Plague von Karma
Banned deucer.
[Overview]
Feast your eyes on the most destructive Pokemon in any tier in history. Not one stat Mewtwo has can be called bad or even average, including the highest Special in the game and a tie with Aerodactyl and Jolteon for second-highest Speed. It's not just an offensive juggernaut: Mewtwo's bulk is absolutely titanic, stomaching even blows from the mighty Snorlax and Tauros. Its Psychic typing comes into this as well, giving it effectively no type-based weaknesses to exploit. Because of these qualities, taking Mewtwo down often requires a concentrated effort from multiple Pokemon. As if that wasn't enough, it has a plethora of fantastic moves, such as Amnesia, Recover, STAB Psychic, Self-Destruct, and more. If given even a single turn of breathing room, Mewtwo can immediately take over a game. There is no true way to defeat Mewtwo head-on other than sending in your own, statusing it, or getting plain lucky. Thus, many RBY Ubers games are decided by a Mewtwo mirror match. Mewtwo was designed to be the world's strongest Pokemon, and Game Freak certainly succeeded: Mewtwo has zero inarguable flaws and is an automatic pick on any RBY Ubers team that aims to win.
Mewtwo's only arguable flaws stem from it being quite literally too powerful for a Game Boy to process. A maximum DV and EV Mewtwo can end up overflowing its Special if it's boosted to +4 or higher and subsequently sustains a Special drop, minimizing its Special and leaving it effortless to KO. Similarly, Mewtwo's Speed gives it a very high critical hit rate—25.39%—which, combined with the fact that critical hits ignore the attacker's offensive boosts, means that +3 or higher Mewtwo will sometimes deal less damage than expected. Finally, while Mewtwo is incredible, it will always have some check it has trouble beating outside of brute force, as it often only has two moveslots available after Amnesia and Recover. However, brute force remains a fine option in a tight spot because Mewtwo is an utter juggernaut.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Psychic / Thunderbolt / Submission
move 3: Thunderbolt / Ice Beam
move 4: Recover
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mewtwo's defining set makes full use of the incredible Amnesia. With its astronomical Special, Amnesia leaves it almost impossible to switch into until it's scouted and just as hard to KO with special moves. A Mewtwo boosted up to the maximum of 999 Special can only fall to three or more critical hit special attacks. This tremendous bulk and Recover allow Mewtwo to stay healthy while hammering away. However, after these two mandatory moves, Mewtwo's coverage is impressive and has multiple viable options, making it a multifaceted threat able to plow through just about everything. The coverage options you choose will largely decide what your Mewtwo's primary role is.
Mewtwo's STAB Psychic is one of the scariest no-drawback moves in the game. A 33.2% chance to drop Special as an added bonus can allow Mewtwo to muscle through something like Light Screen Chansey. The Special drops can also be used to reapply the Speed drop from paralysis, allowing paralyzed Mewtwo to outspeed an opposing paralyzed Mewtwo or incapacitate it for something else to handle; because of this, a paralyzed Mewtwo isn't out of the game just yet. Finally, Psychic has a significant benefit in causing an opposing +4 Mewtwo's Special to overflow if it doesn't have a "SafeTwo" stat spread, which consists of 13 DVs and 8 EVs in Special to ensure it starts at 341. Unfortunately, with the bevy of Psychic-types in Ubers, Mewtwo's targets are often resistant and thus take Psychic decently before striking back. Common examples include Exeggutor, Slowbro, Mew, and opposing Mewtwo.
Slotting in Thunderbolt gives Mewtwo some unique coverage possibilities while bringing its PP up to 104. Mewtwo is now able to easily beat Slowbro; if both boost to the 999 cap, Mewtwo still 3HKOes with Thunderbolt, and that's to say nothing of its 25.39% chance to OHKO with a critical hit. Thunderbolt also gives Mewtwo access to paralysis. While the odds are slim, this can help Mewtwo and teammates immensely against opposing Mewtwo and Chansey. You're statistically likely to get at least one instance of paralysis from Thunderbolt's full PP, so it's fair to fish for it. On the downside, using it in the third moveslot means Mewtwo lets Exeggutor in for free, as it's only 3HKOed by a 999 Special Psychic from full HP; it can then use this opportunity to spread status or use Explosion. You also lose out on the potential to freeze by forgoing Ice Beam, which can really hurt against Chansey, Mew, and opposing Mewtwo. Also, paralyzed Mewtwo can inadvertently allow Rhydon a free switch should it use Thunderbolt or Recover, which puts it in a very difficult spot, as Rhydon can fish for Substitute on full paralysis and 3HKO with Earthquake from there.
Ice Beam slots in nicely alongside Psychic, and the biggest reason is the 10.1% freeze chance. While the coverage is nice to help deal with Exeggutor, Ice Beam's primary draw is to freeze opposing Mewtwo, or less ideally, one of its major checks, like Chansey. This can open up the entire game and oftentimes win it outright. However, Slowbro is able to soak up this set's hits and use Amnesia, Thunder Wave, and Rest to have a good chance to beat Mewtwo head-on. Additionally, while Starmie doesn't pose much of a threat offensively, it can also paralyze Mewtwo or attempt to freeze it; it can take at least one hit from a Mewtwo with this coverage boosted up to 999. Opponents must be careful though, as +4 Psychic will 2HKO Starmie. Another drawback to this set is the mere 96 total PP, which can often become crucial when battling against other Mewtwo and trying to break down Chansey. This makes freezing the wrong Pokemon possibly quite deadly, as opposing Mewtwo tend to win from there through PP stall. When using Psychic + Ice Beam, it's best to avoid paralyzing the opposing Mewtwo in favor of winning by PP stall or freezing it.
Even without a STAB option, Mewtwo still threatens the entire metagame with BoltBeam coverage. Instead of using its STAB Psychic, it can combine the coverage and benefits of Ice Beam and Thunderbolt while reaching 104 PP. While lacking Psychic means it no longer KOes the powerful and Self-Destruct-using Snorlax after some chip damage, the coverage allows Mewtwo to deal with almost everything else. It gains the advantage against both Slowbro and Exeggutor while bearing a 10.1% freeze chance for opposing Mewtwo, Mew, or Chansey. Since it handles almost the entire metagame besides these three Pokemon and Snorlax, it can blow the game wide open by freezing one of them. One drawback to this set is that, if your opponent has both Chansey and Mewtwo active, it will only be able to take out one while being walled by the other because of relying on a freeze. However, you can use Thunderbolt to attempt paralysis, meaning Mewtwo isn't completely shut down and can still help its team against these threats. Boosted up to 999, Mewtwo is able to OHKO Slowbro, Exeggutor, Tauros, and Starmie to name a few, making this combination a Swiss Army knife that is very difficult to deal with.
A unique option that Mewtwo can run is Submission. First, Submission holds a whopping 48 PP, bringing the total to 128 if using Ice Beam, or 136 if using Thunderbolt. This lets Mewtwo win PP wars against opposing Mewtwo consistently while having the advantage against Chansey. One must be careful of getting frozen though. Submission destroys Light Screen Chansey, one of Mewtwo's most common adversaries, without risking PP stall. Submission Mewtwo has an 86.7% chance to 2HKO, and with its high critical hit ratio it has a decent chance to OHKO. The primary drawback of this set is only running one special coverage option. Running Thunderbolt is the most common, as this allows Mewtwo to beat all of its most common checks, these being Chansey via Submission, Slowbro via Thunderbolt, and opposing Mewtwo via PP stall. However, this set struggles against Exeggutor and Rhydon, often allowing Explosion or status from the former and giving a free switch in to the latter. Ice Beam can be chosen over Thunderbolt to alleviate this, making the set weak to Slowbro but gaining the advantage against Exeggutor and Rhydon. Having a freeze chance is never bad either. Psychic, on the other hand, should not be chosen here; alongside Submission, it simply leaves Mewtwo vulnerable against too many common Psychic-types.
[SET]
name: BooM2 (Self-Destruct)
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Recover / Thunder Wave
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
By bluffing the standard set with Amnesia and your chosen coverage option, this Mewtwo can lure in the opposing Mewtwo, occasionally paralyze it with Thunder Wave, and then use Self-Destruct after some chip damage. Self-Destruct also comes with the bonus of beating set-up Slowbro, which is otherwise a common check to the set.
Self-Destruct will KO opposing Mewtwo from 52.2% minimum, which means two uses of +2 Thunderbolt will set it up. It's recommended to run Thunderbolt, as well as paralysis support, to make it harder for the opposing Mewtwo to heal its way out of Self-Destruct range with Recover. Other options tend to only make this set worse, as matching up worse against Slowbro usually forces Mewtwo to use Self-Destruct. The normally ubiquitous Recover can be dropped for Thunder Wave, which guarantees that Mewtwo can use Self-Destruct before the opposing one can heal out of KO range. Naturally, this also means Mewtwo itself should avoid getting paralyzed whenever possible, or it becomes very difficult to succeed.
This set carries inherent risks, as Self-Destruct is naturally inconsistent: it being absorbed by Gengar or Rhydon can be a game loss, and less common Mewtwo sets using Flash or even Barrier match up extremely well against it. However, it remains viable for the sheer reward the trade can provide. If supported by Seismic Toss Chansey, the set can be more consistent at securing trades, as two uses of Seismic Toss can also put opposing Mewtwo in KO range.
[SET]
name: Staller
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Thunderbolt / Ice Beam / Psychic
move 3: Flash / Barrier
move 4: Recover
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 8 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 26 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mewtwo can focus on stalling, which can be approached in two ways: Flash or Barrier. While they play differently in practice, the aim is very similar, that being stonewalling opposing Mewtwo. Because of the long-term role of these sets, the "SafeTwo" Special stat is highly recommended; the given spread gives Mewtwo a Special stat of 341, which ensures that it hits 1023 Special at +4, meaning that a Special drop does not trigger an overflow. Mewtwo's attacking option on this type of set largely depends on the rest of the team, and it only has one, so care should be taken. Thunderbolt hits Mew and Slowbro while giving Mewtwo the best PP advantage; however, Rhydon becomes extremely threatening, especially if running Flash. Alternatively, Ice Beam lets Mewtwo muscle past Exeggutor and Rhydon, as well as providing the option of freezing the opposing Mewtwo, possibly cutting off the Flash interaction early. STAB Psychic can serve as a generic option on Barrier sets, being the strongest attack Mewtwo has and also giving it the best shot of beating Snorlax before it paralyzes with Body Slam or uses Self-Destruct.
The Flash approach aims to gain the most advantage in the Mewtwo mirror match without making a trade, so it should be kept in waiting until that opportunity arises. It works most effectively against Ice Beam Mewtwo, as Flash can decrease the opposing Mewtwo's chance of freezing your own while also giving a PP advantage against all standard sets, totaling to 112 PP with Psychic or Ice Beam, or 120 if running Thunderbolt. This forces the opponent to either switch out and risk losing a Pokemon or stay in and inevitably lose if enough accuracy drops set in. Attacking the opposing Mewtwo is generally unnecessary; stalling its attacking PP is all you need, leaving yourself with a fully boosted Mewtwo to wreak havoc thereafter. This set isn't wholly opposed to being paralyzed—skipping turns is arguably beneficial once the accuracy drops have piled on, though paralysis does drastically decrease its consistency prior to that.
The combination of Barrier and Amnesia can be used instead to turn Mewtwo into a sweeper that also has a large PP advantage against opposing Mewtwo, which can be 112 PP with Recover added on, not factoring in offensive options. This alone is enough to PP stall any standard Mewtwo set, allowing you to end up with a fully boosted Mewtwo by the time they run out. It is strongly recommended to get this Mewtwo paralyzed as soon as possible, as this further improves its PP stalling capabilities and ensures it cannot get frozen later. With the assistance of Barrier, exploding on Mewtwo becomes an impossibility without something like Swords Dance + Explosion Mew, which forces the opposing team to PP stall it themselves. Even the mighty Snorlax, with the strongest physical move in STAB Self-Destruct, rarely hits for even a quarter of +6 Barrier Mewtwo's health. This set works especially well against Self-Destruct Mewtwo sets, as they cannot afford a PP war and lose the ability to KO it from half HP due to the Defense boost. While still vulnerable to critical hits, Mewtwo is very difficult to KO after boosting both Defense and Special, often surviving for astonishing periods of time.
The main drawback to stall-centric Mewtwo sets is that they often require some momentum to function; Flash usually takes multiple hits to begin making your own Mewtwo difficult to hit, and Barrier sets add more turns of setup time. Ergo, any unfortunate luck during these sequences is often devastating, and making your own Mewtwo less consistent must be for good reason. Additionally, because of the aforementioned lack of coverage and specialized nature, stall-centric Mewtwo sets often end up being weaker to Pokemon other than opposing Mewtwo. Depending on the offensive option of choice, Mewtwo can become weak to any of Chansey, Exeggutor, Slowbro, and Transform Mew. Slowbro is the most notable if not running Thunderbolt, being able to accumulate a sizable PP advantage through Rest while having high enough damage output to muscle past with repeated full paralysis. If running Thunderbolt, though, Light Screen Chansey becomes a big threat if not paralyzed, possessing a PP advantage and enough bulk to shrug off what Mewtwo throws at it. Regardless of offensive option and Mewtwo's sheer power, though, Barrier Mewtwo often has limited attacking PP to punish switch stalling, which is worsened when paralyzed. Ergo, teams using this set should make up for its shortcomings. Explosion Mew, Golem, and Self-Destruct Snorlax make fine choices, often making it easier to break through Chansey and Slowbro. Zapdos or Jolteon can also be effective—especially the latter, which tends to have a more consistent Chansey matchup and has a high critical hit rate to break through Slowbro. Slowbro is also an excellent partner, profiting greatly from a Thunderbolt Mewtwo being incapacitated to set up and sweep later.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
To prevent Mewtwo's Special from overflowing, 8 EVs and 13 DVs in Special can make the stat 341 on any given Mewtwo set, which amounts to 1023 at +4, albeit capped at 999 in practice. This is known as the "SafeTwo" spread, pioneered by Enigami. Doing this, however, severely cuts into Mewtwo's bulk, making critical hits from special attacks deal noticeably higher damage. Thus, using this spread depends on whether your Mewtwo set aims for short-term reward or maximum mileage throughout a game.
If a move is good in RBY, there is a good chance that Mewtwo learns it. Customizing Mewtwo usually consists of patching up offensive holes in a team while ensuring it doesn't leave itself open to its checks; in other words, without compromising its power level or making it more situational. Generally, Mewtwo's only free moveslot is one of its two attacking ones, as Amnesia and Recover are pivotal to its success.
Rest is an interesting choice over Recover, especially on Barrier + Amnesia sets, which generally aim to last as long as possible, as it stalls for three turns at the cost of 1 PP, effectively amounting to 48 PP. It also comes with erasing the Speed drop from paralysis when switching out, though this can make Mewtwo somewhat difficult to wake up later if it hasn't woken up prior to switching; this is because Mewtwo regularly attracts self-KO move users like Snorlax and Golem, which it can't contest when asleep. Even worse, Swords Dance Mew can often set up and break through Mewtwo right away if not chipped or paralyzed, so it's recommended to incapacitate it with a teammate first. Rest also notably removes Mewtwo's paralysis, and paralysis arguably helps with PP stalling more, as it ensures it doesn't remain passive for extended periods of time.
Mewtwo can potentially make use of the strong elemental attacks of RBY—Fire Blast, Blizzard, and Thunder—but they come with significant PP issues. Mewtwo mirrors often result in both losing a very large amount of PP, and putting your own at such a deficit right away frequently results in a loss. Additionally, each comes with its own disadvantage from a status perspective: Fire Blast's burn chance means it can thaw frozen Pokemon, while Blizzard and Thunder have less overall chance to inflict status because of their lower PP. Because Mewtwo often needs the superior status chances, the increased damage output is often just not worth it. This is to say nothing of the accuracy issues, which decrease the consistency of the one Pokemon that you can't afford to be inconsistent. However, the increased damage still leaves them situationally acceptable on teams able to PP stall Mewtwo without using their own Mewtwo; for example, +2 Blizzard or Fire Blast can OHKO Exeggutor, and an unboosted Thunder KOes Cloyster with even minor chip damage.
Mewtwo's Attack is very usable, which makes Body Slam and Hyper Beam seem enticing. Body Slam can allow Mewtwo to spread paralysis while dealing physical damage, but compared to everything else Mewtwo can dish out, it's generally unimpressive. Hyper Beam is particularly interesting, as Mewtwo can then KO Chansey from a minimum of 44.6%. Against Mewtwo, a critical hit deals slightly more damage than Self-Destruct. Thus, it can be used as a substitute for BooM2 sets to try and get opposing Mewtwo in range for a critical hit or regular Hyper Beam instead of Self-Destruct. However, against any non-Psychic resistant Pokemon, including Chansey, the damage dealt is almost the same as +4 Psychic. Further, Psychic comes with the bonuses of not requiring a recharge, Special drops to further increase damage, and more attacking PP. Ergo, the only non-opposing Mewtwo reason to use Hyper Beam is for a better Light Screen Chansey matchup, which, while common, isn't omnipresent. If you're looking for a physical option, Submission is often the superior choice for hitting Chansey harder than Hyper Beam and having a significant PP advantage for Mewtwo.
Mewtwo has fantastic physical bulk, making Counter appear viable. However, Counter is often best placed on Chansey, a Pokemon with higher potential damage that often draws physical attackers like Snorlax in more consistently. Mewtwo has little opportunity to use the attack, as it's often faced with opposing Mewtwo or Chansey before it even gets the chance to use it. Ergo, should these matchups come down to PP stalling, there is a very high chance that Counter will be revealed by force, ruining the gimmick entirely.
BooM2 sets can arguably run Seismic Toss to make KOing opposing Mewtwo with Self-Destruct easier, making it a much more effective lure. However, fitting this into the set is extremely difficult and worsens its matchups against essentially anything other than Mewtwo, which it can't often afford. It's also possible to drop Amnesia entirely on these types of sets to add more coverage options or secure a slot for Recover, but this has seen little success.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo is arguably the best check to itself. The combination of Amnesia and Recover means your standard Amnesia set has a lot of trouble breaking through, requiring three critical hits in a row with Thunderbolt or Ice Beam to get the KO. Using Self-Destruct is one way to attempt to break through an opposing Mewtwo, but this requires sacrificing your own, and even then you only OHKO with a critical hit. This means even using Self-Destruct requires you to have the team support and setup necessary to finish Mewtwo off. Another option is having enough PP to successfully stall Mewtwo out; Submission is a great way to accomplish this, thanks to the 48 PP it offers. However, it oftentimes simply comes down to which Mewtwo will be frozen first, as getting a freeze often leaves nothing left to handle a boosted Mewtwo.
**Freezing**: Thanks to freeze being the virtual equivalent of a KO, freezing Mewtwo is often the best way to deal with it. Common Pokemon like Jynx, Starmie, Slowbro, and Chansey run Ice Beam or Blizzard, which both carry a 10.1% freeze chance. Additionally, these Pokemon are typically able to take a hit from even a boosted Mewtwo, meaning every turn spent against them carries a degree of risk. Managing to freeze the opponent's Mewtwo is a way to gain massive momentum, freeing up your own Mewtwo or Slowbro to wreak havoc with their biggest check out of the way.
**Light Screen Chansey**: As a testament to just how powerful Mewtwo is, the phenomenal special wall Chansey must run Light Screen to truly be a check. However, it's one of the most consistent Mewtwo checks in the game. A Mewtwo boosted to the 999 cap only possesses a 17.4% chance to 4HKO with Psychic through Light Screen. With Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, it's only a possible 6HKO. Chansey is one of the most consistent methods of overflowing a +6 Mewtwo's Special as well, using Psychic's Special drop chance and subsequently forcing a switch. Additionally, Chansey often has a significant PP advantage. This means Chansey can wall Mewtwo and force it to burn precious PP while healing off the damage it deals. However, even Chansey isn't safe. Psychic's 33.2% Special drop can degrade Light Screen and make Chansey much more vulnerable, making it arguably a temporary solution. Submission also 2HKOes it 86.7% of the time, making for a great anti-Chansey measure. Chansey is also a magnet for freeze attempts, which can be either a sigh of relief for your own Mewtwo or a catastrophic situation depending on your team's defensive integrity and Mewtwo set.
**Mew**: Mew has some interesting tricks that can allow it to check, set up on, or otherwise handle Mewtwo. With paralysis support and Swords Dance, it can set up to +4 Attack and then 2HKO with Earthquake while virtually never being 3HKOed in returnby 999 Special Ice Beam or Thunderbolt. At +6, Mew is capable of OHKOing Mewtwo with Hyper Beam. Alternatively, some Mew variants simply opt to use Swords Dance and then Explosion to erase Mewtwo from the battle without any doubt. Defensively, Mew can use Transform to copy Mewtwo's pre-boost stats and moves. Transform leaves Mew vulnerable for a turn, but the player gains crucial information about the opposing Mewtwo's set, walls it completely, and gains 5 PP for each move it holds. This 5 PP resets each time Mew uses Transform, meaning it is able to PP stall the opposing Mewtwo. It's not like Transform Mew only has the opposing Mewtwo's attacks either, as it can run other options to cripple it prior. These include Thunder Wave, Explosion to take a big chunk out of its health, Reflect to increase defensive integrity while transformed, and Soft-Boiled to stay healthy. Unless Mewtwo lands multiple critical hits or inflicts status, Mew is able to come in and check it somewhat consistently. However, Mew is far from an ironclad Mewtwo check; without paralysis support, Mewtwo is able to muscle through Mew on most occasions through brute force, as well as often ruining it completely with an untimely freeze.
**PP Stall**: Stalling Mewtwo out of PP is another way to deal with it, usually attempted with your own Mewtwo or Light Screen Chansey. Once it runs out of attacking PP, it's little more than a status absorber. However, accomplishing this is much easier said than done. With its monstrous Special, critical hit rate, and coverage, PP stall can sometimes be in vain, as crucial team members can fall to a freeze or massive damage. If Mewtwo lacks Thunderbolt, Slowbro is able to stand in its way, stalling PP while setting up its own brutal sweep. Thanks to its own Amnesia and Rest, Slowbro has a good chance to win one-on-one as well.
**Paralysis**: Paralyzing Mewtwo can open opportunities for powerful Pokemon such as Snorlax, Tauros, Mew, Golem, and Rhydon. Getting in on a paralyzed Mewtwo and being able to fire off big hits or threaten Explosion or Self-Destruct often forces it out. However, paralyzing Mewtwo can actually benefit it, as it can now no longer be frozen or put to sleep, and skipping turns with paralysis lets Mewtwo PP stall more effectively. Generally, Mewtwo despises being paralyzed early on, as it loses momentum against Mew, Snorlax, and Mewtwo specifically tailored to break through opposing Mewtwo. However, later on, when Mew and Snorlax have likely been taken out, Mewtwo tends to appreciate paralysis more. If you have the tools on your team to take advantage of a paralyzed Mewtwo early on, then it is absolutely worth it, as finding a way to break the opposing Mewtwo without risking your own is a key way to win consistently in RBY Ubers.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro is a fairly notorious check to non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo, being able to set up freely or even PP stall it if all goes well. The only risk to Slowbro in this scenario is a freeze from Ice Beam, which can be somewhat made up for with Rest preventing further status. Slowbro can also muscle past non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo through Thunder Wave and +6 Surf, which will eventually 4HKO a +6 Mewtwo and deal mortal damage otherwise. However, if Mewtwo has Thunderbolt, Slowbro will be 3HKOed even at +6 if Mewtwo is also at +6.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[May, 236353], [Ctown6, 509438]]
- Quality checked by: [[Oiseau Bleu, 431020], [Enigami, 233818]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
Feast your eyes on the most destructive Pokemon in any tier in history. Not one stat Mewtwo has can be called bad or even average, including the highest Special in the game and a tie with Aerodactyl and Jolteon for second-highest Speed. It's not just an offensive juggernaut: Mewtwo's bulk is absolutely titanic, stomaching even blows from the mighty Snorlax and Tauros. Its Psychic typing comes into this as well, giving it effectively no type-based weaknesses to exploit. Because of these qualities, taking Mewtwo down often requires a concentrated effort from multiple Pokemon. As if that wasn't enough, it has a plethora of fantastic moves, such as Amnesia, Recover, STAB Psychic, Self-Destruct, and more. If given even a single turn of breathing room, Mewtwo can immediately take over a game. There is no true way to defeat Mewtwo head-on other than sending in your own, statusing it, or getting plain lucky. Thus, many RBY Ubers games are decided by a Mewtwo mirror match. Mewtwo was designed to be the world's strongest Pokemon, and Game Freak certainly succeeded: Mewtwo has zero inarguable flaws and is an automatic pick on any RBY Ubers team that aims to win.
Mewtwo's only arguable flaws stem from it being quite literally too powerful for a Game Boy to process. A maximum DV and EV Mewtwo can end up overflowing its Special if it's boosted to +4 or higher and subsequently sustains a Special drop, minimizing its Special and leaving it effortless to KO. Similarly, Mewtwo's Speed gives it a very high critical hit rate—25.39%—which, combined with the fact that critical hits ignore the attacker's offensive boosts, means that +3 or higher Mewtwo will sometimes deal less damage than expected. Finally, while Mewtwo is incredible, it will always have some check it has trouble beating outside of brute force, as it often only has two moveslots available after Amnesia and Recover. However, brute force remains a fine option in a tight spot because Mewtwo is an utter juggernaut.
[SET]
name: Standard
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Psychic / Thunderbolt / Submission
move 3: Thunderbolt / Ice Beam
move 4: Recover
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mewtwo's defining set makes full use of the incredible Amnesia. With its astronomical Special, Amnesia leaves it almost impossible to switch into until it's scouted and just as hard to KO with special moves. A Mewtwo boosted up to the maximum of 999 Special can only fall to three or more critical hit special attacks. This tremendous bulk and Recover allow Mewtwo to stay healthy while hammering away. However, after these two mandatory moves, Mewtwo's coverage is impressive and has multiple viable options, making it a multifaceted threat able to plow through just about everything. The coverage options you choose will largely decide what your Mewtwo's primary role is.
Mewtwo's STAB Psychic is one of the scariest no-drawback moves in the game. A 33.2% chance to drop Special as an added bonus can allow Mewtwo to muscle through something like Light Screen Chansey. The Special drops can also be used to reapply the Speed drop from paralysis, allowing paralyzed Mewtwo to outspeed an opposing paralyzed Mewtwo or incapacitate it for something else to handle; because of this, a paralyzed Mewtwo isn't out of the game just yet. Finally, Psychic has a significant benefit in causing an opposing +4 Mewtwo's Special to overflow if it doesn't have a "SafeTwo" stat spread, which consists of 13 DVs and 8 EVs in Special to ensure it starts at 341. Unfortunately, with the bevy of Psychic-types in Ubers, Mewtwo's targets are often resistant and thus take Psychic decently before striking back. Common examples include Exeggutor, Slowbro, Mew, and opposing Mewtwo.
Slotting in Thunderbolt gives Mewtwo some unique coverage possibilities while bringing its PP up to 104. Mewtwo is now able to easily beat Slowbro; if both boost to the 999 cap, Mewtwo still 3HKOes with Thunderbolt, and that's to say nothing of its 25.39% chance to OHKO with a critical hit. Thunderbolt also gives Mewtwo access to paralysis. While the odds are slim, this can help Mewtwo and teammates immensely against opposing Mewtwo and Chansey. You're statistically likely to get at least one instance of paralysis from Thunderbolt's full PP, so it's fair to fish for it. On the downside, using it in the third moveslot means Mewtwo lets Exeggutor in for free, as it's only 3HKOed by a 999 Special Psychic from full HP; it can then use this opportunity to spread status or use Explosion. You also lose out on the potential to freeze by forgoing Ice Beam, which can really hurt against Chansey, Mew, and opposing Mewtwo. Also, paralyzed Mewtwo can inadvertently allow Rhydon a free switch should it use Thunderbolt or Recover, which puts it in a very difficult spot, as Rhydon can fish for Substitute on full paralysis and 3HKO with Earthquake from there.
Ice Beam slots in nicely alongside Psychic, and the biggest reason is the 10.1% freeze chance. While the coverage is nice to help deal with Exeggutor, Ice Beam's primary draw is to freeze opposing Mewtwo, or less ideally, one of its major checks, like Chansey. This can open up the entire game and oftentimes win it outright. However, Slowbro is able to soak up this set's hits and use Amnesia, Thunder Wave, and Rest to have a good chance to beat Mewtwo head-on. Additionally, while Starmie doesn't pose much of a threat offensively, it can also paralyze Mewtwo or attempt to freeze it; it can take at least one hit from a Mewtwo with this coverage boosted up to 999. Opponents must be careful though, as +4 Psychic will 2HKO Starmie. Another drawback to this set is the mere 96 total PP, which can often become crucial when battling against other Mewtwo and trying to break down Chansey. This makes freezing the wrong Pokemon possibly quite deadly, as opposing Mewtwo tend to win from there through PP stall. When using Psychic + Ice Beam, it's best to avoid paralyzing the opposing Mewtwo in favor of winning by PP stall or freezing it.
Even without a STAB option, Mewtwo still threatens the entire metagame with BoltBeam coverage. Instead of using its STAB Psychic, it can combine the coverage and benefits of Ice Beam and Thunderbolt while reaching 104 PP. While lacking Psychic means it no longer KOes the powerful and Self-Destruct-using Snorlax after some chip damage, the coverage allows Mewtwo to deal with almost everything else. It gains the advantage against both Slowbro and Exeggutor while bearing a 10.1% freeze chance for opposing Mewtwo, Mew, or Chansey. Since it handles almost the entire metagame besides these three Pokemon and Snorlax, it can blow the game wide open by freezing one of them. One drawback to this set is that, if your opponent has both Chansey and Mewtwo active, it will only be able to take out one while being walled by the other because of relying on a freeze. However, you can use Thunderbolt to attempt paralysis, meaning Mewtwo isn't completely shut down and can still help its team against these threats. Boosted up to 999, Mewtwo is able to OHKO Slowbro, Exeggutor, Tauros, and Starmie to name a few, making this combination a Swiss Army knife that is very difficult to deal with.
A unique option that Mewtwo can run is Submission. First, Submission holds a whopping 48 PP, bringing the total to 128 if using Ice Beam, or 136 if using Thunderbolt. This lets Mewtwo win PP wars against opposing Mewtwo consistently while having the advantage against Chansey. One must be careful of getting frozen though. Submission destroys Light Screen Chansey, one of Mewtwo's most common adversaries, without risking PP stall. Submission Mewtwo has an 86.7% chance to 2HKO, and with its high critical hit ratio it has a decent chance to OHKO. The primary drawback of this set is only running one special coverage option. Running Thunderbolt is the most common, as this allows Mewtwo to beat all of its most common checks, these being Chansey via Submission, Slowbro via Thunderbolt, and opposing Mewtwo via PP stall. However, this set struggles against Exeggutor and Rhydon, often allowing Explosion or status from the former and giving a free switch in to the latter. Ice Beam can be chosen over Thunderbolt to alleviate this, making the set weak to Slowbro but gaining the advantage against Exeggutor and Rhydon. Having a freeze chance is never bad either. Psychic, on the other hand, should not be chosen here; alongside Submission, it simply leaves Mewtwo vulnerable against too many common Psychic-types.
[SET]
name: BooM2 (Self-Destruct)
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Recover / Thunder Wave
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Self-Destruct
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
By bluffing the standard set with Amnesia and your chosen coverage option, this Mewtwo can lure in the opposing Mewtwo, occasionally paralyze it with Thunder Wave, and then use Self-Destruct after some chip damage. Self-Destruct also comes with the bonus of beating set-up Slowbro, which is otherwise a common check to the set.
Self-Destruct will KO opposing Mewtwo from 52.2% minimum, which means two uses of +2 Thunderbolt will set it up. It's recommended to run Thunderbolt, as well as paralysis support, to make it harder for the opposing Mewtwo to heal its way out of Self-Destruct range with Recover. Other options tend to only make this set worse, as matching up worse against Slowbro usually forces Mewtwo to use Self-Destruct. The normally ubiquitous Recover can be dropped for Thunder Wave, which guarantees that Mewtwo can use Self-Destruct before the opposing one can heal out of KO range. Naturally, this also means Mewtwo itself should avoid getting paralyzed whenever possible, or it becomes very difficult to succeed.
This set carries inherent risks, as Self-Destruct is naturally inconsistent: it being absorbed by Gengar or Rhydon can be a game loss, and less common Mewtwo sets using Flash or even Barrier match up extremely well against it. However, it remains viable for the sheer reward the trade can provide. If supported by Seismic Toss Chansey, the set can be more consistent at securing trades, as two uses of Seismic Toss can also put opposing Mewtwo in KO range.
[SET]
name: Staller
move 1: Amnesia
move 2: Thunderbolt / Ice Beam / Psychic
move 3: Flash / Barrier
move 4: Recover
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 8 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
ivs: 26 SpA
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mewtwo can focus on stalling, which can be approached in two ways: Flash or Barrier. While they play differently in practice, the aim is very similar, that being stonewalling opposing Mewtwo. Because of the long-term role of these sets, the "SafeTwo" Special stat is highly recommended; the given spread gives Mewtwo a Special stat of 341, which ensures that it hits 1023 Special at +4, meaning that a Special drop does not trigger an overflow. Mewtwo's attacking option on this type of set largely depends on the rest of the team, and it only has one, so care should be taken. Thunderbolt hits Mew and Slowbro while giving Mewtwo the best PP advantage; however, Rhydon becomes extremely threatening, especially if running Flash. Alternatively, Ice Beam lets Mewtwo muscle past Exeggutor and Rhydon, as well as providing the option of freezing the opposing Mewtwo, possibly cutting off the Flash interaction early. STAB Psychic can serve as a generic option on Barrier sets, being the strongest attack Mewtwo has and also giving it the best shot of beating Snorlax before it paralyzes with Body Slam or uses Self-Destruct.
The Flash approach aims to gain the most advantage in the Mewtwo mirror match without making a trade, so it should be kept in waiting until that opportunity arises. It works most effectively against Ice Beam Mewtwo, as Flash can decrease the opposing Mewtwo's chance of freezing your own while also giving a PP advantage against all standard sets, totaling to 112 PP with Psychic or Ice Beam, or 120 if running Thunderbolt. This forces the opponent to either switch out and risk losing a Pokemon or stay in and inevitably lose if enough accuracy drops set in. Attacking the opposing Mewtwo is generally unnecessary; stalling its attacking PP is all you need, leaving yourself with a fully boosted Mewtwo to wreak havoc thereafter. This set isn't wholly opposed to being paralyzed—skipping turns is arguably beneficial once the accuracy drops have piled on, though paralysis does drastically decrease its consistency prior to that.
The combination of Barrier and Amnesia can be used instead to turn Mewtwo into a sweeper that also has a large PP advantage against opposing Mewtwo, which can be 112 PP with Recover added on, not factoring in offensive options. This alone is enough to PP stall any standard Mewtwo set, allowing you to end up with a fully boosted Mewtwo by the time they run out. It is strongly recommended to get this Mewtwo paralyzed as soon as possible, as this further improves its PP stalling capabilities and ensures it cannot get frozen later. With the assistance of Barrier, exploding on Mewtwo becomes an impossibility without something like Swords Dance + Explosion Mew, which forces the opposing team to PP stall it themselves. Even the mighty Snorlax, with the strongest physical move in STAB Self-Destruct, rarely hits for even a quarter of +6 Barrier Mewtwo's health. This set works especially well against Self-Destruct Mewtwo sets, as they cannot afford a PP war and lose the ability to KO it from half HP due to the Defense boost. While still vulnerable to critical hits, Mewtwo is very difficult to KO after boosting both Defense and Special, often surviving for astonishing periods of time.
The main drawback to stall-centric Mewtwo sets is that they often require some momentum to function; Flash usually takes multiple hits to begin making your own Mewtwo difficult to hit, and Barrier sets add more turns of setup time. Ergo, any unfortunate luck during these sequences is often devastating, and making your own Mewtwo less consistent must be for good reason. Additionally, because of the aforementioned lack of coverage and specialized nature, stall-centric Mewtwo sets often end up being weaker to Pokemon other than opposing Mewtwo. Depending on the offensive option of choice, Mewtwo can become weak to any of Chansey, Exeggutor, Slowbro, and Transform Mew. Slowbro is the most notable if not running Thunderbolt, being able to accumulate a sizable PP advantage through Rest while having high enough damage output to muscle past with repeated full paralysis. If running Thunderbolt, though, Light Screen Chansey becomes a big threat if not paralyzed, possessing a PP advantage and enough bulk to shrug off what Mewtwo throws at it. Regardless of offensive option and Mewtwo's sheer power, though, Barrier Mewtwo often has limited attacking PP to punish switch stalling, which is worsened when paralyzed. Ergo, teams using this set should make up for its shortcomings. Explosion Mew, Golem, and Self-Destruct Snorlax make fine choices, often making it easier to break through Chansey and Slowbro. Zapdos or Jolteon can also be effective—especially the latter, which tends to have a more consistent Chansey matchup and has a high critical hit rate to break through Slowbro. Slowbro is also an excellent partner, profiting greatly from a Thunderbolt Mewtwo being incapacitated to set up and sweep later.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
To prevent Mewtwo's Special from overflowing, 8 EVs and 13 DVs in Special can make the stat 341 on any given Mewtwo set, which amounts to 1023 at +4, albeit capped at 999 in practice. This is known as the "SafeTwo" spread, pioneered by Enigami. Doing this, however, severely cuts into Mewtwo's bulk, making critical hits from special attacks deal noticeably higher damage. Thus, using this spread depends on whether your Mewtwo set aims for short-term reward or maximum mileage throughout a game.
If a move is good in RBY, there is a good chance that Mewtwo learns it. Customizing Mewtwo usually consists of patching up offensive holes in a team while ensuring it doesn't leave itself open to its checks; in other words, without compromising its power level or making it more situational. Generally, Mewtwo's only free moveslot is one of its two attacking ones, as Amnesia and Recover are pivotal to its success.
Rest is an interesting choice over Recover, especially on Barrier + Amnesia sets, which generally aim to last as long as possible, as it stalls for three turns at the cost of 1 PP, effectively amounting to 48 PP. It also comes with erasing the Speed drop from paralysis when switching out, though this can make Mewtwo somewhat difficult to wake up later if it hasn't woken up prior to switching; this is because Mewtwo regularly attracts self-KO move users like Snorlax and Golem, which it can't contest when asleep. Even worse, Swords Dance Mew can often set up and break through Mewtwo right away if not chipped or paralyzed, so it's recommended to incapacitate it with a teammate first. Rest also notably removes Mewtwo's paralysis, and paralysis arguably helps with PP stalling more, as it ensures it doesn't remain passive for extended periods of time.
Mewtwo can potentially make use of the strong elemental attacks of RBY—Fire Blast, Blizzard, and Thunder—but they come with significant PP issues. Mewtwo mirrors often result in both losing a very large amount of PP, and putting your own at such a deficit right away frequently results in a loss. Additionally, each comes with its own disadvantage from a status perspective: Fire Blast's burn chance means it can thaw frozen Pokemon, while Blizzard and Thunder have less overall chance to inflict status because of their lower PP. Because Mewtwo often needs the superior status chances, the increased damage output is often just not worth it. This is to say nothing of the accuracy issues, which decrease the consistency of the one Pokemon that you can't afford to be inconsistent. However, the increased damage still leaves them situationally acceptable on teams able to PP stall Mewtwo without using their own Mewtwo; for example, +2 Blizzard or Fire Blast can OHKO Exeggutor, and an unboosted Thunder KOes Cloyster with even minor chip damage.
Mewtwo's Attack is very usable, which makes Body Slam and Hyper Beam seem enticing. Body Slam can allow Mewtwo to spread paralysis while dealing physical damage, but compared to everything else Mewtwo can dish out, it's generally unimpressive. Hyper Beam is particularly interesting, as Mewtwo can then KO Chansey from a minimum of 44.6%. Against Mewtwo, a critical hit deals slightly more damage than Self-Destruct. Thus, it can be used as a substitute for BooM2 sets to try and get opposing Mewtwo in range for a critical hit or regular Hyper Beam instead of Self-Destruct. However, against any non-Psychic resistant Pokemon, including Chansey, the damage dealt is almost the same as +4 Psychic. Further, Psychic comes with the bonuses of not requiring a recharge, Special drops to further increase damage, and more attacking PP. Ergo, the only non-opposing Mewtwo reason to use Hyper Beam is for a better Light Screen Chansey matchup, which, while common, isn't omnipresent. If you're looking for a physical option, Submission is often the superior choice for hitting Chansey harder than Hyper Beam and having a significant PP advantage for Mewtwo.
Mewtwo has fantastic physical bulk, making Counter appear viable. However, Counter is often best placed on Chansey, a Pokemon with higher potential damage that often draws physical attackers like Snorlax in more consistently. Mewtwo has little opportunity to use the attack, as it's often faced with opposing Mewtwo or Chansey before it even gets the chance to use it. Ergo, should these matchups come down to PP stalling, there is a very high chance that Counter will be revealed by force, ruining the gimmick entirely.
BooM2 sets can arguably run Seismic Toss to make KOing opposing Mewtwo with Self-Destruct easier, making it a much more effective lure. However, fitting this into the set is extremely difficult and worsens its matchups against essentially anything other than Mewtwo, which it can't often afford. It's also possible to drop Amnesia entirely on these types of sets to add more coverage options or secure a slot for Recover, but this has seen little success.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mewtwo**: Mewtwo is arguably the best check to itself. The combination of Amnesia and Recover means your standard Amnesia set has a lot of trouble breaking through, requiring three critical hits in a row with Thunderbolt or Ice Beam to get the KO. Using Self-Destruct is one way to attempt to break through an opposing Mewtwo, but this requires sacrificing your own, and even then you only OHKO with a critical hit. This means even using Self-Destruct requires you to have the team support and setup necessary to finish Mewtwo off. Another option is having enough PP to successfully stall Mewtwo out; Submission is a great way to accomplish this, thanks to the 48 PP it offers. However, it oftentimes simply comes down to which Mewtwo will be frozen first, as getting a freeze often leaves nothing left to handle a boosted Mewtwo.
**Freezing**: Thanks to freeze being the virtual equivalent of a KO, freezing Mewtwo is often the best way to deal with it. Common Pokemon like Jynx, Starmie, Slowbro, and Chansey run Ice Beam or Blizzard, which both carry a 10.1% freeze chance. Additionally, these Pokemon are typically able to take a hit from even a boosted Mewtwo, meaning every turn spent against them carries a degree of risk. Managing to freeze the opponent's Mewtwo is a way to gain massive momentum, freeing up your own Mewtwo or Slowbro to wreak havoc with their biggest check out of the way.
**Light Screen Chansey**: As a testament to just how powerful Mewtwo is, the phenomenal special wall Chansey must run Light Screen to truly be a check. However, it's one of the most consistent Mewtwo checks in the game. A Mewtwo boosted to the 999 cap only possesses a 17.4% chance to 4HKO with Psychic through Light Screen. With Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, it's only a possible 6HKO. Chansey is one of the most consistent methods of overflowing a +6 Mewtwo's Special as well, using Psychic's Special drop chance and subsequently forcing a switch. Additionally, Chansey often has a significant PP advantage. This means Chansey can wall Mewtwo and force it to burn precious PP while healing off the damage it deals. However, even Chansey isn't safe. Psychic's 33.2% Special drop can degrade Light Screen and make Chansey much more vulnerable, making it arguably a temporary solution. Submission also 2HKOes it 86.7% of the time, making for a great anti-Chansey measure. Chansey is also a magnet for freeze attempts, which can be either a sigh of relief for your own Mewtwo or a catastrophic situation depending on your team's defensive integrity and Mewtwo set.
**Mew**: Mew has some interesting tricks that can allow it to check, set up on, or otherwise handle Mewtwo. With paralysis support and Swords Dance, it can set up to +4 Attack and then 2HKO with Earthquake while virtually never being 3HKOed in returnby 999 Special Ice Beam or Thunderbolt. At +6, Mew is capable of OHKOing Mewtwo with Hyper Beam. Alternatively, some Mew variants simply opt to use Swords Dance and then Explosion to erase Mewtwo from the battle without any doubt. Defensively, Mew can use Transform to copy Mewtwo's pre-boost stats and moves. Transform leaves Mew vulnerable for a turn, but the player gains crucial information about the opposing Mewtwo's set, walls it completely, and gains 5 PP for each move it holds. This 5 PP resets each time Mew uses Transform, meaning it is able to PP stall the opposing Mewtwo. It's not like Transform Mew only has the opposing Mewtwo's attacks either, as it can run other options to cripple it prior. These include Thunder Wave, Explosion to take a big chunk out of its health, Reflect to increase defensive integrity while transformed, and Soft-Boiled to stay healthy. Unless Mewtwo lands multiple critical hits or inflicts status, Mew is able to come in and check it somewhat consistently. However, Mew is far from an ironclad Mewtwo check; without paralysis support, Mewtwo is able to muscle through Mew on most occasions through brute force, as well as often ruining it completely with an untimely freeze.
**PP Stall**: Stalling Mewtwo out of PP is another way to deal with it, usually attempted with your own Mewtwo or Light Screen Chansey. Once it runs out of attacking PP, it's little more than a status absorber. However, accomplishing this is much easier said than done. With its monstrous Special, critical hit rate, and coverage, PP stall can sometimes be in vain, as crucial team members can fall to a freeze or massive damage. If Mewtwo lacks Thunderbolt, Slowbro is able to stand in its way, stalling PP while setting up its own brutal sweep. Thanks to its own Amnesia and Rest, Slowbro has a good chance to win one-on-one as well.
**Paralysis**: Paralyzing Mewtwo can open opportunities for powerful Pokemon such as Snorlax, Tauros, Mew, Golem, and Rhydon. Getting in on a paralyzed Mewtwo and being able to fire off big hits or threaten Explosion or Self-Destruct often forces it out. However, paralyzing Mewtwo can actually benefit it, as it can now no longer be frozen or put to sleep, and skipping turns with paralysis lets Mewtwo PP stall more effectively. Generally, Mewtwo despises being paralyzed early on, as it loses momentum against Mew, Snorlax, and Mewtwo specifically tailored to break through opposing Mewtwo. However, later on, when Mew and Snorlax have likely been taken out, Mewtwo tends to appreciate paralysis more. If you have the tools on your team to take advantage of a paralyzed Mewtwo early on, then it is absolutely worth it, as finding a way to break the opposing Mewtwo without risking your own is a key way to win consistently in RBY Ubers.
**Slowbro**: Slowbro is a fairly notorious check to non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo, being able to set up freely or even PP stall it if all goes well. The only risk to Slowbro in this scenario is a freeze from Ice Beam, which can be somewhat made up for with Rest preventing further status. Slowbro can also muscle past non-Thunderbolt Mewtwo through Thunder Wave and +6 Surf, which will eventually 4HKO a +6 Mewtwo and deal mortal damage otherwise. However, if Mewtwo has Thunderbolt, Slowbro will be 3HKOed even at +6 if Mewtwo is also at +6.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[May, 236353], [Ctown6, 509438]]
- Quality checked by: [[Oiseau Bleu, 431020], [Enigami, 233818]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [CryoGyro, 331519]]
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