How to defeat Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go: Best counters & weaknesses

Shadow Mewtwo is appearing in Shadow Raid Battles in Pokemon Go, but it’s not going to be an easy opponent to defeat – so here are its weaknesses and some of the best counters to help you win.

Is there a Legendary Pokemon more iconic than Mewtwo? We think not. This Psychic-type creation is one of the most powerful Pokemon of all time, so the potential to get your hands on a Shadow Mewtwo with its boosted attack power is very exciting indeed.

Of course, this isn’t the first time players have been able to encounter Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go – it was previously available after defeating Giovanni – but this is the first time it’s been available in Raid Battles, removing the lengthy process of getting a Super Rocket Radar.

If you’re planning on battling Shadow Mewtwo in one of the new Shadow Raid Battles, we’ve got plenty of tips to help you do that including details about its weaknesses and the best counters to use in battle.

Contents

• How to defeat Shadow Mewtwo
• Shadow Mewtwo weaknesses
• Shadow Mewtwo counters

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How to defeat Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go

Shadow Mewtwo will be appearing in limited-time Shadow Raids from Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 10AM local time until Sunday, May 28, 2023, at 8PM local time. This means you’ve only got a single weekend to battle, defeat, and attempt to catch one.

The most important thing we’re going to point out here is that Shadow Mewtwo is likely going to be a lot harder to defeat than regular Mewtwo. This is because Shadow Raid Bosses grow enraged over time, which increases their attack and defense.

While bringing along a strong team of counters and joining forces with a big group of Trainers will be as important as ever, you’re probably going to have to rely on Purified Gems to successfully take down Shadow Mewtwo.

Purified Gems are special items that can be used to subdue Shadow Raid Bosses, reducing their power in the process. If your group uses enough Purified Gems, you’ll be able to revert them back to their non-enranged form, which will make them a lot easier to defeat.

So how do you get Purified Gems? Well, you’ll need to collect a total of four Shadow Shards. These can be obtained by defeating members of Team Go Rocket or winning Shadow Raid Battles. Once you’ve collected enough, you’ll automatically get a Purified Gem.

The final element to point out here is that Remote Raid Passes cannot be used for Shadow Raid Battles, so you’ll need to travel to a Gym that’s hosting a Shadow Mewtwo Raid in person and use a regular Raid Pass to take part.

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Shadow Mewtwo weaknesses in Pokemon Go

Shadow Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Pokemon, which means it’s weak against Bug, Dark, and Ghost-type attacks.

On the other hand, Shadow Mewtwo is resistant to Fighting and Psychic-type attacks, so avoid using those wherever possible.

Best counters for Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go

Here are some of the best counters you can use to defeat Shadow Mewtwo in Pokemon Go:

Pokemon	Best Moveset
Mega Gengar	Shadow Claw & Shadow Ball
Mega Houndoom	Snarl & Foul Play
Mega Absol	Snarl & Dark Pulse
Mega Banette	Shadow Claw & Shadow Ball
Giratina (Origin Forme)	Shadow Claw & Shadow Force
Darkrai	Snarl & Shadow Ball
Yveltal	Snarl & Dark Pulse
Zarude	Bite & Dark Pulse
Hydreigon	Bite & Brutal Swing
Chandelure	Hex & Shadow Ball
Tyranitar	Bite & Crunch
Weavile	Snarl & Foul Play
Gengar	Shadow Claw & Shadow Ball
Houndoom	Snarl & Foul Play
Trevenant	Shadow Claw & Shadow Ball

We’ve included a good mix of Megas, Legendaries, and regular Pokemon above so hopefully there’s something everyone can use there.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any of the counters we’ve listed, though – simply focus on the strongest Pokemon you have that can target Shadow Mewtwo’s weaknesses and team up with a good number of other trainers for the best chance of success.

Remember that bringing along Purified Gems is going to be just as important as having the right counters or teammates, so we would recommend taking on some low-level Shadow Raid Bosses or members of Team Go Rocket to stock up on those first.

That’s everything you need to know about Shadow Mewtwo! While you’re here, check out some more Pokemon Go guides below:

Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go | All upcoming Spotlight Hours | Current Raid bosses | Arlo counters guide | Cliff counters guide | Giovanni counters guide | Sierra counters guide | Grunt counters guide | How to catch a Ditto | What are Strange Eggs? | How to get Remote Raid Passes | Fastest way to get Best Buddy status | Pokemon Go catching tips