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Latias (QC 3/3) [GP 2/2]
- Thread starter Idyll
- Start date
Memoric
REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS
1/2
Just know that on Smogon, Latias is Latias's when it's possessive. Also, I think I got them all, but make sure all Latias used here has Mega in front of it, as Mega Latias is the only set.
REMOVE CHANGE COMMENTS
Overview
########
The advent of ORAS brought Latias to relevance, providing it a Mega stone that gives it significant boosts to bulk and Special Attack. With its great bulk, good defensive typing, and access to reliable recovery, Mega Latias carves a niche for itself as a Calm Mind sweeper. However, it faces heavy competition from Cresselia, which does the same thing without the cost of a coveted taking up a Mega slot. Unlike Cresselia though, Mega Latias is more immediately threatening, with its higher Speed and Special Attack, and has a better match-up against more opponents (which means more setup chances) thanks to its Dragon typing, making it a serviceable alternative.
remove line break
Without boosts, Mega Latias's damage output is quite underwheliming; due to needing setup to function effectively, Mega Latias is reliant on well-played support, such as redirection and Fake Out, to work well. Another thing to note is that Mega Latias's effectiveness as a sweeper is often dictated by its match-ups against opposing teams, in a sense that it is able to easily set up against some and will have a hard time doing the same against others. Finally, like any other setup sweeper, Latias needs its checks removed or sufficiently weakened before being able to sweep effectively late-game; in particular, Mega Latias struggles against that numerous Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types in the metagame such as Bisharp, Mega Metagross, and Sylveon.
Substitute + Calm Mind
########
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Stored Power / Psyshock / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover
ability: Levitate
item: Latiasite
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Mega Latias's Special Attack to higher levels, increasing its damage output, while also aising Special Defense, letting it tolerate opposing special attacks better. Substitute shields Mega Latias from status and lets it set up on strong attackers without fear. Substitute also lets Mega Latias set up while avoiding opposing Sucker Punch and avoid the possibility of being ravaged by an untimely critical hit. Stored Power is the set's attacking move, which gains boosts to Base Power as more boosts are accumulated. However, as Stored Power is pitifully weak without a boost, Psyshock and Dragon Pulse are usable alternatives to have an attacking option even while without a boost. Psyshock is more preferable as it deals more damage to various relevant targets, such as Mega Charizard Y, Amoonguss, and Sylveon, but Dragon Pulse has better neutral coverage. Recover lets Mega Latias regain its health, letting it stay in play and continually set up longer.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and Timid lets Mega Latias be as fast possible, tying with opposing positive-natured base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and outspeeding threats such as Terrakion and Keldeo. The rest of the EVs are invested in HP and Defense in order to give it Mega Latias bulk, helping in taking hits better and making setup easier to do. Latiasite is used in order to Mega Evolve.
Usage Tips
========
It is recommended to Mega Evolve as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the increase in bulk, letting Mega Latias shrug off attacks and set up much more easily. Always try to maintain a safe amount of health with Recover, as Mega Latias needs to be healthy in order to poise itself toa safely set up. Set Use Substitute as often as you can in order to block possibly crippling damage and status, such as paralysis or sleep, giving Mega Latias safe opportunities to boost with Calm Mind safely. As much as possible Rack up Calm Mind boosts as much as possible because Mega Latias's initial unboosted damage output is quite underwhelming—and it can't pose a threat at all if running Stored Power. However, before attempting to set up and clean the opponent, Mega Latias needs its main checks removed or significantly weakened, most notably opposing Steel-, Fairy-, and, most importantly, Dark-types, so as to not have a hampered sweep. This is a bit redundant with the bit at the beginning of the sentence
Team Options
========
Being a setup sweeper, Mega Latias appreciates partners that can help give it safe opportunities to boost. Redirection support is appreciated in order to divert blows aimed at Mega Latias, giving it chances to set up. Togekiss can redirect blows with Follow Me while also providing addition support with Tailwind, and Amoonguss can divert hits with Rage Powder and cripple foes with Spore, giving additional openings to boost Mega Latias. A partner with Fake Out can disarm an opponent for a turn, providing a chance to quickly set up. Scrafty boasts access to Fake Out while also having Intimidate to soften incoming physical blows. Wide Guard support is useful to block incoming spread moves, most importantly opposing Sylveon's Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash has Wide Guard while also having and a good match-up against Sylveon, a threat to Mega Latias. Additional speed control support is appreciated, as though Mega Latias has high Speed, it's still outrun by threats such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Darkrai. Thundurus has Prankster Thunder Wave along with Taunt to stop opposing Trick Room from being set, while Suicune and Togekiss boast Tailwind, the former also notable for being able to beat opposing Heatran, a threat that walls Mega Latias.
Mega Latias also needs teammates that can deal with its checks in order for it to clean up the opponent effectively. Partners that can dent opposing Steel-types, which resist both Psychic and Dragon, are recommended, the most notable among those who can do so being Keldeo and Landorus-T. Teammates that can beat opposing Fairy-types also are appreciated, as Fairies Fairy-types can Mega Latias hit super effectively and are immune to Dragon Pulse, with some being able to hit through Substitute with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash and Heatran fit the role well as they can switch in on Fairy-types with ease and hit back with a super effective move. Partners that can remove opposing Dark-types, which are immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves, serve well as partners. Fighting-types Keldeo and Terrakion can take out Dark-type foes with ease, and Volcarona can hit them with Bug Buzz while also providing additional Speed in Tailwind or redirection support.
Other Options
########
A non-Mega Latias set can be run, but it is generally outclassed by Cresselia in most supportive roles and overshadowed by Latios as an attacker. However, it does have a few niches, most notably its Speed compared to Cresselia and the bulk it has over Latios. An offensive set is viable as, although it's weaker compared to Latios, the extra bulk it has can be appealing, letting it switch in and take hits from foes better than its brother; for example, Latios is 2HKOed by Modest Ludicolo's Ice Beam, while Latias only has a 22.6% chance to be 2HKOed from the same hit. Latias can also run Tailwind much like how Latios does, but the extra bulk making makes setting it it more reliable on setting it. A fast dual screens set can be run, and compared to other dual screens users such as Meowstic and Klefki it Mega Latias has higher bulk and better presence offensively. Other niche moves can be used, such as Healing Wish to give a teammate a second chance, Helping Hand to boost a teammate's damage output, and Heal Pulse to give a teammate a nifty jolt of recovery.
Checks & Counters
########
**Typing Advantage**: Opposing Dark-types such as Bisharp and Darkrai are big threats, as they threaten Mega Latias while being immune to both its primary and secondary attacking options. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn can easily take a hit, as they resist both of Mega Latias's STAB moves, and hit back hard. Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Mega Mawile are immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB moves and can hit super effectively, the former able to hit through Substitutes with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Genesect and Escavalier can come in on any attack Mega Latias can hit with and threaten with a Bug-type STAB move, and Volcarona has Bug Buzz to hit through Mega Latias's Substitute. Tyranitar is immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB move and can threaten to KO with a Dark-type STAB move while also bringing along sand to rack up passive damage. Mega Kangaskhan can hit for good damage with Sucker Punch but it has to watch out for mindgames with Substitute. If Mega Latias doesn't have any boosts yet, Mega Gengar can trap and KO with Shadow Ball.
**Speed Control**: Thunder Wave takes away one of Mega Latias's biggest assets in Speed, making it prone to strong attacks and unable to sweep. Fortunately, Thunder Wave is blocked by Substitute. Thundurus can paralyze Mega Latias with Prankster Thunder Wave while also being able to stop setup with Taunt. Trick Room reverses turn order, making Mega Latias vulnerable for a while by taking away its Speed advantage. Cresselia can tank any hit Mega Latias can throw at it and Aromatisse is immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB move, making them good for setting Trick Room against it. Tailwind works in the same vein as it also removes Mega Latias's Speed advantage, but instead of reversing turn order, it doubles the Speed of the opponent's Pokemon. Togekiss has high Special Defense and is immune to the Dragon-type, letting it set Tailwind with ease.
**Utility Moves**: As the main Mega Latias set doesn't carry Protect, it can't block Fake Out from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty, stunning it for a turn. Taunt, mostly commonly run by Thundurus, stops all of Mega Latias's forms of recovery and setup, turning it into a sitting duck. While setting up, it Mega Latias has to watch out for Encore from the likes of Whimsicott and Politoed, as this instantly turns Mega Latias into a non-factor in on the field if locked onto a setup move.
########
The advent of ORAS brought Latias to relevance, providing it a Mega stone that gives it significant boosts to bulk and Special Attack. With its great bulk, good defensive typing, and access to reliable recovery, Mega Latias carves a niche for itself as a Calm Mind sweeper. However, it faces heavy competition from Cresselia, which does the same thing without the cost of a coveted taking up a Mega slot. Unlike Cresselia though, Mega Latias is more immediately threatening, with its higher Speed and Special Attack, and has a better match-up against more opponents (which means more setup chances) thanks to its Dragon typing, making it a serviceable alternative.
remove line break
Without boosts, Mega Latias's damage output is quite underwheliming; due to needing setup to function effectively, Mega Latias is reliant on well-played support, such as redirection and Fake Out, to work well. Another thing to note is that Mega Latias's effectiveness as a sweeper is often dictated by its match-ups against opposing teams, in a sense that it is able to easily set up against some and will have a hard time doing the same against others. Finally, like any other setup sweeper, Latias needs its checks removed or sufficiently weakened before being able to sweep effectively late-game; in particular, Mega Latias struggles against that numerous Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types in the metagame such as Bisharp, Mega Metagross, and Sylveon.
Substitute + Calm Mind
########
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Stored Power / Psyshock / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover
ability: Levitate
item: Latiasite
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Mega Latias's Special Attack to higher levels, increasing its damage output, while also aising Special Defense, letting it tolerate opposing special attacks better. Substitute shields Mega Latias from status and lets it set up on strong attackers without fear. Substitute also lets Mega Latias set up while avoiding opposing Sucker Punch and avoid the possibility of being ravaged by an untimely critical hit. Stored Power is the set's attacking move, which gains boosts to Base Power as more boosts are accumulated. However, as Stored Power is pitifully weak without a boost, Psyshock and Dragon Pulse are usable alternatives to have an attacking option even while without a boost. Psyshock is more preferable as it deals more damage to various relevant targets, such as Mega Charizard Y, Amoonguss, and Sylveon, but Dragon Pulse has better neutral coverage. Recover lets Mega Latias regain its health, letting it stay in play and continually set up longer.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and Timid lets Mega Latias be as fast possible, tying with opposing positive-natured base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and outspeeding threats such as Terrakion and Keldeo. The rest of the EVs are invested in HP and Defense in order to give it Mega Latias bulk, helping in taking hits better and making setup easier to do. Latiasite is used in order to Mega Evolve.
Usage Tips
========
It is recommended to Mega Evolve as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the increase in bulk, letting Mega Latias shrug off attacks and set up much more easily. Always try to maintain a safe amount of health with Recover, as Mega Latias needs to be healthy in order to poise itself to
Team Options
========
Being a setup sweeper, Mega Latias appreciates partners that can help give it safe opportunities to boost. Redirection support is appreciated in order to divert blows aimed at Mega Latias, giving it chances to set up. Togekiss can redirect blows with Follow Me while also providing addition support with Tailwind, and Amoonguss can divert hits with Rage Powder and cripple foes with Spore, giving additional openings to boost Mega Latias. A partner with Fake Out can disarm an opponent for a turn, providing a chance to quickly set up. Scrafty boasts access to Fake Out while also having Intimidate to soften incoming physical blows. Wide Guard support is useful to block incoming spread moves, most importantly opposing Sylveon's Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash has Wide Guard while also having and a good match-up against Sylveon, a threat to Mega Latias. Additional speed control support is appreciated, as though Mega Latias has high Speed, it's still outrun by threats such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Darkrai. Thundurus has Prankster Thunder Wave along with Taunt to stop opposing Trick Room from being set, while Suicune and Togekiss boast Tailwind, the former also notable for being able to beat opposing Heatran, a threat that walls Mega Latias.
Mega Latias also needs teammates that can deal with its checks in order for it to clean up the opponent effectively. Partners that can dent opposing Steel-types, which resist both Psychic and Dragon, are recommended, the most notable among those who can do so being Keldeo and Landorus-T. Teammates that can beat opposing Fairy-types also are appreciated, as Fairies Fairy-types can Mega Latias hit super effectively and are immune to Dragon Pulse, with some being able to hit through Substitute with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash and Heatran fit the role well as they can switch in on Fairy-types with ease and hit back with a super effective move. Partners that can remove opposing Dark-types, which are immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves, serve well as partners. Fighting-types Keldeo and Terrakion can take out Dark-type foes with ease, and Volcarona can hit them with Bug Buzz while also providing additional Speed in Tailwind or redirection support.
Other Options
########
A non-Mega Latias set can be run, but it is generally outclassed by Cresselia in most supportive roles and overshadowed by Latios as an attacker. However, it does have a few niches, most notably its Speed compared to Cresselia and the bulk it has over Latios. An offensive set is viable as, although it's weaker compared to Latios, the extra bulk it has can be appealing, letting it switch in and take hits from foes better than its brother; for example, Latios is 2HKOed by Modest Ludicolo's Ice Beam, while Latias only has a 22.6% chance to be 2HKOed from the same hit. Latias can also run Tailwind much like how Latios does, but the extra bulk making makes setting it it more reliable on setting it. A fast dual screens set can be run, and compared to other dual screens users such as Meowstic and Klefki it Mega Latias has higher bulk and better presence offensively. Other niche moves can be used, such as Healing Wish to give a teammate a second chance, Helping Hand to boost a teammate's damage output, and Heal Pulse to give a teammate a nifty jolt of recovery.
Checks & Counters
########
**Typing Advantage**: Opposing Dark-types such as Bisharp and Darkrai are big threats, as they threaten Mega Latias while being immune to both its primary and secondary attacking options. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn can easily take a hit, as they resist both of Mega Latias's STAB moves, and hit back hard. Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Mega Mawile are immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB moves and can hit super effectively, the former able to hit through Substitutes with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Genesect and Escavalier can come in on any attack Mega Latias can hit with and threaten with a Bug-type STAB move, and Volcarona has Bug Buzz to hit through Mega Latias's Substitute. Tyranitar is immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB move and can threaten to KO with a Dark-type STAB move while also bringing along sand to rack up passive damage. Mega Kangaskhan can hit for good damage with Sucker Punch but it has to watch out for mindgames with Substitute. If Mega Latias doesn't have any boosts yet, Mega Gengar can trap and KO with Shadow Ball.
**Speed Control**: Thunder Wave takes away one of Mega Latias's biggest assets in Speed, making it prone to strong attacks and unable to sweep. Fortunately, Thunder Wave is blocked by Substitute. Thundurus can paralyze Mega Latias with Prankster Thunder Wave while also being able to stop setup with Taunt. Trick Room reverses turn order, making Mega Latias vulnerable for a while by taking away its Speed advantage. Cresselia can tank any hit Mega Latias can throw at it and Aromatisse is immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB move, making them good for setting Trick Room against it. Tailwind works in the same vein as it also removes Mega Latias's Speed advantage, but instead of reversing turn order, it doubles the Speed of the opponent's Pokemon. Togekiss has high Special Defense and is immune to the Dragon-type, letting it set Tailwind with ease.
**Utility Moves**: As the main Mega Latias set doesn't carry Protect, it can't block Fake Out from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty, stunning it for a turn. Taunt, mostly commonly run by Thundurus, stops all of Mega Latias's forms of recovery and setup, turning it into a sitting duck. While setting up, it Mega Latias has to watch out for Encore from the likes of Whimsicott and Politoed, as this instantly turns Mega Latias into a non-factor in on the field if locked onto a setup move.
1/2
Just know that on Smogon, Latias is Latias's when it's possessive. Also, I think I got them all, but make sure all Latias used here has Mega in front of it, as Mega Latias is the only set.
Last edited:
Be sure to update to the new format.
Overview
########
With its great bulk, good defensive typing, and access to reliable recovery, Mega Latias carves a niche for itself as a Calm Mind sweeper. However, it faces heavy competition from Cresselia, which does the same thing without taking up a Mega slot. Unlike Cresselia, (AC) though, Mega Latias is more immediately threatening, with due to its higher Speed and Special Attack, (RC) and has a better match-up against more opponents (which means more setup chances) foes thanks to its Dragon typing, making it a serviceable alternative. Without boosts, Mega Latias's damage output is quite underwheliming underwhelming; due to needing setup to function effectively, Mega Latias is reliant on well-played support, such as redirection and Fake Out, to work well. Another thing to note is that Mega Latias's effectiveness as a sweeper is often dictated by its match-(RH; also "matchups" is one word)ups against opposing teams, in a sense that it is able to easily set up against some teams and will have a hard time doing the same against others. Finally, like any other setup sweeper, Mega Latias needs its checks removed or sufficiently weakened before being able to sweep effectively late-game; in particular, Mega Latias struggles against that numerous Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types in the metagame such as Bisharp, Mega Metagross, and Sylveon.
Substitute + Calm Mind
########
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Stored Power / Psyshock / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover
ability: Levitate
item: Latiasite
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Mega Latias's Special Attack to higher levels, increasing its damage output, as well as its Special Defense, letting it tolerate opposing special attacks better. Substitute shields Mega Latias from status and lets it set up on strong attackers without fear. Substitute also lets Mega Latias set up while avoiding opposing Sucker Punch users and avoid the possibility of being ravaged by an untimely critical hit. Stored Power is the set's attacking move, which gains boosts to its Base Power as more Calm Mind boosts are accumulated. However, as Stored Power is pitifully weak without a boost, Psyshock and Dragon Pulse are usable alternatives to have an attacking option even while without a boost. Psyshock is more preferable preferred, as it deals more damage to various relevant targets, such as Mega Charizard Y, Amoonguss, and Sylveon, but Dragon Pulse has better neutral coverage. Recover lets Mega Latias regain its health, letting it stay in play and continually set up longer.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature let lets Mega Latias be as fast possible, Speed tying with opposing positive-(RH)natured base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and outspeeding threats such as Terrakion and Keldeo. The rest of the EVs are invested in HP and Defense in order to give Mega Latias bulk, helping in taking it take hits better and making its setup easier. Latiasite is used in order to Mega Evolve.
Usage Tips
========
It is recommended to Mega Evolve as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the increase in bulk, letting Mega Latias shrug off attacks and set up much more easily. Always try to maintain a safe decent amount of health with Recover, as Mega Latias needs to be healthy in order to poise position itself to safely set up. Use Substitute as often as you can possible (not sure if you're referring to the player, so I wouldn't use "you") in order to block possibly crippling damage and status, such as paralysis or sleep, giving Mega Latias safe opportunities to boost with Calm Mind safely. Rack up Calm Mind boosts as much as possible because Mega Latias's initial unboosted damage output is quite underwhelming—(RH)and it can't pose a threat at all if running Stored Power. However, before attempting to set up and clean the opponent opposing team, Mega Latias needs its main checks removed or significantly weakened, most notably opposing Steel-, Fairy-, and, most importantly, Dark-types.
(insert line)Team Options
========
Being a setup sweeper, Mega Latias appreciates partners that can help give it safe opportunities to boost. Redirection support is appreciated in order to divert blows attacks aimed at Mega Latias, giving it chances to set up. Togekiss can redirect blows attacks with Follow Me while also providing addition support with Tailwind, and Amoonguss can divert hits with Rage Powder and cripple foes with Spore. A partner with Fake Out can disarm an opponent disable a foe for a turn, providing a chance to quickly set up. Scrafty boasts access Fake Out while also having Intimidate to soften incoming physical blows hits. Wide Guard support is useful to block incoming spread moves, most importantly opposing Sylveon's Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash has Wide Guard and a good match-up against Sylveon, which is a threat to Mega Latias. Additional speed control support is appreciated, as although Mega Latias has high Speed, it's still outrun by threats such as Darkrai and (moved it here b/c I don't want it to sound like Choice Scarf Darkrai is a thing) Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Darkrai. Thundurus has Prankster Thunder Wave along with Taunt to stop opposing Trick Room from being set, while Suicune and Togekiss boast Tailwind, with the former also notable for being able to beat opposing Heatran, a threat that walls Mega Latias.
Mega Latias also needs teammates that can deal with its checks in order for it to clean up the opponent opposing team effectively. Partners that can dent opposing Steel-types, which resist both Psychic and Dragon, are recommended, the most notable being Keldeo and Landorus-T. Teammates that can beat opposing Fairy-types also are appreciated, as Fairy-types can Mega Latias hit super effectively and are immune to Dragon Pulse, with some being able to hit through Substitute with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash and Heatran fit the role well as they can switch in on Fairy-types with ease and hit back with a super effective move. Partners that can remove opposing Dark-types, which are immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves, serve well as partners. Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Terrakion can take out Dark-type foes with ease, and Volcarona can hit them with Bug Buzz while also providing additional Speed in Tailwind or redirection support.
Other Options
########
A non-Mega Latias set can be run, but it is generally outclassed by Cresselia in most supportive roles and overshadowed by Latios as an attacker. However, it does have a few niches, most notably its Speed compared to Cresselia and the bulk it has over Latios. An offensive set is viable as because, although it's weaker compared to Latios, the extra bulk it has can be appealing, letting it switch in and take hits from foes better than its brother Latios; for example, Latios is 2HKOed by Modest Ludicolo's Ice Beam, while Latias only has a 22.6% chance to be 2HKOed from the same hit. Latias can also run Tailwind much like how Latios does, but the extra bulk makes setting it more reliable. A fast dual screens set can be run, and compared to other dual screen users such as Meowstic and Klefki, (AC) Mega Latias has higher bulk and better presence offensively. Other niche moves can be used, such as Healing Wish to give a teammate a second chance, Helping Hand to boost a teammate's damage output, and Heal Pulse to give a teammate a nifty jolt of recovery.
Checks & Counters
########
**Typing Advantage**: Opposing Dark-types such as Bisharp and Darkrai are big threats, as they threaten Mega Latias while being immune to both its primary and secondary attacking options. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn can easily take a hit, as they resist both of Mega Latias's STAB moves, and hit back hard (Aegislash yes; Ferro not so much). Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Mega Mawile are immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB moves and can hit it super effectively, with the former able to hit through Substitutes with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Genesect and Escavalier can come in on any attack Mega Latias can hit them with and threaten it with a Bug-type STAB move, and Volcarona has Bug Buzz to hit through Mega Latias's Substitute. Tyranitar is immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves and can threaten to KO it with a Dark-type STAB move while also bringing along sand to rack up passive damage. Mega Kangaskhan can hit for good damage with Sucker Punch, (AC) but it has to watch out for mind(space)games with Substitute. If Mega Latias doesn't have any boosts yet, Mega Gengar can trap and KO it with Shadow Ball.
**Speed Control**: Thunder Wave takes away one of Mega Latias's biggest assets in its Speed, making it prone vulnerable to strong attacks and unable to sweep. Fortunately, Thunder Wave is blocked by Substitute. Thundurus can paralyze Mega Latias with Prankster Thunder Wave while also being able to stop setup with Taunt. Trick Room reverses turn order, making Mega Latias vulnerable for a while by taking away its Speed advantage. Cresselia can tank any hit Mega Latias can throw at it and Aromatisse is immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB move Pulse (it's the only Dragon-type move you slashed), making them good for setting Trick Room against it. Tailwind works in the same vein, (AC) as it also removes Mega Latias's Speed advantage, but instead of reversing turn order, it doubles the Speed of the opponent's Pokemon. Togekiss has high Special Defense and is immune to Dragon, letting it set Tailwind with ease.
**Utility Moves**: As the main Mega Latias set doesn't carry Protect, it can't block Fake Out from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty, stunning it for a turn. Taunt, mostly run by Thundurus, stops all of Mega Latias's forms of recovery and setup, turning it into a sitting duck. While setting up, Mega Latias has to watch out for Encore from the likes of Whimsicott and Politoed, as this instantly turns Mega(space)Latias into a non-factor on the field if locked onto into a setup move.
Overview
########
With its great bulk, good defensive typing, and access to reliable recovery, Mega Latias carves a niche for itself as a Calm Mind sweeper. However, it faces heavy competition from Cresselia, which does the same thing without taking up a Mega slot. Unlike Cresselia, (AC) though, Mega Latias is more immediately threatening, with due to its higher Speed and Special Attack, (RC) and has a better match-up against more opponents (which means more setup chances) foes thanks to its Dragon typing, making it a serviceable alternative. Without boosts, Mega Latias's damage output is quite underwheliming underwhelming; due to needing setup to function effectively, Mega Latias is reliant on well-played support, such as redirection and Fake Out, to work well. Another thing to note is that Mega Latias's effectiveness as a sweeper is often dictated by its match-(RH; also "matchups" is one word)ups against opposing teams, in a sense that it is able to easily set up against some teams and will have a hard time doing the same against others. Finally, like any other setup sweeper, Mega Latias needs its checks removed or sufficiently weakened before being able to sweep effectively late-game; in particular, Mega Latias struggles against that numerous Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types in the metagame such as Bisharp, Mega Metagross, and Sylveon.
Substitute + Calm Mind
########
name: Substitute + Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Substitute
move 3: Stored Power / Psyshock / Dragon Pulse
move 4: Recover
ability: Levitate
item: Latiasite
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
========
Calm Mind boosts Mega Latias's Special Attack to higher levels, increasing its damage output, as well as its Special Defense, letting it tolerate opposing special attacks better. Substitute shields Mega Latias from status and lets it set up on strong attackers without fear. Substitute also lets Mega Latias set up while avoiding opposing Sucker Punch users and avoid the possibility of being ravaged by an untimely critical hit. Stored Power is the set's attacking move, which gains boosts to its Base Power as more Calm Mind boosts are accumulated. However, as Stored Power is pitifully weak without a boost, Psyshock and Dragon Pulse are usable alternatives to have an attacking option even while without a boost. Psyshock is more preferable preferred, as it deals more damage to various relevant targets, such as Mega Charizard Y, Amoonguss, and Sylveon, but Dragon Pulse has better neutral coverage. Recover lets Mega Latias regain its health, letting it stay in play and continually set up longer.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature let lets Mega Latias be as fast possible, Speed tying with opposing positive-(RH)natured base 110 Speed Pokemon such as Mega Diancie and outspeeding threats such as Terrakion and Keldeo. The rest of the EVs are invested in HP and Defense in order to give Mega Latias bulk, helping in taking it take hits better and making its setup easier. Latiasite is used in order to Mega Evolve.
Usage Tips
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It is recommended to Mega Evolve as soon as possible in order to take advantage of the increase in bulk, letting Mega Latias shrug off attacks and set up much more easily. Always try to maintain a safe decent amount of health with Recover, as Mega Latias needs to be healthy in order to poise position itself to safely set up. Use Substitute as often as you can possible (not sure if you're referring to the player, so I wouldn't use "you") in order to block possibly crippling damage and status, such as paralysis or sleep, giving Mega Latias safe opportunities to boost with Calm Mind safely. Rack up Calm Mind boosts as much as possible because Mega Latias's initial unboosted damage output is quite underwhelming—(RH)and it can't pose a threat at all if running Stored Power. However, before attempting to set up and clean the opponent opposing team, Mega Latias needs its main checks removed or significantly weakened, most notably opposing Steel-, Fairy-, and, most importantly, Dark-types.
(insert line)Team Options
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Being a setup sweeper, Mega Latias appreciates partners that can help give it safe opportunities to boost. Redirection support is appreciated in order to divert blows attacks aimed at Mega Latias, giving it chances to set up. Togekiss can redirect blows attacks with Follow Me while also providing addition support with Tailwind, and Amoonguss can divert hits with Rage Powder and cripple foes with Spore. A partner with Fake Out can disarm an opponent disable a foe for a turn, providing a chance to quickly set up. Scrafty boasts access Fake Out while also having Intimidate to soften incoming physical blows hits. Wide Guard support is useful to block incoming spread moves, most importantly opposing Sylveon's Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash has Wide Guard and a good match-up against Sylveon, which is a threat to Mega Latias. Additional speed control support is appreciated, as although Mega Latias has high Speed, it's still outrun by threats such as Darkrai and (moved it here b/c I don't want it to sound like Choice Scarf Darkrai is a thing) Choice Scarf Landorus-T and Darkrai. Thundurus has Prankster Thunder Wave along with Taunt to stop opposing Trick Room from being set, while Suicune and Togekiss boast Tailwind, with the former also notable for being able to beat opposing Heatran, a threat that walls Mega Latias.
Mega Latias also needs teammates that can deal with its checks in order for it to clean up the opponent opposing team effectively. Partners that can dent opposing Steel-types, which resist both Psychic and Dragon, are recommended, the most notable being Keldeo and Landorus-T. Teammates that can beat opposing Fairy-types also are appreciated, as Fairy-types can Mega Latias hit super effectively and are immune to Dragon Pulse, with some being able to hit through Substitute with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Aegislash and Heatran fit the role well as they can switch in on Fairy-types with ease and hit back with a super effective move. Partners that can remove opposing Dark-types, which are immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves, serve well as partners. Fighting-types such as Keldeo and Terrakion can take out Dark-type foes with ease, and Volcarona can hit them with Bug Buzz while also providing additional Speed in Tailwind or redirection support.
Other Options
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A non-Mega Latias set can be run, but it is generally outclassed by Cresselia in most supportive roles and overshadowed by Latios as an attacker. However, it does have a few niches, most notably its Speed compared to Cresselia and the bulk it has over Latios. An offensive set is viable as because, although it's weaker compared to Latios, the extra bulk it has can be appealing, letting it switch in and take hits from foes better than its brother Latios; for example, Latios is 2HKOed by Modest Ludicolo's Ice Beam, while Latias only has a 22.6% chance to be 2HKOed from the same hit. Latias can also run Tailwind much like how Latios does, but the extra bulk makes setting it more reliable. A fast dual screens set can be run, and compared to other dual screen users such as Meowstic and Klefki, (AC) Mega Latias has higher bulk and better presence offensively. Other niche moves can be used, such as Healing Wish to give a teammate a second chance, Helping Hand to boost a teammate's damage output, and Heal Pulse to give a teammate a nifty jolt of recovery.
Checks & Counters
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**Typing Advantage**: Opposing Dark-types such as Bisharp and Darkrai are big threats, as they threaten Mega Latias while being immune to both its primary and secondary attacking options. Steel-types such as Aegislash and Ferrothorn can easily take a hit, as they resist both of Mega Latias's STAB moves, and hit back hard (Aegislash yes; Ferro not so much). Fairy-types such as Sylveon and Mega Mawile are immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB moves and can hit it super effectively, with the former able to hit through Substitutes with Pixilate Hyper Voice. Genesect and Escavalier can come in on any attack Mega Latias can hit them with and threaten it with a Bug-type STAB move, and Volcarona has Bug Buzz to hit through Mega Latias's Substitute. Tyranitar is immune to Mega Latias's Psychic-type STAB moves and can threaten to KO it with a Dark-type STAB move while also bringing along sand to rack up passive damage. Mega Kangaskhan can hit for good damage with Sucker Punch, (AC) but it has to watch out for mind(space)games with Substitute. If Mega Latias doesn't have any boosts yet, Mega Gengar can trap and KO it with Shadow Ball.
**Speed Control**: Thunder Wave takes away one of Mega Latias's biggest assets in its Speed, making it prone vulnerable to strong attacks and unable to sweep. Fortunately, Thunder Wave is blocked by Substitute. Thundurus can paralyze Mega Latias with Prankster Thunder Wave while also being able to stop setup with Taunt. Trick Room reverses turn order, making Mega Latias vulnerable for a while by taking away its Speed advantage. Cresselia can tank any hit Mega Latias can throw at it and Aromatisse is immune to Mega Latias's Dragon-type STAB move Pulse (it's the only Dragon-type move you slashed), making them good for setting Trick Room against it. Tailwind works in the same vein, (AC) as it also removes Mega Latias's Speed advantage, but instead of reversing turn order, it doubles the Speed of the opponent's Pokemon. Togekiss has high Special Defense and is immune to Dragon, letting it set Tailwind with ease.
**Utility Moves**: As the main Mega Latias set doesn't carry Protect, it can't block Fake Out from the likes of Mega Kangaskhan and Scrafty, stunning it for a turn. Taunt, mostly run by Thundurus, stops all of Mega Latias's forms of recovery and setup, turning it into a sitting duck. While setting up, Mega Latias has to watch out for Encore from the likes of Whimsicott and Politoed, as this instantly turns Mega(space)Latias into a non-factor on the field if locked onto into a setup move.
GP 2/2
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