The Artemis of Today's Metagame!

#380 Latias

 

Hello there followers and random people who came about this website, welcome to only my 2nd POTW! I know I never finished my Rate My Team, but I'll be sure to finish this. So! Lets get down to business shall we?

Latias is a superb pokemon with a quite stellar typing finding itself with a multitude of resistances to many common attacking types in today's metagame, courtesy of her Dragon Typing. While her Dragon Typing is a great boon over many pokemon, she has one of the worst defensive typing's that accompany with her. Psychic. This allows her to become weak to common atacks such as Scizor's U-Turn, or a Tyranitar's Pursuit. There is a good side to this though, as this allows her to have a great resistance to common fighting types like Mienshao who enjoy spamming Hi Jump Kicks everywhere.  However her brother is usually picked over her because of Latios' Stellar power. But, Latias works a great defensive pivot for teams searching for a pokemon who can dish out some damage, but act as a great special attacker too. 

Lets start simple shall we?

Calm Mind: 

Move 1: Calm Mind
Move 2: Recover 

Move 3: Dragon Pulse 

Move 4: Hidden Power Fire / Substitute / Roar

Nature: Timid

EV's: 252 HP/ 252 Speed/ 4 Special Attack

Item: Leftovers  

 “Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense.”

This saying is quite true for Latias, pertaining to her color, and the fact that she IS willing to draw blood from YOU while staying a very calm position. This is a fairly standard set for Latias, unlike Latios who prefers to just hit right off the bat with powerful choice Specs Draco Meteors. The point of this set is to come in on something that doesn't threaten like lets say Starmie's Hydro Pump. Due to her gargantuan base 130 special defense, this allows her to shrug off any damage that is resisted from special attackers. From there you would set up Calm Minds then sweep.After a few Calm Minds she'll be able to hit like a really big angry truck, that wants to smash tiny sea stars and stuff that don't outspeed her amazing 110 base speed. The Second move recover is used to let her take hits from stuff that are neutral or resisted and then recover off the damage. This also increases her longevity and durability allowing her to wall some threats. The 3rd move is the obligatory STAB move of choice having no immunities ta all, making it a great mono attacking move. The 4th move has many different options. Hidden Power Fire is most likely the best move you'll take, as it allows her to hit steel-types such as Scizor or Ferrothorn, with super effective damage. It also has great coverage hitting everything neutral except for Heatran. Substitute is also a great option for Latias, allowing to keep away from status, and if they're unable to break the substitute the first time, that's a free Calm Mind there. Roar is the last move we will consider as it allows her to deal with setup sweepers, gain some entry hazard  damage and phazing. These moves have different uses, so choose the one you think would support your team the best. The EV's and nature are quite straightforward, allowing the most speed to outspeed base 109's and below, and neutral natured base 110's. The HP EV's allow the most amount of bulk to both sides allowing you to tank hits incredibly well. You may also take the alternate route of 252 HP/ 252 Defense, if you prefer having bulk over speed, and working it more as a bulky set up sweeper than a defensive pivot. 

Support: 

Move 1: Dragon Pulse      

Move 2: Recover / Wish
Move 3: Roar 

Move 4: Reflect / Protect

Nature: Timid

EV's: 252 HP / 252 Speed / 4 Def

Item: Leftovers

"Rather than supporting you, Support the people around you"   

This is most definitely true for Latias. As a powerful special wall, it can be no question that there should be a support set. While a Dual Screen set works much better from Latios due to the boon known as Memento, Latias Support capabilities are very good. Providing a great phazing pokemon, with a bulky special wall is a great combination, especially when combined with the gargantuan bird known as Skarmory. The 1st move is your obligatory STAB move, where you know, you won't become taunt bait. If you do your forced to struggle, and yeah. For the second slot, you have a choice between recover or wish. Recover is recommended due to it being instant, allowing her to stay alive longer. Wish on the other hand should be used in tandem with protect, or you may have a harder time staying alive. You should take wish if you really want to take on the support role of a pokemon because wish helps your WHOLE team. Your 3rd move is Roar, providing great phazing, entry hazard damage, and screwing up set-up sweepers and baton chains. The 4th move is up to you. While Reflect allows you to take on more physical attackers, and in tandem helps your team, Protect allows you to scout for the opponents move, and in tandem with wish provides safe and reliable recovery.   This pokemon should be used when you need a strong special defensive wall, and also need a good team supporter. Latias is a perfect role providing phazing, maybe wish passing, and a great typing which allows her to switch in with ease, and force other switches. 

Choice Specs:

Move 1: Draco Meteor
Move 2: Dragon Pulse / Hidden Power Fire
Move 3: Surf / Hidden Power Fire
Move 4: Trick 
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 Special Attack / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Item: Choice Specs 

 "I see the world in a different way. Through Specs." 

Just like the saying I just made up, Latias is to be used as a different way than her counterpart Latios. If you prefer more power then choose Latios, but if you decide to Latias Always remember to sue her as a DEFENSIVE PIVOT. Don't be like Latios and spam Draco Meteor! Use her as a powerful special wall, who dishes out a mediocre amount of damage compared to Latios, with Draco Meteor. Unlike Latios, Latias is able to come in many more times than Latios due to her awesome base 130 special defense. Allowing her to spam Draco Meteors, to weaken the enemy team a bit. As a defensive Pivot, you come in on neutral or resisted attacks, fire off a correct move, when they switch or if they don't. The 1st move will be the one you'll be using the most most likely because its just so powerful despite her 110 base special attack. The 2nd move is up to you, whether you want consistent damage in the form of Dragon Pules, or being able to catch steels off guard, and annihilate them. Surf is used in the 3rd slot, but once again you can use Hidden Power Fire to catch steel off guard. Surf allows you to hit Heatran for a reliable 2HKO, and provide a powerful move to hit steel types other than HP Fire. The 4th move is trick ,allowing you to destroy a wall on their team, or most importantly your number one counter. Blissey! Trick literally blindsides Blissey, destroying her by reducing her walling capabilities. Overall, use this if you want a powerful special wall who wants to dish out some damage. 

Well, that's all for this weeks POTW, and I guess I'll see you guys next time! 

~Pastrybomb~ ~Joshua~ 




*1/2 GC*
*1/2 QC*