[OVERVIEW]
Mew is one of the most threatening Pokemon in GSC Ubers thanks to its insane versatility that lets it perform an important variety of offensive roles. As a lead, Mew matches up perfectly against common leads like Snorlax and Mewtwo, consistently beating them with the combination of Swords Dance, Thunder Wave, and Explosion, with Miracle Berry further helping Mew against them by providing a one-time status immunity that lets it set up freely. Mew's Explosion is one of the strongest attacks in the game, capable of potentially breaking through even the bulkiest of Pokemon, like Lugia, Skarmory, Barrier Mewtwo, and Tyranitar after a Swords Dance boost, making Mew one of the best offensive facilitators for teammates like Snorlax, Tyranitar, and offensive Mewtwo.
When used in the back, Mew takes advantage of its good natural bulk to annoy offensive Mewtwo, Zapdos, and Gengar, matchups that can be further improved if Mew is running Soft-Boiled in its moveset. Mewtwo's Self-Destruct and Gengar's Explosion don't come close to OHKOing Mew, meaning that it can recover the damage done with Soft-Boiled or survive with enough HP to attack the next turn.
However, Mew can be reliant on paralysis to effectively remove Barrier Mewtwo; Mewtwo's higher Speed allows it to reach +4 Defense as Mew uses Swords Dance once, thus making Explosion's chances to OHKO it lower and lower as Mewtwo racks up more boosts. Mew's Speed stat also leaves it outsped by Jolteon and the aforementioned Mewtwo, two Pokemon that can reliably revenge kill a low-HP Mew. Finally, Mew, while having access to an ocean of a movepool, cannot beat every check to itself with four moves, and thus, if it's not sacrificing itself with Explosion, it becomes much less threatening once its entire moveset has been revealed.
[SET]
name: Lead Mew
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Fire Blast / Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Miracle Berry / Magnet
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Lead Mew is the most common Mew set due to its positive matchups against other common leads. Swords Dance gives Mew the ability to perform feats such as having a 76% chance to OHKO +1 Defense Lugia, having a 59% chance to OHKO +2 Defense Mewtwo with Explosion after one Swords Dance, and always OHKOing Tyranitar and Golem after two Swords Dances, making Mew one of the toughest Pokemon to switch into in Ubers, especially if its moveset has not yet been fully revealed. Thunder Wave helps Mew beat Barrier Mewtwo one-on-one, as one turn where Mewtwo gets fully paralyzed is enough for Mew to beat it with Explosion. Thunder Wave also helps Mew circumvent its Speed problem and allows it to always outspeed Pokemon like Gengar and Zapdos. Fire Blast OHKOes Forretress, an otherwise solid check to Mew, without having to sacrifice itself with Explosion; it also 2HKOes Skarmory, Steelix, and Exeggutor and 3HKOes Leftovers Cloyster while having very favorable chances to 2HKO Miracle Berry variants. The combination of Thunder Wave and Fire Blast gives Mew the best possible matchup against the majority of opposing leads. If these Pokemon are not an issue, and Mew instead wants to have a better matchup against offensive teams, it can run Thunder alongside Magnet to secure a near-guaranteed OHKO on Cloyster, denying the opponent's Spikes while still retaining the useful paralysis chance on Pokemon like Mewtwo and Gengar.
Mew can also run Surf to OHKO Golem without needing to use Explosion, letting it be saved for another Pokemon like Mewtwo while retaining the 2HKO on Steelix; it is best used alongside Thunder to let Mew keep the ability to paralyze Mewtwo and beat it one-on-one.
As for what item Mew can run, Miracle Berry is the standard for its one-time immunity against Lovely Kiss from Snorlax and Sleep Powder from Exeggutor while also helping Mew last a bit longer against Toxic Mewtwo variants. However, if Mew is running Thunder, Magnet can be considered as well.
Team Options
========
Potential teammates for Mew include Pokemon that can double down on the offensive prowess it provides, such as offensive Mewtwo. All-out attacker Mewtwo can, alongside Mew, break the opponent's team via coverage moves and a strong Self-Destruct that lets it beat foes such as Celebi and Ho-Oh that can annoy Mew depending on what moves it is running. Mew will usually be using Explosion on Pokemon like Snorlax, Zapdos, Tyranitar, Golem, and Mewtwo, so Pokemon that appreciate the mentioned threats being out of the picture, like Snorlax, Cloyster, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Vaporeon, also make for good teammates.
[SET]
name: Backline Mew
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake / Shadow Ball
move 3: Rock Slide / Submission
move 4: Explosion / Soft-Boiled
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mew can use its respectable bulk to be a good switch-in to all-out attacker Mewtwo and Gengar. Swords Dance allows Mew to dish out far more powerful attacks, giving it the ability to potentially 2HKO or 3HKO the majority of the metagame. Earthquake targets Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon like Tyranitar, Golem, Rhydon, and Steelix, 2HKOing the former three while 3HKOing the latter. Earthquake also targets other important Pokemon like Jolteon and Raikou. Another option Mew can run is Shadow Ball, as it provides a strong hit on Celebi, opposing Mew, and Mewtwo, 2HKOing all of them after a Swords Dance. However, Mewtwo can turn the tables on Mew if it is running Barrier. It is worth noting that both Earthquake and Shadow Ball hit Gengar super effectively. Rock Slide allows Mew to OHKO Ho-Oh, 2HKO Zapdos, and 3HKO Cloyster after a Swords Dance. Submission can be used if Mew wants to hit Snorlax harder without sacrificing itself with Explosion, as Curse Snorlax will eventually be bulky enough to withstand a boosted Earthquake without too many issues. A boosted Submission also OHKOes Tyranitar, something that Earthquake fails to do, which can be used to prevent Mew getting phazed by it; it also 2HKOes Umbreon. Lastly, Explosion is used in the last slot to enhance Mew's wallbreaking abilities. A boosted Explosion destroys even the bulkiest of physical walls like Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, Umbreon, and even Skarmory. This, however, comes at the cost of Mew KOing itself and is a move that is usually telegraphed, so it can get pivoted around. Soft-Boiled is a more defensive option that Mew can run over Explosion to take advantage of its good defensive capabilities against offensive Mewtwo, Gengar, and potentially Zapdos. Unfortunately, running Soft-Boiled means that Mew will be unable to get past Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, and Skarmory on its own and thus will need the help of its teammates. Mew can run almost any possible combination of moves desired and do it with high effectiveness. However, one combination advised against is Earthquake + Submission because it leaves Mew unable to get past Mewtwo, Zapdos, Celebi, Forretress, and opposing Mew.
Team Options
========
Mew appreciates Spikes weakening checks like Steelix, so both Cloyster and Forretress are good teammates. Cloyster in particular can hit both Steelix and Tyranitar with a strong Surf and use Explosion on a Pokemon like Snorlax or Celebi. Body Slam Snorlax can paralyze Mewtwo for Mew to have better chances of breaking through it without being forced to use Explosion. Tyranitar can beat Barrier Mewtwo and Lugia and weaken Cloyster for Mew, while Mew can weaken Steelix for Tyranitar and switch into offensive Mewtwo. Exeggutor can switch into Zapdos and threaten to heavily damage it, put something to sleep with Sleep Powder, and use its powerful Explosion and coverage to break past usual Mew checks like Mewtwo and the aforementioned Zapdos. Zapdos itself is a good teammate for Mew, as it commonly switches into Steelix and hits it hard with Hidden Power Water while forcing Steelix to use Explosion if it wants to hit back.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Earthquake is an option for lead Mew to 2HKO Tyranitar and Golem at +2 without sacrificing itself; it also 3HKOes Steelix. Earthquake also allows Mew to hit otherwise annoying Pokemon for it like Gengar. However, Gengar already dislikes getting paralyzed with Thunder Wave, and Tyranitar and Golem already take heavy damage from Explosion. Earthquake also worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users like Cloyster and Forretress. Lastly, using Explosion on the aforementioned Pokemon is usually Mew's task, rendering Earthquake mostly useless.
Rock Slide 2HKOes Zapdos at +2 and it can help Mew get some Pokemon, like paralyzed Mewtwo and Heracross, into KO range by flinching them. However, it worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users like Cloyster and Forretress. Cloyster gets 3HKOed at +2 and cripples Mew with Toxic or damages it with Surf or Explosion, with Forretress taking even less damage than Cloyster while doing the same.
Shadow Ball is the last coverage option that lead Mew can use to hit Celebi, opposing Mew, and Mewtwo hard while not sacrificing itself with Explosion. However, Mew prefers running other moves and, like Earthquake and Rock Slide, it worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users.
Flamethrower can be used on the backline Mew set to OHKO Forretress and 2HKO Skarmory and Steelix. This is best used with a moveset of Swords Dance, Submission, and Shadow Ball for Mew to retain a powerful hit on Mewtwo. However, Barrier Mewtwo and Lugia will forever wall Mew if it is not running Explosion, as will other Pokemon like Zapdos, Ho-Oh, and Haze Quagsire. Similarly, Fire Blast is another option that Mew can run to improve its matchup against chipped foes like Steelix and Skarmory.
Protect can be used on the backline Mew set as a way to get passive recovery and bait Explosion from foes like opposing Mew and Cloyster. This is best used on a set with Swords Dance, Earthquake, and Explosion as the other moves. Earthquake hits Pokemon like Tyranitar, Steelix, and Gengar that resist or are immune to Explosion. Similarly to Protect, Substitute is an option to not only bait Explosion but also block status from foes like Cloyster, which works best on teams that can fit a lot of paralysis support in the form of Thunder Wave Mewtwo, Thunder Wave Zapdos, and Body Slam Snorlax. Substitute works best on a set with Swords Dance, Earthquake, and Rock Slide with teammates that can deal with Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, and Skarmory.
A moveset of Flamethrower or Surf, Toxic, Soft-Boiled, and Explosion is an option for teams that want a bulky Pokemon that can act as a pseudo-wall to various Pokemon but cannot use Mewtwo because it is occupying another role, like being a Growth recipient. This set utilizes Mew's excellent natural bulk to be one of the most sturdy Mewtwo checks in Ubers, as it avoids a 3HKO from all of its attacks while also having a very strong Explosion to keep other threats like Zapdos, Jolteon, and the aforementioned Mewtwo in check.
Hidden Power Bug is an option in the backline Mew set to hit Celebi and Tyranitar super effectively in one moveslot. This allows Mew to run coverage for other threats like Ho-Oh and Barrier Mewtwo in Rock Slide and Explosion, respectively.
Lastly, Thief can be used to steal Leftovers from Steelix, Skarmory, Forretress and other physical walls like Lugia. Thief is also effective due to its surprise factor, and it can help trick the opponent by bluffing that Mew is using Miracle Berry as its item. However, it requires Mew to go into the game itemless.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mewtwo**: Because of its access to Barrier and Recover alongside its higher Speed, Mewtwo is Mew's best check. Unless Mew has paralysis support in the form of Body Slam Snorlax, Thunder Wave Mewtwo, Thunder Wave Zapdos, or its own Thunder Wave, it cannot beat Mewtwo reliably. Offensive Mewtwo can survive every move from +2 Mew bar Explosion and deal decent damage back with Thunder. Lastly, Mewtwo can use Self-Destruct to deal massive damage to Mew, letting a teammate easily finish it off.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is the best offensive check to Mew, being strong enough to 3HKO Mew with Thunder and bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from an unboosted Rock Slide. Furthermore, Zapdos also completely walls any Mew that is not running Rock Slide, forcing it to use Explosion to take it out. However, Thunder misses can make this a tricky interaction, and Mew always has the option to use Explosion on Zapdos. Zapdos Speed tying with Mew also makes it harder for Zapdos to consistently beat it.
**Heracross**: Heracross is bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from any boosted attack and 2HKO Mew back with Megahorn. Its access to Curse and Rest + Sleep Talk make it a decent answer even when asleep. However, Mew can beat Heracross with just one Rock Slide flinch. Explosion also OHKOes it.
**Snorlax**: Snorlax only gets 3HKOed by +2 Earthquake and Rock Slide and can use Lovely Kiss to put Mew to sleep and nullify its threat. However, Submission 2HKOes it at +2, while Explosion outright OHKOes it. Miracle Berry can also nullify Lovely Kiss.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Lugia, Skarmory, and Umbreon are all Pokemon that naturally annoy Mew via either boosting their Defense or lowering Mew's Attack. Because of this, Mew's only way of dealing with these Pokemon is usually Explosion. However, Lugia can tank even a +6 Explosion with enough Defense boosts and has Recover to prevent Mew from taking advantage of it. Skarmory has only a 2% chance of getting OHKOed by Explosion, meaning that Mew needs to flinch it with a +2 Rock Slide to have a guaranteed KO with Explosion. Because of this, it is not very reliable. Umbreon is the most prone of the mentioned checks to lose to Mew, but its access to Charm, Moonlight, and Toxic can let it stall long enough for Mew to either faint or lose patience and use Explosion. Cloyster only gets 3HKOed by a +2 Rock Slide and can deal a minimum of 86% to Mew with Explosion. Steelix is bulky enough to use Curse even on a boosted Mew and can use Explosion itself to take Mew out.
**Celebi**: Celebi can be used as a good Mew check if pivoted properly, either by scouting if Mew is running Shadow Ball on its moveset or baiting Explosion and switching out to Pokemon that resist it.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh is bulky enough to survive an unboosted Rock Slide, meaning it can use Toxic on Mew or deal damage to it with Flamethrower while scouting and pivoting around to reveal Mew's moveset. However, a +2 Rock Slide and Explosion will outright OHKO Ho-Oh.
**Quagsire**: Quagsire annoys Mew with Toxic and Haze. Toxic is especially devastating for backline Mew, as its potential sweep will be compromised, and it will be forced to use Explosion more quickly.
**Exeggutor**: Exeggutor is bulky enough to avoid the OHKO from a boosted Shadow Ball, resists Earthquake, and can put Mew to sleep with Sleep Powder while having access to Explosion to put a huge dent in Mew's HP. However, it must be careful of Rock Slide flinches and Explosion.
**Faster Pokemon**: Jolteon can revenge kill a weakened Mew with its strong attacks, although it must be careful of Earthquake, as it 2HKOes Jolteon unboosted while Jolteon barely 3HKOes Mew in return. Other Pokemon like Gengar can take out Mew with Destiny Bond or Explosion, making them effective offensive checks.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/corvere.306317/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/isa.168574/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mashing.537354/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/conflict.37399/
Grammar checked by:
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https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
Mew is one of the most threatening Pokemon in GSC Ubers thanks to its insane versatility that lets it perform an important variety of offensive roles. As a lead, Mew matches up perfectly against common leads like Snorlax and Mewtwo, consistently beating them with the combination of Swords Dance, Thunder Wave, and Explosion, with Miracle Berry further helping Mew against them by providing a one-time status immunity that lets it set up freely. Mew's Explosion is one of the strongest attacks in the game, capable of potentially breaking through even the bulkiest of Pokemon, like Lugia, Skarmory, Barrier Mewtwo, and Tyranitar after a Swords Dance boost, making Mew one of the best offensive facilitators for teammates like Snorlax, Tyranitar, and offensive Mewtwo.
When used in the back, Mew takes advantage of its good natural bulk to annoy offensive Mewtwo, Zapdos, and Gengar, matchups that can be further improved if Mew is running Soft-Boiled in its moveset. Mewtwo's Self-Destruct and Gengar's Explosion don't come close to OHKOing Mew, meaning that it can recover the damage done with Soft-Boiled or survive with enough HP to attack the next turn.
However, Mew can be reliant on paralysis to effectively remove Barrier Mewtwo; Mewtwo's higher Speed allows it to reach +4 Defense as Mew uses Swords Dance once, thus making Explosion's chances to OHKO it lower and lower as Mewtwo racks up more boosts. Mew's Speed stat also leaves it outsped by Jolteon and the aforementioned Mewtwo, two Pokemon that can reliably revenge kill a low-HP Mew. Finally, Mew, while having access to an ocean of a movepool, cannot beat every check to itself with four moves, and thus, if it's not sacrificing itself with Explosion, it becomes much less threatening once its entire moveset has been revealed.
[SET]
name: Lead Mew
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Fire Blast / Thunder
move 4: Explosion
item: Miracle Berry / Magnet
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Lead Mew is the most common Mew set due to its positive matchups against other common leads. Swords Dance gives Mew the ability to perform feats such as having a 76% chance to OHKO +1 Defense Lugia, having a 59% chance to OHKO +2 Defense Mewtwo with Explosion after one Swords Dance, and always OHKOing Tyranitar and Golem after two Swords Dances, making Mew one of the toughest Pokemon to switch into in Ubers, especially if its moveset has not yet been fully revealed. Thunder Wave helps Mew beat Barrier Mewtwo one-on-one, as one turn where Mewtwo gets fully paralyzed is enough for Mew to beat it with Explosion. Thunder Wave also helps Mew circumvent its Speed problem and allows it to always outspeed Pokemon like Gengar and Zapdos. Fire Blast OHKOes Forretress, an otherwise solid check to Mew, without having to sacrifice itself with Explosion; it also 2HKOes Skarmory, Steelix, and Exeggutor and 3HKOes Leftovers Cloyster while having very favorable chances to 2HKO Miracle Berry variants. The combination of Thunder Wave and Fire Blast gives Mew the best possible matchup against the majority of opposing leads. If these Pokemon are not an issue, and Mew instead wants to have a better matchup against offensive teams, it can run Thunder alongside Magnet to secure a near-guaranteed OHKO on Cloyster, denying the opponent's Spikes while still retaining the useful paralysis chance on Pokemon like Mewtwo and Gengar.
Mew can also run Surf to OHKO Golem without needing to use Explosion, letting it be saved for another Pokemon like Mewtwo while retaining the 2HKO on Steelix; it is best used alongside Thunder to let Mew keep the ability to paralyze Mewtwo and beat it one-on-one.
As for what item Mew can run, Miracle Berry is the standard for its one-time immunity against Lovely Kiss from Snorlax and Sleep Powder from Exeggutor while also helping Mew last a bit longer against Toxic Mewtwo variants. However, if Mew is running Thunder, Magnet can be considered as well.
Team Options
========
Potential teammates for Mew include Pokemon that can double down on the offensive prowess it provides, such as offensive Mewtwo. All-out attacker Mewtwo can, alongside Mew, break the opponent's team via coverage moves and a strong Self-Destruct that lets it beat foes such as Celebi and Ho-Oh that can annoy Mew depending on what moves it is running. Mew will usually be using Explosion on Pokemon like Snorlax, Zapdos, Tyranitar, Golem, and Mewtwo, so Pokemon that appreciate the mentioned threats being out of the picture, like Snorlax, Cloyster, Zapdos, Jolteon, and Vaporeon, also make for good teammates.
[SET]
name: Backline Mew
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake / Shadow Ball
move 3: Rock Slide / Submission
move 4: Explosion / Soft-Boiled
item: Leftovers
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Mew can use its respectable bulk to be a good switch-in to all-out attacker Mewtwo and Gengar. Swords Dance allows Mew to dish out far more powerful attacks, giving it the ability to potentially 2HKO or 3HKO the majority of the metagame. Earthquake targets Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon like Tyranitar, Golem, Rhydon, and Steelix, 2HKOing the former three while 3HKOing the latter. Earthquake also targets other important Pokemon like Jolteon and Raikou. Another option Mew can run is Shadow Ball, as it provides a strong hit on Celebi, opposing Mew, and Mewtwo, 2HKOing all of them after a Swords Dance. However, Mewtwo can turn the tables on Mew if it is running Barrier. It is worth noting that both Earthquake and Shadow Ball hit Gengar super effectively. Rock Slide allows Mew to OHKO Ho-Oh, 2HKO Zapdos, and 3HKO Cloyster after a Swords Dance. Submission can be used if Mew wants to hit Snorlax harder without sacrificing itself with Explosion, as Curse Snorlax will eventually be bulky enough to withstand a boosted Earthquake without too many issues. A boosted Submission also OHKOes Tyranitar, something that Earthquake fails to do, which can be used to prevent Mew getting phazed by it; it also 2HKOes Umbreon. Lastly, Explosion is used in the last slot to enhance Mew's wallbreaking abilities. A boosted Explosion destroys even the bulkiest of physical walls like Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, Umbreon, and even Skarmory. This, however, comes at the cost of Mew KOing itself and is a move that is usually telegraphed, so it can get pivoted around. Soft-Boiled is a more defensive option that Mew can run over Explosion to take advantage of its good defensive capabilities against offensive Mewtwo, Gengar, and potentially Zapdos. Unfortunately, running Soft-Boiled means that Mew will be unable to get past Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, and Skarmory on its own and thus will need the help of its teammates. Mew can run almost any possible combination of moves desired and do it with high effectiveness. However, one combination advised against is Earthquake + Submission because it leaves Mew unable to get past Mewtwo, Zapdos, Celebi, Forretress, and opposing Mew.
Team Options
========
Mew appreciates Spikes weakening checks like Steelix, so both Cloyster and Forretress are good teammates. Cloyster in particular can hit both Steelix and Tyranitar with a strong Surf and use Explosion on a Pokemon like Snorlax or Celebi. Body Slam Snorlax can paralyze Mewtwo for Mew to have better chances of breaking through it without being forced to use Explosion. Tyranitar can beat Barrier Mewtwo and Lugia and weaken Cloyster for Mew, while Mew can weaken Steelix for Tyranitar and switch into offensive Mewtwo. Exeggutor can switch into Zapdos and threaten to heavily damage it, put something to sleep with Sleep Powder, and use its powerful Explosion and coverage to break past usual Mew checks like Mewtwo and the aforementioned Zapdos. Zapdos itself is a good teammate for Mew, as it commonly switches into Steelix and hits it hard with Hidden Power Water while forcing Steelix to use Explosion if it wants to hit back.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Earthquake is an option for lead Mew to 2HKO Tyranitar and Golem at +2 without sacrificing itself; it also 3HKOes Steelix. Earthquake also allows Mew to hit otherwise annoying Pokemon for it like Gengar. However, Gengar already dislikes getting paralyzed with Thunder Wave, and Tyranitar and Golem already take heavy damage from Explosion. Earthquake also worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users like Cloyster and Forretress. Lastly, using Explosion on the aforementioned Pokemon is usually Mew's task, rendering Earthquake mostly useless.
Rock Slide 2HKOes Zapdos at +2 and it can help Mew get some Pokemon, like paralyzed Mewtwo and Heracross, into KO range by flinching them. However, it worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users like Cloyster and Forretress. Cloyster gets 3HKOed at +2 and cripples Mew with Toxic or damages it with Surf or Explosion, with Forretress taking even less damage than Cloyster while doing the same.
Shadow Ball is the last coverage option that lead Mew can use to hit Celebi, opposing Mew, and Mewtwo hard while not sacrificing itself with Explosion. However, Mew prefers running other moves and, like Earthquake and Rock Slide, it worsens Mew's matchup against Spikes users.
Flamethrower can be used on the backline Mew set to OHKO Forretress and 2HKO Skarmory and Steelix. This is best used with a moveset of Swords Dance, Submission, and Shadow Ball for Mew to retain a powerful hit on Mewtwo. However, Barrier Mewtwo and Lugia will forever wall Mew if it is not running Explosion, as will other Pokemon like Zapdos, Ho-Oh, and Haze Quagsire. Similarly, Fire Blast is another option that Mew can run to improve its matchup against chipped foes like Steelix and Skarmory.
Protect can be used on the backline Mew set as a way to get passive recovery and bait Explosion from foes like opposing Mew and Cloyster. This is best used on a set with Swords Dance, Earthquake, and Explosion as the other moves. Earthquake hits Pokemon like Tyranitar, Steelix, and Gengar that resist or are immune to Explosion. Similarly to Protect, Substitute is an option to not only bait Explosion but also block status from foes like Cloyster, which works best on teams that can fit a lot of paralysis support in the form of Thunder Wave Mewtwo, Thunder Wave Zapdos, and Body Slam Snorlax. Substitute works best on a set with Swords Dance, Earthquake, and Rock Slide with teammates that can deal with Barrier Mewtwo, Lugia, and Skarmory.
A moveset of Flamethrower or Surf, Toxic, Soft-Boiled, and Explosion is an option for teams that want a bulky Pokemon that can act as a pseudo-wall to various Pokemon but cannot use Mewtwo because it is occupying another role, like being a Growth recipient. This set utilizes Mew's excellent natural bulk to be one of the most sturdy Mewtwo checks in Ubers, as it avoids a 3HKO from all of its attacks while also having a very strong Explosion to keep other threats like Zapdos, Jolteon, and the aforementioned Mewtwo in check.
Hidden Power Bug is an option in the backline Mew set to hit Celebi and Tyranitar super effectively in one moveslot. This allows Mew to run coverage for other threats like Ho-Oh and Barrier Mewtwo in Rock Slide and Explosion, respectively.
Lastly, Thief can be used to steal Leftovers from Steelix, Skarmory, Forretress and other physical walls like Lugia. Thief is also effective due to its surprise factor, and it can help trick the opponent by bluffing that Mew is using Miracle Berry as its item. However, it requires Mew to go into the game itemless.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mewtwo**: Because of its access to Barrier and Recover alongside its higher Speed, Mewtwo is Mew's best check. Unless Mew has paralysis support in the form of Body Slam Snorlax, Thunder Wave Mewtwo, Thunder Wave Zapdos, or its own Thunder Wave, it cannot beat Mewtwo reliably. Offensive Mewtwo can survive every move from +2 Mew bar Explosion and deal decent damage back with Thunder. Lastly, Mewtwo can use Self-Destruct to deal massive damage to Mew, letting a teammate easily finish it off.
**Zapdos**: Zapdos is the best offensive check to Mew, being strong enough to 3HKO Mew with Thunder and bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from an unboosted Rock Slide. Furthermore, Zapdos also completely walls any Mew that is not running Rock Slide, forcing it to use Explosion to take it out. However, Thunder misses can make this a tricky interaction, and Mew always has the option to use Explosion on Zapdos. Zapdos Speed tying with Mew also makes it harder for Zapdos to consistently beat it.
**Heracross**: Heracross is bulky enough to avoid the 2HKO from any boosted attack and 2HKO Mew back with Megahorn. Its access to Curse and Rest + Sleep Talk make it a decent answer even when asleep. However, Mew can beat Heracross with just one Rock Slide flinch. Explosion also OHKOes it.
**Snorlax**: Snorlax only gets 3HKOed by +2 Earthquake and Rock Slide and can use Lovely Kiss to put Mew to sleep and nullify its threat. However, Submission 2HKOes it at +2, while Explosion outright OHKOes it. Miracle Berry can also nullify Lovely Kiss.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Lugia, Skarmory, and Umbreon are all Pokemon that naturally annoy Mew via either boosting their Defense or lowering Mew's Attack. Because of this, Mew's only way of dealing with these Pokemon is usually Explosion. However, Lugia can tank even a +6 Explosion with enough Defense boosts and has Recover to prevent Mew from taking advantage of it. Skarmory has only a 2% chance of getting OHKOed by Explosion, meaning that Mew needs to flinch it with a +2 Rock Slide to have a guaranteed KO with Explosion. Because of this, it is not very reliable. Umbreon is the most prone of the mentioned checks to lose to Mew, but its access to Charm, Moonlight, and Toxic can let it stall long enough for Mew to either faint or lose patience and use Explosion. Cloyster only gets 3HKOed by a +2 Rock Slide and can deal a minimum of 86% to Mew with Explosion. Steelix is bulky enough to use Curse even on a boosted Mew and can use Explosion itself to take Mew out.
**Celebi**: Celebi can be used as a good Mew check if pivoted properly, either by scouting if Mew is running Shadow Ball on its moveset or baiting Explosion and switching out to Pokemon that resist it.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh is bulky enough to survive an unboosted Rock Slide, meaning it can use Toxic on Mew or deal damage to it with Flamethrower while scouting and pivoting around to reveal Mew's moveset. However, a +2 Rock Slide and Explosion will outright OHKO Ho-Oh.
**Quagsire**: Quagsire annoys Mew with Toxic and Haze. Toxic is especially devastating for backline Mew, as its potential sweep will be compromised, and it will be forced to use Explosion more quickly.
**Exeggutor**: Exeggutor is bulky enough to avoid the OHKO from a boosted Shadow Ball, resists Earthquake, and can put Mew to sleep with Sleep Powder while having access to Explosion to put a huge dent in Mew's HP. However, it must be careful of Rock Slide flinches and Explosion.
**Faster Pokemon**: Jolteon can revenge kill a weakened Mew with its strong attacks, although it must be careful of Earthquake, as it 2HKOes Jolteon unboosted while Jolteon barely 3HKOes Mew in return. Other Pokemon like Gengar can take out Mew with Destiny Bond or Explosion, making them effective offensive checks.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/corvere.306317/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/isa.168574/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mashing.537354/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/conflict.37399/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/aurora.109385/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/stupidflandrs48.633500/
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