Did you know that Mewtwo is the second most powerful Pokémon? This means that capturing Mewtwo strengthens your lineup in the game incredibly. It is also a prestigious Pokémon to have in your team, making it nearly every player's dream.
That said, would you like to find out how to get this legendary character? Keep reading. This article has all the information and answers you seek.

Mewtwo
Brief Introduction to Mewtwo
Mewtwo is a psychic-type Pokémon making it vulnerable to Ghost, Bug, and Dark types. However, catching it is not easy, and running around, playing, and hoping to get lucky will not work.
This is because this Pokémon only appears during special Events in the game. When trying to get Mewtwo, you must consider events, timetables, items, and strategies.
Once an event comes around, you need to organize a raid with three or four friends or nearby trainers. It is impossible to beat Mewtwo alone, regardless of your level. For starters, you can get Mewtwo by winning the regular rotation of five-star raid battles with your team. These battles take place during specific hours set by Niantic.
Mewtwo has also been available at the end of July events on Pokémon Go for the last few years.
Since February of this year(2023), the legendary Pokémon has also been part of a tour event by Pokémon Go and was one of the rewards for beating Team Rocket in 2020. Lastly, on November 14, 2023, Mewtwo was introduced as a reward for winning the third phase of the battle against Giovanni, the Team Rocket leader.
1. Win a five-star Raid Battle
Winning a five-star raid is the best way to capture Mewtwo, but as mentioned earlier, you need to do it in a team. This Pokémon occasionally appears in five-star raids and was seen between June 16 and July 1, 2023.
Once you beat Mewtwo, you will receive a limited number of Premier Pokeballs. The Pokeballs help you catch Mewtwo, but this is not a guarantee. You will need to make excellent throws to increase your chances.

Premier Ball
When assembling a team to coordinate a raid battle, ensure each trainer can pull their weight. Mewtwo is powerful, and you need a strong team on your back to stand a chance at winning. Also, avoid bringing fighting or psychic-type Pokémon to the raid, as these won't help much.
2. Trade a Mewtwo
You can also get a Mewtwo by trading for one, especially from veteran trainers with multiple creatures. Trading is a viable option if you missed the event or could not create a team in time.
However, this is tough because you need to find someone willing to part with a legendary Pokémon, and the cost of trading Legendary Pokémons can be outrageous. It requires a massive amount of Stardust to complete the transaction. But the cost can be lower if you have already registered Mewtwo in your Pokedex.

The Mewtwo
Below is the amount of Stardust you need to trade a legendary Pokémon:
Friends type | New Legendary Pokémon |
---|---|
Good Friends | 1,000,000 |
Great Friends | 800,000 |
Ultra Friends | 80,000 |
Best Friends | 40,000 |
3. Catch a Shiny Mewtwo
Once you beat Mewtwo in a Tier 5 raid, you may be lucky enough to get a chance at catching Shiny Mewtwo. It is mainly differentiated from a regular Mewtwo by its green tail instead of a pink one. Shiny Mewtwo does not guarantee better attacks or IVs, as it is only different visually. They are sought-after due to their incredibly low Spawn rate.

Shiny Mewtwo
4. Catch a Shadow Mewtwo
To catch Shadow Mewtwo, you need to beat the Team Go Rocket leader Giovanni. But, before getting to Giovanni, you must defeat his grunts and team leaders.
You will then embark on a three-phase battle which will entail fighting Shadow Mewtwo in the final phase. This event began on November 14, 2023. Once it's over, players will have to wait until Giovanni has Shadow Mewtwo in his lineup again.

Shadow Mewtwo
How To Battle Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo in Pokémon GO?
The following are Pokémon Go techniques that can help you beat Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo successfully:
1. Use Mewtwo's weaknesses
Pokémons that naturally cause high damage are the best for tackling Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo. The Pokémons you use should be able to leverage Mewtwo's weaknesses to Ghost, Bugs, and dark-type attacks.
These include Origin Forme Giratina, Chandelure, Gengar, Weavile,Darkrai, and Hydreigon. Mewtwo that know shadow ball are also an excellent choice.
Most of these are rare, but you can also strengthen your rooster with common attackers of similar types. Other Pokémon, such as Tyranitar and Pinsir, can also attack Mewtwo's and Armored Mewtwo's HP.
2. Don't mind the weather
Leveraging the weather can be helpful at a raid, but it doesn't do much when it comes to Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo. Also, since the weather boosts Dark and Ghost-type attacks, there is no meteorological reason to choose one over the other.
On the other hand, Bug-type attacks are boosted by the rain. However, this boost doesn't make a significant difference that would justify using a Bug-type Pokémon over Ghost and Dark-type attackers.
3. Use the best counters for Mewtwo
Below are the recommended counters and moves for battling Mewtwo:
Counters | Moves |
---|---|
Gengar (Mega) | Shadow Claw/Shadow Ball |
Houndoom (Mega/Normal/Shadow) | Snarl/Foul Play |
Gyarados | Bite/Crunch |
Giratina (Origin) | Shadow Claw/Shadow Ball |
Chandelure | Hex/Shadow Ball |
Darkrai | Snarl/Shadow Ball |
Mewtwo | Psycho Cut/Shadow Ball |
Yveltal | Snarl/Dark Pulse |
Hydreigon | Bite/Dark Pulse |
Tyranitar | Bite/Crunch |
Genesect (Normal/Burn Drive) | Fury Cutter/X-Scissor |
Weavile (Normal/Shadow) | Snarl/Foul Play |
Absol | Snarl/Dark Pulse |
Regigigas (Ghost) | Hidden Power/Giga Impact |
Hoopa | Astonish & Shadow Ball |
Zarude | Bite & Dark Pulse |
Tips for Catching Legendary Pokémon like Mewtwo
The following are some helpful tips to help you catch legendary Pokémon like Mewtwo:
1. Conserve your Premier Balls
Once you beat Mewtwo, you earn a limited number of Premier Balls which you must use to catch it. Hence you have to be careful when you aim so you can make each Ball count. Battling alongside your friends earns you extra Premier Balls, so you should ask your friends to tag along.
2. Pile up Golden Razz Berry
Using a Golden Razz Berry before throwing increases your chances of success, so you should amass these berries before going into the fight. Defeat other Raid Bosses to gain more Golden Razz Berry.

Golden Razz Berry
3. Make Excellent Throws
Your chances of capturing a Pokémon are most significant when the target ring is tiny enough for you to land great throws. Throwing curve balls further improves your chances, but you should work within your abilities. If you can't make a good curveball, aim for great throws and nice throws rather than risk missing the target entirely.
Also, avoid making a throw when the Pokémon is moving around. Instead, wait for Mewtwo to start acting up and for its target ring to disappear, then time your throw to land as it stops and the ring reappears.
4. Collect valuable items
Legendary Pokémon are tricky to capture, and Mewtwo is no different, so don't worry if it escapes on your first attempt. You can get a second chance by stocking up on useful items like Golden Razz Berries, Max Potions, and Max Revives. Once you stock them up, try again with some friends.
FAQs About Mewtwo
Now that we have seen how to beat Shadow Mewtwo, let us see some frequently asked questions:
1. What's the difference between Regular Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo?
The main difference between Mewtwo and Armored Mewtwo is that regular Mewtwo is better at dishing out damage, while Armored Mewtwo is better at handling an attack. On the other hand, regular Mewtwo has a weaker defense, while Armored Mewtwo has less attacking power.
2. How can you catch an Armored Mewtwo?
Armored Mewtwo appeared once in the game in a 2020 promotion for the company's film 'Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back — Evolution.' This was likely a one-off instance, so if you didn't catch one back then, there might be no chance of getting it again. Thus, if you want to acquire one, you may have to trade for it.
You can now successfully embark on your quest to conquer Mewtwo. With this guide, you can leverage multiple techniques to help you catch this legendary Pokémon.
Remember to keep looking out for Pokémon special events to capture Mewtwo. While you wait, participate in other battles to collect useful items and build up your Rooster.