Quality Control DPP Latias [0/2]

[ned04817]

[SET]
Choice Specs (Latias) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Grass Knot
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Dragon Pulse

[SET COMMENTS]

• Latias is one of the tier's most prominent special attackers due to its excellent Special Attack, naturally high Speed tier, and powerful Draco Meteor. Latias also gets coverage options that punish common switch-ins, making it difficult to ever truly counter. It's a flexible attacker with a variety of offensive sets that, thanks to its typing and ability, can also check rain teams and switch into Earthquakes. Latias is a dominant threat in DPP Doubles that every team needs to be prepared for.
• Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor is Latias's most powerful attack, capable of 2HKOing or OHKOing most neutral targets, though the Special Attack drop makes Latias vulnerable to Steel-types like Metagross and Heatran, as well as Pursuit trapping from Tyranitar.
• Grass Knot provides excellent coverage against 4x weak Ground-types like Swampert and Rhyperior, while Thunderbolt hits Steel- and Water-types such as Metagross and Empoleon.
• Hidden Power Ground deals 4x super effective damage to Heatran, while Dragon Pulse offers a reliable option without the Special Attack drop from Draco Meteor.
• Haban Berry can be used over Choice Specs as well as Protect instead of the final move slot to beat opposing Dragon-types and have more flexibility. Psychic provides a secondary STAB coverage against Fighting-types, but leaves Latias vulnerable to getting Pursuit trapped by Tyranitar.
• Latias can fit on a wide array of teams, but appreciates partners that can remove Steel-types and Tyranitar. As such, Hitmontop and Infernape are notable partners for providing Fake Out support and good offensive coverage.
• Consider positioning carefully before locking into a move, and be wary of Draco Meteor drops leaving Latias vulnerable to Pursuit trapping.

[SET]
Choice Scarf (Latias) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Grass Knot
- Thunderbolt
- Trick / Healing Wish

[SET COMMENTS]

• Choice Scarf Latias acts as a fast revenge killer, leveraging its high Speed to KO a variety of threats including opposing Latias and other Choice Scarf users. This set trades raw power for speed.
• Draco Meteor remains Latias's most powerful STAB option even without Choice Specs, capable of revenge killing many threats and finishing off weakened opponents.
• Grass Knot and Thunderbolt are Latias' best coverage options, beating Swampert, Rhyperior, and Empoleon.
• Trick cripples utility Pokemon like Bronzong and Cresselia by removing their items and locking their move choice, potentially turning defensive Pokemon into setup opportunities for teammates. Healing Wish, meanwhile, replenishes the health of a weakened ally in the back and can help restore a potential wincondition.
• Save this set for late-game cleaning when possible since its damage output is more modest than Choice Specs variants. Use Trick strategically to cripple key defensive Pokemon, and be cautious of opposing priority moves like Hitmontop's Sucker Punch and Scizor's Bullet Punch.

[SET]
Calm Mind (Latias) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 12 HP / 244 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
- Protect

[SET COMMENTS]

• Calm Mind Latias functions as a setup sweeper that can boost its Special Attack and Special Defense to overwhelming levels, with the combination of Substitute and Protect providing excellent defensive utility to avoid status moves and catch opponents off guard.
• Dragon Pulse provides reliable damage without lowering Special Attack like Draco Meteor, making it ideal for a setup sweeper that wants to maintain its boosted stats and consistent damage output.
• Calm Mind makes Latias progressively more dangerous with multiple boosts allowing it to break through even resistant Pokemon and become nearly unstoppable late-game.
• Substitute protects Latias from status moves like Toxic and Will-O-Wisp that would otherwise impede its setup attempts, provides a buffer against weaker attacks, and works excellently with Protect to create multiple turns of safety for setting up Calm Mind and gaining Leftover recovery.
• This set appreciates Fake Out support from Hitmontop, Infernape, and Mew to create more setup opportunities. Priority attackers that beat Tyranitar are also appreciated, such as Scizor and Breloom. U-turn pivots like Choice Scarf Zapdos and Choice Band Scizor allow Latias to come in relatively safely against positive matchups.
• Look for opportunities to set up against Fire-types like Heatran and Infernape that can't do anything to Latias. Also make sure to Substitute first against opposing Hitmontop to avoid Sucker Punch.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ned04817.353628/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zee.501951/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/placeholder
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/placeholder