Mewtwo is a Legendary Psychic-type Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region. Mewtwo was created by recombining Mew’s genes. It’s said to have the most savage heart among Pokémon. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Mewtwo, how to catch Mewtwo after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Genetic Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

Which Pokémon to Use in a Mewtwo Raid in Pokémon GO

As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Mewtwo is vulnerable to Bug-, Ghost-, and Dark-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Mewtwo Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Bug-, Ghost-, or Dark-type attacks, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Mewtwo as quickly as you can.

• Pinsir / Shadow Pinsir (Bug)

  • Fast Attack: Bug Bite (Bug), Fury Cutter (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: X-Scissor (Bug)

• Scizor / Shadow Scizor (Bug/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Fury Cutter (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: Night Slash (Dark), X-Scissor (Bug)

• Genesect (Bug/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Fury Cutter (Bug)

  • Charged Attack: X-Scissor (Bug)

• Banette / Shadow Banette (Ghost)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Mismagius / Shadow Mismagius (Ghost)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Altered Forme Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Sneak (Ghost)

• Origin Forme Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Ominous Wind (Ghost), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Chandelure (Ghost/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Mega Gyarados (Water/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark)

• Houndoom / Mega Houndoom (Dark/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark), Foul Play (Dark)

• Tyranitar / Shadow Tyranitar (Rock/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Bite (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Crunch (Dark)

• Absol / Shadow Absol (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Megahorn (Bug), Payback (Dark)

• Weavile / Shadow Weavile (Dark/Ice)

  • Fast Attack: Feint Attack (Dark), Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Foul Play (Dark)

• Darkrai (Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Feint Attack (Dark), Snarl (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Yveltal (Dark/Flying)

  • Fast Attack: Snarl (Dark), Sucker Punch (Dark)

  • Charged Attack: Dark Pulse (Dark)

Make the Most of Premier Balls and Berries

After a successful Mewtwo raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Mewtwo, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Mewtwo more quickly.

In an encounter with Mewtwo, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Mewtwo isn’t going to make it easy on you by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Mewtwo to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Mewtwo. A Razz Berry will make it easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab Berry will calm Mewtwo, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Mewtwo Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Mewtwo easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Mewtwo is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

What to Do with Mewtwo Once You’ve Caught It

As a Legendary Psychic-type Pokémon, Mewtwo has a type advantage against Fighting- and Poison-type Pokémon. This can make Mewtwo particularly useful against Raid Bosses such as Mega Venusaur and Mega Beedrill.

Mewtwo is one of the most powerful and popular Pokémon used in the GO Battle League—and for good reason: its high maximum CP and wide range of Charged Attack types make the Genetic Pokémon a veritable powerhouse.

Remember that Mewtwo caught during Pokémon GO’s Pokémon TCG Crossover Event: Part 1 will know the Ghost-type Charged Attack Shadow Ball, while Mewtwo caught during the second portion of the event will know the Psychic-type Charged Attack Psystrike.

Keep in mind that Psystrike benefits from a same-type attack bonus and deals far more damage over the course of a battle than any of Mewtwo’s other Charged Attacks. On the other hand, Shadow Ball is useful because it’s effective against the Ghost-type Pokémon that are often used to counter Psychic-type Pokémon like Mewtwo. While Mewtwo does have access to another Psychic-type Charged Attack, Shadow Ball is the only Ghost-type Charged Attack that Mewtwo can learn. If teaching Mewtwo a second Charged Attack isn’t an option, you’ll ultimately need to choose the attack that best complements your strategy and GO Battle League lineup. The good news is that both Psystrike and Shadow Ball are powerful, so you can’t go wrong with either choice.

To take full advantage of this Legendary Pokémon’s strengths, teach Mewtwo a second Charged Attack. This will require a significant amount of Mewtwo Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Mewtwo as possible during both parts of the event to get there faster.

It’s also worth noting that Shadow Mewtwo is a staple in the GO Battle League. You can’t catch Shadow Mewtwo during this event, but if you’re lucky enough to have already caught one, this event is the perfect opportunity to earn more Mewtwo Candy. Shadow Pokémon cost extra Candy and Stardust to power up, but it’s well worth the effort to strengthen Shadow Mewtwo.

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.