I will be writing the analyses for Latias in OU. However, before I get to any actual writing I need some help smoothing out the sets. Latias has a ridiculous number of viable moves, and its high defenses and speed make it difficult to come up with a "standard" EV spread. I have attempted to do so myself, but needless to say I have not used every Latias set.
In my eyes, every viable Latias set can be broken down into six base sets, and those are the ones included here. Feel free to say why you think one should be add / removed / changed; these were the sets that I encountered during the test that worked. The comments included are not the set comments, just my thoughts on the set, and what I think needs the most attention.
So here it is:
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[SET]
name: Defensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Reflect / Refresh / Hidden Power Fire / Substitute
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 108 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is easily the most common and probably the most effective all-around Latias set. With a monstrous base 130 Special Defense and a decent 80 base HP, Latias is extremely difficult to take down with any sort of Special Attack, and Reflect gives it the ability to take hits from the physical side of the spectrum. 110 base Speed allows Latias to use these defense boosting moves in the faces of its would-be counters, making it an incredible pain to KO. And as if that were not enough, even without maximum EVs, Latias’ base 110 Special Attack is nothing to laugh at, especially considering that its STAB Dragon Pulse is only resisted by one type.</p>
<p>While Reflect is the recommended option to ensure that Latias is not take down early by Tyranitar or Scizor carrying Pursuit, Latias’ other options for its fourth moveslot should not be overlooked. Refresh allows Latias to not fear status, making it a fantastic switch-in to common status users such as Blissey and Zapdos and allowing it to laugh as it sets up Calm Minds on both. Both Substitute and Psycho Shift could also be used to avoid status, but Substitute does not allow Latias to switch into status attacks, and Psycho Shift will fail if the opponent’s Pokemon is already afflicted by a status condition. Since Scizor is the most used Pokemon in the game and is a huge threat to Latias, Hidden Power Fire can also be used to quickly take it out. This will also give Latias a powerful attack against other common switch-ins such as Metagross and Bronzong. Unfortunately, Hidden Power Fire causes Latias to lose a speed point, allowing Gengar and other Latias to come in and deal a hefty blow; Reflect and Refresh are also useful against a larger number of Pokemon. Substitute is also a decent option for the last slot, as it will not only allow Latias to scout for Pursuit users, but also block status from things like Celebi and Rotom.</p>
<p>There are a number of viable EV spreads for this set. The one listed will allow Latias to take 4 consecutive Seismic Tosses and survive, making it much easier to set up on Blissey. If you want to use a true “Defensive Latias” set, a much more bulky spread can be used: 148 HP / 204 Def / 128 SpA / 28 Spe with a Bold nature. The 28 Speed will allow Latias to outrun any Scizor, Metagross, or Adamant Gyarados and use Reflect; 128 Special Attack is needed to 2HKO the standard 148 / 0 Blissey after six Calm Minds; and the rest is thrown into Defense. This set will never take more than 55% damage from CB Scizor’s U-Turn with Reflect up, and it will never even take 33% damage from CB Tyranitar’s Pursuit under the same conditions.</p>
<p>If you are not worried about Gengar and other Latias, you can drop your Speed in order to boost Special Attack: 148 HP / 184 SpA / 176 Spe, still with a Timid nature. This EV spread will still allow Latias to outspeed all base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as any Modest Latias, and it will easily 2HKO most Blissey after six Calm Minds.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Dragon Pulse
move 3: Surf
move 4: Recover / Grass Knot / Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The previous Calm Mind set is certainly useful; however, it does not carry much raw power in its attacks until it has a few Special Attack boosts under its belt. This set becomes extremely powerful with just a single Calm Mind, capable of OHKOing Gyarados, Bold Zapdos, and Scizor after Stealth Rock damage even with a Timid nature (though the chance is significantly higher with Modest). Furthermore, every Pokemon in OU besides Empoleon will be 2HKOed at worst. With a lot more attacking power, this set is much more capable of dealing with its counters than the defensive Calm Mind set: with 252 HP Tyranitar taking a minimum of 60% from Timid Latias’ +1 Surf, it is unlikely that it will be able to switch in more than once.</p>
<p>Offensive Calm Mind Latias is very simple to use. Simply bring it in on one of the many Pokemon which cannot hurt it badly, use Calm Mind, and sweep. If Latias’ HP gets to low then you can have it Recover off the damage.</p>
<p>Recover is far and away the best choice for the last moveslot, since with 296 Special Defense Latias is still more than capable of taking special hits. However, there are more damaging options if you wish to increase Latias’ offensive potential. Grass Knot will always 2HKO 252 / 0 Choice Band Tyranitar with no boosts, so with a bit of prediction you can get that counter out of the way quickly. Additionally, Modest Latias has about a 65% chance of OHKOing that same Tyranitar with a +1 Grass Knot when it switches into Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Fire provides a guaranteed OHKO against Scizor, and allows you to OHKO both Skarmory and Metagross after a Calm Mind boost (a Modest nature is necessary in the latter case). However, take note that Hidden Power Fire will lower Latias’ speed by one point, ensuring that it will lose to an opposing max speed Latias. Hidden Power Fighting is also an option if you really need to take down Tyranitar, but it also reduces Latias Speed, and Grass Knot is almost as effective.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb + Three Attacks
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Recover
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb Latias takes the destructive power of the Choice Specs set and combines it with the ability to freely change attacks; although at the cost of some power and ten percent of Latias' health after each attack. Draco Meteor is Latias' strongest attack, capable of dealing 75.00% - 88.54% to max HP Zapdos, a OHKO when factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Draco Meteor even does 38.89% - 45.68% to min HP Heatran.</p>
<p>Surf pairs perfectly with Draco Meteor, giving Latias almost unresisted type coverage. Even with sandstorm boosting Tyranitar's massive Special Defense, a Timid Life Orb Surf will deal 39.11% - 46.53% with max HP. If Latias predicts correctly and Surfs on the turn Tyranitar switches in, it can 2HKO Tyranitar before it has the chance to retaliate, factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Surf also deals 43.11% - 50.90% to max HP Scizor, a 97% chance to 2HKO if Scizor has taken Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt deals with the few threats that don't mind taking Draco Meteor or Surf; namely, Suicune, Vaporeon, and especially Empoleon. Thunderbolt 2HKOes all the aforementioned Pokemon while providing Latias with another attack to hit Steel-types for neutral damage if it predicts incorrectly. Thunderbolt has the added advantage of KOing min HP Salamence, without resorting to the Special Attack lowering Draco Meteor, if it has switched into Stealth Rock twice.</p>
<p>Timid secures all the OHKOes or 2HKOes that Modest accomplishes after Stealth Rock is taken into account, meaning Timid is almost always the superior option. With a Timid nature, Latias can switch in on Infernape, utilizing its resistances to Fire and Fighting, and KO it with Surf before it has the chance to launch another attack. It also allows Latias to outspeed all Salamence (except those with Choice Scarf) and KO them with Draco Meteor.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Trick / Recover
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Choice Specs Salamence being a huge pain with 110 Special Attack and 100 Speed, it only makes sense that Latias would be even more annoying with 10 more base Speed points and greatly improved Special Defense. Draco Meteor will put a giant dent in nearly everything; even Heatran, which usually runs Naïve to combat Outrage, will take at least 50% even if Latias is Timid. Paired with a Dragon-type attack, Surf hits everything in OU besides Empoleon for at least neutral damage, and that neutral damage is enough to 2HKO any of the Steel-types which resist Latias’ STAB Dragon attacks, excepting Bronzong.</p>
<p>Dragon Pulse is a page right out of Specs Salamence’s book, allowing Latias to sweep late game once its counters have been weakened by Draco Meteor. Even though Latias has access to several other, differently typed special attacks, none of them will give an extra 2HKO or OHKO on anything significant. Grass Knot is an option if you want to score a 2HKO on maximum HP and Special Defense Tyranitar and a OHKO Swampert, the latter being able to do some damage with Ice Punch or Avalanche, but overall it has poor coverage. If you want a guaranteed 2HKO on Bronzong, as well as OHKOs on Scizor and Forretress, then you can use Hidden Power Fire, but Latias will lose a Speed point and will become vulnerable to both Heatran and Tyranitar. Latias' STAB Psychic may also seem like a good choice, but it has poor coverage and will often result in Latias being trapped by Tyranitar, Scizor, or Weavile.</p>
<p>Trick allows Latias to deal with Blissey and Snorlax, both of which have proven to be major problems for Choice Specs Salamence; and it is also a great move for dealing with Steel-types. However, if your team is prepared to deal with those threats, then Recover is a nice little trick against players who like to switch around to weaken Latias with Sandstorm or status, and is generally useful for giving Latias a sort of “second wind.”</p>
<p>Whether you choose Modest or Timid is really a matter of what you need Latias to do for your team. Modest makes it a much better wall breaker, since, when using a 140 base power attack with STAB, a 10% increase in Special Attack translates to a good deal more damage. If you need Latias to perform as more of a late game sweeper, then Timid is the better choice, as it will allow Latias to outspeed most things that try to revenge kill it.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Thunder Wave / Roar
move 2: Reflect / Roar
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover / Wish
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 112 SpD / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While it is unlikely that Latias will replace Blissey as the quintessential special wall, Latias does the job very well, and it claims a number of tricks that Blissey cannot. The most notable of these are Reflect and Roar - the former makes Latias incredibly difficult to take down, while the latter lets Latias abuse its high defenses to shuffle the opponent’s team through entry hazard damage.</p>
<p>What move you use in the first slot is really a matter of your team’s needs. Thunder Wave is the primary option since this set will presumably be used on a typically slow stall or balanced team, but Roar is just as viable and, if you are running a stall team or you lack a phazer, Roar is probably the superior choice. Roar is the second option again in the second moveslot since Reflect is not absolutely necessary, but Reflect is generally the superior choice since no defensive team wants its special wall taken out early game by a Tyranitar or Scizor. Wish is also an option on Recover if you want to pass the healing around your team, but Latias becomes a lot easier to take down without instant recovery, so play cautiously in that case.</p>
<p>The EVs for this set are designed to maximize Latias’ capabilities as both a supporter and a special wall, while giving it enough physical defense to take some powerful hits. 28 Speed EVs will allow Latias to outpace Metagross or Scizor and put up Reflect, and max HP with 112 Special Defense EVs and a Calm nature allows Latias to never be 2HKOed by Modest Scarf Heatran’s Dragon Pulse, even after Stealth Rock damage. The rest is used to bolster Latias’ unremarkable Defense stat. If you want your Latias to better handle physical attacks, switching to a physically defensive EV spread is not a problem: simply move all the Special Defense EVs into Defense and give Latias a Bold nature.</p>
[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Wish
move 4: Roar / Dragon Pulse / Safeguard
item: Light Clay
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Latias is perfect for pseudo-passing, with access to both screens and Wish. The fact that most players will expect a sweeper set and switch out is also helpful. The strategy here is to set up Reflect and Light Screen on a foe that is likely to attack, and then pass those defensive boosts to either a stat-up Sweeper or a Baton Passer. Wish will ensure that whatever comes in next will start out with full health, and Roar will both prevent your opponent from setting up while you set the screens and allow you to search for a better Pokemon to send your sweeper or Baton Paser out against.</p>
<p>Dragon Pulse (or even Draco Meteor) is an option over Roar if you want Latias to be able to attack directly, or if you fear being Taunted. However, this set’s primary goal involves being a team player, and staying in to attack is often a waste of the eight turns of screens. Still, you should not be afraid to let Latias receive its own Wish, as this will allow it to possibly set up screens again later in the match for a second sweeper or another Baton Pass. Safeguard can also be used to protect your sweeper as it switches it and sets up; however, it is often redundant to pass this to a Baton Passer since it will likely know Taunt and / or Substitute anyway.</p>
[SET]
name: Psycho Shift
move 1: Psycho Shift
move 2: Trick
move 3: Recover
move 4: Dragon Pulse / Surf
item: Flame Orb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It may seem funny to use Flame Orb on something without Guts, but I assure you, this set is no joke. Almost all of the usual Latias counters cannot switch into Psycho Shift; in fact there are very few Pokemon in the game that appreciate being burned. Almost any offensive team is going to have a lot of trouble taking this down, as their standard physical Latias counters (Tyranitar, Metagross, Scizor) are all outsped and burned by Psycho Shift. When playing a stall team, Tricking a Flame Orb to an opposing Blissey or Celebi will cut its durability in half, allowing you to easily take it down with your other Pokemon.</p>
<p>Running so much Defense on a set that abuses Burns may seem odd, but it is necessary to prevent damage from Tyranitar and Scizor. Even when burned, Adamant Choice Band Crunch and U-Turn will do about 50% to Latias, and while Latias does have Recover, it is a good idea to keep your health as high as possible. Additionally, Latias’ naturally high Special Defense allows it to take special hits better than most Pokemon, even with no EV investment.</p>
<p>Using the primary options from this set, the only Pokemon that can switch into this set safely is Heatran. Using Surf instead of Dragon Pulse will remedy this, but it will cause Latias to lose the great neutral coverage from Dragon Pulse; Surf should be used only if your team fairs poorly against Heatran.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Psycho Shift is a decent option on any of the sets besides Choice Specs. Opponents will frequently try to take down Latias with Poison or Paralysis, and Psycho Shift is a great way to turn the tables on any team that employs this strategy. Beware, though, as Psycho Shift will not clear your status if the foe is already afflicted by a status of their own, so it is probably not a good idea to have Latias take a Thunder Wave or Toxic from something that is already paralyzed or poisoned.</p>
<p>Latias has access to both Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, which complement each other nicely. However, Ice Beam is almost totally redundant due to Latias’ STAB Dragon Pulse, and Thunderbolt has pretty lackluster coverage by itself. Still, if your team has trouble with Gyarados or Empoleon, you may want to try out Thunderbolt, as it is Latias’ best option against both of those foes.</p>
<p>Latias’ STAB Psychic can sometimes be useful to deal with Fighting-types such as Machamp and Heracross, and its neutral damage is the same as that of Dragon Pulse. However, Psychic has notoriously poor type coverage, and it makes Latias even more vulnerable to the already troublesome Tyranitar and Scizor. Surf or Hidden Power Fire are almost always more useful, since they deal reasonable damage to the Steel-types that frequently switch into Latias.</p>
[EVs]
<p>On the offensive sets, you should always use either 252 or 176 Speed EVs. The former will outspeed anything with lower Speed than Latias, and will allow Latias to Speed tie with other Latias and Gengar. The latter will allow Latias to outspeed any base 100 Speed Pokemon, and will give you some extra EVs to improve Latias’ attacking power or its bulk. If your Latias is Modest, it should be given at least 204 Speed EVs to outrun +Speed Lucario and Porygon-Z. 252 Speed EVs can also be used, but the only even remotely common Pokemon this will really allow you to outspeed is Electivire.</p>
<p>The defensive sets should always run at least 28 Speed EVs. This allows Latias to outspeed any Metagross or Breloom, as well as Adamant Gyarados. If you are using a specially defensive set, then 112 Special Defense EVs with a Calm nature will let Latias switch into Stealth Rock and take two Dragon Pulses from Modest Heatran. On a physically defensive set, your best bet is to simply max out Latias’ HP, put 28 points in Speed, and everything else into Defense, as Latias’ Special Defense is high enough that Latias can easily take a Special hit even without any EV investment.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Latias is in no way a Pokemon to be taken lightly. With excellent all-around stats, two powerful STAB attacks which are only resisted by one type, and a huge usable movepool, Latias is both an offensive and defensive powerhouse. Although it generally does not have the unpredictability of mixed sweepers such as Salamence and Infernape, Latias more than makes up for it with its superior overall defenses and its far superior Speed stat. Latias is the only bulky Pokemon in OU with over 100 base Speed, a title previously held only by Garchomp.</p>
<p>Latias’ biggest pitfall is its weakness to Dark- and Bug-type attacks. It is very difficult for Latias to avoid being taken out or at least crippled by Choice Band Tyranitar, and Scizor’s U-Turn will force Latias to switch out and its switching effect will likely give the opponent the upper hand. Reflect can handle this to an extent, but Latias will still likely lose more than half its health against either of these Pokemon even with Reflect up, unless it is running a very defensive EV spread.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Tyranitar is Latias’ single greatest counter. Only the Specs set even has a chance to 2HKO Tyranitar, and if it invests in Special Defense then Latias cannot 2HKO without Grass Knot. Even if you feel uncomfortable switching Tyranitar in for fear of a Surf, it can easily revenge kill any Latias with Pursuit.</p>
<p>Scizor is probably the second most popular Latias counter. While it cannot switch into Surf or Hidden Power Fire, the majority of Latias do not run either run only a Dragon-type attack or Choice Specs, meaning that Scizor can often come in and U-Turn or Pursuit while taking under 30% damage.</p>
<p>Just about any Steel-type Pokemon can easily switch into Latias, as long as it is careful to avoid Hidden Power Fire or a Choice Specs Surf. Metagross is especially good among these, since its powerful physical attacks and decent Special Defense will usually force Latias to switch or be KOed. Metagross can also use Pursuit to take out Latias even if it switches.</p>
<p>Blissey makes an excellent counter to almost any Latias set, either by taking it out with Toxic or by crippling it with Thunder Wave to let a teammate finish the job. Anything with high Special Defense and Toxic, such as Vaporeon or Cresselia, can beat Latias similarly. However, if Latias is using Refresh, then these Pokemon will be nothing but set-up bait, so it is strongly recommended that you pack an additional counter. Blissey also must watch out for Trick coming from the Choice Specs set.</p>
<p>Latias does not enjoy taking Ice Shards, as they hit its weaker Defense stat and bypass its excellent speed. Still, Latias cannot be OHKOed by any Pokemon’s Ice shard, so if you are revenge killing with Mamoswine or Donphan be sure it has taken some prior damage.</p>
In my eyes, every viable Latias set can be broken down into six base sets, and those are the ones included here. Feel free to say why you think one should be add / removed / changed; these were the sets that I encountered during the test that worked. The comments included are not the set comments, just my thoughts on the set, and what I think needs the most attention.
So here it is:
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[SET]
name: Defensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Recover
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Reflect / Refresh / Hidden Power Fire / Substitute
item: Leftovers
nature: Timid
evs: 148 HP / 108 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This is easily the most common and probably the most effective all-around Latias set. With a monstrous base 130 Special Defense and a decent 80 base HP, Latias is extremely difficult to take down with any sort of Special Attack, and Reflect gives it the ability to take hits from the physical side of the spectrum. 110 base Speed allows Latias to use these defense boosting moves in the faces of its would-be counters, making it an incredible pain to KO. And as if that were not enough, even without maximum EVs, Latias’ base 110 Special Attack is nothing to laugh at, especially considering that its STAB Dragon Pulse is only resisted by one type.</p>
<p>While Reflect is the recommended option to ensure that Latias is not take down early by Tyranitar or Scizor carrying Pursuit, Latias’ other options for its fourth moveslot should not be overlooked. Refresh allows Latias to not fear status, making it a fantastic switch-in to common status users such as Blissey and Zapdos and allowing it to laugh as it sets up Calm Minds on both. Both Substitute and Psycho Shift could also be used to avoid status, but Substitute does not allow Latias to switch into status attacks, and Psycho Shift will fail if the opponent’s Pokemon is already afflicted by a status condition. Since Scizor is the most used Pokemon in the game and is a huge threat to Latias, Hidden Power Fire can also be used to quickly take it out. This will also give Latias a powerful attack against other common switch-ins such as Metagross and Bronzong. Unfortunately, Hidden Power Fire causes Latias to lose a speed point, allowing Gengar and other Latias to come in and deal a hefty blow; Reflect and Refresh are also useful against a larger number of Pokemon. Substitute is also a decent option for the last slot, as it will not only allow Latias to scout for Pursuit users, but also block status from things like Celebi and Rotom.</p>
<p>There are a number of viable EV spreads for this set. The one listed will allow Latias to take 4 consecutive Seismic Tosses and survive, making it much easier to set up on Blissey. If you want to use a true “Defensive Latias” set, a much more bulky spread can be used: 148 HP / 204 Def / 128 SpA / 28 Spe with a Bold nature. The 28 Speed will allow Latias to outrun any Scizor, Metagross, or Adamant Gyarados and use Reflect; 128 Special Attack is needed to 2HKO the standard 148 / 0 Blissey after six Calm Minds; and the rest is thrown into Defense. This set will never take more than 55% damage from CB Scizor’s U-Turn with Reflect up, and it will never even take 33% damage from CB Tyranitar’s Pursuit under the same conditions.</p>
<p>If you are not worried about Gengar and other Latias, you can drop your Speed in order to boost Special Attack: 148 HP / 184 SpA / 176 Spe, still with a Timid nature. This EV spread will still allow Latias to outspeed all base 100 Speed Pokemon, as well as any Modest Latias, and it will easily 2HKO most Blissey after six Calm Minds.</p>
[SET]
name: Offensive Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Dragon Pulse
move 3: Surf
move 4: Recover / Grass Knot / Hidden Power Fire
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The previous Calm Mind set is certainly useful; however, it does not carry much raw power in its attacks until it has a few Special Attack boosts under its belt. This set becomes extremely powerful with just a single Calm Mind, capable of OHKOing Gyarados, Bold Zapdos, and Scizor after Stealth Rock damage even with a Timid nature (though the chance is significantly higher with Modest). Furthermore, every Pokemon in OU besides Empoleon will be 2HKOed at worst. With a lot more attacking power, this set is much more capable of dealing with its counters than the defensive Calm Mind set: with 252 HP Tyranitar taking a minimum of 60% from Timid Latias’ +1 Surf, it is unlikely that it will be able to switch in more than once.</p>
<p>Offensive Calm Mind Latias is very simple to use. Simply bring it in on one of the many Pokemon which cannot hurt it badly, use Calm Mind, and sweep. If Latias’ HP gets to low then you can have it Recover off the damage.</p>
<p>Recover is far and away the best choice for the last moveslot, since with 296 Special Defense Latias is still more than capable of taking special hits. However, there are more damaging options if you wish to increase Latias’ offensive potential. Grass Knot will always 2HKO 252 / 0 Choice Band Tyranitar with no boosts, so with a bit of prediction you can get that counter out of the way quickly. Additionally, Modest Latias has about a 65% chance of OHKOing that same Tyranitar with a +1 Grass Knot when it switches into Stealth Rock damage. Hidden Power Fire provides a guaranteed OHKO against Scizor, and allows you to OHKO both Skarmory and Metagross after a Calm Mind boost (a Modest nature is necessary in the latter case). However, take note that Hidden Power Fire will lower Latias’ speed by one point, ensuring that it will lose to an opposing max speed Latias. Hidden Power Fighting is also an option if you really need to take down Tyranitar, but it also reduces Latias Speed, and Grass Knot is almost as effective.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb + Three Attacks
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: Recover
item: Life Orb
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Life Orb Latias takes the destructive power of the Choice Specs set and combines it with the ability to freely change attacks; although at the cost of some power and ten percent of Latias' health after each attack. Draco Meteor is Latias' strongest attack, capable of dealing 75.00% - 88.54% to max HP Zapdos, a OHKO when factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Draco Meteor even does 38.89% - 45.68% to min HP Heatran.</p>
<p>Surf pairs perfectly with Draco Meteor, giving Latias almost unresisted type coverage. Even with sandstorm boosting Tyranitar's massive Special Defense, a Timid Life Orb Surf will deal 39.11% - 46.53% with max HP. If Latias predicts correctly and Surfs on the turn Tyranitar switches in, it can 2HKO Tyranitar before it has the chance to retaliate, factoring in Stealth Rock damage. Surf also deals 43.11% - 50.90% to max HP Scizor, a 97% chance to 2HKO if Scizor has taken Stealth Rock damage.</p>
<p>Thunderbolt deals with the few threats that don't mind taking Draco Meteor or Surf; namely, Suicune, Vaporeon, and especially Empoleon. Thunderbolt 2HKOes all the aforementioned Pokemon while providing Latias with another attack to hit Steel-types for neutral damage if it predicts incorrectly. Thunderbolt has the added advantage of KOing min HP Salamence, without resorting to the Special Attack lowering Draco Meteor, if it has switched into Stealth Rock twice.</p>
<p>Timid secures all the OHKOes or 2HKOes that Modest accomplishes after Stealth Rock is taken into account, meaning Timid is almost always the superior option. With a Timid nature, Latias can switch in on Infernape, utilizing its resistances to Fire and Fighting, and KO it with Surf before it has the chance to launch another attack. It also allows Latias to outspeed all Salamence (except those with Choice Scarf) and KO them with Draco Meteor.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Surf
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Trick / Recover
item: Choice Specs
nature: Modest / Timid
evs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>With Choice Specs Salamence being a huge pain with 110 Special Attack and 100 Speed, it only makes sense that Latias would be even more annoying with 10 more base Speed points and greatly improved Special Defense. Draco Meteor will put a giant dent in nearly everything; even Heatran, which usually runs Naïve to combat Outrage, will take at least 50% even if Latias is Timid. Paired with a Dragon-type attack, Surf hits everything in OU besides Empoleon for at least neutral damage, and that neutral damage is enough to 2HKO any of the Steel-types which resist Latias’ STAB Dragon attacks, excepting Bronzong.</p>
<p>Dragon Pulse is a page right out of Specs Salamence’s book, allowing Latias to sweep late game once its counters have been weakened by Draco Meteor. Even though Latias has access to several other, differently typed special attacks, none of them will give an extra 2HKO or OHKO on anything significant. Grass Knot is an option if you want to score a 2HKO on maximum HP and Special Defense Tyranitar and a OHKO Swampert, the latter being able to do some damage with Ice Punch or Avalanche, but overall it has poor coverage. If you want a guaranteed 2HKO on Bronzong, as well as OHKOs on Scizor and Forretress, then you can use Hidden Power Fire, but Latias will lose a Speed point and will become vulnerable to both Heatran and Tyranitar. Latias' STAB Psychic may also seem like a good choice, but it has poor coverage and will often result in Latias being trapped by Tyranitar, Scizor, or Weavile.</p>
<p>Trick allows Latias to deal with Blissey and Snorlax, both of which have proven to be major problems for Choice Specs Salamence; and it is also a great move for dealing with Steel-types. However, if your team is prepared to deal with those threats, then Recover is a nice little trick against players who like to switch around to weaken Latias with Sandstorm or status, and is generally useful for giving Latias a sort of “second wind.”</p>
<p>Whether you choose Modest or Timid is really a matter of what you need Latias to do for your team. Modest makes it a much better wall breaker, since, when using a 140 base power attack with STAB, a 10% increase in Special Attack translates to a good deal more damage. If you need Latias to perform as more of a late game sweeper, then Timid is the better choice, as it will allow Latias to outspeed most things that try to revenge kill it.</p>
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Thunder Wave / Roar
move 2: Reflect / Roar
move 3: Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover / Wish
item: Leftovers
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 112 SpD / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>While it is unlikely that Latias will replace Blissey as the quintessential special wall, Latias does the job very well, and it claims a number of tricks that Blissey cannot. The most notable of these are Reflect and Roar - the former makes Latias incredibly difficult to take down, while the latter lets Latias abuse its high defenses to shuffle the opponent’s team through entry hazard damage.</p>
<p>What move you use in the first slot is really a matter of your team’s needs. Thunder Wave is the primary option since this set will presumably be used on a typically slow stall or balanced team, but Roar is just as viable and, if you are running a stall team or you lack a phazer, Roar is probably the superior choice. Roar is the second option again in the second moveslot since Reflect is not absolutely necessary, but Reflect is generally the superior choice since no defensive team wants its special wall taken out early game by a Tyranitar or Scizor. Wish is also an option on Recover if you want to pass the healing around your team, but Latias becomes a lot easier to take down without instant recovery, so play cautiously in that case.</p>
<p>The EVs for this set are designed to maximize Latias’ capabilities as both a supporter and a special wall, while giving it enough physical defense to take some powerful hits. 28 Speed EVs will allow Latias to outpace Metagross or Scizor and put up Reflect, and max HP with 112 Special Defense EVs and a Calm nature allows Latias to never be 2HKOed by Modest Scarf Heatran’s Dragon Pulse, even after Stealth Rock damage. The rest is used to bolster Latias’ unremarkable Defense stat. If you want your Latias to better handle physical attacks, switching to a physically defensive EV spread is not a problem: simply move all the Special Defense EVs into Defense and give Latias a Bold nature.</p>
[SET]
name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Wish
move 4: Roar / Dragon Pulse / Safeguard
item: Light Clay
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Latias is perfect for pseudo-passing, with access to both screens and Wish. The fact that most players will expect a sweeper set and switch out is also helpful. The strategy here is to set up Reflect and Light Screen on a foe that is likely to attack, and then pass those defensive boosts to either a stat-up Sweeper or a Baton Passer. Wish will ensure that whatever comes in next will start out with full health, and Roar will both prevent your opponent from setting up while you set the screens and allow you to search for a better Pokemon to send your sweeper or Baton Paser out against.</p>
<p>Dragon Pulse (or even Draco Meteor) is an option over Roar if you want Latias to be able to attack directly, or if you fear being Taunted. However, this set’s primary goal involves being a team player, and staying in to attack is often a waste of the eight turns of screens. Still, you should not be afraid to let Latias receive its own Wish, as this will allow it to possibly set up screens again later in the match for a second sweeper or another Baton Pass. Safeguard can also be used to protect your sweeper as it switches it and sets up; however, it is often redundant to pass this to a Baton Passer since it will likely know Taunt and / or Substitute anyway.</p>
[SET]
name: Psycho Shift
move 1: Psycho Shift
move 2: Trick
move 3: Recover
move 4: Dragon Pulse / Surf
item: Flame Orb
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>It may seem funny to use Flame Orb on something without Guts, but I assure you, this set is no joke. Almost all of the usual Latias counters cannot switch into Psycho Shift; in fact there are very few Pokemon in the game that appreciate being burned. Almost any offensive team is going to have a lot of trouble taking this down, as their standard physical Latias counters (Tyranitar, Metagross, Scizor) are all outsped and burned by Psycho Shift. When playing a stall team, Tricking a Flame Orb to an opposing Blissey or Celebi will cut its durability in half, allowing you to easily take it down with your other Pokemon.</p>
<p>Running so much Defense on a set that abuses Burns may seem odd, but it is necessary to prevent damage from Tyranitar and Scizor. Even when burned, Adamant Choice Band Crunch and U-Turn will do about 50% to Latias, and while Latias does have Recover, it is a good idea to keep your health as high as possible. Additionally, Latias’ naturally high Special Defense allows it to take special hits better than most Pokemon, even with no EV investment.</p>
<p>Using the primary options from this set, the only Pokemon that can switch into this set safely is Heatran. Using Surf instead of Dragon Pulse will remedy this, but it will cause Latias to lose the great neutral coverage from Dragon Pulse; Surf should be used only if your team fairs poorly against Heatran.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Psycho Shift is a decent option on any of the sets besides Choice Specs. Opponents will frequently try to take down Latias with Poison or Paralysis, and Psycho Shift is a great way to turn the tables on any team that employs this strategy. Beware, though, as Psycho Shift will not clear your status if the foe is already afflicted by a status of their own, so it is probably not a good idea to have Latias take a Thunder Wave or Toxic from something that is already paralyzed or poisoned.</p>
<p>Latias has access to both Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, which complement each other nicely. However, Ice Beam is almost totally redundant due to Latias’ STAB Dragon Pulse, and Thunderbolt has pretty lackluster coverage by itself. Still, if your team has trouble with Gyarados or Empoleon, you may want to try out Thunderbolt, as it is Latias’ best option against both of those foes.</p>
<p>Latias’ STAB Psychic can sometimes be useful to deal with Fighting-types such as Machamp and Heracross, and its neutral damage is the same as that of Dragon Pulse. However, Psychic has notoriously poor type coverage, and it makes Latias even more vulnerable to the already troublesome Tyranitar and Scizor. Surf or Hidden Power Fire are almost always more useful, since they deal reasonable damage to the Steel-types that frequently switch into Latias.</p>
[EVs]
<p>On the offensive sets, you should always use either 252 or 176 Speed EVs. The former will outspeed anything with lower Speed than Latias, and will allow Latias to Speed tie with other Latias and Gengar. The latter will allow Latias to outspeed any base 100 Speed Pokemon, and will give you some extra EVs to improve Latias’ attacking power or its bulk. If your Latias is Modest, it should be given at least 204 Speed EVs to outrun +Speed Lucario and Porygon-Z. 252 Speed EVs can also be used, but the only even remotely common Pokemon this will really allow you to outspeed is Electivire.</p>
<p>The defensive sets should always run at least 28 Speed EVs. This allows Latias to outspeed any Metagross or Breloom, as well as Adamant Gyarados. If you are using a specially defensive set, then 112 Special Defense EVs with a Calm nature will let Latias switch into Stealth Rock and take two Dragon Pulses from Modest Heatran. On a physically defensive set, your best bet is to simply max out Latias’ HP, put 28 points in Speed, and everything else into Defense, as Latias’ Special Defense is high enough that Latias can easily take a Special hit even without any EV investment.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Latias is in no way a Pokemon to be taken lightly. With excellent all-around stats, two powerful STAB attacks which are only resisted by one type, and a huge usable movepool, Latias is both an offensive and defensive powerhouse. Although it generally does not have the unpredictability of mixed sweepers such as Salamence and Infernape, Latias more than makes up for it with its superior overall defenses and its far superior Speed stat. Latias is the only bulky Pokemon in OU with over 100 base Speed, a title previously held only by Garchomp.</p>
<p>Latias’ biggest pitfall is its weakness to Dark- and Bug-type attacks. It is very difficult for Latias to avoid being taken out or at least crippled by Choice Band Tyranitar, and Scizor’s U-Turn will force Latias to switch out and its switching effect will likely give the opponent the upper hand. Reflect can handle this to an extent, but Latias will still likely lose more than half its health against either of these Pokemon even with Reflect up, unless it is running a very defensive EV spread.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Tyranitar is Latias’ single greatest counter. Only the Specs set even has a chance to 2HKO Tyranitar, and if it invests in Special Defense then Latias cannot 2HKO without Grass Knot. Even if you feel uncomfortable switching Tyranitar in for fear of a Surf, it can easily revenge kill any Latias with Pursuit.</p>
<p>Scizor is probably the second most popular Latias counter. While it cannot switch into Surf or Hidden Power Fire, the majority of Latias do not run either run only a Dragon-type attack or Choice Specs, meaning that Scizor can often come in and U-Turn or Pursuit while taking under 30% damage.</p>
<p>Just about any Steel-type Pokemon can easily switch into Latias, as long as it is careful to avoid Hidden Power Fire or a Choice Specs Surf. Metagross is especially good among these, since its powerful physical attacks and decent Special Defense will usually force Latias to switch or be KOed. Metagross can also use Pursuit to take out Latias even if it switches.</p>
<p>Blissey makes an excellent counter to almost any Latias set, either by taking it out with Toxic or by crippling it with Thunder Wave to let a teammate finish the job. Anything with high Special Defense and Toxic, such as Vaporeon or Cresselia, can beat Latias similarly. However, if Latias is using Refresh, then these Pokemon will be nothing but set-up bait, so it is strongly recommended that you pack an additional counter. Blissey also must watch out for Trick coming from the Choice Specs set.</p>
<p>Latias does not enjoy taking Ice Shards, as they hit its weaker Defense stat and bypass its excellent speed. Still, Latias cannot be OHKOed by any Pokemon’s Ice shard, so if you are revenge killing with Mamoswine or Donphan be sure it has taken some prior damage.</p>
