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The Next Best Thing v2 - Latios
- Thread starter Joeyboy
- Start date
Voting for VN.
Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 184 SAtk / 252 Spd / 72 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psycho Shift
- Recover
- Psyshock
This is standard LO Latias, with a twist. Usually, you see Latias with Surf or Hidden Power Fire in the 3rd attacking slot, but this time, it is using Psycho Shift instead. With Psycho Shift, you can beat Rain teams by simply reversing their status back onto them. You literally can use Latias as a complete sponge to most status, especially burns, which are the most favorable. Switch this Latias in a on Rotom-W Will-O-Wisp, Tentacruel or Politoed Scald, and actually hope to get burned so you can pass this status onto a Tyranitar, Jirachi, Scizor, Ferrothorn, or other common Latias counter. While most people think Latias should avoid status at all costs, this set loves to attract it and turn it into your favor. This set cripples Rain teams extremely heavily, and because of that is an amazing partner on Sand teams. Offensive Sand loves this set and it works very well on Sun also. You still get all of the power in Latias as a Life Orb user, but also get all the utility in a defensive Celebi or such. While you can't Psycho Shift sleep, you can definitely cripple with burn or poison against many threats, although burn is preferable. Although the premise is nothing new, one move can turn a relatively predictable and common set into a very powerful and game changing one. I have used this team on my recent RMT, and it has brought me great success over the time I have used it. Definitely worth a try, and I have been waiting to display this set to the public for some time now.
I can see that set causing so many rage quits on the ladder. You switch in on Rotom-W's Will-O-Wisp. They switch out into Tyranitar only for you to burn them. Wow I love this set.
Anyway, here's my set
Latias (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 32 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Recover
- Reflect Type
- Thunder Wave
- Dragon Pulse
Right, so this set is most commonly known for Leftiez RMT. This set is so good at turning the tables on it's usual counters. Tyranitar can't touch this set, neither can Heatran or Scizor. Latias is generally being used to take on Keldeo and Thundurus-T, but being trapped by Tyranitar and Scizor is a bummer. Reflect type easily fixes this problem.
Okay so moving onto the moves and EV spread. Recover keeps Latias nice and healthy for the majority of the match, allowing it to effortlessly wall Keldeo, Politoed, and other Special attackers. Reflect Type is the key to this set, allowing it to beat it's common counters, like Scizor, Tyranitar, and Jirachi. Thunder Wave offers nice utility in that it paralyses the switch ins, and Dragon Pulse is a nice consistant STAB attack. EVs are enough speed to out speed Adamant Breloom, most Tyranitar (any variant but Scarf), and Scizor. The rest of the EVs are placed into SpDef and HP, making it bascially impossible to take down with special hits.
This is a really cool set imo, as well as being very anti meta.
Anyway, here's my set
Latias (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 32 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Recover
- Reflect Type
- Thunder Wave
- Dragon Pulse
Right, so this set is most commonly known for Leftiez RMT. This set is so good at turning the tables on it's usual counters. Tyranitar can't touch this set, neither can Heatran or Scizor. Latias is generally being used to take on Keldeo and Thundurus-T, but being trapped by Tyranitar and Scizor is a bummer. Reflect type easily fixes this problem.
Okay so moving onto the moves and EV spread. Recover keeps Latias nice and healthy for the majority of the match, allowing it to effortlessly wall Keldeo, Politoed, and other Special attackers. Reflect Type is the key to this set, allowing it to beat it's common counters, like Scizor, Tyranitar, and Jirachi. Thunder Wave offers nice utility in that it paralyses the switch ins, and Dragon Pulse is a nice consistant STAB attack. EVs are enough speed to out speed Adamant Breloom, most Tyranitar (any variant but Scarf), and Scizor. The rest of the EVs are placed into SpDef and HP, making it bascially impossible to take down with special hits.
This is a really cool set imo, as well as being very anti meta.
Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Spd / 184 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Healing Wish
Standard LO Tank with Healing Wish over recover, it works wonders on offensive teams ( as Latias is the most offensive healing wish user ) because recovering often loses you momentum anyway, it performs as a normal LO tank but it has the opportunity to surprise your opponent and revive a statused, weakened pokemon in a pinch, which often helps A LOT in winning the weather war or preparing a lategame sweep, as people play a lot more careless with their counters to your pokemon when they assume it's practically dead.
Healing wish is also the best move for Latias to do to when it's about to get pursuit trapped anyway :]
This beautiful Latias has turned games around for me plenty of times.
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Latias was / is a great choice for this kinda thread. It's just so versatile and can get past most of it's counters with one of it's sets. It's a team supporter, sweeper, tank, and checks a ton of threats. I like Latias :]
How about some Choice Specs Latias with a twist?
Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 112 HP / 144 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Surf
Choice Specs Latias packs quite the punch. The build is essentially your standard Offensive Latias set with a twist: Sleep Talk. With Sleep Talk on Latias, you never have to wonder who's going to take that Spore from Breloom/Amoonguss or Sleep Powder from Roserade/Tangrowth/Venasaur. Once you know the sleep is coming, switch in Latias and throw it back in their face. EV spread to maximize SAtk and Speed with Timid Nature (you can use Modest, but then you won't speed tie with Timid Latios). Move set includes STAB Draco Meteor which mashes everything that doesn't resist it, STAB Psyshock to take on the Fighting Types and special walls, and either HP Fire or Surf pending on what you want to hit. HP Fire to hit the Steel Types that wall this set or you can use Surf to hit Ground types and Heatran.
Changed EV Spread to add bulk but still pack a punch (can survive +2 Life Orb Sludge Bomb from Venasaur at Full Health, allowing it to absorb Sleep Powder and get an attack off).
Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 112 HP / 144 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Surf
Choice Specs Latias packs quite the punch. The build is essentially your standard Offensive Latias set with a twist: Sleep Talk. With Sleep Talk on Latias, you never have to wonder who's going to take that Spore from Breloom/Amoonguss or Sleep Powder from Roserade/Tangrowth/Venasaur. Once you know the sleep is coming, switch in Latias and throw it back in their face. EV spread to maximize SAtk and Speed with Timid Nature (you can use Modest, but then you won't speed tie with Timid Latios). Move set includes STAB Draco Meteor which mashes everything that doesn't resist it, STAB Psyshock to take on the Fighting Types and special walls, and either HP Fire or Surf pending on what you want to hit. HP Fire to hit the Steel Types that wall this set or you can use Surf to hit Ground types and Heatran.
Changed EV Spread to add bulk but still pack a punch (can survive +2 Life Orb Sludge Bomb from Venasaur at Full Health, allowing it to absorb Sleep Powder and get an attack off).
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How about some Choice Specs Latias with a twist?
Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Surf
Choice Specs Latias packs quite the punch. The build is essentially your standard Offensive Latias set with a twist: Sleep Talk. With Sleep Talk on Latias, you never have to wonder who's going to take that Spore from Breloom/Amoonguss or Sleep Powder from Roserade/Tangrowth/Venasaur. Once you know the sleep is coming, switch in Latias and throw it back in their face. EV spread to maximize SAtk and Speed with Timid Nature (you can use Modest, but then you won't speed tie with Timid Latios). Move set includes STAB Draco Meteor which mashes everything that doesn't resist it, STAB Psyshock to take on the Fighting Types and special walls, and either HP Fire or Surf pending on what you want to hit. HP Fire to hit the Steel Types that wall this set or you can use Surf to hit Ground types and Heatran.
While I guess I like the set, I have to ask myself "Why not Latios?" Latios is much better at rocking the specs, and Sleep Talk allows it to absorb the Spore off of Breloom and Venusaur. I dunno, maybe there's some merit towards it, but to me it generally seems out classed my Latios. Maybe you could run some EVs and perhaps much a bulkier spread? I dunno, it's just a suggestion :]
ok so i'll post something myself
Latias (F) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Recover
this kind of latias is underrated but she's a cool support for things like reuniclus, stoutland and anything that doesn't like steel-types like scizor and tyranitar. nobody expects flame orb trick latias and when they switch in their tyranitar / scizor / ferrothorn they basically lost a mon due to the burn. then, latias can sweep herself or just help somelse to do more damages (in general, though, latias won't sweeping any team but she's a really good support mon for something else).
Latias (F) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Recover
this kind of latias is underrated but she's a cool support for things like reuniclus, stoutland and anything that doesn't like steel-types like scizor and tyranitar. nobody expects flame orb trick latias and when they switch in their tyranitar / scizor / ferrothorn they basically lost a mon due to the burn. then, latias can sweep herself or just help somelse to do more damages (in general, though, latias won't sweeping any team but she's a really good support mon for something else).
ok so i'll post something myself
Latias (F) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Recover
this kind of latias is underrated but she's a cool support for things like reuniclus, stoutland and anything that doesn't like steel-types like scizor and tyranitar. nobody expects flame orb trick latias and when they switch in their tyranitar / scizor / ferrothorn they basically lost a mon due to the burn. then, latias can sweep herself or just help somelse to do more damages (in general, though, latias won't sweeping any team but she's a really good support mon for something else).
The only thing I dislike about it is that it can't switch in on anything without getting itself burned :/, you have to lead with it or get it in after something dies to avoid both ruining the surprise and crippling latias, every common latias switchin besides heatran absolutely hates flame orb, though. So I definitely like the set :)
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I took your advise and switched up the spread a bit. Description in the change :)
ohey, a Pokémon I've used myself recently (not on a serious team, admittedly, but the set on itself is pretty great):
Latias (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Spe
- Draco Meteor
- Surf/Psyshock/HP Fire
- Trick
- Healing Wish
Generally speaking, Latios would be the better scarfer because his offensive presence is simply bigger, but Latias can still perform a scarf set in her own way by being able to both revenge kill and support the team. Draco Meteor is her strongest STAB and therefor the best option. The second attack depends on preference: Surf provides coverage by nailing pesky Heatrans, Psyshock gets close to OHKOing Keldeo and Terrakion (although it should be noted that these two only go down to it when they're already dented) and HP Fire surprises incoming Scizors, Ferrothorns, Skarmories and Forretresses. HP Fire is the least desirable of these choices, though, because you need to run 30 speed IVs to use it, meaning you'll now speed tie with Jolly Cloyster at +2. Also, the aforementioned 4 Pokémon hate it when they get a Choice Scarf tricked onto them, meaning Trick can cripple incoming Ferrothorns well enough. Trick is also a great tool for when the scarf isn't necessary anyways because everything that can outspeed Latias is gone already or wasn't there to begin with. Healing Wish is where Latias separates herself from her brother, though, because in exchange for offensive presence, she can sacrifice herself to restore a crippled team member to full health in exchange for her life. This makes her a great tool late-game, because once you don't need your revenge killing Latias anymore, she can Trick her scarf onto whatever switches in, then go out with a Healing Wish in order to let one of your crippled team members clean the rest of the opponent's team, making her quite unpredictable.
Latias (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA/4 SpD/252 Spe
- Draco Meteor
- Surf/Psyshock/HP Fire
- Trick
- Healing Wish
Generally speaking, Latios would be the better scarfer because his offensive presence is simply bigger, but Latias can still perform a scarf set in her own way by being able to both revenge kill and support the team. Draco Meteor is her strongest STAB and therefor the best option. The second attack depends on preference: Surf provides coverage by nailing pesky Heatrans, Psyshock gets close to OHKOing Keldeo and Terrakion (although it should be noted that these two only go down to it when they're already dented) and HP Fire surprises incoming Scizors, Ferrothorns, Skarmories and Forretresses. HP Fire is the least desirable of these choices, though, because you need to run 30 speed IVs to use it, meaning you'll now speed tie with Jolly Cloyster at +2. Also, the aforementioned 4 Pokémon hate it when they get a Choice Scarf tricked onto them, meaning Trick can cripple incoming Ferrothorns well enough. Trick is also a great tool for when the scarf isn't necessary anyways because everything that can outspeed Latias is gone already or wasn't there to begin with. Healing Wish is where Latias separates herself from her brother, though, because in exchange for offensive presence, she can sacrifice herself to restore a crippled team member to full health in exchange for her life. This makes her a great tool late-game, because once you don't need your revenge killing Latias anymore, she can Trick her scarf onto whatever switches in, then go out with a Healing Wish in order to let one of your crippled team members clean the rest of the opponent's team, making her quite unpredictable.
I have used that set on a serious team and it's fantastic. I would highly recommend it to someone who wants to use Scarf Latios but needs something a bit bulkier. Healing Wish is especially useful for offensive teams since you can give your sweepers a second wind to help you win the match with a late-game sweep. If you want, you can check out my most recent RMT (a collab with Gary2346. In my sig) to see how we put it to use.