[overview]
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 17 points
**Overview**: Latios is a powerful wallbreaker that also brings a great Speed stat and several utility options to its team. With powerful STAB and coverage moves, it can punch holes into most teams through the use of Choice Specs or Z-Moves or act as a late-game cleaner with a Choice Scarf. While Latios only has average bulk, its typing in combination with Levitate gives it key resistances alongside an immunity to Ground, allowing it to be a backup check to some common Pokemon in the metagame if necessary, though it generally wants to avoid taking too many hits. Latios is also particularly vulnerable to Pursuit trappers if it's not able to OHKO them outright, and it often wants to run more than four moves, which can cause issues, especially for Calm Mind sets.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Latios can make use of its powerful moves in combination with a Choice Specs to break past many defensive Pokemon. Z-Crystals alongside Calm Mind also give it options to deal with most Steel-type Pokemon that resist its STAB type combination.
**Revenge Killer**: With a Choice Scarf, Latios is able to outspeed every Pokemon in the metagame that isn't packing a Choice Scarf as well as every relevant setup sweeper, allowing it to work as a great revenge killer. Choice Scarf sets can also utilize Trick to cripple defensive Pokemon without sacrificing too much of Latios's ability to work as a revenge killer due to its good natural Speed.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Defog, Recover, Thunder Wave, Toxic, Trick, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect
**Coverage**: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Ice Beam, Surf, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Hidden Power, Earthquake
Niche Moves
========
**Dragon Dance**: Latios's Attack stat —while average at best— is enough to let it run a physical set with Dragon Dance and make use of its physical coverage, notably Earthquake. This should only be considered in a matchup where the opposing checks to it are heavily skewed towards Special Defense, as its damage can still be underwhelming, even with a Dragon Dance boost. It can also be utilized in special or mixed sets as a way for Latios to boost its Speed and still be able to change moves while making its physical coverage hit slightly harder.
**Outrage**: Outrage is Latios's strongest option for pure physical Dragon Dance sets and a powerful option when paired with Dragonium Z.
**Stored Power**: In sets running multiple setup moves, Stored Power is a powerful option with enough boosts.
**Memento**: Memento can be used to give a teammate the opportunity to set up once Latios has done its job of wallbreaking and is no longer needed.
**Refresh / Psycho Shift**: Refresh and Psycho Shift can be used on Calm Mind sets as a way to get rid of detrimental status effects, though they generally require Latios to run only a single attacking move, making them very matchup-dependent.
**Tailwind**: Latios can use Tailwind as a way to gain a temporary-but-powerful boost to its Speed, allowing it to outspeed potential revenge killers. While it can be used to support teammates, Tailwind's short duration usually makes this very difficult.
Common Items
========
**Choice Specs**: Choice Specs is Latios's best item if it acts as a wallbreaker, letting it do massive damage without the need to set up.
**Choice Scarf**: With a Choice Scarf, Latios outspeeds nearly every relevant Pokemon in the metagame, allowing it to act as a great revenge killer.
**Z-Crystals**: Z-Crystals are commonly used on Calm Mind sets with one of Latios's coverage moves to break past Steel-type Pokemon that would otherwise wall it. Gigavolt Havoc with Thunder and Never-Ending Nightmare are the most common ones for this purpose. Psychium Z and Dragonium Z can also be utilized due to their raw damage potential if the opposing draft does not have reliable answers to one of Latios's STAB moves.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Items such as Life Orb, Soul Dew, and Expert Belt may be utilized to give Latios a damage boost while allowing it to still change moves. They are mostly useful against drafts that do not have very bulky answers to Latios, making the extra damage from Choice Specs unnecessary.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries can be utilized by Calm Mind sets to grant Latios more opportunities to set up or lure specific Pokemon. Colbur Berry deserves special mention, as it can allow Latios to survive being Pursuit trapped once.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is a viable option for Substitute + Calm Mind sets, giving Latios additional longevity and more setup opportunities.
**Light Clay**: Latios is a viable user of dual screens, making Light Clay the item of choice for such sets to maximize their effect.
Draft Strategy
========
Latios fits best in drafts looking for a powerful special wallbreaker and speed control option, as its solid defensive typing alongside Levitate enables it to switch into attacks multiple times throughout the game. When drafting Latios, the other Pokemon in your draft should help it with wallbreaking and cleaning, either through pivoting and providing offensive support or by acting as additional wallbreakers or cleaners.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Latios greatly appreciates entry hazard support, especially Spikes, to help weaken its checks; Pokemon such as Greninja, Landorus-T, and Clefable make good partners to fulfill this role. Additionally, while it isn't weak to Stealth Rock and avoids other hazards, it dislikes taking excessive chip damage, so hazard removers like Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Rotom-W are appreciated. Latios itself can work as a very reliable Defog user, but it does not want to be forced into that role and generally prefers to run other moves instead.
**Other Speed Control Options**: Having faster teammates such as Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Greninja that can fulfill the roles of speed control gives Latios more freedom to act as a wallbreaker, helping maximize its potential.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Strong physical attackers —in particular, those that can hit the Steel-, Dark-, and Fairy-types that are commonly used to check Latios— form a good offensive core with it. Pokemon such as Mega Mawile, Mega Lopunny, and Infernape are good partners to draft alongside it.
**Dark- and Fairy-type Checks**: Latios is greatly threatened by Dark- and Fairy-types if it fails to OHKO them, so having teammates that can pivot into these types such as Celesteela, Tapu Fini, and Heatran are greatly appreciated.
Checks and Counters
========
**Pursuit**: Latios is extremely vulnerable to Pursuit from Pokemon such as Alolan Muk and Tyranitar, which are able to comfortably take most hits from it, or faster Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Choice Scarf Krookodile. It can use a Colbur Berry to survive being Pursuit trapped once or allow it to potentially KO some of the frailer trappers, but it otherwise must be played very carefully, doing double switches if necessary, to avoid being trapped by these Pokemon.
**Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-type Pokemon such as Jirachi, Celesteela, and Metagross easily switch into Latios's STAB moves and can force it out through the threat of strong attacking moves or status. All of these Pokemon, however, have to be wary of Latios carrying a Z-Crystal, as a super effective Z-Move can do massive damage or OHKO them outright, especially if it is boosted by Calm Mind.
**Faster Revenge Killers**: Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Mega Lopunny all outspeed Latios and are able to OHKO it after minimal chip damage. If it isn't carrying a Choice Scarf or using some other form of Speed boost, Choice Scarf Pokemon like Kartana, Hydreigon, and Blacephalon can also easily revenge kill it.
**Strong Priority Moves**: Strong priority users such as Weavile and Mamoswine with Ice Shard, Mega Mawile with Sucker Punch, and Scizor with Bullet Punch are able to do massive damage to Latios, taking it down with just a small amount of chip damage or being able to OHKO it outright in the case of Mega Mawile.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
**Draft Order**: Round 2 onwards
**Price Range**: 17 points
**Overview**: Latios is a powerful wallbreaker that also brings a great Speed stat and several utility options to its team. With powerful STAB and coverage moves, it can punch holes into most teams through the use of Choice Specs or Z-Moves or act as a late-game cleaner with a Choice Scarf. While Latios only has average bulk, its typing in combination with Levitate gives it key resistances alongside an immunity to Ground, allowing it to be a backup check to some common Pokemon in the metagame if necessary, though it generally wants to avoid taking too many hits. Latios is also particularly vulnerable to Pursuit trappers if it's not able to OHKO them outright, and it often wants to run more than four moves, which can cause issues, especially for Calm Mind sets.
[strategy comments]
Common Roles
========
**Wallbreaker**: Latios can make use of its powerful moves in combination with a Choice Specs to break past many defensive Pokemon. Z-Crystals alongside Calm Mind also give it options to deal with most Steel-type Pokemon that resist its STAB type combination.
**Revenge Killer**: With a Choice Scarf, Latios is able to outspeed every Pokemon in the metagame that isn't packing a Choice Scarf as well as every relevant setup sweeper, allowing it to work as a great revenge killer. Choice Scarf sets can also utilize Trick to cripple defensive Pokemon without sacrificing too much of Latios's ability to work as a revenge killer due to its good natural Speed.
Common Moves
========
**Primary STAB Moves**: Psychic, Psyshock, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse
**Setup Moves**: Calm Mind
**Utility Moves**: Defog, Recover, Thunder Wave, Toxic, Trick, Substitute, Light Screen, Reflect
**Coverage**: Thunderbolt, Thunder, Ice Beam, Surf, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball, Grass Knot, Hidden Power, Earthquake
Niche Moves
========
**Dragon Dance**: Latios's Attack stat —while average at best— is enough to let it run a physical set with Dragon Dance and make use of its physical coverage, notably Earthquake. This should only be considered in a matchup where the opposing checks to it are heavily skewed towards Special Defense, as its damage can still be underwhelming, even with a Dragon Dance boost. It can also be utilized in special or mixed sets as a way for Latios to boost its Speed and still be able to change moves while making its physical coverage hit slightly harder.
**Outrage**: Outrage is Latios's strongest option for pure physical Dragon Dance sets and a powerful option when paired with Dragonium Z.
**Stored Power**: In sets running multiple setup moves, Stored Power is a powerful option with enough boosts.
**Memento**: Memento can be used to give a teammate the opportunity to set up once Latios has done its job of wallbreaking and is no longer needed.
**Refresh / Psycho Shift**: Refresh and Psycho Shift can be used on Calm Mind sets as a way to get rid of detrimental status effects, though they generally require Latios to run only a single attacking move, making them very matchup-dependent.
**Tailwind**: Latios can use Tailwind as a way to gain a temporary-but-powerful boost to its Speed, allowing it to outspeed potential revenge killers. While it can be used to support teammates, Tailwind's short duration usually makes this very difficult.
Common Items
========
**Choice Specs**: Choice Specs is Latios's best item if it acts as a wallbreaker, letting it do massive damage without the need to set up.
**Choice Scarf**: With a Choice Scarf, Latios outspeeds nearly every relevant Pokemon in the metagame, allowing it to act as a great revenge killer.
**Z-Crystals**: Z-Crystals are commonly used on Calm Mind sets with one of Latios's coverage moves to break past Steel-type Pokemon that would otherwise wall it. Gigavolt Havoc with Thunder and Never-Ending Nightmare are the most common ones for this purpose. Psychium Z and Dragonium Z can also be utilized due to their raw damage potential if the opposing draft does not have reliable answers to one of Latios's STAB moves.
Niche Items
========
**Damage-boosting Items**: Items such as Life Orb, Soul Dew, and Expert Belt may be utilized to give Latios a damage boost while allowing it to still change moves. They are mostly useful against drafts that do not have very bulky answers to Latios, making the extra damage from Choice Specs unnecessary.
**Resistance Berries**: Resistance Berries can be utilized by Calm Mind sets to grant Latios more opportunities to set up or lure specific Pokemon. Colbur Berry deserves special mention, as it can allow Latios to survive being Pursuit trapped once.
**Leftovers**: Leftovers is a viable option for Substitute + Calm Mind sets, giving Latios additional longevity and more setup opportunities.
**Light Clay**: Latios is a viable user of dual screens, making Light Clay the item of choice for such sets to maximize their effect.
Draft Strategy
========
Latios fits best in drafts looking for a powerful special wallbreaker and speed control option, as its solid defensive typing alongside Levitate enables it to switch into attacks multiple times throughout the game. When drafting Latios, the other Pokemon in your draft should help it with wallbreaking and cleaning, either through pivoting and providing offensive support or by acting as additional wallbreakers or cleaners.
**Entry Hazard Control**: Latios greatly appreciates entry hazard support, especially Spikes, to help weaken its checks; Pokemon such as Greninja, Landorus-T, and Clefable make good partners to fulfill this role. Additionally, while it isn't weak to Stealth Rock and avoids other hazards, it dislikes taking excessive chip damage, so hazard removers like Zapdos, Tornadus-T, and Rotom-W are appreciated. Latios itself can work as a very reliable Defog user, but it does not want to be forced into that role and generally prefers to run other moves instead.
**Other Speed Control Options**: Having faster teammates such as Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Greninja that can fulfill the roles of speed control gives Latios more freedom to act as a wallbreaker, helping maximize its potential.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Strong physical attackers —in particular, those that can hit the Steel-, Dark-, and Fairy-types that are commonly used to check Latios— form a good offensive core with it. Pokemon such as Mega Mawile, Mega Lopunny, and Infernape are good partners to draft alongside it.
**Dark- and Fairy-type Checks**: Latios is greatly threatened by Dark- and Fairy-types if it fails to OHKO them, so having teammates that can pivot into these types such as Celesteela, Tapu Fini, and Heatran are greatly appreciated.
Checks and Counters
========
**Pursuit**: Latios is extremely vulnerable to Pursuit from Pokemon such as Alolan Muk and Tyranitar, which are able to comfortably take most hits from it, or faster Pursuit trappers such as Weavile and Choice Scarf Krookodile. It can use a Colbur Berry to survive being Pursuit trapped once or allow it to potentially KO some of the frailer trappers, but it otherwise must be played very carefully, doing double switches if necessary, to avoid being trapped by these Pokemon.
**Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-type Pokemon such as Jirachi, Celesteela, and Metagross easily switch into Latios's STAB moves and can force it out through the threat of strong attacking moves or status. All of these Pokemon, however, have to be wary of Latios carrying a Z-Crystal, as a super effective Z-Move can do massive damage or OHKO them outright, especially if it is boosted by Calm Mind.
**Faster Revenge Killers**: Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and Mega Lopunny all outspeed Latios and are able to OHKO it after minimal chip damage. If it isn't carrying a Choice Scarf or using some other form of Speed boost, Choice Scarf Pokemon like Kartana, Hydreigon, and Blacephalon can also easily revenge kill it.
**Strong Priority Moves**: Strong priority users such as Weavile and Mamoswine with Ice Shard, Mega Mawile with Sucker Punch, and Scizor with Bullet Punch are able to do massive damage to Latios, taking it down with just a small amount of chip damage or being able to OHKO it outright in the case of Mega Mawile.
[credits]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/vmnunes.613460/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/odinrm.613514/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/techno.527276/
Last edited:
