Raid Guide · GO Fest 2026
Best Counters for Mewtwo Raids in Pokemon GO (2026)
·
Updated March 2026
·
Raid Guide
GO Fest 2026
The best Mewtwo raid counters in Pokemon GO all share one thing in common — they exploit Mewtwo’s weakness to Dark, Ghost and Bug-type attacks. Mewtwo is a pure Psychic-type Legendary and one of the most powerful raid bosses in the game, but with the right team it can be defeated by as few as three trainers.
With Mewtwo confirmed for GO Fest 2026 Chicago (June 5–7) and likely to appear in the Global Finale on July 11–12, now is the time to build your counter team. This guide covers everything — top counters by tier, movesets, how to read Mewtwo’s moves before the battle, team size recommendations, and catch tips.
⚡ Quick Summary
- ✓ Mewtwo is weak to Dark, Ghost and Bug-type attacks
- ✓ Best overall counters: Mega Tyranitar, Mega Gengar, Shadow Tyranitar, Darkrai
- ✓ Mewtwo with Focus Blast shreds Tyranitar — switch to Ghost types if you see it
- ✓ Minimum 3 trainers with optimal counters, 5–7 recommended
- ✓ Best catch method: Golden Razz Berry + Curveball + Excellent throw every time
Mewtwo Raid Boss — Key Stats
Mewtwo is a pure Psychic-type Legendary and one of the strongest raid bosses in Pokemon GO. Before you build your team, know what you’re up against:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Pure Psychic |
| Raid Tier | 5-Star Legendary |
| Raid Boss CP | 54,148 (standard) / 66,318 (Tier 5+) |
| Catch CP (No Boost) | 2,294 – 2,387 |
| Catch CP (Windy Weather) | 2,868 – 2,984 |
| Weaknesses | Dark · Ghost · Bug |
| Resistances | Fighting · Psychic |
Mewtwo’s Possible Moves — Know Before You Battle
Mewtwo’s moveset heavily influences which counters you should bring. The most important thing to know: Focus Blast will destroy a Tyranitar-heavy team. Check the moves of other players’ Pokémon in the lobby before the battle starts — if you see Ghost-types like Gengar and Giratina dominating the lobby, that’s a signal your opponents expect Focus Blast.
| Move Type | Move | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fast | Psycho Cut | High energy generation, STAB |
| Fast | Confusion | Higher damage per hit, STAB |
| Charged | Psystrike | Hard-hitting STAB — Mewtwo’s signature |
| Charged | Focus Blast ⚠️ | Destroys Tyranitar. Switch to Ghost counters if suspected |
| Charged | Shadow Ball | Hits Ghost counters hard — be careful |
| Charged | Ice Beam | Threatens Dragon-types |
| Charged | Thunderbolt | Coverage move, less threatening to standard counters |
| Charged | Flamethrower | Threatens Bug-type counters like Scizor |
Best Mewtwo Raid Counters — Full Tier List
Here are the strongest counters available in 2026, ranked by overall performance. Shadow Pokémon deal 20% more damage but also take 20% more — they’re high risk, high reward, and best used by experienced players with strong teams.
S TIER Elite Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | Best overall. Boosts all Dark-types in lobby. Avoid vs Focus Blast |
| Mega Gengar | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Top Ghost option. Boosts all Ghost-types. Ideal vs Focus Blast |
| Shadow Tyranitar | Bite | Brutal Swing | Massive DPS. High glass cannon risk vs Focus Blast |
| Shadow Hydreigon | Bite | Brutal Swing | Excellent Dark attacker. Less vulnerable to Focus Blast than Tyranitar |
| Necrozma (Dawn Wings) | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Among the highest DPS Ghost options in the game |
| Mega Absol | Snarl | Dark Pulse | Strong Mega Dark option. Good lobby-wide Dark boost |
A TIER Strong Counters
| Pokémon | Fast Move | Charged Move | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Darkrai | Snarl | Dark Pulse | Reliable Legendary Dark attacker. High DPS, good bulk |
| Hydreigon | Bite | Brutal Swing | Excellent non-Shadow Dark attacker. Solid bulk |
| Giratina (Origin) | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Tanky Ghost with great damage output |
| Chandelure | Hex | Shadow Ball | High Ghost DPS. Squishier but hits extremely hard |
| Tyranitar | Bite | Crunch | Rock/Dark bulk helps. Still very strong without Shadow boost |
| Gengar | Shadow Claw | Shadow Ball | Accessible Ghost option. Great DPS, low bulk |
| Mega Rayquaza | Dragon Tail | Dragon Ascent | No type advantage but raw power makes it viable. Best Mega if lacking others |
B TIER Budget & Accessible Counters
Don’t have Legendaries or Megas yet? These are solid, accessible counters you can build toward:
Houndoom
Snarl · Foul Play
Great Dark budget option. Avoid vs Focus Blast
Scizor
Fury Cutter · X-Scissor
Bug/Steel resists most of Mewtwo’s moves. Avoid vs Flamethrower
Weavile
Snarl · Foul Play
Fast Dark attacker. Fragile but deals strong damage
Absol
Snarl · Dark Pulse
Easy to obtain. Decent DPS for a budget pick
Honchkrow
Snarl · Dark Pulse
Solid mid-tier Dark. Good if Tyranitar or Darkrai aren’t available
Mismagius
Hex · Shadow Ball
Accessible Ghost-type. Weaker than Gengar but easier to build
How to Build the Perfect Mewtwo Raid Team
Building your team isn’t just about picking the highest CP Pokémon — it’s about reading Mewtwo’s moveset and adapting. Here’s how to approach it:
Rule 1 — Only One Mega Per Group
In a group of 3–5 players, only one person should use a Mega Pokémon. The Mega boost applies to all matching-type Pokémon in the lobby — so one Mega Tyranitar boosts every Dark-type attack from every trainer. Having two Megas wastes that overlap. The other four players should run their strongest Shadow or Legendary counters.
Rule 2 — Read the Lobby Before Starting
Check what Pokémon other trainers are using. If the lobby is full of Ghost-types like Giratina and Gengar, they’re expecting Focus Blast — Mewtwo’s most dangerous move for Dark teams. Adjust accordingly and prioritise Ghost-types of your own instead.
Rule 3 — Weather Matters
Fog weather boosts Dark and Ghost-type attacks — ideal conditions for your counters. Windy weather boosts Mewtwo’s Psychic moves AND gives you a weather-boosted catch CP (2,868–2,984) if you win. Cloudy weather boosts Focus Blast — be extra careful with Dark teams in cloudy weather.
Rule 4 — How Many Players Do You Need?
| Group Size | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 3 players | Minimum — requires optimal S-tier counters, all Level 40+ |
| 5–7 players | Recommended — comfortable win with mixed teams |
| 10+ players | Easy win — ideal for lower level players or budget counter teams |
How to Catch Mewtwo After the Raid
Winning the raid is only half the battle. Mewtwo has a notoriously low base catch rate, so every throw matters. Follow this routine on every single ball:
🍇
Golden Razz Berry
Use one before every single throw — never skip it
🎯
Curveball
Always throw curveball — adds a catch bonus multiplier
⭕
Excellent Throw
Aim for the smallest circle. Excellent = highest catch bonus
💡 Pro Tip — Circle Lock
Hold your Pokéball until the circle shrinks to its smallest size, then release when Mewtwo is in the middle of its attack animation. This locks the circle size while Mewtwo moves — guaranteeing an Excellent throw when the ball lands.
Shiny Mewtwo — Is It Available at GO Fest 2026?
Shiny Mewtwo is one of the most sought-after shinies in the entire game — its green colour palette makes it instantly recognisable. Based on past GO Fest events where Mewtwo appeared, Shiny Mewtwo has historically been available during its raid rotation.
The shiny rate for Legendary raids is approximately 1 in 20 — significantly better than wild encounters. The more raids you do, the higher your chances. With 9 free Raid Passes per day during the GO Fest 2026 Global Finale, even casual players can realistically hunt for a shiny Mewtwo.
If you want to maximise your shiny Mewtwo chances without grinding raids yourself, our GO Fest raid service handles Mewtwo raids in-person from GO Fest cities worldwide — including Chicago, where Mewtwo raids are confirmed for June 5–7.
⚔️ Don’t Want to Grind Mewtwo Raids Yourself?
PogoStore’s GO Fest raid service handles Mewtwo and all GO Fest Legendary raids in-person from GO Fest cities — Chicago, Taiwan, Zaragoza, Sydney, San Francisco and Hawaii. We also offer dedicated XP and Stardust services to power up your Mewtwo once you catch it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mewtwo weak to in Pokemon GO?
Mewtwo is a pure Psychic-type and is weak to Dark, Ghost and Bug-type attacks. It resists Fighting and Psychic-type moves, so never bring those into the raid.
What is the best counter for Mewtwo in Pokemon GO 2026?
The best counters are Mega Tyranitar (Bite / Brutal Swing), Mega Gengar (Shadow Claw / Shadow Ball), Shadow Tyranitar, Shadow Hydreigon and Darkrai. If Mewtwo has Focus Blast, prioritise Ghost-types over Dark-types to avoid getting one-shot.
How many players does it take to beat Mewtwo in Pokemon GO?
Mewtwo can be defeated by a minimum of 3 players using optimal Level 40+ counters. For a comfortable win without perfect teams, aim for 5 to 7 players. Groups of 10 or more make it an easy clear for any level of trainer.
Is Shiny Mewtwo available at GO Fest 2026?
Based on past GO Fest events, Shiny Mewtwo has been available when Mewtwo appeared in raids. Legendary raid shiny rates are approximately 1 in 20, making GO Fest one of the best opportunities to hunt for it. Official confirmation will come closer to the event.
What weather boosts Mewtwo counters in Pokemon GO?
Fog weather boosts Dark and Ghost-type attacks, making it the ideal weather for your counter team. Windy weather boosts Mewtwo’s Psychic moves and makes the raid harder, but also increases the catch CP if you win. Avoid raiding in Cloudy weather if running Dark types, as it boosts Focus Blast.
PogoStore is an independent third-party service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Niantic, Inc., Nintendo, or The Pokémon Company. Pokémon GO is a registered trademark of Niantic, Inc. All game mechanics referenced are based on publicly available community research and may change with game updates.