Pokemon Sword and Shield's New Mewtwo Max Raid Has a Major Problem
Pokemon Sword and Shield has added its biggest challenge yet for its annual Pokemon Day celebration in the form of an ultra-difficult max raid starring the series' most infamous legendary: Mewtwo. However, Pokemon Sword and Shield players who manage to defeat Mewtwo will find that the raid has one majorly disappointing catch: he can't be caught.
Since being announced by Game Freak in the Spring of 2018, Pokemon Sword and Shield have garnered a reputation as the series' most polarizing main entry to date. Perhaps the aspect of the games that received the most controversy is Game Freak's decision to omit the National Pokedex from Sword and Shield, opting instead to focus on the regional selection of Pokemon native to the games' new Galar region.
This meant that players would be unable to transfer, or even see, Pokemon that couldn't naturally be found in the Galar region, a first in the series. Since release, Sword and Shield have supplied a steady trickle of returning Pokemon through updates and events, but many longtime fans have been disappointed with their inability to explore the new region with their favorite Pokemon companions.
One of the newest additions to Sword and Shield, max raids allow trainers to team up with their friends to take on gargantuan Dynamax versions of Pokemon. Generally, max raid bosses are able to be caught after lowering their HP to zero. The Pokemon Day event also adds max raid battles against Dynamax versions of Gen 1 starters Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, representing the first time these Pokemon are available in the newest games. What separates the Mewtwo raid from these others, however, is that he literally cannot be caught.
While the trainers who take on the psychic type in his max raid unfortunately won't get a chance to see any stylish new Gigantamax redesign of Mewtwo, the titanic version of the classic legendary Pokemon packs more than enough punch to keep players busy. At level 100 and with amplified stats, Dynamax Mewtwo is capable of attacking four times in one turn, capable of wiping out an entire team of trainers if they're not prepared.
Players who manage to conquer this fearsome foe won't walk away empty-handed, however. Instead of offering the opportunity to catch Mewtwo, Sword and Shield rewards players with valuable items in the form of Ability Capsules and PP Max. These spoils are valuable to be sure, but a pittance compared to the chance to capture the powerful legendary.
So, why can't players catch this Mewtwo? Well, it's still unclear. Either, Game Freak doesn't want player's parties becoming inundated with Mewtwos, or they're saving the opportunity to obtain Mewtwo for future expansions. Odds are pointing to the latter.
Despite the inability to catch Mewtwo in his max raid, there are still ways for players to obtain the legendary Pokemon in Sword and Shield now that he's debuted on the Switch thanks to the arrival of Pokemon Home. Using Home, trainers can transfer a Mewtwo they've captured in previous games to the system's online databank, allowing them to retrieve him from Home and add him to their party in the Switch exclusives. Sadly, however, Mewtwo's mega-evolutions, which debuted in Pokemon X and Y, are unable to be used due to the exclusion of the mega-evolution system in Sword and Shield.
For those who don't have Mewtwo in previous games, players can rest assured. Mewtwo will be available to capture eventually, albeit after quite some wait. Among other legendaries, including the new Calyrex, Mewtwo will be possible to find in the upcoming Crown Tundra expansion, set to release in the Fall later this year. Trainers unwilling to wait that long, however, are sure to be frustrated by Mewtwo's absence in the meantime.
Pokemon Sword and Shield are out now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
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