Latias, The Eon Pokémon. Latias is highly sensitive to the emotions of people. If it senses any hostility, this Pokémon ruffles the feathers all over its body and cries shrilly to intimidate the foe. Latias is highly intelligent and capable of understanding human speech. It is covered with a glass-like down. The Pokémon enfolds its body with its down and refracts light to alter its appearance.
Overview
Whenever you think about Latias, it's almost impossible not to compare it to Latios. Both Pokemon share the same typing, weaknesses, most attacks and some stats, with Latios being more offensively inclined due to its superior attacking stats. Latios and Mega Latios outclasses Latias and Mega Latias as offensive threats, however, Latias can carve a small niche of her own thanks to her higher bulk and utility moves. Latias and Mega Latias are more able to comfortably check Pokemon like Thundurus, Mega Charizard-Y, Keldeo, Landorus-Therian and Mega Venusaur. Latias also has access to Healing Wish, which clearly distinguishes from Latios, allowing Latias to bring back to full health a weakened sweeper and grab a 2nd chance to set-up. As a Mega, Mega Latias offers superior defenses which allow her to act as a bulky Calm Mind sweeper while being able to offer similar utility to what Latios does with Defog. While Latios and Mega Latios are better choices on most teams due to their offensive prowess, Latias and Mega Latias can easily carve themselves into a team slot if their defensive utility is much more useful for their team.
Positives
Latias and Mega Latias have an incredible Speed stat of 110 allowing both to outpace dangerous threats such as Charizard-Y, Volcarona and Keldeo, being able to threaten them immediately with fast super-effective attacks.
Their Dragon / Psychic typing grants them valuable resistances to Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, Fighting and Psychic type attacks, allowing Latias to switch into multiple attacks. Levitate is the icing on the cake granting both formes an immunity to Ground attacks.
Latias (80/90/130) and Mega Latias (80/120/150) boast higher defenses that grant great durability throughout the match. Combined with their great utility movepool in Roost, Defog, Healing Wish, Trick, Calm Mind, Substitute and Reflect Type, they can support their teammates incredibly well, or in the case of Mega Latias, sweep if her threats are eliminated.
Latias and Mega Latias share almost the same movepool as Latios and Mega Latios does, having access to powerful moves like Draco Meteor, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Surf, Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire.
Negatives
Their Psychic/Dragon typing is also a double-edged sword: while it grants both Latias and Mega Latias valuable resistances, it also leaves both forms with various weaknesses to Bug, Dark, Ghost, Dragon, Fairy and Ice attacks.
Because of their inferior attacking stats, most Latias and Mega Latias sets are unable to threaten Tyranitar who can easily switch into it unhindered and either threaten them with Pursuit or take them down with Crunch. Weavile and Bisharp fall on the same boat. However, Mega Latias has a chance of escaping or stalling these Pokemon if she uses Reflect Type on them.
Make sure that your team will benefit much more from Latias's access to Healing Wish or Mega Latias's superior defensive utility over Latios's or Mega Latios's superior offensive power, as otherwise you will be using an inferior Pokemon on your team.
Abilities
Levitate: Damage dealing Ground-type moves have no effect on this Pokémon. Cannot be trapped by Arena Trap ability. Takes no damage from Spikes. - This is Latias' only option and is always good to give an immunity. This allows for Latias to work with Earthquaking partners in Doubles and to switch in to various predicted moves
Movesets
The Red Plane
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Healing Wish
- Trick / Defog
Item Attached: Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Scarf Latias plays very similarly to Scarf Latios, however, the big difference lies on Latias's ability to use Healing Wish to heal a teammate when Latias is not needed and restore to full health a weakened teammate. Pokemon like Volcarona, Ash-Greninja, Mega Gyarados, Mega Mawile and Landorus-Therian greatly appreciate having their HP restored back to start a sweep. Draco Meteor is Latias strongest move and it will hit very hard anything that does not resist the move. Psyshock allows Latias to hit Fairy types like Clefable and Tapu Koko for a decent chunk of damage while being able to 2HKO both Charizard-Y and Volcarona, or straight OHKO them after Stealth Rock damage. It should be noted that since Psyshock targets the opponent's defense, it's an excellent move to keep Volcarona in bay as it cannot patch its damage output even with Quiver Dance. Finally, Trick allows Latias to swap its Choice Scarf on situations where the extra Speed is not needed and cripple Pokemon like Chansey or Toxapex on the switch-in. Defog is an option as well to remove entry hazards at your side of the field, however, Defog leaves Latias useless against stall teams. Latias could also use moves like Surf or Hidden Power Fire on the last slot, but committing to offensive moves is not a good idea as otherwise, you will be better using a Scarf Latios for that purpose instead.
Maximum Special Attack and Speed are required in order to maximize the power of Draco Meteor and Psyshock while being able to outrun Pokemon such as Keldeo, Volcarona, Kartana and Scarf Landorus-Therian. The rest is dumped on Defense to give Latias a little bit more of physical bulk. Levitate is the only ability that can be used.
Other Options
Latias can use Life Orb and Choice Specs as more offensive options using Healing Wish which will allow her to hit harder while still being able to support its team. However, Latios outclasses more offensive sets like these as Latias is unable to beat its checks and counters, which is something that Latios can achieve. Meanwhile Healing Wish benefits a teammate much more on a Scarf set as Latias can bring a teammate back to full health.
Grass Knot is an option that allows Latias to hit Tyranitar harder than any of its other coverage moves while nailing Mega Swampert. However, both Latias and Mega Latias prefer to use other moves in order to aid their teammates.
While Tailwind could be used to support Latias's teammates and provide Speed control, this is a much more difficult move to use in Singles due to its short duration and it is much better suited in Doubles.
Latias could also use Z-moves as an option to nuke some specific targets or severely weaken them. Nevertheless, Latias is an inferior Z-move user as Latios can even outclass her on this role thanks to his superior offensive stats.
VGC & Double Battle Options
Latias made a bit of a splash this year at the VGC Worlds event, though it's not exactly your usual sight in Doubles. In a usual Doubles setting, Latias suffers greatly from its typing being poor offensively and lacking any way to effectively threaten the plethora of Fairy-types. However, as it does in Singles, Latias manages to set itself apart from the other Dragon-types that struggle with its useful resistances and support movepool, functioning as a more offensive Cresselia. While it boasts roughly the same support movepool as Latios does for Doubles, its unique access to Helping Hand and greater bulk make it a more appealing choice than its offensively inclined twin. With options such as Icy Wind, Tailwind, and even Ally Switch, Latias's greater bulk gives it a niche as a support Pokemon in a normal Doubles format. However, Latias is still a fairly uncommon pick and in a restricted format like the current VGC ruleset, a niche support Pokemon like that is going to have a tough time standing out. If you're looking to use Latias in Doubles, keep it to the the Battle Spot Doubles format.
Wind Curtain
- Psyshock / Psychic
- Icy Wind
- Ice Beam
- Protect
Item Attached: Psychium Z / Wiki Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Latias has a number of options for support, but it has the most success imitating the classic offensive support Cresselia set. Psychic and Psyshock are mostly interchangeable for the primary STAB move, though Psyshock does have the advantage of hitting the likes of Snorlax harder than Psychic. Psychic tends to be the more effective choice with Psychium Z for the extra 15 BP on Shattered Psyche. Icy Wind provides useful speed control for the team and does a sizable chunk to Landorus-T and Mega Salamence on the side. However, Ice Beam is still used in the third slot in order to hit these two for more significant damage since Icy Wind isn't being used for the damage output. Protect needs no explanation but every support Pokemon likes having the defensive positioning option that Protect can provide, especially on one with a useful Speed tier such as Latias.
The given EV spread is a starting framework for Latias, with maximum Special Attack and Speed giving it as much offensive presence as possible. However, Latias will often drop that Special Attack investment and put more of it into HP to varying degrees. The above set prefers to not give up too much of its Special Attack investment unless Ice Beam is dropped for another support move or if Wiki Berry is used over Psychium Z. The choice of item is dependent on how much you're leaning towards the offensive side or support side, Psychium Z being a clearly offensive oriented item choice that does still offer the utility of not being extra weak to Knock Off, while Wiki Berry provides extra longevity for more defensive sets.
Other Options
- Ally Switch is Ally Switch. The extra mindgame it can provide is especially useful on something like Latias that can afford to take a hit or two with its multiple resistances. However, using it effectively can be difficult so this isn't recommended unless you understand when to use it.
- As shown in the VGC World Finals, Mega Gengar makes for an excellent teammate that benefits from the support Latias provides, appreciating having a teammate that can annoy Landorus-Therian while it attempts strategically pick off foes. It should also go without saying that Incineroar is a good teammate for Latias, but Incineroar is a good teammate for just about anything so it's worth mentioning regardless.
Overview
Whenever you think about Latias, it's almost impossible not to compare it to Latios. Both Pokemon share the same typing, weaknesses, most attacks and some stats, with Latios being more offensively inclined due to its superior attacking stats. Latios and Mega Latios outclasses Latias and Mega Latias as offensive threats, however, Latias can carve a small niche of her own thanks to her higher bulk and utility moves. Latias and Mega Latias are more able to comfortably check Pokemon like Thundurus, Mega Charizard-Y, Keldeo, Landorus-Therian and Mega Venusaur. Latias also has access to Healing Wish, which clearly distinguishes from Latios, allowing Latias to bring back to full health a weakened sweeper and grab a 2nd chance to set-up. As a Mega, Mega Latias offers superior defenses which allow her to act as a bulky Calm Mind sweeper while being able to offer similar utility to what Latios does with Defog. While Latios and Mega Latios are better choices on most teams due to their offensive prowess, Latias and Mega Latias can easily carve themselves into a team slot if their defensive utility is much more useful for their team.
Positives
Latias and Mega Latias have an incredible Speed stat of 110 allowing both to outpace dangerous threats such as Charizard-Y, Volcarona and Keldeo, being able to threaten them immediately with fast super-effective attacks.
Their Dragon / Psychic typing grants them valuable resistances to Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, Fighting and Psychic type attacks, allowing Latias to switch into multiple attacks. Levitate is the icing on the cake granting both formes an immunity to Ground attacks.
Latias (80/90/130) and Mega Latias (80/120/150) boast higher defenses that grant great durability throughout the match. Combined with their great utility movepool in Roost, Defog, Healing Wish, Trick, Calm Mind, Substitute and Reflect Type, they can support their teammates incredibly well, or in the case of Mega Latias, sweep if her threats are eliminated.
Latias and Mega Latias share almost the same movepool as Latios and Mega Latios does, having access to powerful moves like Draco Meteor, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Surf, Grass Knot and Hidden Power Fire.
Negatives
Their Psychic/Dragon typing is also a double-edged sword: while it grants both Latias and Mega Latias valuable resistances, it also leaves both forms with various weaknesses to Bug, Dark, Ghost, Dragon, Fairy and Ice attacks.
Because of their inferior attacking stats, most Latias and Mega Latias sets are unable to threaten Tyranitar who can easily switch into it unhindered and either threaten them with Pursuit or take them down with Crunch. Weavile and Bisharp fall on the same boat. However, Mega Latias has a chance of escaping or stalling these Pokemon if she uses Reflect Type on them.
Make sure that your team will benefit much more from Latias's access to Healing Wish or Mega Latias's superior defensive utility over Latios's or Mega Latios's superior offensive power, as otherwise you will be using an inferior Pokemon on your team.
Abilities
Levitate: Damage dealing Ground-type moves have no effect on this Pokémon. Cannot be trapped by Arena Trap ability. Takes no damage from Spikes. - This is Latias' only option and is always good to give an immunity. This allows for Latias to work with Earthquaking partners in Doubles and to switch in to various predicted moves
Movesets
All for One
- Calm Mind
- Roost
- Stored Power
- Reflect Type / Substitute / Surf
Item Attached: Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Mega Latias's superior bulk allows her to easily set up on many Pokemon that cannot threaten her such as Ferrothorn, Zapdos and Toxapex. Calm Mind allows her to increase her Special Defense to jaw-dropping levels while making her Special Attack much more threatening. After a couple of Calm Mind boosts, Latias becomes almost invincible from the special side. Roost keeps Mega Latias healthy throughout the match. Thanks to her superior defensive bulk, Mega Latias can easily survive many physical and special attacks and keep herself healthy throughout the match. Stored Power becomes much more powerful as Mega Latias gains more boosts. Once it acquires enough boosts, it will be able to even OHKO Pokemon that resist the move unless they are immune to it. This is precisely where Reflect Type comes in. It allows Latias to copy the opponent's type allowing her to set up more easily against Pokemon like Heatran and Toxapex, avoiding Toxic thanks to its new typing. It also allows her to resist Crunch from Tyranitar and prevent her from becoming an easy Pursuit target. On the other hand, Substitute allows Latias to escape status moves while avoiding to take damage on the process. Surf deserves a mention as a viable option on the last slot allowing Mega Latias to preventing Tyranitar from switching into Mega Latias for free, however the move is weak without a significant boost.
Max HP is used in order to make Mega Latias as bulky as possible allowing her to take hits from Pokemon like Mega Pinsir, Landorus-Therian and Tapu Koko. Max Speed is used to outspeed relevant threats like Keldeo and Kartana while the rest is dumped on Defense.
Red Hood
- Roost
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam / Psyshock
- Thunderbolt / Surf
Item Attached: Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Mega Latias's excellent bulk and speed also allows her to be threatening to many teams and take a more offensive route with Calm Mind, without the longer set-up Stored Power requires. Roost allows Mega Latias to increase her longevity throughout the match allowing her to switch plenty of times into resisted attacks while making it easier to grab boosts. Calm Mind increases her Special Attack to respectable levels while making Mega Latias more difficult to take down from the special side. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt provide the best coverage possible, being resisted by very few Pokemon and hitting common threats such as Zygarde, Landorus-Therian, Mega Latios, Charizard-Y, Keldeo, Toxapex and Tapu Fini. On the other hand, Psyshock and Surf are other options allowing Mega Latias to instantly threaten Toxapex while being able to hit Tyranitar and Heatran for super-effective damage at the cost of having worse coverage against neutral targets like Celesteela, Zygarde and Azumarill.
Max HP and Speed allows Mega Latias to be as bulky as possible granting her many chances of setting up with Calm Mind while being faster than Keldeo and Kartana.
One for All
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Reflect Type
- Thunder Wave / Toxic
Item Attached: Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs and Nature:
252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Latias's excellent support and utility options allows her to play as an excellent Pokemon able to support its teammates while being able to disrupt your opponent's strategy. Roost increases Mega Latias's longevity throughout the match allowing to recover any lost health in the process while being able to check dangerous threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Keldeo. Ice Beam allows Mega Latias to dispatch Zygarde and Landorus-Therian as well as hitting Pokemon like Tapu Bulu. Reflect Type is important on this set as it allows Latias to copy the opponent's typing and use it as an advantage. Pokemon like Heatran and Toxapex become unable to poison Mega Latias with Toxic. It also eases the match up vs Tyranitar preventing her from becoming an easy Pursuit target. Finally on the last slot, Thunder Wave allows Mega Latias to cripple Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Blacephalon and Magearna making them easier to deal with while supporting its teammates who benefit from having faster threats slowed down, while Toxic allows Mega Latias to put Pokemon like Tyranitar on a timer.
Once again, max HP and Speed are used to increase Mega Latias overall bulk while allowing her to outspeed Pokemon like Keldeo and Kartana, with the rest of the EVs on Defense.
Other Options
Mega Latias can use a 3 attacks + Roost set to hit more targets super-effectively while checking many special attackers that cannot threaten her. However, the lack of power makes Mega Latias incredibly prone to Pursuit trappers such as Tyranitar.
Countering Mega Latias
Mega Latias and Latias are best countered by Chansey, as it fears very little to what Mega Latias can do. However, it can be severely crippled by regular Latias if she tricks her Choice item into Chansey. Tyranitar is also one of its best counters as well as both Latias and Mega Latias can't hurt it seriously even if they pack Surf. Take into account that Reflect Type makes her resistant to Crunch and Pursuit, so be mindful of that if you are using a Choice Band Tyranitar. Mega Tyranitar scares Mega Latias to death and it can use her as set up fodder unless it packs Thunder Wave. Weavile is an excellent Pokemon that is able to threaten Mega Latias greatly thanks to its higher Speed and access to STAB Icicle Crash and Pursuit. However, Mega Latias can turn the tables onto it and escape if it uses Reflect Type on the switch. Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor and Celesteela can use Latias and Mega Latias as set-up fodder. Aegislash deserves a special mention as even if Mega Latias uses Reflect Type on it, it still becomes vulnerable to its STAB Shadow Ball or Shadow Sneak while it does very little to Aegislash in return.
Strong Fairy types such as Mega Mawile, Tapu Fini, Tapu Lele, Magearna, Azumarill and Clefable are immune to Draco Meteor while taking very little from Psyshock or her other coverage options. They can also use her as set-up fodder. Azumarill and Tapu Fini must be wary of any Latias or Mega Latias set using Thunderbolt while Magearna must be careful against Calm Mind + Reflect type variants as Mega Latias becomes able to beat Magearna 1v1 without its own Calm Mind.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in Game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in Game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Southern Island (Ruby/Emerald)
Roaming Hoenn (Sapphire/Emerald)
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Colosseum/XD:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Trade from HeartGold/SoulSilver
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Roaming Kanto (HeartGold)
Pewter City (SoulSilver)
Black/White:
Trade from White 2
Black 2/White 2:
Dreamyard (White 2)
Trade from White 2 (Black 2)
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Southern Island
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Ultra Space Wilds (Ultra Moon)
Trade from Ultra Moon (Ultra Sun)
Animé Appearences
