How to catch Mewtwo in 'Pokémon Sword and Shield' for Pokémon Day 2020

Perhaps the biggest Pokémon Day 2020 celebration this year is happening in Pokémon Sword and Shield in the form of Max Raid Battles allowing trainers to fight and capture Mewtwo and the Kanto starters, offering a way to claim the beloved classic monsters without using Pokémon Home.

For one very special Pokémon Day event, let's all gather ‘round to battle Mewtwo and his Kanto cohorts!

Is Mewtwo worth the trouble?

Yes! The supposedly “perfect” Pokémon provides trainers with an insurmountable challenge because he's so worth it. Mewtwo will always be Level 100 when encountered, making them the hardest to defeat and capture Pokémon in all of the Wild Area, especially with those stats.

Defeating them is certainly worth all the trouble. As they fall, Mewtwo will drop a bounty of goods like PP Maxes, Ability Capsules, highly sellable items, and TR11 (Psychic). They’re also just a good fun challenge.

How good are the Kanto Starters?

Other than Mewtwo, the big draw of this event are the three Kanto starters: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. This is the first time all three have been directly available in Sword and Shield. Although, Charmander is available in the base game after defeating Leon and you may have picked up one of the three through a Pokémon Home freebie. But this will be your first shot at acquiring all three without using Home!

Fire-type Charmander will eventually evolve into Charizard which is one of the most potent Fire-types around. Charizard’s base stats total 534 with a killer Special Attack of 109. They’ll later learn all your favorite Fire moves like Flare Blitz at level 62.

The Grass-type Bulbasaur powers up into Venusaur with a stat total of 525. Sp Atk and Sp Def are their highest stats, both at 100. If you wait around with them until level 58, Venusaur will learn the grass move Solarbeam.

Squirtle, the original Water starter, will turn into Blastoise at level 36, which has a 530 base stat total. Their strongest stat will be Sp Def at 105, but normal Def comes in as a close second at 100. Stick around and you can teach them Hydro Pump at level 49.

There’s never been a better time to catch these three Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-playable characters. Catching them now will even allow you to Gigantamax them when the new DLC releases!

Mewtwo and Kanto Starter Release and End Dates

The event including Mewtwo and the Kanto starters as Max Raid Battles began on February 26, 2020, and will continue until March 1, 2020. There’s also a concurrent raid event focusing on Gigantamax Toxtricity that will be available until March 8.

How to add Mewtwo and the Kanto starters to your Pokémon Den rotations

Before you can begin your hunt for everyone’s favorite Pokémon in earnest, you have to add the event to your game. Open your main menu by clicking the X button then head to the Mystery Gift option. Once there, select “Get the Wild Area News.” Doing so will update your game to include Mewtwo and the three starters as possible spawns within the Wild Area.

How to find Mewtwo and the Kanto Starters

Having activated the Wild News, Mewtwo and the Kanto starters will now be randomly available within active Pokémon Dens emitting red or purple lights. Interact with one to see if you spot any of the Kanto Starters or Mewtwo by silhouette. Be warned, the Kanto starters may spawn in either of their first two forms, so check thoroughly.

Another tell is that Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander may only spawn with 1-3 stars. Secondary level Pokémon will spawn with four stars. If you think you see a Pokémon that fits that description, you’ve got your target.

If you’re having trouble finding one, try using the Pokemon Raid Exploit to force one into existence or to farm one for your friends.

How do I fight Mewtwo in a Max Raid Battle?

Mewtwo — or Mewtough, as I like to call them — will be your greatest adversary yet.

To defeat them, you’ll want to play up Mewtwo’s weaknesses. The Psychic Pokémon is vulnerable against Bug, Ghost, and Dark attacks. I suggest capturing Orabeetle and Dusknoir for your Mewtwo crew, as both can be incredible offensive boons.

If you choose not to attend the fight with a super-effective Pokémon in tow, please make sure you don’t bring a Fighting- or Psychic-type to the confrontation. Attacks by either will have their damage halved. Who likes when things are halved?

What else is going on in Pokémon right now?

Look at you, you’re over the whole Mewtwo thing. It was “SO” 1999. Gross, right?

Other than the Pokémon Day event, there’s the Gigantamax Toxtricty event happening. You can also redeem a multitude of serial codes for a few exclusive items.

Here’s a list of the active ones and their rewards:

• C0MPET1T1ON — 1 Bottle Cap
• SUPEREFF1CACE — 20 BP
• G1GAGRANF1NALE — 10 Heal Balls
• AREAS1LVESTRE — 10 Premier Balls
• GALAR — 1 Bottle Cap
• PUNKR0CK — 10 TR94 (High Horsepower)

These can all be entered through the Mystery Gift menu, the same one you used to place the Pokémon in your Wild Area.

Now, be free. Defeat the world’s toughest Pokémon yet, the perfect lifeform, Mewtwo.