How to beat Pokemon Go Shadow Mewtwo Raid: Best counters

Pokemon Go Raids players need to prepare a great strategy to challenge Shadow Mewtwo, so here’s how to beat Shadow Mewtwo Raids in Pokemon Go, including weaknesses, best counters, and more.

Mewtwo is one of the most powerful species in any Pokemon game, and Pokemon Go is not the exception. Shadow Mewtwo has returned to Pokemon Go Raids, which means players must prepare accordingly with the best counters to ensure victory in one of the mobile games’ toughest challenges.

Here’s how to beat the Shadow Mewtwo Raid in Pokemon Go, with details on its weaknesses and shiny availability.

• How to get Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go
• Shadow Mewtwo type & weaknesses
• Best counters for Shadow Mewtwo Raid
• Shadow Mewtwo Pokemon Go moveset
• Can Shadow Mewtwo be shiny in Pokemon Go?

How to get Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go

The only way to get Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go is by defeating it in 5-Star Raids and catching it afterward. You’ll get an encounter with the Genetic Pokemon after beating its Raid, and you’ll get a limited amount of Premier Balls to try your luck.

Do note that Shadow Raids can only be done locally, meaning you can’t use Remote Raid Passes to tackle it. You’ll need a team of at least 5 high-level trainers or 10+ lower-level players with Purified Gems to have a chance against it, so keep that in mind.

Shadow Mewtwo is headlining Shadow Raids on March 30 and March 31, 2024, during the World of Wonders Taken Over event.

Shadow Mewtwo type & weaknesses

In Pokemon Go, Shadow Mewtwo is a pure Psychic-type Pokemon, meaning it’s weak against Dark, Bug, and Ghost-type attacks. Its typing makes it resistant to Fighting and Psychic-type moves, so avoid those categories altogether.

It’s also worth noting that Psychic-type attacks are super-effective against Poison-type Pokemon, so you might want to be careful with your picks.

Best counters for Shadow Mewtwo Raid

The overall best counter for the Shadow Mewtwo Raid in Pokemon Go is Mega Tyranitar with Bite and Brutal Swing.

Shadow Mewtwo Raids are one of the toughest challenges in the game, so it’s best to coordinate strategies with other trainers. It’s best to tackle it with Mega Evolutions to get attack bonuses, so here are other viable counters for this Raid:

• Mega Gengar with Lick and Shadow Ball.
• Mega Houndoom with Snarl and Foul Play.
• Hydreigon with Bite and Brutal Swing.
• Mega Banette with Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball.
• Mega Gyarados with Bite and Brutal Swing.
• Mega Pinsir with Bug Bite and X-Scissor.
• Mega Beedrill with Bug Bite and X-Scissor.
• Mega Scizor with Fury Cutter and X-Scissor.

Other good counters include Mega Absol, Origin Forme Giratina, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Gardevoir.

Shadow Mewtwo moveset in Pokemon Go

These are all the moves Shadow Mewtwo can learn in Pokemon Go:

Fast Moves

• Psycho Cut (Psychic)
• Confusion (Psychic)

Charged Moves

• Hyper Beam* (Normal)
• Flamethrower (Fire)
• Ice Beam (Ice)
• Shadow Ball* (Ghost)
• Thunderbolt (Electric)
• Psychic (Psychic)
• Psystrike* (Psychic)
• Focus Blast (Fighting)
• Frustration (Normal)

Attacks marked with (*) are Legacy Moves and can be taught to Mewtwo in Pokemon Go by using Elite Charged TMs.

Can Shadow Mewtwo be shiny in Pokemon Go?

Yes, shiny Shadow Mewtwo is available to catch in Pokemon Go. The odds of getting shiny Shadow Mewtwo are around 5% or a 1 in 20 chance, so you might have to do many Raids before encountering one.

It’s worth noting that shiny Pokemon from Raids are a guaranteed catch, so you don’t have to worry about using Razz Berries or landing Excellent curveball throws.

And there you have it! That’s all you need to know to face Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go Raids. For more on the popular franchise, check out other guides:

How to get Sandile in Pokemon Go | How to get Frigibax in Pokemon Go | How to get Poipole in Pokemon Go | Pokemon Go World of Wonders Special Research | Pokemon Go Spotlight Hour schedule | Pokemon Go active Friend Codes | How to beat Giovanni in Pokemon Go