Mewtwo - VGC Analysis

[drug_duck]

Mewtwo - VGC Analysis

*INSRT PWRFL SPRIET HEAR*



Role:
Mewtwo is one of the fastest Pokémon in this year's metagame and is also a great special sweeper. It is the versatile movepool that makes Mewtwo unique because he disposes of many powerful attacks and support moves as well. Most times players use him as a lead, a job that Mewtwo does extremely well.



Basestats:
HP: 106
Attack: 110
Defense: 90
Special Attack: 154
Sp. Defense: 90
Speed: 130



Moveset: Sweeper
Mewtwo @ Life Orb / Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid / Naive / Hasty
EVs: 4 Attack / 252 Sp. Attack / 252 Speed
- Blizzard
- Grass Knot
- Fire Blast / Aura Sphere
- Thunder Wave / Gravity / Taunt / Selfdestruct

Moveset Explanation:
This is the most solid moveset. Mewtwo needs something to set itself apart from Azelf, who serves functions in a team similar to Mewtwo, especially in Selfdestructing and Mewtwos good move is Blizzard. If you use a slow Abomasnow as your other lead, you can fire off 100% accurate Life Orb boosted Blizzards. Weavile is also a good partner to Mewtwo if you choose to use Taunt since Taunt and a fast Fake Out are likely to disrupt any attempt of a Trick Room set up without Follow Me; they also have a nice coverage typewise.
Grass Knot is needed to deal heavy damage to Kyogre and get the kill on Groudon and it is the strongest move bar Selfdestruct against Palkia.
The choice between Fire Blast and Aura Sphere is up to the user. If you are paranoid of Fire Blast's accuracy, Flamethrower is also an option. The only difference is what these moves hit harder. Flamethrower always kills opposing Abomasnow, even with Occa Berry and deals 94-100% to 252/0 Metagross; whereas Aura Sphere hits Dialga much harder and still does a lot of damage to Abomasnow - every Abomasnow without heavy investment in HP will not survive the Aura Sphere. Aura Sphere is also the most reliable means against Tyranitar but take care of Chople Berry and try to kill it with Grass Knot, if it is already weakened (52-61% behind Light Screen). The fire move might be a bit better since it takes care of Metagross better if you use Abomasnow or Weavile as partners.
The last slot can be used for a utility support move or more damage-dealing moves. Be sure to check out the many options you might have for your team. The above moves are only a selection from what probably works best in general, they all have their merits. If you do not need the support moves, Selfdestruct is a good filler but do not make the mistake of using Mewtwo only for Selfdestructing because firstly Azelf does that better with higher base Attack and higher base power of Explosion and secondly it is really predictable. Taunt and Thunder Wave should be self-explanatory, the latter used for crippling opposing fast sweepers. Gravity is a smart move on Mewtwo because you do not rely on hail for perfectly accurate Blizzards and other moves on your team that might need a slight accuracy boost.



Notes:
Life Orb is the preferred item because it boosts all of your attacks. It is even more appealing if you opt to use Selfdestruct. Expert Belt is an option if you do not like recoil, also, you can bluff a Choice item with it. Focus Sash is not recommended since Mewtwo can take hits by faster Pokémon and thanks to its more-than-average Defenses and HP is able to retaliate and possibly delivering an OHKO in return. Focus Sash is also pointless with sandstorm and hail around.
Mewtwo's biggest selling point is his whopping 130 base speed and because of this you always should run a boosting nature and 252 Speed EVs. The remaining EVs should be allocated in Special Attack and Attack if you make use of Selfdestruct. If so, be sure to not run a nature that drops your Attack, so choose a Hasty or Naive nature then.
Other notable move options not named due to their gimmicky nature are Fling (always flinches with King's Rock), both Screens, Safeguard, Icy Wind, Me First, Trick (with a Choice item) and Trick Room - although Mewtwo is too fast to really make use of the twisted dimensions, it will come as a surprise to the opponent.

[Lasty91]

Really nice analysis duck; you just reminded me about how important Mewtwo is to this year's metagame. I just had to change my current team idea in order to properly curb the threat of opposing Mewtwo; I ignorantly thought "It's defenses are low for an uber, I'll just KO it before it can do too much damage." Wrong! Its defenses are not "low," and my team wouldn't have been able to KO it before it took out one or two of my Pokemon, and then even when I switched in a Pokemon to properly counter it, it would still get in another powerful attack before going down, because it's wicked fast, man!
Also, even if I decide to use a Mewtwo this year, Selfdestruct isn't an option for me since i don't have XD and I would never belive the legitimacy of any decent SD Mewtwo that is also a good nature that I may happen to get in a trade; if someone had such a rare and frustratingly hard to aquire Mewtwo, why would they ever trade it? I'm making sure to RNG and whatever other method all of my own pokemon this year, to not take any chances of hacks.
Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the Giratina-O and Rayquaza analysies; are you in charge of either of those? If so, when can I expect it/them to come out? If not, do you know who is making them?

[Mosquitox216]

One thing I would like to suggest is TrickTwo. Though it might be silly to run Scarf on such a fast pokemon, Specs does a whole bunch more damage, and allows Mewtwo to survive longer than if you used Life Orb.

This is the set I've run on Mewtwo (On NBS) with some good success

Mewtwo@Choice Specs
Timid 4 HP 252 Sp Atk 252 Speed
-Aura Sphere
-Blizzard
-Trick
-Thunder/Grass Knot

[OmegaDonut]

Also, even if I decide to use a Mewtwo this year, Selfdestruct isn't an option for me since i don't have XD and I would never belive the legitimacy of any decent SD Mewtwo that is also a good nature that I may happen to get in a trade; if someone had such a rare and frustratingly hard to aquire Mewtwo, why would they ever trade it? I'm making sure to RNG and whatever other method all of my own pokemon this year, to not take any chances of hacks.

I believe that the strategies people use shouldn't be limited by the games they have\ability to RNG.  Negator has a near-flawless SD Mewtwo that he RNG'd for on an emulator, and he trades it (although he sometimes drives a hard bargain), and I'm going to be RNGing for a near-flawless 0spd L45 Kyogre so people can have a L49 Kyogre that outspeeds all others under Trick Room.  Just so others can go with the strategy if they want to.

And let's just say I know from experience that the TPCi hack checks can't tell if you captured a Pokemon under an emulator or not.

[drug_duck]

Because it doesn't matter, Mike. Also I don't see where the use of an emulator for RNG purposes is better than directly pokesaving your mons. Anyway, this topic doesn't belong into here.

[3lmo]

2 things.

1. Protect is nowhere to be seen on the analysis, Thunder should be slashed in somewhere, and Ice Beam should be slashed next to Blizzard, imo.
2. I already sr'd for a Naive 26/24/28/23/28/31 Mewtwo, and as soon as I beat XD it will be available (probably start with a give away) and fully redistributable.

if someone had such a rare and frustratingly hard to aquire Mewtwo, why would they ever trade it?

I SR'd and am prepared to trade this because one day I wanted an SD Mewtwo, and then I realized that it isn't a widespread commodity, so I figured I could just SR for one and then give it out, so other people wouldn't be in the same position I was.

[Lasty91]

2 things.

1. Protect is nowhere to be seen on the analysis, Thunder should be slashed in somewhere, and Ice Beam should be slashed next to Blizzard, imo.
2. I already sr'd for a Naive 26/24/28/23/28/31 Mewtwo, and as soon as I beat XD it will be available (probably start with a give away) and fully redistributable.

if someone had such a rare and frustratingly hard to aquire Mewtwo, why would they ever trade it?

I SR'd and am prepared to trade this because one day I wanted an SD Mewtwo, and then I realized that it isn't a widespread commodity, so I figured I could just SR for one and then give it out, so other people wouldn't be in the same position I was.

Well, you're a saint. (not being sarcastic)
Anyway, I agree that Protect should be somewhere, although I can't think of a move that should be replaced. Thunder also sounds good, since this Mewtwo can't hit Ho-oh hard (well, maybe with Self Destruct). Of course, Thunder's shaky accuracy isn't great unless you also have Kyogre on your team, and if your opponent has Ho-oh it's highly unlikely that they're using rain.
I didn't mean to get so off-topic earlier; back to analysis matters. Who's making the Rayquaza and Giratina-O analysis?

*Looking back on my earlier post* I can't believe I misspelled "acquire."

[PokeLord]

I have an Adamant one I have also put out into the community, with a 27/27/23-24/0/30-31/31 and Selfdestruct and Low Kick. Fully Free to all Skarmblissians.

[VashTheStampede]

I have an Adamant one I have also put out into the community, with a 27/27/23-24/0/30-31/31 and Selfdestruct and Low Kick. Fully Free to all Skarmblissians.

Skarmonites?

[3lmo]

Skarmbliss elite.

[Lasty91]

I'm sorry I brought this up. This whole "I have SD Mewtwo" thing is really cool, but can we get back on topic? I think Duck is getting a little upset that the Mewtwo analysis topic isn't discussing Mewtwo's role in the VGC metagame, and advice on additional sets that Mewtwo can have.
So, back on topic, starting........ now!

[Kira]

protect does sound nice but for a pokemon that seems like it is made solely to counter weather teams (it seems that way), i'm not too sure where it can fit.  It may fit wonderfully with rayquaza on an anti-w teams

[Lasty91]

I agree that it makes a good counter to weather, but it definitely wasn't "made for it." Mewtwo has existed long before weather was even part of Pokemon games, and that's why he's so cool. He's one of the originals.

[3lmo]

Its torn up by Swift Swimmers, Chlorphyllers, and ScarfOgre. It doesn't really counter weather, it just functions better than most Pokemon in both forms of weather. And Palkia is debatably better at dual weather, but Metwos base speed is the appealing aspect.

Also, Very powerful picture:
http://media.comicvine.com/uploads/3/33828/798369-mewtwo_painting_by_red_flare_large.jpg

[Kira]

pretty much except for rayquaza, there isn't really a pokemon which can counter the weather.  however, if it happens to be more viable in the weathers than most other pokemons, then it should be noted by the pokemon battlers to be an asset to be considered when building a anti team.  Palkia is great but as a lead (in general even), Mewtwo has more uses.