[SET]
name: Roost + 3 Attacks
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Surf
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Roost
item: Latiasite
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam hits Ground-types like Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Gliscor for 4x super effective damage, allowing Mega Latias to effectively check them thanks to its Speed tier. Ice Beam also hits Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth for a good chunk of damage, as well as Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Mega Pinsir, which is important because the balanced teams Mega Latias is used on tend to struggle against Mega Pinsir. Surf is used to alleviate Mega Latias's matchup against Heatran and Tyranitar. Hidden Power Fire lets Mega Latias OHKO Kartana, 2HKO Mega Scizor, and 3HKO Ferrothorn. Roost keeps Mega Latias healthy, letting it consistently switch into the battle to check Pokemon like Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Tapu Bulu. Psychic lets Mega Latias effectively OHKO Hawlucha and Mega Lopunny, as well as 2HKO Keldeo, Mega Venusaur, and Toxapex, although it needs Stealth Rock damage to guarantee a 2HKO on Toxapex. Thunderbolt provides good neutral coverage in tandem with Ice Beam, only being resisted by a few Pokemon, such as Magnezone and Mamoswine. It complements Ice Beam nicely because it hits Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Greninja, Celesteela, Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcanion for super effective damage, which Ice Beam fails to do. While Thunderbolt and Ice Beam provide nice neutral coverage, they leave Mega Latias walled by Pokemon like Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn because Hidden Power Fire has to be replaced for Thunderbolt. Defog may be used instead of Hidden Power Fire because Mega Latias is a reliable Defogger that doesn't get affected by Spikes or Toxic Spikes, but it should be noted that it does lose to a majority of entry hazard setters.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment makes Mega Latias as bulky as possible and lets it take hits from Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, Kartana, and non-Megahorn Tapu Bulu. Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature are needed to Speed tie with base 110 Speed Pokemon, but it's especially important to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Kartana. Levitate is the only available ability for Latias and Mega Latias, but it lets them pivot into Ground-type attacks from Landorus-T and Gliscor to efficiently check them. Latiasite is necessary to Mega Evolve Latias into Mega Latias.
Usage Tips
========
Try to avoid Toxic from Pokemon like Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Heatran because it puts Mega Latias on a timer and makes it significantly harder for Mega Latias to keep switching in throughout the match. Paralysis is also very crippling and should be avoided as well, as it makes Mega Latias lose its important Speed tier that it uses to check Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Tapu Bulu and also makes it more prone to getting Pursuit trapped by Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar. Switch Mega Latias in on Pokemon that it can effectively beat such as Kartana, Gliscor, Tangrowth, and Mega Charizard Y. If the opponent has Pokemon like Kartana and Mega Scizor, try to hide Hidden Power Fire for as long as possible to effectively lure them. This doesn't work against Ferrothorn, as it is only 3HKOed, meaning Mega Latias would have to hit it with Hidden Power Fire on the switch in to prevent Ferrothorn from getting much value from Leech Seed. Use Defog on Pokemon that Mega Latias checks such as Tapu Bulu, Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Mega Charizard Y. Remove Dark-types like Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja as soon as possible, as they can severely hinder Mega Latias from doing its job.
Team Options
========
Clefable and Ferrothorn in tandem with Mega Latias make for an excellent Dragon / Fairy / Steel defensive core that can easily pressure opposing Pokemon due to entry hazard stacking, and they also switch into each other's checks relatively well. Tornadus-T with Superpower is a great partner, as it can pressure classic switch-ins to Mega Latias, such as Tyranitar and Mew, and help against certain Grass-types that Mega Latias tends to struggle against if it isn't running Psychic, namely Amoonguss and Mega Venusaur. Tornadus-T can also remove Ferrothorn's and Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off and severely weaken the former, which gives it a much harder time against Mega Latias. Water-types like Toxapex and Gastrodon can check Pokemon like Magearna and Ash-Greninja, and Gastrodon can also check Tapu Koko, which Mega Latias tends to struggle against. Toxapex and Gastrodon also use Toxic to support Mega Latias by wearing down foes, and Toxapex can additionally set up Toxic Spikes, which may be useful to wear down Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja. In return, Mega Latias can check Grass- and Ground-types like Tapu Bulu, Kartana, Landorus-T, and Zygarde. Heatran provides Mega Latias with Stealth Rock support and is also capable of switching into Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Mega Mawile, which heavily pressure Mega Latias. Fairy-types like Magearna, Tapu Bulu, and Clefable can take care of Dark-types that threaten Mega Latias like Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja. Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Tapu Bulu can take care of Reuniclus and Gastrodon for Mega Latias.
name: Roost + 3 Attacks
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Surf
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Roost
item: Latiasite
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam hits Ground-types like Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Gliscor for 4x super effective damage, allowing Mega Latias to effectively check them thanks to its Speed tier. Ice Beam also hits Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Tangrowth for a good chunk of damage, as well as Flying-types like Tornadus-T and Mega Pinsir, which is important because the balanced teams Mega Latias is used on tend to struggle against Mega Pinsir. Surf is used to alleviate Mega Latias's matchup against Heatran and Tyranitar. Hidden Power Fire lets Mega Latias OHKO Kartana, 2HKO Mega Scizor, and 3HKO Ferrothorn. Roost keeps Mega Latias healthy, letting it consistently switch into the battle to check Pokemon like Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Tapu Bulu. Psychic lets Mega Latias effectively OHKO Hawlucha and Mega Lopunny, as well as 2HKO Keldeo, Mega Venusaur, and Toxapex, although it needs Stealth Rock damage to guarantee a 2HKO on Toxapex. Thunderbolt provides good neutral coverage in tandem with Ice Beam, only being resisted by a few Pokemon, such as Magnezone and Mamoswine. It complements Ice Beam nicely because it hits Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Greninja, Celesteela, Gyarados, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcanion for super effective damage, which Ice Beam fails to do. While Thunderbolt and Ice Beam provide nice neutral coverage, they leave Mega Latias walled by Pokemon like Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn because Hidden Power Fire has to be replaced for Thunderbolt. Defog may be used instead of Hidden Power Fire because Mega Latias is a reliable Defogger that doesn't get affected by Spikes or Toxic Spikes, but it should be noted that it does lose to a majority of entry hazard setters.
Set Details
========
Maximum HP investment makes Mega Latias as bulky as possible and lets it take hits from Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, Kartana, and non-Megahorn Tapu Bulu. Maximum Speed investment and a Timid nature are needed to Speed tie with base 110 Speed Pokemon, but it's especially important to outspeed non-Choice Scarf Kartana. Levitate is the only available ability for Latias and Mega Latias, but it lets them pivot into Ground-type attacks from Landorus-T and Gliscor to efficiently check them. Latiasite is necessary to Mega Evolve Latias into Mega Latias.
Usage Tips
========
Try to avoid Toxic from Pokemon like Toxapex, Gastrodon, and Heatran because it puts Mega Latias on a timer and makes it significantly harder for Mega Latias to keep switching in throughout the match. Paralysis is also very crippling and should be avoided as well, as it makes Mega Latias lose its important Speed tier that it uses to check Pokemon like Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Tapu Bulu and also makes it more prone to getting Pursuit trapped by Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar. Switch Mega Latias in on Pokemon that it can effectively beat such as Kartana, Gliscor, Tangrowth, and Mega Charizard Y. If the opponent has Pokemon like Kartana and Mega Scizor, try to hide Hidden Power Fire for as long as possible to effectively lure them. This doesn't work against Ferrothorn, as it is only 3HKOed, meaning Mega Latias would have to hit it with Hidden Power Fire on the switch in to prevent Ferrothorn from getting much value from Leech Seed. Use Defog on Pokemon that Mega Latias checks such as Tapu Bulu, Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Mega Charizard Y. Remove Dark-types like Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja as soon as possible, as they can severely hinder Mega Latias from doing its job.
Team Options
========
Clefable and Ferrothorn in tandem with Mega Latias make for an excellent Dragon / Fairy / Steel defensive core that can easily pressure opposing Pokemon due to entry hazard stacking, and they also switch into each other's checks relatively well. Tornadus-T with Superpower is a great partner, as it can pressure classic switch-ins to Mega Latias, such as Tyranitar and Mew, and help against certain Grass-types that Mega Latias tends to struggle against if it isn't running Psychic, namely Amoonguss and Mega Venusaur. Tornadus-T can also remove Ferrothorn's and Celesteela's Leftovers with Knock Off and severely weaken the former, which gives it a much harder time against Mega Latias. Water-types like Toxapex and Gastrodon can check Pokemon like Magearna and Ash-Greninja, and Gastrodon can also check Tapu Koko, which Mega Latias tends to struggle against. Toxapex and Gastrodon also use Toxic to support Mega Latias by wearing down foes, and Toxapex can additionally set up Toxic Spikes, which may be useful to wear down Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja. In return, Mega Latias can check Grass- and Ground-types like Tapu Bulu, Kartana, Landorus-T, and Zygarde. Heatran provides Mega Latias with Stealth Rock support and is also capable of switching into Fairy-types like Clefable, Tapu Lele, and Mega Mawile, which heavily pressure Mega Latias. Fairy-types like Magearna, Tapu Bulu, and Clefable can take care of Dark-types that threaten Mega Latias like Tyranitar and Ash-Greninja. Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Tapu Bulu can take care of Reuniclus and Gastrodon for Mega Latias.
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