Mewtwo is typically considered to be one of the most powerful creatures in the Pokemon canon universe. And, though that is a truly bold statement, it is also a factual one. Very few creatures are powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with Mewtwo and very few are dim-witted enough to try it.
Mewtwo is an incredibly powerful Pokemon that was genetically engineered to be a fighting machine. This makes it an all-around tank that cannot easily be taken down. However, there are a few creatures that can hold their own against Mewtwo. Though they might not be able to defeat Mewtwo outright, they will still provide enough of a challenge to keep things interesting and make it a rather equal match.
Updated on January 23, 2023 by Ben Painter: Mewtwo stands out as one of the most iconic Pokemon in the franchise, making its anime debut in Pokemon: The First Movie. It is iconic for 90s kids and the Pokemon brings a wave of nostalgia to many fans. The psychic-type legendary Pokemon has stood the test of time, and it still stands out as one of the most powerful Pokemon in the games.
Throughout each generation, there have been new suitors to take up the mantle of a worthy battle opponent for Mewtwo but very few have managed to live up to the task. But with the release of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet in late 2022, came with new Pokemon for gamers to collect and use in battle. There are a few of these that can even best the mighty Mewtwo in a battle.
23 Gengar
Gengar might not be as rare or powerful as a legendary Pokemon, but it can certainly put up a good fight against Mewtwo. These two Gen 1 powerhouses have remained some of the strongest of their type since first being introduced, receiving various forms and tweaks along the way.
Type weaknesses affect both Pokemon negatively here, putting them on a level playing field. Though Mewtwo gets the slight edge in Speed, Gengar has a versatile learnset that could prove to be the deciding force in a confrontation between the two.
22 Deoxys
This would be a battle between two Psychic-type heavyweights. Both Deoxys and Mewtwo bring a lot to the table, but Deoxys has the Gen 1 icon outmatched in its versatility.
Its four different forms let it capitalize on different stats, giving it the ability to gauge the battle and adjust when necessary. Its regenerative abilities provide it with a massive advantage that even Pokemon as strong as Mewtwo would have a tough time dealing with.
21 Eternatus
Introduced to the franchise in Pokemon Sword & Shield, Eternatus stands as an intimidating foe for any challenger. The Poison/Dragon-type outsizes Mewtwo quite a bit, ensuring an uphill battle for the Gen 1 Psychic-type.
Eternamax Eternatus is even bigger, completely overshadowing Mewtwo. Its signature move, Eternabeam, is an incredibly powerful attack that even Mewtwo would have trouble defending against. Though it might be an interesting match-up, Mewtwo could very well be outmatched.
20 Jirachi
It might not look the part, but Jirachi makes for a formidable foe in battle. The mythical Psychic/Steel-type has a peculiar ability that makes it difficult for any Pokemon to plan for during a fight.
With its wish-making ability, Jirachi is a true wild card that boasts a potentially game-changing power. It fares well against Psychic-types, which should give it a decent chance at besting Mewtwo.
19 Yveltal/Xerneas
Mewtwo has tons of potential in its stats and movepool. However, in terms of what can match it, bulkier Pokemon that resist its variety of STAB attacks give it a run for its money. The best for this are bulky psychic types and bulky fairy types. Dark types can also negate a lot of what Mewtwo can do offensively. Two Pokemon that fulfill all of these requirements are Yveltal and Xerneas, the box legendaries from Gen 6.
Both of these legendary Pokemon pack high offensive stats and HP, allowing them to bust through Mewtwo's sizable bulk. Moreover, they can each check Mewtwo that don't come equipped to handle them. Yveltal, although it needs to be wary of Ice Beam, can easily dispatch it with powerful dark-type attacks. Xerneas can easily check Mewtwo with its sizable bulk and even setup to become even more powerful. These would easily dispatch Mewtwo.
18 Aegislash
The blade, the myth, the legend that is Aegislash is another Pokemon that can match Mewtwo. Many ghost types create problems for Mewtwo, as they exploit one of its biggest weaknesses. In some cases, Aegislash can completely wall out Mewtwo that don't have Fire Blast, Shadow Ball, or Earthquake. Shield-form Aegislash can take a ton of powerful hits even from this legendary beast.
Moreover, Aegislash's sword form can demolish Mewtwo with ease. Powerful priority moves like Shadow Sneak give Aegislash the ability to deal serious damage, and it boasts other powerful attacks to fill in the rest of its weaknesses. With excellent offense and defense, Aegislash is the perfect weapon to fight a godlike entity like Mewtwo. It earned its title of "Smogon Sword" for a good reason, after all.
17 Mega Sableye
Mega Evolutions, although they currently lay dormant in Scarlet & Violet, are a serious threat in many situations. Mega Gengar, for example, could make quick work of Mewtwo without a second thought. However, sometimes the best offense is a good defense, and a good defense can lead to annoying the opponent into submission. Few Pokemon are as capable of doing that as Mega Sableye.
Sableye in its regular form isn't much to look at. Its Mega Evolution allows it to disarm status moves with Magic Bounce, then proceed to burn and Knock-Off the competition. Mewtwo in any of its forms can hardly dent this brilliant gem Pokemon, and its typing walls all of Mewtwo's potential stab attacks completely. If there was ever a Pokemon to make Mewtwo useless, Mega Sableye is the right option.
16 Alolan Muk
Mega Evolutions and obviously powerful regular Pokemon are obviously going to keep Mewtwo in check, that much is certain. So, how about an under-used Pokemon, brought from the trenches specifically to check and threaten legendary psychic types? Enter Alolan Muk: a serious competitive threat. This multicolored sludge, despite its weaknesses, has the right dark typing and moveset to keep many powerful legendaries in check.
Alolan Muk's biggest boon is its ability to use Pursuit and trap Mewtwo in battle. If another Pokemon can weaken Mewtwo, Alolan Muk will always be able to finish the job. Of course, in Scarlet & Violet, Pokemon aren't legally allowed to use Pursuit as a technique. Does this make Alolan Muk useless? Absolutely not, since it still has solid bulk and typing to survive an attack and retaliate with force. Mewtwo should be afraid of this sludge, despite its sweet smell.
15 Klefki
Legendaries can challenge Mewtwo. Gigantamax and Mega Evolutions can obviously challenge Mewtwo as well. Even a couple of regular Pokemon that have promise in high levels of play can take down Mewtwo. But, like Mega Sableye, how about testing Mewtwo's patience with one of the most obnoxious and bulky fairy types in the game? That's right, Klefki is the real secret to Mewtwo's destruction.
Klefki's ability, Prankster, always gives it priority with status moves. This allows it to paralyze Mewtwo for free, giving it room to set up hazards, confusion, or even attempt to fight Mewtwo head-on with Foul Play. Sure, if Mewtwo can execute a move to actually hit Klefki, it might not survive, but it has to be able to move first. With enough luck, they can definitely take down a Pokemon considered one of the most powerful in the Pokemon world.
14 Mew
There's certainly an argument to be made that the mythical Pokemon Mew can take down Mewtwo. Mewtwo is a simple clone of Mew. Mew holds the DNA of every Pokemon, and can learn every single move in existence. This is something that its clone cannot do.
Mew is the basis for Mewtwo's entire existence. Red and Blue even hints that Mew gave birth to Mewtwo. If there's anyone who can take down Mewtwo, who better to do it than its genderless parent? It only makes sense.
13 Anything That Is Dynamaxed Or Gigantimaxed
If players assume that the Mewtwo they are fighting isn't Dynamaxed or Gigantimaxed during the fight, then it can be assumed that any creature fighting it that is enlarged can take it down. They really only have to step on it to take it out.
Now, if Mewtwo is also Dynamaxed, then players have a much more even fight. It's alright though, we'll send all seven forms of Charizard out to fight it together. They'll overwhelm it numerically, it won't stand a chance.
12 Mega Mewtwo X And Y
Another easy contender to take down Mewtwo is Mega Mewtwo X or Y. Both of them are simply bigger and better versions of the original. When it gets into the fight, players are probably going to want to stick with Mega Mewtwo Y. Mega Mewtwo X is has a secondary fighting type, so it will be easier for base Mewtwo to take down.
Mega Mewtwo Y is the same pure psychic type as the original with higher base stats, so it really should be an easy win for the Mega Evolved creature.
11 Arceus
Want to take down an opponent? Send in a god. Arceus is literally the Pokemon that created the universe, so even putting him in a Pokeball is incredibly disrespectful. If gamers are going to, though, then he's a good one to use in a fight against Mewtwo.
He's got great stats, and can use a Ghost Plate to become super effective against Mewtwo. He would obviously be a tough fight for Mewtwo with any Plate, but using the Ghost plate will just make it a surefire win for creator Arceus.
10 Celesteela
Another option that might be a good check for Mewtwo is Celesteela. Mewtwo can dish out some heavy hits, so players are going to need something that can defend itself against it. That's where Celesteela comes in. It is an incredibly bulky Pokemon, and can use that bulk to slowly whittle away at Mewtwo's health through the use of Toxic and Leech Seed.
Celesteela can take hits with the best of them, it has a niche in the AG, the highest power-level tier that there is. It's a great option to take down Mewtwo.
9 Primal Groudon
Primal Groudon has the ability to dry up the entirety of the earth if it wants to, so odds are that it could probably take out Mewtwo pretty easily. Groudon can do things one of two ways. It can go all out with its sheer power to take down Mewtwo, or it can play the very, very long game.
Mewtwo isn't going to win if Primal Groudon dries up all the water in the world, now, is he? If Mewtwo eventually whittles away due to a lack of water, then Primal Groudon will have done its job.
8 Primal Kyogre
Primal Kyogre has the ability to drown the entirety of the earth if it wants to, which players believe is truly an asset when going up against one of the most powerful creatures in the canon universe.
As with Groudon, Kyogre can play the long game and outlive Mewtwo if needed by manipulating the available elements. However, it is important to note that it is a rather powerful Pokemon in its own right and could, at the very least, provide a bit of a challenge for Mewtwo.
7 Necrozma
Necrozma has four different forms (about 20% as much as Charizard) that it can utilize to take out Mewtwo. It has its base form, the ultra form, and its fused variants with Solgaleo and Lunala. All of these forms are incredibly powerful, but Ultra Necrozma really takes the cake here.
Its base stats are absolutely out of this world and few other creatures can compare to them. This is probably one of the best options on this list to take down Mewtwo.
6 Giratina
Giratina is a massive powerhouse that can easily hold its own against Mewtwo. However, it is important to note that it does have a type advantage against Mewtwo. This means that Giratina could take down Mewtwo pretty easily in either of its different forms. When a Pokemon has an advantage over another Pokemon, it is a good idea for said Pokemon to use it to its maximum potential. And if a Pokemon has the ability to manipulate its opponent's weaknesses, it should do so with no hesitation.
If players truly want to tip the scale in Giratina's favor, players could give our Giratina the home-field advantage and have the battle take place in the Distortion World. Mewtwo won't know what hit it.
5 Kingambit
Out of all the new Pokemon introduced in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Kingambit is one of the best-designed and strongest. It was a much-needed addition as an evolution for Bisharp was much sort after.
Kingambit's typing of dark/steel gives it a massive advantage over Mewtwo, the generation 1 legendary's psychic-type attacks will not affect the Big Blade Pokemon. Its Kowtow Cleave move would be no match for Mewtwo, despite its 90 defense. Mewtwo can learn fighting-type moves, which may cause a significant problem for Kingambit. If Mewtwo is fighting move-less then it is no contest.
4 Roaring Moon
Roaring Moon is not a legendary Pokemon, but its stats certainly make it seem like it could be, also its place in the Pokedex, is ahead of some legendaries in Paldea. Roaring Moon is one of the best in the game and this Paradox Pokemon is only available in Scarlet.
Once again a dark type can outmatch Mewtwo, Roaring Moon is dragon/dark and has a plethora of strong moves capable of wiping out this opponent in a battle, including Throat Chop and Double-Edge. Mewtwo won't be able to use any psychic-type moves, but just like with Kingambit, any fighting-type moves from Mewtwo would be a great counter.