Ah, Mewtwo EX, one of the most hyped cards in Next Destinies. I have quite a lot to say about this card. *cracks knuckles* Let's do this.
Breaking down the Card
This card boasts an impressive 170 HP which is well above the current magic number of 120, and is safely above what will probably be the new magic number, 150, set by the dragon's EX counterparts. 170, while good, is actually low for an EX. On the flip side, Mewtwo EX's retreat cost of two is good for an EX, the average usually 3. Giving up two prize cards suck, but is a built in mechanic for EX pokemon, so it really can't be held against it, provided it proves worth the two card prize exchange. That leads to the big question, is Mewtwo EX worth two prize cards? Well the HP and retreat, as mentioned before, is fairly good, but not enough on its own, so Mewtwo EX's worth will come from its attacks: X-Ball, and Psydrive, which is very similar to Mewtwo Lv X's Giga Burn, only this time, you discard one energy.
So how do these attacks stand up?
Gigaburn is...meh. 120 for three for (P)(P)(C) and discard one is only a slightly better version of Reshiram's Blue Flare. The one discard is a pretty nice upgrade, as you can just drop another energy and Giga Burn again, but I'm not sold on it being worth two prizes. Without acceleration, there is no way to build up any backup attackers, leaving the next pokemon to slowly build up if Mewtwo EX is KO'ed. Psychic does not have the best acceleration (and in Celebi's case, requires it to be active, meaning you can't attack and accelerate at the same time without using two Switch). Gigaburn is an okay pinch attack, but should not be the main focus of this card.
The attack that has people talking is X-Ball, which does 20 damage times the number of energy on both active pokemon. This basically equates to a better grind, as your opponent's energy adds to the damage. X Ball is being really hyped as an amazing attack. However, as a standalone, it's really weak. I've crunched some numbers, using X Ball at a base damage of 60 (3 energy, which I think will be the average without DCE abuse), and have paired it off against many of the metagame pokemon expected to be in this format when Next Destinies comes out. I've probably missed a couple, but I hope I've made my point.
So, here's why X-Ball, as a standalone, doesn't work:
Magnezone (20 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 100
Zekrom (20 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 120*
Eelektrik (20 x 3) + (20 x 1) = 80
Chandelure (20 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 60
Dodrio (20 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 60
Reshiram (20 x 3) + (20 x 1) = 80
Typhlosion (20 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 100
Gothetelle [(20 x 3) + (20 x 3)] x 2 = 240
Donphan (20 x 3) + (20 x 1) - 20 = 60
Yanmega (20 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 60
Mew [(20 x 3) + (20 x 1)] x 2 = 160
Thundurus (20 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 100
Tornadus (20 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 120
Cobalion (20 x 3) + (20 x 3) - 20 = 100
Kyurem (20 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 120
Reshiram EX (20 x 3) + (20 x 4) = 140
Zekrom EX (20 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 100
Mewtwo EX [(20 x 3 + (20 x 3)] x 2 = 240
*Zekrom knocked out ONLY if already damaged by Bolt Strike recoil.
These calculations are fairly optimistic, assuming the maximum amount of energy after the pokemon's most commonly used attack. It also does not factor things like Pluspower, special metal, or Eviolite. This is telling for X-Ball's standalone attack potential, as without some kind of help, the only guaranteed KOs Mewtwo has are against pokemon that are weak to it (though one might argue the weakness hardly matters in Mew's case).
Ultimately, like all of our main attackers that are basics, Mewtwo EX needs help in order to be viable, and is only so-so as a stand alone card.
Partners for Mewtwo EX as a Main Attacker
Card combinations to get the most out of attacks, namely through energy acceleration, is very common in our current format. Below are a few pokemon that Mewtwo can work with in order to get more out of its attacks.
Gardevior ND
Obviously Mewtwo EX would not be so hyped with the numbers X-Ball was offering if there was not some way to improve it, and that way is Gardevior ND. This pokemon is reminiscent of Sceptile GE's Wild Growth pokebody, turning all psychic energy into double psychic energy. By using Gardevior, X-Ball's KO potential becomes much better:
Magnezone (40 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 160
Zekrom (40 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 180
Eelektrik (40 x 3) + (20 x 1) = 140
Chandelure (40 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 120
Dodrio (40 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 120
Reshiram (40 x 3) + (20 x 1) = 140
Typhlosion (40 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 160
Gothetelle [(40 x 3) + (20 x 3)] x 2 = 400
Donphan (40 x 3) + (20 x 1) - 20 = 120
Yanmega (40 x 3) + (20 x 0) = 120
Mew [(40 x 3) + (20 x 1)] x 2 = 160
Thundurus (40 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 160
Tornadus (40 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 120
Cobalion (40 x 3) + (20 x 3) - 20 = 160
Kyurem (40 x 3) + (20 x 3) = 180
Reshiram EX (40 x 3) + (20 x 4) = 200
Zekrom EX (40 x 3) + (20 x 2) = 160
Mewtwo EX [(40 x 3) + (20 x 3)] x 2 = 400
With Gardevior, only Zekrom EX and Chandelure can survive the onslaught of X Ball, allowing Mewtwo to take some pretty cheap prizes. This is really good as Chandelure cannot two shot Mewtwo by any means short of a pair of 90s, and Zekrom EX would be hard pressed to attack two turns in a row.
One huge drawback however is that Gardevior is a Stage 2, which is one of the worst things a pokemon can be in this format due to Pokemon Catcher. Most stage 2s still being used can either lock against Pokemon Catcher (Vileplume, Gothetelle), or have extremely strong abilities to make up for it (Magnezone, which can be used as draw and a main attacker), or accelerates energy (Typhlosion, Emboar). Gardevior falls into the last category, but its also the weakest of the Stage 2 benefits, which is reflected in the lack of use of Emboar and the dwindling number of Reshiphlosion decks since NV's release. I see this being a similar problem for Mewtwo/Gardevior because, like Typhlosion, Mewtwo EX really needs Gardevior to get anything out of X-Ball. If Gardevior is not on the field, the lower attack potential and two prize card loss will quickly end the game for Mewtwo EX.
Worse still is that Gardevior has a pathetic 110 HP, making it easily KOed by the dragons or Magnezone, which are all fairly popular, meaning that even when Gardevior is fully evolved, a Catcher + OHKO is likely, putting Mewtwo back where it started unless it can quickly put out another Gardevior. Twins may be a must in this deck.
Mew is another problem for this deck, as it can easily KO Gardevior and possibly even OHKO Mewtwo EX. VVV decks are also problematic for this deck, and while that can be said about most decks in the format, Mewtwo EX gives up two prizes.
Emboar BW
Emboar has much more survivability than Gardevior does, and provides true acceleration, but this comes at a huge cost. One is that Emboar is easy to stall out with its high retreat cost, another is that X Ball would be running on fire energy, meaning that Gigaburn would be completely unusable. Worse still, even though as much energy can be attached at the player wants, each only accounts for 20 damage. This makes it difficult to reliably score KOs, as Twoboar players would have to draw into large amounts of energy without a build in draw system. It also makes the loss of Mewtwo even more disastrous as you give up two prizes and all that energy attached. Overall, even though Emboar itself is harder to kill, I'm going to say that, in the Catcher meta, Emboar is once again a bigger liability due to high retreat, and the energy investment needed to make Mewtwo effective would be nearly as high as Grind decks running Emboar, and any good player knows why the investment of energy is a bad idea. Straight Twoboar is going to be a fairly weak play I think. The rest of the Reshiboar engine is a must.
Eelektrik NV
This card only provides light acceleration, and again denies reliable use of Gigaburn. The upside however that Eelektrik is a stage 1, not a stage 2, making it a lighter tech card wise, and much faster to get out in multiples. Ideally, I would use this with Thundurus to quickly get lightning energy on the field and take cheap prizes. Doing this also provides a secondary attacker that is arguably quicker to setup and definitely a lot less expendable. However, again, each energy only does 20 damage with X Ball, so the drawback of high energy investment is still there, only now, it is much harder to get the energy out unless you get 2/3 Eel into play quickly. Lack of built in draw makes this difficult.
Overall, I think Mewtwo EX is overhyped as a main attacker. Gardevior is the best pair, but this meta is very unkind to stage 2 pokemon, and Gardevior's fragility could prove to be the final push that brings it down.
Mewtwo EX as a Tech
Due to the colorless energy cost of X-Ball, Mewtwo EX can be easily splashed into other decks. Let's break down some of decks that could use Mewtwo EX:
ZPST
This deck, more than any, will welcome Mewtwo EX with open arms, as it provides a foolproof counter to Gothetelle, KOing it with a DCE if Goth has even two energy attached to it. This is a very good situation for ZPST since it already runs 3-4 DCE on average. One thing Mewtwo EX has to worry about however is smart Goth players bringing out an empty Gothetelle to wall. It takes four energy to KO Gothetelle in this way (and the same applies for Goth against Mewtwo). DCE means this can be done much faster than Gothetelle with its psychic energy, but there is a risk of these attachments being stalled by Gothetelle using Pokemon Catcher to drag out benched pokemon on ZPST's side of the field. On the other hand, Shaymin can move energy to Mewtwo EX, making it very easy to get four energy on at once. Eviolite also forces Gothetelle to risk five energy in a KO, or use a pluspower. Putting 4-5 energy on a single Gothetelle is really risky in this matchup, as a second Mewtwo with a DCE could revenge kill that Gothetelle, then sweep through the rest of the field without much issue. Overall, I think Zekrom EX is the better play in ZPST, purely because of the fact that it will have more uses in more matchups, but Mewtwo EX is still a solid play in a Goth heavy meta, it may very well be the better play against Gothetelle, and not having to discard energy is really nice.
Reshiphlosion
I honestly see Mewtwo EX performing the same role in this deck as I do in ZPST: Goth counter. However, I don't see this card working well with Reshiphlosion. Reshiphlosion's acceleration forces damage onto Mewtwo, meaning that three afterburners (not factoring eviolite) put Mewtwo in a three KO range from Gothetelle. Reshiphlosion also has Kingdra, which is another evolution line but does not give up two prizes and is more flexible. As a straight Gothetelle counter, Mewtwo is probably more effective and is lighter on the cards, but I expect Reshiphlosion players to be a little divided, and expect to see Reshiphlosion decks run either tech.
Reshiboar
I expect Next Destinies to be kind to this deck. X-Ball gives it a solid Gothetelle counter without adding damage, forcing the same energy investment Goth needs against a ZPST using Mewtwo EX. Otherwise there isn't much to say other than that it fits in pretty seamlessly as a tech since it has such a one of or two card tech would suffice. This helps what many players consider to be a fairly tight list.
Eelzone
Eelzone hardly needs help in the Gothetelle matchup, though not hurling energy into the lost zone is nice. However, one area this card might help is in the googlebox matchup. Mewtwo EX is not weak to any of the common main attackers used in google, especially against Donphan, and with enough energy, it can score a string of KOs. This may be enough to warrant using it as a tech since Donphan and Trainer lock is a borderline autoloss for Eelzone. A one of tech is probably enough given the power of Magnetic draw and the lack of pokemon Catcher. Since Lost Burn is fairly quick to score up damage with low energy counts, losing a Mewtwo EX with 5-6 energy might not be as big a disaster provided both Donphans are KO'ed.
CaKE
I doubt Mewtwo EX will see much play here as it gives up extra prizes against a deck that already gives away prizes through Electrode, but it could be used as a means to kill Gothetelle more efficiently, and could be used as a means to hit the active spot with greater damage than Cobalion. I personally don't think its a good play.
I think Mewtwo EX is much better as a tech than as a main attacker. It has some great potential against lock decks in particular. Some decks benefit way more than others, mostly if they already had an autoloss against a lock deck. Gothetelle is falling out of popularity however, so Mewtwo's value as a tech might be proportional to how well it can handle google Decks.
Final Thoughts
As a standalone attacker, I think this card is okay at best. It can hit hard, but all of its energy techs have huge drawbacks that prevent them from being reliable. However, as a tech, I think that Mewtwo EX could have some really good potential. That might sound weird coming from me, and it's true, but after really looking into the card, I can see it helping against lock decks for now. The problem is that Gothetelle is on its way out, meaning that its use in many decks that would splash it is somewhat lessened, especially since other cards can also soft counter Goth quite well and work better in other matchups. However, Eelektrik variants, be it Magnezone or otherwise, might find great use in this card in the extremely difficult google matchup, and turn one of the decks few autolosses into a relatively even matchup, or even enough to make a difference.
Overall, I'll give this card a 7.5/10. Some people are going to call that low I think, but I don't believe that Mewtwo EX is the main attacker people crack it up to be, and the deck that it best counters, Goth Lock, is starting to fall off the radar, slightly reducing Mewtwo EX's use as a tech. However, what Mewtwo EX does do, it does well, and the fact it is a basic with a colorless requirement makes Mewtwo one of the lightest techs in the format, and one of the best matchup changers considering its minimal card investment.
Worth Two Prizes? YES
[/sand=Magnevire] -Celebi23
