive Giratina directly if it lacks Ice Beam, since Giratina can still phaze Mewtwo out with Dragon Tail and deal decent damage to it in the process. While it is the most potent variant, the fact that rain is more popular than sun makes Fire Blast a little less attractive for teams that don't have sun support.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The moves listed above gives Mewtwo best all-round coverage, but there are others more specific moves which that can replace one of Mewtwo's accessory moves if the need arises. Recover allows Mewtwo to mitigate some of the heavy residual damage that it tends to take. Grass Knot hit Groudon and Kyogre for super effective damage;. OHKOing Groudon is a very attractive incentive over Ice Beam, which fails to do so against bulky variants. Thunder can be used to hit Lugia and Kyogre all in one, as well as hitting most Steel-types hard. Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's strongest attack attack against Wobbuffet, Lugia, and Ghost Arceus in the rain, while Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if you value its accuracy. Charge Beam be allow Mewtwo to quickly finish off a weakened Pokemon and potentially get a Special Attack boost.</p>

<p>The EV spread used help maximize Mewtwo's Speed and Special Attack. Life Orb is preferred to make Mewtwo as powerful as possible. If you are turned off by the recoil, however, Leftovers can always be used to improve Mewtwo's lifespan, but the power drop is very significant, losing out on 2HKOes against Giratina, max HP Arceus, and Lugia (with a Calm Mind boost). Lum Berry is similar power-wise, but can allow Mewtwo to set up on status inflicting Pokemon such as Thunder Wave Ferrothorn. On the flip side, though, is that Lum Berry and Leftovers gives Mewtwo more Calm Mind opportunities to compensate for their lack of power. Expert Belt is an another interesting option as well to conserve Mewtwo's health. Even though it does not boost Psystrike most of the time, Mewtwo's super effective coverage is good enough to hit most targets for super effective damage , that whatever Psystrike doesn't hit super effectively, its coverage moves will. Mind Plate is a similar case, except it boosts Psystrike only instead of coverage moves. With Mind Plate, Psystrike is still powerful enough to 2HKO specially defensive Giratina and Latias, as well as OHKO max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage.</p>

<p>The only things that keep a lid on Mewtwo are Choice Scarf users, priority attacks, residual damage, and the fact that it can only use four moves at a time. If Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast, Scizor can checkmate it with Pursuit or U-turn, while Jirachi can take pretty much anything it dishes out paralyze it with Body Slam. Metagross can also do lots of damage in return, while not taking too much from Aura Sphere. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar destroys if with no trouble at all, while Dialga, Dark Arceus, and Darkrai can be more troublesome if it is not sunny. If Ice Beam is not included in the moveset, then Lugia counters Mewtwo if it is not sunny, while Giratina becomes much more of a problem. If Calm Mind is omitted, then Mewtwo has a much harder time against defensive teams in general, especially those with Latias, Lugia, or Giratina in them.</p>

<p>The major route that most Ubers teams take to take down Mewtwo is to take it out via a Choice Scarfer, due to the tiny puddle of Pokemon that can actually wall it. It should be noted that not many Choice Scarf users can actually OHKO a healthy Mewtwo, but with Life Orb recoil and heavy entry hazard use in the metagame, it becomes much easier. Most Choice Scarf users require at least one round of Life Orb recoil in addition to Stealth Rock damage to be able to OHKO Mewtwo. The exceptions to this are Choice Scarf Kyogre (using fully powered Water Spout), Modest Choice Scarf Reshiram in the sun, Adamant Choice Scarf Kyurem-B and Zekrom, Choice Scarf Heracross, Choice Scarf Victini, and finally Choice Scarf Genesect (either through +1 U-turn or Bug Buzz). Genesect in particular is problematic for Mewtwo, since it can KO Mewtwo a lot of the time with U-turn, and instead of avoid being locked into an attack that may be advantageous for another sweeper to set up on;, it has already retreated. it is also extremely difficult to trap. Wobbuffet can remove most Choice Scarfers, with the exception of those just mentioned. If you are have sun support, though, removing Choice Scarf Kyogre is not too difficult with Wobbuffet, as you can sacrifice Groudon (provided it is safe to do so) to Kyogre to bring in the sun, then use Wobbuffet to trap and remove Kyogre while it is sunny. Sacrificing Hippowdon or Tyranitar when using a sand team has a similar effect. You might want to try tightening this section up, but if you think a full explanation is necessary, by all means keep it. Reshiram is difficult to deal with if you are using a sun team, but is easy for rain and sand teams to take on. Victini can be trapped and KOed with by Tyranitar or other Pursuit users that are not weak to its attacks. Heracross is walled by many Pokemon, such as the Giratina formes and Groudon. Genesect is a nightmare to try and pin down, but some ways to make life difficult for it is to heavily abuse entry hazards, while possibly hitting it hard on the switch (Psystrike does a lot of damage, while Fire attacks OHKO it).Consider having this sentence with the others about Genesect. Luring out Choice Scarf users with Thunder Wave Kyogre is also a good strategy. Kyogre tends to lure in Choice Scarf Palkia and Zekrom, as well as Latias.</p>

<p>Residual damage has been mentioned, but it is should be stressed that one of the reasons Mewtwo is manageable in the metagame is due to Life Orb and entry hazard damage, which allows priority attacks and weaker Choice Scarf users to pick it off. Rapid Spin and Magic Bounce will help mitigate entry hazard damage as much possible. For offensive teams that tend to carry Mewtwo, Custap Berry Forretress, Kabutops, and Excadrill are all good offensive Rapid Spin users. Xatu and Espeon can be used for Magic Bounce. Wish support from Blissey or Jirachi can help Mewtwo, but is not always necessary.</p>

<p>In terms of offensive pressure and synergy, sometimes it is best to just stack sweepers with good offensive synergy with Mewtwo. Rock Polish Groudon and Landorus-T can set up on Choice Scarf Zekrom. Scizor, Steel Arceus, and Bisharp can set up on Choice-locked Dragon-type attacks. Latias can set up on Choice Scarf Kyogre, as can Arceus formes such as Water, Grass, and Dragon. Extreme Killer Arceus can set up on most Choice Scarf users, while Choice Scarf Terrakion cannot defeat Mewtwo. Dual Screen support is also extremely beneficial to for Mewtwo, since most revenge killers are itching to take it down, only to have to wait for longer because their attacks cannot KO Mewtwo with screens up they prevent most revenge killers from easily KOing Mewtwo. While Wobbuffet does not share particularly good synergy with Mewtwo, it can still Encore support moves such as Calm Mind, which gives giving Mewtwo a free set-up opportunity.</p>


[SET]
name: Bulky Booster
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psystrike
move 3: Recover
move 4: Flamethrower / Aura Sphere / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Mewtwo's bulk, allowing it to set up Calm Mind with greater ease. It sacrifices and sacrificing Mewtwo's raw destructive power for greater longevity. With Calm Mind and Recover, Mewtwo could can slowly boost in front of special attackers. This set is particularly useful on sand teams, (RC) or and teams that are more susceptible to Fighting-types, (RC) such as Fighting Arceus. With Normally, entry hazard damage and sandstorm recoil, it is easy for Mewtwo to be whittled down before opposing Fighting Arceuses takes the field against a sandstorm team, can easily whittle down Mewtwo, but this set allows Mewtwo to stick around for longer to check threats such as Fighting Arceus. Change that last part however you see fit, I don't whether Mewtwo normally checks or counters Arceus-Fighting. Be aware, though, that this Mewtwo set has significant coverage issues, (AC) and. what defeats Mewtwo it depends heavily on the coverage move it is using. Psystrike is Mewtwo's STAB attack, and sets it apart from many special attackers, due to its ability to ignore opposing Calm Mind users by hitting their physical defense instead. You've already explained Psystrike quite a lot this analysis. The final move gives Mewtwo strong important coverage. Flamethrower allows Mewtwo to OHKO Genesect, and this which is especially important because with a bulky spread, Mewtwo can survive both U-turn and Bug Buzz from Choice Scarf Genesect, something that could not be done with an offensive spread. Flamethrower also allows Mewtwo to hit most Steel-types for super effective damage. Aura Sphere hits Tyranitar, Dialga and Darkrai for super effective damage. While Ice Beam may appear to not add significant coverage, but it does hit Lugia and Giratina for super effective damage, while having an attack to quickly OHKO Rayquaza is always nice as well.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread used maximizes Mewtwo's bulk while maximizing and Speed. While the 4 Defense EVs might not look like much, it they prevents Genesect from getting an Attack boost, (AC) which would allow it to OHKO Mewtwo with U-turn. If Mewtwo has a Calm Mind boost, it will also survive a +1 Bug Buzz from Choice Scarf Genesect. Given the nature of the set and potential use on sand teams, Leftovers is by far and away the best item to use. In terms of other move options, Fire Blast can replace Flamethrower to hit Excadrill harder in the rain, as well as for more power in general if the sun is shining. I would move this sentence to the next paragraph, to keep it with all the other move options.</p>

<p>This set exacerbates Mewtwo's already severe four moveslot syndrome. Taunt and Substitute can prevent status and phazing attempts. However, keep in mind, (RC) that if Recover is dropped for one of these moves, that Mewtwo would will have a lot less staying power, which goes against the point of this set in the first place. Conversely, you can shift EVs from HP into Special Attack, but that would also allow Mewtwo to be more easily revenge killed. As for move options, Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder while still hitting Lugia hard. Grass Knot can be used to take down Groudon easily, while Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's most powerful attack against Wobbuffet.</p>

<p>Mewtwo's four moveslot syndrome has been mentioned already, but it has many counters according to whatever move it runs. Even with Flamethrower, Genesect is still going to be a major thorn in Mewtwo's side, and without it, Mewtwo stands no chance. Scizor will also make life hell for Mewtwo if it lacks lacking Flamethrower , (RC) by checkmating it with Pursuit and U-turn, while Skarmory can take Aura Spheres and Ice Beams and force Mewtwo out with Whirlwind. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar makes Mewtwo it completely useless through Pursuit, while Dialga can take attacks from it and either Roar it out, (RC) or poison it with Toxic. In general, Lugia and Giratina wall Mewtwo, even with Ice Beam, although they will not enjoy taking boosted Ice Beams for too long. Genesect is very difficult to pin down and take out, but having entry hazards up will make it difficult for Genesect to continue to U-turn in and out. If you can get it to be stuck into an attack that is not U-turn or Bug Buzz, Wobbuffet can trap and KO it. Pursuit is difficult to escape as well, but Pokemon such as Fighting Arceus, Groudon, Landorus, and Gliscor can all set up on Tyranitar pretty easily. Fighting Arceus is also good for taking down Dialga. Lugia and Giratina are generally bait for entry hazard users, such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress.</p>


[SET]
name: Support (StallTwo)
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Recover
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
move 4: Psystrike / Light Screen / Substitute
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 72 SpD / 184 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a defensive Mewtwo seems rather weird, but it is surprisingly, (RC) extremely Dare I say super? effective. It is especially useful against opposing stall teams thanks to Mewtwo's great Speed and support movepool, (AC) which let it stall out and annoy a wide variety of threats. Pressure can easily sap up all the opponent's PP, this which is handy in a tier filled with low PP moves such as Spacial Rend and Draco Meteor. Taunt allows Mewtwo to prevent other Pokemon from hitting it with status, healing themselves, or setting up. Recover, (RC) in conjunction with Mewtwo's Speed allows it to heal before most things can even touch it, making it extremely hard to break. Once again, four moveslot syndrome kicks in for slots 3 and 4. Will-O-Wisp allows Mewtwo to stall out non-Fire-type physical attacks quite effectively, letting it repeatedly heal while they slowly die to burn damage, (AC) and It easily cripples many initial switch-ins to Mewtwo, such as Genesect and Tyranitar. Toxic does more damage in the long run, with the downside of leaving Mewtwo helpless against Steel-types and without a way to cushion the blows of physical powerhouses such as Zekrom and Groudon. As such, Will-O-Wisp is usually the better option because Mewtwo's defenses, while not especially frail, are not amazing either.</p>

<p>Psystrike allows Mewtwo to hit Ho-Oh and Reshiram hard if you are running Will-O-Wisp, as otherwise Mewtwo would have no way of touching them. It also lets Mewtwo deter powerful attackers such as Kyogre and Kyurem-W from switching in as easily. Light Screen lets Mewtwo sponge the hits of powerful special attackers with ease, and makes Mewtwo fairly hard to crack when used with Will-O-Wisp. Substitute is useful for scouting a switch in and preventing status. It also helps Mewtwo stall out the numerous moves with 8 low PP, thanks to Pressure. As a bonus, Mewtwo's Substitute is strong enough to survive most Dragon Tails, (AC) so Mewtwo can freely setup on it what? as Roar is blocked by Taunt. Without Substitute, stall teams can still Dragon Tail you Mewtwo out, which can get annoying when combined with entry hazards. There is very little reason to run any item other than Leftovers. While Mewtwo really specializes in neutering things with Taunt + Status + Recover spam, it will often rely on prediction between status and Taunt (Gyro Ball vs Leech Seed on Ferrothorn, for example). One wrong move can be really detrimental.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The given EVs maximize bulk while still allowing it to still outspeed Tornadus-T. However, the EVs are definitely not set in stone, (AC) as Mewtwo has a variety of viable EV spreads. You can run enough speed to outspeed Darkrai (216 EVs with a Timid nature), or, if outspeeding Arceus doesn't bother you isn't a concern, drop it down to enough to outspeed base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Latias, Latios, and Lugia (96 EVs with Timid nature or 220 EVs with neutral nature). These three are a handy benchmarks, but you can drop Mewtwo's speed down still further to enough to outspeed base 95s, (RC) namely such as Rayquaza and Kyurem-W, if those are all you really care about (88 EVs with neutral nature). Where you move the EVs to is really up to you. Mewtwo can even go physically or specially defensive, (RC) and you can even by shiftin the SpD EVs to Def.</p>

<p>With Will-O-Wisp you have to stall for more turns (risking critical hits, 10% chance moves etc) than Toxic, but with Toxic physical attackers give you trouble. Without Light Screen, powerful special attackers can demolish Mewtwo, although not many like taking even an uninvested Psystrike (252 HP Kyogre has a good chance to be 2HKOed after Stealth Rock). Chansey or Blissey can easily sponge special attacks if you forgo Light Screen, making them excellent partners. Mewtwo in return can easily swi/COLOR]tch in on Fighting-types moves, such as Close Combat and OHKO most of them with Psytrike. It also KOes Tentacruel which can Rapid Spin on Mewtwo otherwise. Are we suddenly talking about Psystrike? Might want to make the transition between Light Screen and Psytrike more clear, or remove the sentence about Tentacruel. One of the great things about this Mewtwo set is that it completely rewrites the list of Pokemon that can check or counter it; defensive or bulky Pokemon hoping to tank a hit from Mewtwo and cripple it through non-attacking methods are now easily neutered and offense is the easiest way to break through it.</p>

<p>Darkrai, Ho-Oh, and Reshiram are the biggest enemies to this set if Mewtwo is running Will-O-Wisp. Darkrai doesn't really care about anything Mewtwo can run besides Toxic and can smash it with Dark Pulse or sleep it with Dark Void. Be aware though, that with the right prediction, Mewtwo can use Light Screen to cushion Dark Pulse and prevent Dark Void with Taunt, so taking out Mewtwo with Darkrai may be harder than you would expect. Ho-Oh and Reshiram don't really appreciate Psystrike, but can wall Mewtwo to no end if it lacks both Psystrike and Toxic. These are two Pokemon you do not want to give a free switch in to, so Stealth Rock support and something to deal with them is helpful if you forgo both of these moves. Kyogre can take Fire-type attacks from both but has to watch out for their other STAB move. Kyogre can also take care of Darkrai provided that Sleep Clause is activated and Dark Pulse doesn't flinch, or if Kyogre is running a Sleep Talk set. Using your own Ho-Oh can also help deal with Reshiram and Darkrai.</p>

<p>Toxic Spikes completely neuter this Mewtwo set, so a spinner or absorber (such as Forretress, Tentacruel, Excadrill, Poison Arceus) is almost mandatory. Toxic Spikes support may contradict the use of Will-O-Wisp, but they are notable for allowing Mewtwo to simply Taunt and begin spamming Recover without having to waste a turn and take damage using Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Just like most defensive pokemon, (AC) this set appreciates entry hazards support for the switching it will cause, especially against stall teams. Xatu easily shuts this set down with Magic Bounce unless you are willing to use Ice Beam over Psystrike, which is but that is not recommended. Anything powerful can smash Xatu such as Kyogre, Palkia and Zekrom are great candidates. The occasional Heatran will also annoy this set due to its immunity to both burn and poison, (RC) and it resistsance Psystrike as well. Pairing up this set with Kyogre or Zekrom can help deal with both Heatran and Xatu easily. Prankster users such as Sableye can Taunt Mewtwo before it does anything. Thundurus and Tornadus can also Taunt Mewtwo with impunity if it lacks an attacking move. Kyogre can also take down most of them without much effort, although it will need a Choice Scarf to be able to outspeed Thundurus.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Fire Blast / Trick / Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Mewtwo's power and excellent Speed let it outpace many dangerous threats and be a decent revenge killer. With a Choice Scarf, it reaches 591 Speed. Not only can Mewtwo be a decent revenge killer, but it can also clean late game when his counters such as Lugia are weakened. Psystrike is for STAB and is generally Mewtwo's most powerful move, (AC) but beware of trappers, (RC) such as Tyranitar coming in for free. Thanks to Psytrike, Mewtwo has a good chance of breaking past Blissey and Chansey, but keep in mind, that requires with entry hazard support. One good thing about Mewtwo is that it's not completely walled by the pink blobs, however, unlike most other special attacking Choice Scarf users. Ice Beam hits Pokemon such Rayquaza and Salamence for an easy OHKO and Mewtwo easily outruns even +1 Salamence with this set. Fire Blast, Flamethrower and Aura Sphere lets you revenge kill Excadrill and most Steel-types. It's good to have Aura Sphere in there somewhere just in case run into for neutral SmashPass recipients such as Dialga, as well as Choice Scarf Darkrai. Aura Sphere also is Mewtwo's only option to 2HKO defensive Tyranitar, (AC) and nails Heatran for solid damage too. Trick can let you cripple a walls, (RC) such as Lugia and Giratine, which would both be willing to switch in if they see no Life Orb recoil. It can also surprise Latias and Latios by removing their prized Soul Dew.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread listed gives Mewtwo enough to outspeed Kingdra in the rain, Adamant Excadrill in the sand, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S, Darkrai, and Rock Polish Adamant Groudon. It also lets Mewtwo keep its excellent unboosted Speed if has Tricked its Choice Scarf away. However, since Mewtwo is so fast, it can afford to invest in bulk or a Modest nature if outspeeding the aforementioned threats are not crucial for your team. A spread of 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe and a Modest nature outspeeds Choice Scarf Terrakion. 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe with a Timid nature also outspeeds Terrakion, but focuses more on bulk. 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe outspeeds +1 base 100s.</p>

<p>Mewtwo has some other coverage moves it can use thanks to its wide movepool. Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder but will still fail to OHKO or even 2HKO Specially Defensive Kyogre, making Psystrike generally the much safer option to hit the whale unless you know it is physically defensive. Shadow Ball is another option to hit opposing Mewtwo, Lugia, Ghost Arceus, Wobbuffet and Giratina, (AC) but is a really weak move otherwise. Mewtwo still can't revenge kill Extreme Killer Arceus, so you'd need something else for it&mdash; Aura Sphere will only 2HKO Arceus while a boosted ExtremeSpeed will KO Mewtwo back. If you're running Fire Blast, sun support is good for maximum power; In the sun, Fire Blast is even stronger than Psytrike. Wobbuffet can easily trap this Mewtwo, (AC) so you will have to predict carefully when you see one. Watch out for entry hazard layers like Ferrothorn and Forretress, (AC) as they can switching into pretty much any move not named Fire Blast. Mewtwo can no longer break walls as effectively with this set, as the reduced power reduction is rather significant; even standard Great Wall Giratina will never be 2HKOed by Ice Beam and totally laughs at Psystrike. However, Giratina will however, need to watch out for Trick.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Physical sets with Bulk Up can be used to surprise certain checks such as Tyranitar. It also helps to reduce damage from potential revenge killers such as Arceus with ExtremeSpeed and Giratina-O with Shadow Sneak. However, physical Mewtwo is easily walled by Giratina, Lugia, Groudon, (AC) and even Ho-Oh, (AC) depending on what coverage moves Mewtwo has. It is also very weak to begin with. Psytrike doesn't really hit many things for super-effective and some KOes will be lost without Life Orb such as the OHKO on Kyogre at +1. Does this go in Psycho Killer AC?</p>

<p>Mewtwo does have a massive movepool, (AC) but is generally more effective sticking to the sets listed. Dual Screens + Selfdestruct + Taunt can be used on offensive or Baton Pass teams, (AC) but sacrifing Mewtwo for it this is usually not worth it. Choice Specs is rather mediocre because Mewtwo prefers the ability to switch moves, (AC) but the extra power gained from Choice Specs can surprise opponents. Defense boosting moves such as Barrier can be used on the StallTwo set, (AC) but pure defensive roles are better left to bulkier walls such as Lugia or Giratina.</p>


[Checks and Counters]

<p>Mewtwo does not have any failsafe counters. Ever. It has such amazing power and coverage, (RC) that there is no such thing as a safe switch in and, (AC) every check usually relies its checks depend purely on what move and set it is using. Genesect is probably the best check, (AC) as it can easily OHKO Mewtwo with a +1 U-turn or Bug Buzz. The physical Scarf Genesect is preferred because it will OHKO the standard Psycho Killer with U-turn regardless of its boosts. but However, one wrong switch into Fire Blast will end it, and even Psystrike or Aura Sphere will punch a huge hole into Genesect, which means it can only come in on a revenge. Since Mewtwo lacks any true counters, revenge killers are often used. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, Zekrom, Ho-Oh, Kyogre and Reshiram are the more prominent ones. Be wary of going straight to revenge killers though, as few things outright KO full HP Mewtwo, so hazards and abuse of Life Orb recoil via prediction are often useful before the revenge killer comes in. That being said, almost every user of Choice Scarf can revenge kill Mewtwo after some prior damage. It is not advisable to use weaker ones such as Garchomp and Terrakion because they simply lack the power to KO Mewtwo even after Stealth Rock and one round of Life Orb damage. Specially based Choice Scarf users must be careful of Calm Mind, as it will prevent slightly weaker attacks such as Choice Scarf Palkia's Spacial Rend from revenge killing Mewtwo. One also must be careful because checks to offensive Mewtwo often fall flat against a support variant or even a more defensively-oriented offensive set.</p>

<p>Defensive Dark Arceus with Payback is a bit gimmicky, (AC) but is probably one of the closest things to a "counter" offensive Mewtwo has; however, it but will lose to StallTwo. Payback It will not do enough damage to StallTwo, (AC) and is outstalled by Taunt and repeated burn or poison damage. In a similar vein, Psychic Arceus walls Psycho Killer if Mewtwo it lacks Fire Blast or and the sun isn't shining, (AC) and It can 2HKO Mewtwo with Payback and ExtremeSpeed. In the rain, Psychic Arceus is an even better check than Dark Arceus because the best option Mewtwo has is Ice Beam or the rare Shadow Ball. Jirachi can check offensive variants in the rain or even in neutral weather if they lack Fire Blast, (AC) as +1 Aura Sphere fails to 2HKO, but Fire Blast still can. However, Jirachi will still have an opportunity to cripple Mewtwo with poison or paralysis, effectively neutering it. Repeated Iron Heads and potential flinches will usually give Jirachi the win. In a similar vein, Metagross and or Bronzong can be used for a more offensive and less defensive check in the rain as long as Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast. Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball will both 2HKO Mewtwo easily while an unboosted Aura Sphere will not 2HKO back.</p>

<p>If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Dialga, Heatran, and Tyranitar can all act as effective checks. Keep in mind that standard Ubers Heatran can never OHKO Mewtwo, while Dialga needs a Choice Specs to do so. Tyranitar can safely KO Mewtwo with a super effective Crunch while taking little damage even from Thunder. Without Life Orb and Calm Mind, Chansey has a respectable chance to live 2 Psystrikes, but don't count on it because any Mewtwo without Life Orb will most likely have either Calm Mind or Substitute. She is probably at best, an emergency check only. Wobbuffet can very effectively check non-Taunt variants, as even +1 Shadow Ball will never OHKO 28/252+ Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock. +1 Fire Blast in the sun, however, has a decent chance (a little over 50%) to OHKO Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>Toxic Spikes, Sandstorm damage, and the fact that Mewtwo commonly carries Life Orb can help wear it down quickly. Giratina-O can make a dent in Mewtwo with Shadow Sneak, but Ice Beam does major damage back. Draco Meteor will also do severe damage but first you have to survive a hit. Keep in mind, Giratina-O fails against StallTwo unless you are using the Calm Mind Shadow Ball set. Ghost Arceus can take a hit and OHKO back with Judgment provided it hasn't used Calm Mind. If it has +1 SpD, Arceus needs a good deal of prior damage to ensure the KO with Judgment. Physical Ghost Arceus can bypass any boosts Mewtwo obtained with Shadow Claw but will fail against StallTwo. Victini resists all of Mewtwo's commonly used moves and can OHKO with V-create in the sun. Despite it resisting, Mewtwo can still 2HKO it after Stealth Rock so it has to be careful switching into too many Psytrikes or the rare Shadow Ball. Thunder Wave Thundurus can sacrifice itself to cripple Mewtwo with paralysis.</p>

<p>If you can keep Stealth Rock off the field, Multiscale Lugia can attempt to check Mewtwo with Thunder Wave or Toxic in combination with Roost. It can also just spam Roost to kill Mewtwo with Life Orb recoil, but this won't work if Mewtwo has Calm Mind or Taunt, and only against offensive variants and if luck favors you by not cursing Lugia with a critical hit. StallTwo will just shut down Lugia with Taunt as Dragon Tail does negligible damage. For StallTwo, powerful special attackers (such as Kyogre and Reshiram) are good choices. Ho-Oh and Reshiram are immune to Will-o-Wisp from StallTwo, but both take a beating from Psystrike. They can effectively force it out (or KO it) in most cases though. However, Mewtwo can potentially wall Choice Scarf Reshiram if it switches in on Light Screen. While normally rare in Ubers, Bisharp can revenge kill Mewtwo with Sucker Punch, but requires good prediction as Mewtwo can easily play mind games with Calm Mind and Substitute. Lastly, Choice Scarf Heracross can OHKO any Mewtwo set with Megahorn and has Guts to ignore Will-O-Wisp from StallTwo.


The analysis was really thorough, but I would strongly consider editing it down, especially the Checks and Counters section; after a while it just gets hard to read.
 

shrang

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Thanks for the check, Nutrix, I didn't even realise that you had done this until Oglemi alerted it to me a couple of days ago. More GP checks are needed!
 
additions deletions comments

Thanks to Nutrix for the amcheck. It was my framework for this check, in which I changed some other things as well. As Nutrix suggested, you should try cutting out some stuff. Might not be easy to do so but think about it at least. I've tried to make edits that help make it shorter. Think about whether you really need the comparison to RBY Amnesia, whether you really need to hype Mewtwo with so many highly positive adjectives, etc. Also, for a mon with no counters, your checks and counters section is so long!!! You don't need to mention everything that can do anything about Mewtwo in this section -- leave battlers to figure some of that out, as they do with other Pokemon. Take a look at the old Mewtwo analysis for a more reasonable length.

Besides needing to be cut down, this analysis was quite good.

<p>The classic God of Pokemon has always been one of the most fearsome combatants of Ubers, but generation 5 has given Mewtwo a gift so great that even Arceus is jealous: Psystrike. This move strikes fear into old nemesis nemeses like Blissey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, because now as it makes Mewtwo has become a fearsome mixed attacker with absolutely almost none of the previous downsides! Like many other Uber Pokemon, Mewtwo has the stats and movepool to do virtually anything it wants, ranging from a fearsome sweeper to a frustrating staller, its versatility ensures that there is absolutely nothing that can call itself a counter. However, while it is by no means frail, Mewtwo is not the bulkiest Pokemon around,. and with its susceptibility to entry hazards and priority attacks, its longetivity is an issue in the hard hitting Uber metagame. Like other Pokemon with huge movepools, it is a pity that Mewtwo can only use four of them at the same time. These problems highlight its greatest flaw of all (RC) : that Mewtwo is unable to run everything at once. You have to choose whether it is between bulky or and powerful, sacrificing one for the other, and you need to get that right balance the two correctly for Mewtwo to function well. (AC) and Mewtwo's typing does not help its cause defensively. It does not help its cause when Mewtwo's typing is rather poor defensively. BW2 also introduced Genesect, which made Mewtwo a lot easier to check for offensive teams. It is otherwise perfect, as its flaws end here. Dr. Fuji's dream was to create the world's most powerful Pokemon, and he most definitely succeeded.</p>


[SET]
name: Psycho Killer
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast
move 4: Fire Blast / Calm Mind
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>If there is one set in the game that embodies the word "uncounterable", this one is probably it. Its Mewtwo's blazing base 130 Speed and sky-high base 154 Special Attack make Mewtwo it a terrifying sweeper and end-game cleaner. Psystrike may very well be the second best move ever available to it, second only to RBY Amnesia. It allows Mewtwo to take out all sorts of special walls, namely Blissey, Chansey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, without needing to waste EVs in Attack, by striking (pun intended? :O) them on their relatively their weaker Defense. Between Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, and Fire Blast, Mewtwo hits everything that resists Psystrike. Aura Sphere destroys the likes of Tyranitar and Darkrai, while doing a lot of damage to Dialga. Ice Beam brings down Lugia and Giratina, especially physically defensive variants. Fire Blast fries Genesect, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, as well as being and is Mewtwo's most powerful option in the sun, OHKOing bulky threats such as Jirachi and Steel Arceus, as well as having a good chance to do the same to Lugia after it has switched into Stealth Rock, if Mewtwo has a Calm Mind boost. I would just remove this last part because it's awkward to keep it in the same sentence, but if it's a really big deal, then you could make it its own sentence. Calm Mind pushes its Mewtwo's Special Attack to even higher levels, as well as and also making makes it surprisingly resilient on the special side, taking all sorts of abuse, letting it take attacks such as Draco Meteor from Choice Scarf Palkia. Calm Mind is also extremely important for Mewtwo to take down walls with also lets Mewtwo take down walls effectively, since without it (AC) Pokemon such as Lugia, Giratina, and max HP Arceus can spam Recover and to Life Orb stall Mewtwo otherwise, provided they switch in unscathed. (Last part just doesn't matter as it's implicit.)</p>

<p>In terms of the combination of moves used, you cannot really go terribly wrong if you use Psystrike coupled with three of the accessory moves just mentioned. As for move selection, Psystrike along with three coverage moves is a fine choice. Generally, four attacks Mewtwo with four attacks is preferable, since its setup opportunties are usually quite limited. Calm Mind, however, makes Mewtwo much more dangerous and harder to wall. The best general moveset with Calm Mind is Calm Mind / Psystrike / Aura Sphere / Ice Beam, which hits most things in the tier retains excellent coverage while hitting Lugia and Giratina, the two bulkiest walls in the tier, for super effective damage. However, if you can give it sun support, it is strongly recommended to replace Ice Beam for Fire Blast, If you can give Mewtwo sun support, Fire Blast should replace Ice Beam for due to its power and coverage, especially against Genesect. The only Pokemon which stands a chance of walling Calm Mind Mewtwo in the sun is physically defensive Giratina, and even it risks getting 2HKOed by Psystrike. It should be noted Note, however, that Mewtwo is not defeating can't defeat physically defensive Giratina directly if it lacks one-on-one without Ice Beam, since Giratina can still phaze Mewtwo out with Dragon Tail and deal decent damage to it in the process. While it Mewtwo with Fire Blast and Calm Mind is the most potent variant, the fact that rain is more popular than sun rain's popularity makes Fire Blast a little less attractive for teams that don't have sun support.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The moves listed above gives Mewtwo best all-round coverage, but there are other more specific moves which can replace one of Mewtwo's accessory moves if the need arises. but they can be replaced if other moves better fit your team. Recover allows Mewtwo to mitigate some of the heavy residual damage that it tends to take. Grass Knot hits Groudon and Kyogre for super effective damage;. OHKOing Groudon is a very attractive incentive over Ice Beam, which fails to do so against bulky variants in particular OHKOing all Groudon, which Ice Beam can fail to do. Thunder can be used to hit Lugia and Kyogre all in one, as well as while hitting most Steel-types hard. Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's strongest attack attack against Wobbuffet, Lugia, and Ghost Arceus in the rain, while Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if you value its accuracy. Charge Beam be allows Mewtwo to quickly finish off a weakened Pokemon and potentially get a Special Attack boost.</p>

<p>The given EV spread used help maximizes Mewtwo's Speed and Special Attack. Life Orb is preferred to make Mewtwo as powerful as possible, but other items let Mewtwo set up more Calm Minds. If you are turned off by the recoil, however, Leftovers can always be used to improve lengthen Mewtwo's lifespan, but the power drop is very significant, losing out on 2HKOes against Giratina, max HP Arceus, and Lugia (with a Calm Mind boost). (Previous sentence is really clunky, as I have no idea what the Calm Mind boost pertains to. Are you saying boosted Lugia? Boosted all of the three mons? Are you saying Mewtwo has to be at +1 and with a Life Orb to 2HKO Lugia or to 2HKO all of them? Reword to make clear.) Like Leftovers, Lum Berry is similar power-wise lessens Mewtwo's power, but can allows Mewtwo to set up on status inflicting Pokemon users such as Thunder Wave Ferrothorn. On the flip side, though, is that Lum Berry and Leftovers gives Mewtwo more Calm Mind opportunities to compensate for their lack of power. Expert Belt is an interesting option to conserve gives Mewtwo conditional power while conserving its Mewtwo's health. Even though it does not boost Psystrike most of the time, Mewtwo's super effective coverage is good enough to hit most targets for super effective damage , that whatever Psystrike doesn't hit super effectively, its coverage moves will. Mind Plate is a similar case, except it boosts Psystrike only instead of coverage moves. On the other hand, Mind Plate boosts only Psystrike and not Mewtwo's Coverage moves. With Mind Plate, Psystrike is still powerful enough to 2HKO specially defensive Giratina and Latias, as well as and OHKO max HP Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage.</p>

<p>The only things that keep a lid on Mewtwo are Choice Scarf users, priority attacks, residual damage, and the fact that it can only use four moves at a time its inability to cover all threats with four moves. If Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast, Scizor can checkmate it with Pursuit or and U-turn, while Jirachi can take pretty much anything it dishes out and paralyze it with Body Slam. Metagross can also do lots of damage in return, while not taking too much from Aura Sphere. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar destroys if with no trouble at all, while Dialga, Dark Arceus, and Darkrai can be more troublesome if it is not sunny outside of sunny weather. If Ice Beam is not included in the moveset, then Lugia counters Mewtwo if it is not sunny without sun, while Giratina becomes much more of a big problem. If Calm Mind is omitted, then Mewtwo has a much harder time against defensive teams in general, especially those with Latias, Lugia, or Giratina in them.</p>

<p>The major route that most Most Ubers teams take plan to take down Mewtwo is to take it out via a Choice Scarfer, due to the tiny puddle of Pokemon that can as few Pokemon can actually wall it. It should be noted that not many Choice Scarf users can actually OHKO a healthy Mewtwo, but with Life Orb recoil and heavy entry hazards use in the metagame, it becomes much easier can put it in range. Most Choice Scarf users require at least one round of Life Orb recoil in addition to Stealth Rock damage to be able to OHKO Mewtwo. The exceptions to this are Choice Scarf Kyogre (using fully powered Water Spout with full HP), Modest Choice Scarf Reshiram in the sun, Adamant Choice Scarf Kyurem-B and Zekrom, Choice Scarf Heracross, Choice Scarf Victini, and finally Choice Scarf Genesect (either through +1 U-turn or Bug Buzz). Genesect in particular is problematic for Mewtwo, since it can KO Mewtwo a lot of the time with U-turn, and instead of avoid being locked into an attack that may be advantageous for another sweeper to set up on;, it has already retreated. (you have to word this differently, as U-turn does 80% max with +1 SpA, which is what Genesect will be getting against Mewtwo, unless it invests in SpD EVs) it Genesect is also extremely difficult to trap. Wobbuffet can remove most Choice Scarfers, with the exception of those just mentioned. If you are have sun support, though, removing Choice Scarf Kyogre is not too difficult with Wobbuffet, as you can sacrifice Groudon (provided it is safe to do so) to Kyogre to bring in the sun, then use Wobbuffet to trap and remove Kyogre while it is sunny (AC) keeping the match sunny the rest of the way. Sacrificing Hippowdon or Tyranitar when using a sand team has a similar effect. You might want to try tightening this section up, but if you think a full explanation is necessary, by all means keep it. Reshiram is difficult to deal with if you are using a sun team, but is easy for rain and sand teams to take on. Victini can be trapped and KOed with by Tyranitar or other Pursuit users that are not weak to its attacks. Heracross is walled by many Pokemon, such as the Giratina formes and Groudon. Genesect is a nightmare to try and pin down, but some ways to make life difficult for it is to heavily abuse entry hazards, while possibly and try to hitting it hard on the a switch (Psystrike does a lot of damage, while Fire attacks OHKO it).Consider having this sentence with the others about Genesect. Luring out Choice Scarf users with Thunder Wave Kyogre is also a good strategy. Kyogre tends to lure in Choice Scarf Palkia and Zekrom, as well as Latias, a wall that gives Mewtwo trouble.</p>

<p>Residual damage has been mentioned, but it is should be stressed that one of the reasons Mewtwo is manageable in the metagame is due to Life Orb and entry hazard damage, which allows priority attacks and weaker Choice Scarf users to pick it off. Life Orb and entry hazard damage allow priority attacks and Choice Scarf users to pick it off. This makes Mewtwo much more manageable in the metagame. Rapid Spin and Magic Bounce users will help mitigate entry hazard damage as much possible. For offensive teams that tend to carry Mewtwo, Custap Berry Forretress, Kabutops, and Excadrill are all good offensive Rapid Spin users. (AC) while Xatu and Espeon can be used for provide Magic Bounce for the team. Wish support from Blissey or Jirachi can help Mewtwo, but is not always necessary.</p>

<p>In terms of offensive pressure and synergy, sometimes it is best to just stack sweepers with good offensive synergy with Mewtwo. Rock Polish Groudon and Landorus-T can set up on Choice Scarf Zekrom. (AC) Scizor, Steel Arceus, and Bisharp can set up on Choice-locked Dragon-type attacks. Latias can set up on Choice Scarf Kyogre, as can water-resistant Arceus formes such as Water, Grass, and Dragon. Extreme Killer Arceus can set up on most Choice Scarf users, while besides Choice Scarf Terrakion (AC) which cannot defeat Mewtwo. Dual Screen support is also extremely beneficial to also benefits Mewtwo, since most revenge killers are itching to take it down, only to have to wait for longer because their attacks cannot KO Mewtwo with screens up screens prevent revenge killers from easily KOing Mewtwo. While Wobbuffet does not share have particularly good synergy with Mewtwo, it can still Encore support moves such as Calm Mind (Calm Mind isn't a support move unless it's being used with Baton Pass, so you're going to have to modify the preceding line somehow), which gives giving Mewtwo a free set-up opportunity.</p>


[SET]
name: Bulky Booster
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psystrike
move 3: Recover
move 4: Flamethrower / Aura Sphere / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Mewtwo's bulk, allowing it to set up Calm Mind with greater ease. It sacrifices and sacrificing Mewtwo's raw off-the-bat destructive power for greater longevity. With Calm Mind and Recover, Mewtwo could can slowly boost in front of special attackers. This set is particularly useful on sand teams, (RC) or and teams that are more susceptible to Fighting-types, (RC) such as Fighting Arceus. With Normally, entry hazard damage and sandstorm recoil, it is easy for Mewtwo to be whittled down before opposing Fighting Arceuses takes the field against a sandstorm team, whittle Mewtwo down, but this set allows Mewtwo to stick around for longer to check threats such as Fighting Arceus. Change that last part however you see fit, I don't whether Mewtwo normally checks or counters Arceus-Fighting. Be aware, though, that this Mewtwo set has significant coverage issues. hat defeats Mewtwo it i depend heavily on the coverage move it is using. Psystrike is Mewtwo's STAB attack, and sets it apart from many special attackers, due to its ability to ignore opposing Calm Mind users by hitting their physical defense instead. You've already explained Psystrike quite a lot this analysis. The final move gives Mewtwo strong important coverage. Finally, this Mewtwo's counters heavily depend on its chosen coverage move. Flamethrower allows Mewtwo to hit most Steel-types for super-effective damage, in particular OHKOing Genesect (RC) . and this This is especially important because with a bulky spread, Mewtwo can survive both U-turn and Bug Buzz from Choice Scarf Genesect, something that could not be done with an offensive spread. Flamethrower also allows Mewtwo to hit most Steel-types for super effective damage. Aura Sphere hits Tyranitar, Dialga and Darkrai for super effective damage. While Ice Beam may not appear to not add significant coverage, but it does hit Lugia and Giratina for super effective damage, while and having an attack being able to quickly OHKO Rayquaza is always nice as well.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread used maximizes Mewtwo's bulk while maximizing and Speed. While the 4 Defense EVs might not look like much, it they prevents Genesect from getting an Attack boost, (AC) which would allow it to OHKO Mewtwo with U-turn. If Mewtwo has a Calm Mind boost, it will also survive a +1 Bug Buzz from Choice Scarf Genesect. Given the nature of the set and potential use on sand teams, Leftovers is by far and away the best item to use by far. In terms of other move options, Fire Blast can replace Flamethrower to hit Excadrill harder in the rain, as well as for more power in general if the sun is shining. I would move this sentence to the next paragraph, to keep it with all the other move options.</p>

<p>This set exacerbates Mewtwo's already severe four moveslot syndrome. Taunt and Substitute can prevent status and phazing attempts. However, keep in mind, (RC) that if Recover is dropped for one of these moves, that Mewtwo would will have a lot less staying power, which goes against the point of this set in the first place. Conversely Similarly, you can shift EVs from HP into Special Attack, but that would also allow Mewtwo to be more easily revenge killed. As for move options, Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder while still hitting Lugia hard super effectively. Grass Knot can be used to take down Groudon easily, while Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's most powerful attack against Wobbuffet.</p>

<p>Mewtwo's four moveslot syndrome has been mentioned already, but with this set in particular it has many counters according to whatever no matter what move it runs. Without Flamethrower, Mewtwo is walled by several Steel-types. Even with Flamethrower, Genesect is still going to be a major thorn in Mewtwo's side, and without it, Mewtwo stands no chance. Scizor will also make life hell for Mewtwo if it lacks lacking Flamethrower , (RC) by checkmating (this isn't a checkmate, as Mewtwo has a chance of escape, so change this word) it with Pursuit and U-turn, while Skarmory can take Aura Spheres and Ice Beams and force Mewtwo out with Whirlwind. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar makes Mewtwo it completely useless through Pursuit Tyranitar walls Mewtwo and checkmates it with Pursuit, while Dialga can take attacks from it and either Roar it out, (RC) or poison it with Toxic. In general, Lugia and Giratina wall Mewtwo, even with Ice Beam, although they will not enjoy taking boosted Ice Beams for too long. Genesect is very difficult to pin down and take out, but having entry hazards up will make it difficult for Genesect limit Genesect's ability to continue to U-turn in and out. If you can get it to be stuck into an attack that is not U-turn or Bug Buzz, Wobbuffet can trap and KO it. Pursuit is difficult to escape as well While Pursuit is inescapable, but Pokemon such as Fighting Arceus, Groudon, Landorus, and Gliscor can all set up on Tyranitar pretty easily. Fighting Arceus is also good for taking down Dialga. Finally, Lugia and Giratina are generally set-up bait for entry hazard users, such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress.</p>


[SET]
name: Support (StallTwo)
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Recover
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
move 4: Psystrike / Light Screen / Substitute
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 72 SpD / 184 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Using a defensive Defensive Mewtwo seems rather weird, but it is surprisingly, (RC) extremely Dare I say super? effective. It is especially useful against opposing stall teams thanks to Mewtwo's great Speed and support movepool, (AC) which let it stall out and annoy a wide variety of threats. Pressure can easily sap up all the opponent's PP, this is handy in a tier filled with low PP moves such as Spacial Rend and Draco Meteor. Taunt allows Mewtwo to prevent other Pokemon from hitting it with status, healing themselves, or setting up. (You could find this in Smogon's move database. Instead of saying this, explain what Taunt does for Mewtwo in particular, not for Pokemon in general.) Recover, (RC) in conjunction with Mewtwo's Speed allows it to heal before most things can even touch it, making it extremely hard to break. Furthermore, when combined with Pressure, Recover can easily sap up all of the opponent's PP. This is handy in a tier filled with 8 PP moves such as Spacial Rend and Draco Meteor. Once again, four moveslot syndrome kicks in for slots 3 and 4 for Mewtwo. (Can't reference set order in analysis.) Will-O-Wisp allows Mewtwo to stall out non-Fire-type physical attackers quite effectively, letting it repeatedly heal while they slowly die to burn damage, (AC) and It easily cripples many initial switch-ins to Mewtwo, such as Genesect and Tyranitar. Toxic does more damage in the long run, and hits Fire-types outside of Heatran, with the downside of leaving Mewtwo helpless against Steel-types and without a way to cushion the blows of physical powerhouses such as Zekrom and Groudon. As such, Will-O-Wisp is usually the better option because Mewtwo's defenses, while not frail low, are not amazing either.</p>

<p>Psystrike allows Mewtwo is Mewtwo's only option to hit Ho-Oh and Reshiram hard if you are running Will-O-Wisp, as otherwise Mewtwo would have no way of touching them. It also lets Mewtwo deter prevents powerful attackers such as Kyogre and Kyurem-W from switching in as easily for free. Light Screen lets Mewtwo sponge the hits of powerful special attackers with ease, and makes Mewtwo fairly hard to crack when used with Will-O-Wisp. Substitute is useful for scouting a switch in and preventing status. It also helps Mewtwo stall out the numerous moves with 8 low PP, thanks to Pressure. lets Mewtwo Pressure stall more effectively. As a bonus, Mewtwo's Substitute is strong enough to survive most Dragon Tails, (AC) so Mewtwo can freely setup set up on it (set up on what?) as Roar is blocked by Taunt. Without Substitute, stall teams can still Dragon Tail you Mewtwo out, which can get annoying when combined with entry hazards. There is very little reason to run any item other than Leftovers. While Mewtwo really specializes in neutering things with Taunt + Status + Recover spam, it will often rely on prediction between status and Taunt (Gyro Ball vs Leech Seed on Ferrothorn, for example). One wrong move can be really detrimental.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The given EVs maximize bulk while still allowing it Mewtwo to outspeed Tornadus-T. However, they are not EVs are definitely not set in stone as Mewtwo has a variety of viable EV spread. You can run enough speed to outspeed Darkrai (216 EVs with a Timid nature), or, if outspeeding Arceus doesn't bother you isn't a concern, drop it down to keep enough to outspeed base 110s Speed Pokemon such as Latias, Latios, and Lugia (96 EVs with Timid nature or 220 EVs with neutral nature). These three are a handy benchmarks, but you can drop further lower Mewtwo's speed down still further to enough to outspeed base 95s, (RC) namely such as Rayquaza and Kyurem-W, if those are all you really care about (88 EVs with neutral nature). Where you move the EVs to is really up to you. Mewtwo can even go physically or specially defensive, (RC) and you can even by shifting the SpD EVs to Def.</p>

<p>With Will-O-Wisp you have to stall for more turns (risking critical hits, 10% chance moves etc) than Toxic, but with Toxic physical attackers give you trouble. (You already mentioned this.) Without Light Screen, powerful special attackers can demolish Mewtwo, although not many like taking even an uninvested Psystrike (252 HP Kyogre has a good chance to be 2HKOed after Stealth Rock). Chansey or Blissey can easily sponge special attacks if you forgo Light Screen, making them excellent partners. Mewtwo in return can easily switch in on Fighting-type moves, such as Close Combat and OHKO most of them with most Fighting-types with Psytrike. It also KOes Tentacruel which can Rapid Spin on Mewtwo otherwise. Are we suddenly talking about Psystrike? Might want to make the transition between Light Screen and Psytrike more clear, or remove the sentence about Tentacruel. One of the great things about this Mewtwo set is that it completely rewrites the list of Pokemon that can check or counter it; defensive or bulky Pokemon hoping to tank a hit from Mewtwo and cripple it through non-attacking methods are now easily neutered and offense is the easiest way to break through it.</p>

<p>Darkrai, Ho-Oh, and Reshiram are the biggest enemies to this set if Mewtwo is running Will-O-Wisp. Darkrai doesn't really care about anything Mewtwo can run besides Toxic and can smash it with Dark Pulse or sleep it with Dark Void. Be aware though, that with the right prediction, Mewtwo can use Light Screen to cushion Dark Pulse and prevent Dark Void with Taunt, so taking out Mewtwo with Darkrai may be harder than you would expect. Ho-Oh and Reshiram don't really appreciate Psystrike, but can wall Mewtwo to no end if it lacks both Psystrike and Toxic. These are two Pokemon you do not want to give a free switch in to, so Stealth Rock support and something to deal with them is helpful if you forgo both of these moves. Kyogre can take Fire-type attacks from both but has to watch out for their other STAB move. Kyogre can also take care of these Fire-types as well as Darkrai provided that Sleep Clause is activated and Dark Pulse doesn't flinch, or if Kyogre is running a Sleep Talk set. Using your Your own Ho-Oh can also help deal with Reshiram and Darkrai.</p>

<p>Toxic Spikes completely neuter this Mewtwo set, so a spinner or absorber (such as Forretress, Tentacruel, Excadrill, Poison Arceus) is almost mandatory. Toxic Spikes support of your own may contradict conflict with the use of Will-O-Wisp, but they are notable for notably allowing Mewtwo to simply Taunt and begin spamming Recover without having to waste a turn and take damage using Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Just like Like most defensive pokemon, (AC) this set appreciates entry hazards support for the switching it will cause, especially against stall teams. Xatu easily shuts this set down with Magic Bounce unless you are willing to use Ice Beam over Psystrike, but that is not recommended. Anything powerful can smash Xatu such as Kyogre, Palkia and Zekrom are great candidates. The occasional Heatran will also annoy this set due to its immunity to both burn and poison, (RC) and its resistsance to Psystrike as well. Pairing up this set with Either Kyogre or Zekrom can help deal with both Heatran and Xatu easily. Prankster users such as Sableye, Thundurus, and Tornadus can Taunt Mewtwo before it does anything Taunts them (AC) though the latter two have to watch out for Psystrike. Thundurus and Tornadus can also Taunt Mewtwo with impunity if it lacks an attacking move. Kyogre can also take down most of them without much effort, although it will need a Choice Scarf to be able to outspeed Thundurus.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Fire Blast / Trick / Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Mewtwo's power and excellent Speed let it outpace many dangerous threats and be a decent revenge killer. With a Choice Scarf, it reaches 591 Speed, outspeeding anything not at +2. Not only can Mewtwo be a decent revenge killer, but it can also clean late game when his counters such as Lugia are weakened. Besides revenge killing, Mewtwo can also clean late game when its counters such as Lugia are weakened. Psystrike is for STAB and is generally Mewtwo's most powerful move, (AC) but beware of trappers, (RC) such as Tyranitar coming in for free. Thanks to Psytrike, Mewtwo has a good chance of breaking past Blissey and Chansey, but keep in mind, that requires with entry hazard support. One good thing about Mewtwo is that it's not completely walled by the pink blobs, however, unlike most other special attacking Choice Scarf users. Ice Beam hits Pokemon such Rayquaza and Salamence for an easy OHKO and Mewtwo easily outruns even +1 Salamence with this set. Mewtwo easily OHKOes Pokemon such as Rayquaza and Salamence and outruns even +1 Salamence with this set. Fire Blast, Flamethrower and Aura Sphere lets you revenge kill Excadrill and most Steel-types. It's good to have Aura Sphere in there somewhere just in case run into for neutral SmashPass recipients such as Dialga, as well as Choice Scarf Darkrai. Aura Sphere is also Mewtwo's only option to 2HKO defensive Tyranitar, (AC) and nails Heatran for solid damage too. Trick can let you cripple a walls, (RC) such as Lugia and Giratine, which would both be willing to switch in if they see no Life Orb recoil. It can also surprise Latias and Latios by removing their prized Soul Dew.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread listed gives Mewtwo enough maximizes Mewtwo's Speed, letting it to outspeed Kingdra in the rain, Adamant Excadrill in the sand, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S, Darkrai, and Rock Polish Adamant Groudon. It also lets Mewtwo keep its excellent unboosted Speed if has Tricked its Choice Scarf away continue to outspeed unboosted threats if it has Tricked its Choice Scarf away. However, since Mewtwo is so fast, it can afford to invest in bulk or a Modest nature if outspeeding the aforementioned threats are not crucial for your team. A spread of 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe and a Modest nature outspeeds Choice Scarf Terrakion. 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe with a Timid nature also outspeeds Terrakion, but focuses more on bulk. 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe outspeeds +1 base 100s.</p>

<p>Mewtwo has some other coverage moves it can use thanks to its wide movepool. Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder but will still fail to OHKO or even 2HKO Specially Defensive Kyogre, generally making Psystrike the much safer option to hit the whale unless you know it is physically defensive. Shadow Ball is another option to hit opposing Mewtwo, Lugia, Ghost Arceus, Wobbuffet and Giratina, (AC) but is a really weak move otherwise. Mewtwo still can't revenge kill Extreme Killer Arceus, so you'd need something else for it&mdash; Aura Sphere will only 2HKO Arceus while a boosted ExtremeSpeed will KO Mewtwo back. If you're running Fire Blast, sun support is good for maximum power; In the sun, Fire Blast is even stronger than Psystrike. Wobbuffet can easily trap this Mewtwo, (AC) so you will have to predict carefully when you see one. Watch out for entry hazard layers like Ferrothorn and Forretress, (AC) as they can switching into pretty much any move not named besides Fire Blast or Aura Sphere. Mewtwo can no longer break walls as effectively with this set, as the reduced power reduction is rather significant; even standard Great Wall Giratina will never be 2HKOed by Ice Beam and totally laughs at Psystrike. However, Giratina will however, need to watch out for Trick.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Physical sets with Bulk Up can be used to surprise certain checks such as Tyranitar. It Bulk Up also helps to reduce damage from potential revenge killers such as Arceus with ExtremeSpeed and Giratina-O with Shadow Sneak. However, physical Mewtwo is easily walled by Giratina, Lugia, Groudon, (AC) and even Ho-Oh, (AC) depending on what the coverage moves Mewtwo has. It is also very weak to begin with. Psytrike doesn't really hit many things for super-effective and some KOes will be lost without Life Orb such as the OHKO on Kyogre at +1. Does this go in Psycho Killer AC?</p>

<p>Mewtwo does have a massive movepool, (AC) but is generally more most effective sticking to the sets listed. Dual Screens + Selfdestruct + Taunt can be used on offensive or Baton Pass teams, (AC) but sacrifing Mewtwo for it this is usually not worth it. Choice Specs is rather mediocre because Mewtwo prefers the ability to switch moves, (AC) but the extra power gained from Choice Specs can surprise opponents. Defense boosting moves such as Barrier can be used on the StallTwo set, (AC) but pure defensive roles are better left to bulkier walls such as Lugia or Giratina.</p>


[Checks and Counters]

<p>Mewtwo does not have any failsafe counters. Ever. It has such amazing power and coverage, (RC) that there is no such thing as a safe switch in and, (AC) every check usually relies its checks depend purely on what move and set it is using. Genesect is probably the best check, (AC) as it can easily OHKO most Mewtwo with a +1 U-turn or Bug Buzz. The physical Scarf Genesect is preferred because it will OHKO the standard Psycho Killer with U-turn regardless of its boosts. (You'd better check this, as my calculations suggest that Genesect requires a Download boost to do this.) but However, one wrong switch into Fire Blast will end it, and even Psystrike or Aura Sphere will punch a huge hole into Genesect, which means it can only come in safely after one of its teammates has fallen on a revenge. Since Mewtwo lacks any true counters, revenge killers are often used. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, Zekrom, Ho-Oh, Kyogre and Reshiram are the more prominent ones. Be wary of going straight to revenge killers though, as few things outright KO full HP Mewtwo, so hazards and abuse of Life Orb recoil via prediction are often useful before the revenge killer comes in. That being said, almost every user of Choice Scarf can revenge kill Mewtwo after some prior damage. It is not advisable to use weaker ones such as Garchomp and Terrakion because they simply lack the power to KO Mewtwo even after Stealth Rock and one round of Life Orb damage. Specially based Choice Scarf users must be careful of Calm Mind, as it will prevent slightly weaker attacks such as Choice Scarf Palkia's Spacial Rend from revenge killing Mewtwo. One also must be careful because checks to offensive Mewtwo often fall flat against a support variant or even a more defensively-oriented offensive set.</p> (I find this section pretty annoying because it almost only reiterates a whole paragraph that of the Psycho Killer section. I guess you need this because it pertains to Mewtwo in general, but you should consider shortening it because otherwise its so redundant.)

<p>Defensive Dark Arceus with Payback is a bit gimmicky, (AC) but is probably one of the closest things to a "counter" offensive Mewtwo has; however, it but will lose to StallTwo. Payback will not do enough damage to StallTwo, (AC) and is outstalled by Taunt and repeated burn or poison damage. In a similar vein, Psychic Arceus walls Psycho Killer if Mewtwo it lacks Fire Blast or and the sun isn't shining, (AC) and It can 2HKO Mewtwo with Payback and ExtremeSpeed. In the rain, Psychic Arceus is an even better check than Dark Arceus because the best option Mewtwo has is Ice Beam or the rare Shadow Ball. Jirachi can check offensive variants in the rain or even in neutral weather if they lack Fire Blast, (AC) as +1 Aura Sphere fails to 2HKO, but Fire Blast still can. However, Jirachi will still have an opportunity to cripple Mewtwo with poison or paralysis, effectively neutering it. Repeated Iron Heads and potential flinches will usually give Jirachi the win. In a similar vein, Metagross and or Bronzong can be used for a more offensive and less defensive check in the rain as long as Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast. Meteor Mash and Gyro Ball will both 2HKO Mewtwo easily while an unboosted Aura Sphere will not 2HKO back.</p>

<p>If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Dialga, Heatran, and Tyranitar can all act as effective checks. Keep in mind that standard Ubers Heatran can never OHKO Mewtwo, while Dialga needs a Choice Specs to do so. Tyranitar can safely KO Mewtwo with a super effective Crunch while taking little damage even from Thunder. Without Life Orb and Calm Mind, Chansey has a respectable chance to live 2 Psystrikes, but don't count on it because any Mewtwo without Life Orb will most likely have either Calm Mind or Substitute. She is probably at best, an emergency check only. Wobbuffet can very effectively check non-Taunt variants, as even +1 Shadow Ball will never OHKO 28/252+ Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock. +1 Fire Blast in the sun, however, has a decent chance (a little over 50%) to OHKO Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock.</p>

<p>Toxic Spikes, Sandstorm damage, and the fact that Mewtwo commonly carries Life Orb can help wear it down quickly. Giratina-O can make a dent in Mewtwo with Shadow Sneak, but Ice Beam does major damage back. Draco Meteor will also do severe damage but first you have to survive a hit. Keep in mind, Giratina-O fails against StallTwo unless you are using the Calm Mind Shadow Ball set. Ghost Arceus can take a hit and OHKO back with Judgment provided it hasn't used Calm Mind. If it has +1 SpD, Arceus needs a good deal of prior damage to ensure the KO with Judgment. Physical Ghost Arceus can bypass any boosts Mewtwo obtained with Shadow Claw but will fail against StallTwo. Victini resists all of Mewtwo's commonly used moves and can OHKO with V-create in the sun. Despite it resisting, Mewtwo can still 2HKO it after Stealth Rock so it has to be careful switching into too many Psytrikes or the rare Shadow Ball. Thunder Wave Thundurus can sacrifice itself to cripple Mewtwo with paralysis.</p>

<p>If you can keep Stealth Rock off the field, Multiscale Lugia can attempt to check Mewtwo with Thunder Wave or Toxic in combination with Roost. It can also just spam Roost to kill Mewtwo with Life Orb recoil, but this won't work if Mewtwo has Calm Mind or Taunt, and only against offensive variants and if luck favors you by not cursing Lugia with a critical hit. StallTwo will just shut down Lugia with Taunt as Dragon Tail does negligible damage. For StallTwo, powerful special attackers (such as Kyogre and Reshiram) are good choices. Ho-Oh and Reshiram are immune to Will-o-Wisp from StallTwo, but both take a beating from Psystrike. They can effectively force it out (or KO it) in most cases though. However, Mewtwo can potentially wall Choice Scarf Reshiram if it switches in on Light Screen. While normally rare in Ubers, Bisharp can revenge kill Mewtwo with Sucker Punch, but requires good prediction as Mewtwo can easily play mind games with Calm Mind and Substitute. Lastly, Choice Scarf Heracross can OHKO any Mewtwo set with Megahorn and has Guts to ignore Will-O-Wisp from StallTwo.


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shrang

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Thanks for the check relaunched, sorry that took so long to implement, I've just been really really busy lately. I'll find some time to try and concise this soon, so I'd suggest that GP doesn't give it the 2nd check just yet.
 

Theorymon

Have a wonderful day, wahoo!
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Alright, me and shrang agreed that if this doesn't get a GP check one day after the return of SCMS, it's going to get uploaded. This has been done for such a long time but it needs one more grammar check. So please GP, please check this before I have to upload it, Mewtwo is an extremely important analysis!
 
[Overview]

<p>The classic God of Pokemon has always been one of the most fearsome combatants of Ubers, but BW has given Mewtwo a gift so great that even Arceus is jealous: Psystrike. This move strikes fear into old nemeses Blissey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, as it makes Mewtwo a fearsome mixed attacker with almost none of the previous downsides! Like many other Uber Pokemon, Mewtwo has the stats and movepool to do virtually anything it wants. With viable sets that range from a fearsome sweeper to a frustrating staller, its versatility ensures that there is absolutely nothing that can counter it. However, while it is by no means frail, Mewtwo is not the bulkiest Pokemon around, and with its susceptibility to entry hazards and priority attacks, its longevity is an issue in the hard hitting Uber metagame. Like other Pokemon with huge movepools, it is a pity that Mewtwo can only use four of them at the same time. These problems highlight its greatest flaw of all: Mewtwo is unable to run everything at once. You have to choose between bulk and power, and Mewtwo's typing is rather poor defensively. BW2 also introduced Genesect, which made Mewtwo a lot easier to check for offensive teams. It is otherwise perfect, as its flaws end here. Dr. Fuji's dream was to create the world's most powerful Pokemon, and he most definitely succeeded.</p>

[SET]
name: Psycho Killer
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast
move 4: Fire Blast / Calm Mind
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>If there is one set in the game that embodies the word "uncounterable", this is probably it. Mewtwo's blazing base 130 Speed and sky-high base 154 Special Attack make it a terrifying sweeper and end-game cleaner. Psystrike allows Mewtwo to take out all sorts of special walls, namely Blissey, Chansey, Ho-Oh, and Kyogre, without needing to waste EVs in Attack, by striking (pun unintended) their weaker Defense. Between Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, and Fire Blast, Mewtwo hits everything that resists Psystrike. Aura Sphere destroys the likes of Tyranitar and Darkrai, while doing a lot of damage to Dialga. Ice Beam brings down Lugia and Giratina, especially physically defensive variants. Fire Blast fries Genesect, Scizor, and Ferrothorn, and is Mewtwo's most powerful option in the sun, OHKOing bulky threats such as Jirachi and Steel Arceus, as well as Lugia, after Stealth Rock damage. Calm Mind pushes Mewtwo's Special Attack to even higher levels, allowing it to take down walls effectively. It also makes Mewtwo surprisingly resilient on the special side, letting it take attacks such as Draco Meteor from Choice Scarf Palkia. Without Calm Mind, Pokemon such as Lugia, Giratina, and 252/0 Arceus avoid being 2HKOed by its attacks.</p>

<p>As for move selection, Psystrike along with three coverage moves is a fine choice. Four attacks Mewtwo is preferable, since setup opportunities are usually quite limited for it. Calm Mind, however, makes Mewtwo much harder to wall. The best moveset for Calm Mind Mewtwo is Calm Mind, Psystrike, Aura Sphere, and Ice Beam, which retains excellent coverage while hitting Lugia and Giratina, the two bulkiest walls in the tier, for super effective damage. If you can give Mewtwo sun support, Fire Blast should replace Ice Beam due to its power and coverage, especially against Genesect. The only Pokemon that stands a chance of walling Calm Mind Mewtwo in the sun is physically defensive Giratina, who can phaze Mewtwo out with Dragon Tail, but even it risks getting 2HKOed by Psystrike. While Fire Blast Mewtwo is the most potent variant, rain's popularity makes Fire Blast less attractive for teams that don't have sun support.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The moves listed above gives Mewtwo best all-around coverage, but they can be replaced if other moves better fit your team. Recover allows Mewtwo to mitigate some of the heavy residual damage that it tends to take. Grass Knot hits Groudon and Kyogre for super effective damage, in particular OHKOing all Groudon, which Ice Beam can fail to do. Thunder hits Lugia and Kyogre super effectively while hitting most Steel-types hard. Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's strongest attack against Wobbuffet, Lugia, and Ghost Arceus in the rain, while Flamethrower can be used over Fire Blast if you value accuracy. Charge Beam allows Mewtwo to quickly finish off a weakened Pokemon and potentially get a Special Attack boost. Taunt can prevent walls from recovering health and can be used in place of Calm Mind.</p>

<p>The given EV spread maximizes Mewtwo's Speed and Special Attack. 4 Defense EVs are used so Genesect gets a Special Attack boost instead of an Attack boost to minimize U-turn damage. Life Orb is preferred to make Mewtwo as powerful as possible, but other items let Mewtwo set up more Calm Minds. If you are turned off by the recoil, Leftovers can lengthen Mewtwo's lifespan, but the power drop is very significant, losing out on 2HKOs against Giratina, 252/0 Arceus, and Lugia at +1. Like Leftovers, Lum Berry lessens Mewtwo's power, but can allow Mewtwo to set up on status-inflicting Pokemon such as Thunder Wave Ferrothorn. Expert Belt gives Mewtwo conditional power while conserving its Mewtwo's health. Even though it does not boost Psystrike most of the time, Mewtwo's coverage is enough to hit most targets for super effective damage. On the other hand, Mind Plate boosts only Psystrike and not Mewtwo's coverage moves. With Mind Plate, Psystrike is still powerful enough to 2HKO specially defensive Giratina and Latias, and OHKO 252/0 Kyogre after Stealth Rock damage.</p>

<p>The only things that keep Mewtwo in check are Choice Scarf users, priority attacks, residual damage, and its inability to cover all threats with four moves. If Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast, Scizor can checkmate it with Pursuit and U-turn, while Jirachi can take anything it dishes out and paralyze it with Body Slam. Metagross can also do lots of damage in return, while not taking much from Aura Sphere. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar destroys it with no trouble at all, while Dialga, Dark Arceus, and Darkrai can be troublesome outside of sunny weather. If Mewtwo forgoes Ice Beam, then Lugia counters Mewtwo without sun, while Giratina becomes a big problem. If Calm Mind is omitted, Mewtwo has a hard time against defensive teams in general, especially those with Latias, Lugia, or Giratina in them.</p>

<p>Most Ubers teams plan to take down Mewtwo via a Choice Scarf user, as few Pokemon can can actually wall it. It should be noted that not many Choice Scarf users can actually OHKO a healthy Mewtwo, but Life Orb recoil and entry hazards can put it in KO range. Most Choice Scarf users require at least one round of Life Orb recoil in addition to Stealth Rock damage to OHKO Mewtwo. The exceptions to this are Kyogre (with full HP Water Spout), Modest Reshiram in the sun, Adamant Kyurem-B and Zekrom, Heracross, Victini, and finally Genesect. Genesect in particular is problematic for Mewtwo, since it can deal massive damage to Mewtwo with U-turn, and avoid being locked into an attack that might be advantageous for another sweeper to set up on. Genesect is a nightmare to try and pin down, but some ways to make life difficult for it is to heavily stack on entry hazards, and try to hit it hard on the switch (Psystrike does a lot of damage, while Fire attacks OHKO it). Wobbuffet can remove most Choice Scarf users, with the exception of those just mentioned. Luring out Choice Scarf users with Thunder Wave Kyogre or other Thunder Wave users is a good strategy. Kyogre tends to lure in Choice Scarf Palkia and Zekrom, as well as Latias. If you do have sun support, though, removing Choice Scarf Kyogre is not too difficult with Wobbuffet, as you can sacrifice Groudon to Kyogre to bring in the sun, then use Wobbuffet to trap and remove Kyogre, keeping the rest of the match sunny. Sacrificing Hippowdon or Tyranitar when using a sand team has a similar effect. Reshiram is difficult to deal with if you are using a sun team, but is easy for rain and sand teams to take on. Victini can be trapped and KOed by Tyranitar or other Pursuit users that are not weak to its attacks. Heracross is walled by many Pokemon, such as the Giratina formes and Groudon. Lastly, as previously mentioned, Thunder Wave Kyogre tends to lure in Choice Scarf Palkia and Zekrom, as well as Latias, a wall that gives Mewtwo trouble.</p>

<p>Residual damage has been mentioned, but it should be stressed that Life Orb and entry hazard damage allow priority attacks and Choice Scarf users to pick Mewtwo off. Rapid Spin and Magic Bounce users will mitigate entry hazard damage. For offensive teams that tend to carry Mewtwo, Custap Berry Forretress, Kabutops, and Excadrill are all good offensive Rapid Spin users, while Xatu and Espeon provide Magic Bounce for the team. Wish support from Blissey or Jirachi can help Mewtwo, but is not always necessary.</p>

<p>In terms of offensive pressure and synergy, sometimes it is best to just stack sweepers with good offensive synergy with Mewtwo. Rock Polish Groudon and Landorus-T can set up on Choice Scarf Zekrom; Scizor, Steel Arceus, and Bisharp can set up on Choice-locked Dragon-type attacks. Latias can set up on Choice Scarf Kyogre, as can Water-resistant Arceus formes. ExtremeKiller Arceus can set up on most Choice Scarf users besides Choice Scarf Terrakion, which cannot defeat Mewtwo. Dual Screen support also benefits Mewtwo, since they prevent most revenge killers from easily KOing Mewtwo. While Wobbuffet does not have particularly good synergy with Mewtwo, it can still Encore setup moves such as Calm Mind, giving Mewtwo a free setup opportunity.</p>

[SET]
name: Bulky Booster
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Psystrike
move 3: Recover
move 4: Flamethrower / Aura Sphere / Ice Beam
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set maximizes Mewtwo's bulk, allowing it to set up Calm Mind with greater ease but sacrificing Mewtwo's immediate destructive power for greater longevity. With Calm Mind and Recover, Mewtwo can slowly boost in front of special attackers. This set is particularly useful on sand teams and teams that are more susceptible to Fighting-types such as Fighting Arceus. Normally, entry hazard damage and sandstorm recoil can easily whittle Mewtwo down, but this set allows Mewtwo to stick around for longer to counter threats such as Fighting Arceus. Be aware, though, that this Mewtwo set has significant coverage issues. Psystrike is Mewtwo's STAB attack, and helps it win Calm Mind wars. Flamethrower allows Mewtwo to hit most Steel-types for super-effective damage, in particular OHKOing Genesect. This is especially important because with a bulky spread, Mewtwo can survive both U-turn and Bug Buzz from Choice Scarf Genesect. Flamethrower also allows Mewtwo to hit most Steel-types for super effective damage. Aura Sphere hits Tyranitar, Dialga, and Darkrai for super effective damage. Ice Beam might not appear to add significant coverage, but it does hit Lugia and Giratina for super effective damage, and being able to quickly OHKO Rayquaza is always nice as well.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread used maximizes Mewtwo's bulk and Speed. While the 4 Defense EVs might not look like much, they prevent Genesect from getting an Attack boost. Given the nature of the set and potential use on sand teams, Leftovers is far and away the best item to use. This set exacerbates Mewtwo's already severe four-moveslot syndrome. Fire Blast can replace Flamethrower to hit Excadrill harder in the rain, as well as for more power in general. Taunt and Substitute can prevent status and phazing attempts. However, keep in mind that if Recover is dropped for one of these moves, Mewtwo will have a lot less staying power, which goes against the point of this set. As for move options, Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder while still hitting Lugia super effectively. Grass Knot can be used to take down Groudon easily, while Shadow Ball is Mewtwo's most powerful attack against Wobbuffet.</p>

<p>This set in particular has many counters no matter what move Mewtwo runs. Without Flamethrower, it will be walled by Steel-types. Even with Flamethrower, Genesect is a major thorn in Mewtwo's side. Scizor will also make life hell for Mewtwo that lack Flamethrower by checkmating it with Pursuit and U-turn, while Skarmory can take Aura Spheres and Ice Beams and force Mewtwo out with Whirlwind. If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Tyranitar walls Mewtwo and checkmates it with Pursuit, while Dialga can take attacks from it and either Roar it out or poison it with Toxic. In general, Lugia and Giratina wall Mewtwo, although they will not enjoy taking boosted Ice Beams for too long. Genesect is very difficult to pin down and take out, but entry hazards will limit Genesect's ability to continually U-turn in and out. If you can lock it into an attack that is not U-turn or Bug Buzz, Wobbuffet can trap and KO it. While Pursuit is inescapable, Pokemon such as Fighting Arceus, Groudon, Landorus, and Gliscor can all set up on Tyranitar easily. Fighting Arceus is also good for taking down Dialga. Finally, Lugia and Giratina are setup bait for entry hazard users, such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Forretress.</p>

[SET]
name: Support (StallTwo)
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Recover
move 3: Will-O-Wisp / Toxic
move 4: Psystrike / Light Screen / Substitute
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 72 SpD / 184 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Defensive Mewtwo seems rather weird, but it is surprisingly effective. It is especially useful against opposing stall teams thanks to Mewtwo's great Speed and support movepool, traits that let it stall out a wide variety of threats. Taunt forces defensive Pokemon to hit it with weak attacks instead of healing or using support moves, allowing Mewtwo to easily stall them out. Recover in conjunction with Mewtwo's Speed allows it to heal before most things can even touch it, making it extremely hard to break. Furthermore, when combined with Pressure, Recover can easily sap up all of the opponent's PP. This is handy in a tier filled with 8 PP moves such as Spacial Rend and Draco Meteor. Once again, four-moveslot syndrome kicks in for Mewtwo. Will-O-Wisp allows Mewtwo to stall out physical attackers quite effectively, letting it repeatedly heal while they slowly die to burn damage, and easily cripples many initial switch-ins to Mewtwo, such as Genesect and Tyranitar. Toxic does more damage in the long run, and hits Fire-types outside of Heatran, with the downside of leaving Mewtwo helpless against Steel-types and without a way to cushion the blows of physical powerhouses such as Zekrom and Groudon. As such, Will-O-Wisp is usually the better option because Mewtwo's defenses, while not especially low, are not amazing either.</p>

<p>Psystrike is Mewtwo's only option to hit Ho-Oh and Reshiram if you are running Will-O-Wisp. It also lets Mewtwo prevent powerful attackers such as Kyogre and Kyurem-W from switching in for free. Light Screen lets Mewtwo sponge all but the most powerful of special attacks, and makes Mewtwo hard to crack when used with Will-O-Wisp. Substitute is useful for scouting a switch in and preventing status. It also lets Mewtwo Pressure stall more effectively. As a bonus, Mewtwo's Substitute is strong enough to survive most Dragon Tails, while Roar and Whirlwind are blocked by Taunt. Without Substitute, stall teams can still Dragon Tail Mewtwo out, which can get annoying when combined with entry hazards. There is very little reason to run any item other than Leftovers. While Mewtwo really specializes in neutering things with Taunt + Status + Recover spam, it will often rely on prediction between status and Taunt (Gyro Ball vs Leech Seed on Ferrothorn, for example). One wrong move can prove fatal.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The given EVs maximize bulk while allowing Mewtwo to outspeed Tornadus-T. Otherwise, you can run enough Speed to outspeed Darkrai (216 EVs with a Timid nature), or, if outspeeding Arceus isn't a concern, drop it down to enough to outspeed base 110s Pokemon such as Latias, Latios, and Lugia (96 EVs with a Timid nature). 88 EVs and a neutral nature let Mewtwo outspeed base 95s such as Rayquaza and Kyurem-W. Mewtwo can even go physically defensive, by shifting the Special Defense EVs to Defense.</p>

<p>Without Light Screen, powerful special attackers can demolish Mewtwo, although not many like taking even an uninvested Psystrike (252/0 Kyogre has a good chance to be 2HKOed after Stealth Rock). Chansey and Blissey can easily sponge special attacks if you forgo Light Screen for Psystrike, making them excellent partners. Mewtwo in return can easily switch in on Fighting-type moves such as Close Combat, and OHKO most Fighting-types with Psystrike. Psystrike also KOes Tentacruel, which can Rapid Spin on Mewtwo as well. One of the great things about this Mewtwo set is that it completely rewrites the list of Pokemon that can check or counter it; defensive or bulky Pokemon hoping to tank a hit from Mewtwo and cripple it through non-attacking methods are now easily neutered.</p>

<p>Darkrai, Ho-Oh, and Reshiram are the biggest enemies to this set if Mewtwo is running Will-O-Wisp. Darkrai doesn't really care about anything Mewtwo can run besides Toxic and can smash it with Dark Pulse or sleep it with Dark Void. Be aware though, that with the right prediction, Mewtwo can use Light Screen to cushion Dark Pulse and prevent Dark Void with Taunt, so taking out Mewtwo with Darkrai might not be simple. Ho-Oh and Reshiram don't really appreciate Psystrike, but can wall Mewtwo to no end if it lacks both Psystrike and Toxic. Stealth Rock support and something to deal with them is helpful if you forgo both of these moves. Kyogre can take care of these Fire-types as well as Darkrai, provided that Sleep Clause is activated or Kyogre is running a Sleep Talk set. Your own Ho-Oh can also help deal with Reshiram and Darkrai.</p>

<p>Toxic Spikes completely neuter this Mewtwo set, so a spinner or absorber (such as Forretress, Tentacruel, Excadrill, Poison Arceus) is almost mandatory. Toxic Spikes support of your own might conflict with the use of Will-O-Wisp, but they notably allow Mewtwo to simply Taunt and begin spamming Recover without having to waste a turn using Toxic or Will-O-Wisp. Like most defensive Pokemon, this set appreciates entry hazard support for the switching it will cause, especially against stall teams. Xatu easily shuts this set down with Magic Bounce unless you are willing to use Ice Beam over Psystrike, which is not recommended. Heatran will also annoy this set due to its immunity to both burn and poison and resistance to Psystrike. Either Kyogre or Zekrom can help deal with both Heatran and Xatu. Prankster users such as Sableye, Thundurus, and Tornadus can Taunt Mewtwo before it Taunts them, though the latter two have to watch out for Psystrike. Kyogre can also take down most of them without much effort, although it will need a Choice Scarf to outspeed Thundurus.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Psystrike
move 2: Ice Beam
move 3: Aura Sphere / Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Fire Blast / Trick / Flamethrower
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Mewtwo's power and excellent Speed let it outpace many dangerous threats and be a decent revenge killer. With a Choice Scarf, it reaches 591 Speed, outspeeding anything not at +2. Besides revenge killing, Mewtwo can also clean late-game when its counters, such as Lugia, are weakened. Psystrike is for STAB and is generally Mewtwo's most powerful move, but beware of trappers such as Tyranitar coming in for free. Thanks to Psystrike, Mewtwo has a good chance of breaking past Blissey and Chansey with entry hazard support. Mewtwo easily OHKOes Pokemon such as Rayquaza and Salamence with Ice Beam. Fire Blast, Flamethrower and Aura Sphere let it revenge kill Excadrill and most Steel-types. Additionally, it's good to have Aura Sphere in there somewhere for neutral-Speed-natured SmashPass recipients such as Dialga, as well as Choice Scarf Darkrai. Aura Sphere is also Mewtwo's only option to 2HKO defensive Tyranitar, and nails Heatran for solid damage too. Trick can let Mewtwo cripple a wall, such as Lugia and Giratina, which would both be more willing to switch in if they see no Life Orb recoil. It can also surprise Latias and Latios by removing their prized Soul Dew.</p>

[Additional Comments]

<p>The EV spread listed gives Mewtwo maximizes Mewtwo's Speed, letting it outspeed Kingdra in the rain, Adamant Excadrill in the sand, Choice Scarf Shaymin-S, Darkrai, Venusaur, and Shiftry in the sun, and Rock Polish Adamant Groudon. It also lets Mewtwo continue to outspeed unboosted threats if it has Tricked its Choice Scarf away. However, since Mewtwo is so fast, it can afford to invest in bulk or a Modest nature if outspeeding the aforementioned threats are not crucial for your team. A spread of 52 HP / 252 SpA / 204 Spe and a Modest nature outspeeds Choice Scarf Terrakion. 176 HP / 252 SpA / 80 Spe with a Timid nature also outpaces Terrakion, but focuses more on bulk. 240 HP / 252 SpA / 16 Spe outspeeds +1 base 100s.</p>

<p>Mewtwo has some other coverage moves it can use thanks to its wide movepool. Thunder can be used to hit Kyogre harder but will fail to OHKO or even 2HKO specially defensive Kyogre, generally making Psystrike the safer option to hit the whale. Shadow Ball is another option to hit opposing Mewtwo, Lugia, Ghost Arceus, Wobbuffet and Giratina, but is a really weak move otherwise. Mewtwo still can't revenge kill ExtremeKiller Arceus, so you'll need something else for it&mdash;Aura Sphere will only 2HKO Arceus while a boosted ExtremeSpeed will OHKO Mewtwo. If running Fire Blast, sun support is good for maximum power; in the sun, Fire Blast is even stronger than Psystrike. Wobbuffet can easily trap this Mewtwo, so you will have to predict carefully when you see one. Watch out for entry hazard layers such as Ferrothorn and Forretress, as they can switch into pretty much any move besides Fire Blast and Aura Sphere. Mewtwo can no longer break walls as effectively with this set, as the power reduction is rather significant, even standard Great Wall Giratina will never be 2HKOed by Ice Beam. However, they will need to watch out for Trick.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Physical sets with Bulk Up can be used to surprise certain checks such as Tyranitar. Buck Up also helps to reduce damage from potential revenge killers such as Arceus with ExtremeSpeed and Giratina-O with Shadow Sneak. However, physical Mewtwo is easily walled by Giratina, Lugia, Groudon, and even Ho-Oh depending on the coverage moves Mewtwo has. It is also very weak unboosted.</p>

<p>Mewtwo does have a massive movepool, but is generally most effective sticking to the sets listed. Dual Screens + Selfdestruct + Taunt can be used on offensive or Baton Pass teams, but sacrificing Mewtwo for this usually not worth it. Choice Specs is rather mediocre because Mewtwo prefers the ability to switch moves, but the extra power gained from Choice Specs can surprise opponents. Defense boosting moves such as Barrier can be used on the StallTwo set, but pure defensive roles are better left to bulkier walls such as Lugia and Giratina.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Mewtwo does not have any failsafe counters. Ever. It has such amazing power and coverage that there is no such thing as a safe switch-in, and its checks depend purely on what move and set it is using. Choice Scarf Genesect is probably the best check, as it can easily OHKO Mewtwo with a +1 U-turn or Bug Buzz. However, one wrong switch into Fire Blast will end it, and even Psystrike or Aura Sphere will punch a huge hole into Genesect, which means it can only come in safely after one of its teammates has fallen. Since Mewtwo lacks any true counters, revenge killers are often used. Choice Scarf Kyurem-B, Zekrom, Ho-Oh, Kyogre and Reshiram are the more prominent ones. Be wary of going straight to revenge killers though, as few things outright KO full HP Mewtwo, so hazards and racking up Life Orb recoil via prediction are often useful before the revenge killer comes in. Toxic Spikes, sandstorm damage, and the fact that Mewtwo commonly carries Life Orb can help wear it down quickly. Giratina-O can make a dent in Mewtwo with Shadow Sneak. Ghost Arceus can take a hit and deal major damage with Judgment. Physical Ghost Arceus can bypass any boosts Mewtwo might have obtained with Shadow Claw, but will fail against StallTwo. Victini resists all of Mewtwo's commonly used moves and can OHKO with V-create in the sun. However, despite its resistance, Mewtwo can still 2HKO it after Stealth Rock, so it has to be careful switching into too many Psystrikes or the rare Shadow Ball. While normally rare in Ubers, Bisharp can revenge kill Mewtwo with Sucker Punch, but requires good prediction as Mewtwo can easily play mind games with Calm Mind and Substitute. Lastly, Choice Scarf Heracross can OHKO any Mewtwo set with Megahorn and has Guts to ignore StallTwo's Will-O-Wisp. One also must be careful because checks to offensive Mewtwo often fall flat against a support variant or even a more defensively oriented attacking set.</p>

<p>Defensive Dark Arceus with Payback is a bit gimmicky, but is one of the closest things to a "counter" to offensive Mewtwo out there; however, it will lose to StallTwo. In a similar vein, Psychic Arceus walls the Psycho Killer if Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast, or if the sun isn't shining, and can 2HKO Mewtwo with Payback and ExtremeSpeed. Jirachi can check offensive variants in the rain or even neutral weather if they lack Fire Blast, as +1 Aura Sphere fails to 2HKO. Jirachi can cripple Mewtwo with poison or paralysis, effectively neutering it. Metagross or Bronzong can be used for a more offensive check in the rain as long as Mewtwo lacks Fire Blast. Lugia and Giratina can attempt to check Mewtwo by forcing it out with Dragon Tail, but will fail to do anything significant to StallTwo. As for StallTwo, powerful special attackers such as Kyogre and Reshiram are good choices to take it out. Ho-Oh and Reshiram are immune to StallTwo's Will-O-Wisp, but cannot take multiple Psystrikes.</p>


<p>If Mewtwo lacks Aura Sphere, Dialga, Heatran, and Tyranitar can all act as effective checks. Tyranitar can safely KO Mewtwo with a super effective Crunch or Pursuit it if it tries to switch out. Wobbuffet can very effectively check non-Taunt variants, as even +1 Shadow Ball will never OHKO 28/252+ Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock. +1 Fire Blast in the sun, however, has a decent chance (a little over 50%) to OHKO Wobbuffet after Stealth Rock.</p>
gp 2/2
 
[Other Options]

<p>Physical sets with Bulk Up can be used to surprise certain checks such as Tyranitar. Buck Up also helps to reduce damage from potential revenge killers such as Arceus with ExtremeSpeed and Giratina-O with Shadow Sneak. However, physical Mewtwo is easily walled by Giratina, Lugia, Groudon, and even Ho-Oh depending on the coverage moves Mewtwo has. It is also very weak unboosted.</p>

Typo? Buck Up should be Bulk Up, no?
 
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