Latios (Dragon) [QC: 0/3] [GP: 0/2]

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[OVERVIEW]

Dragon
========

* Latios with its high base 110 Speed stat and a high Special Attack stat makes Latios a premiere revenge killer on Dragon teams.
* It has access to good support moves in Defog and Trick, which allows it to remove entry hazards and cripple walls such as Zapdos and Chansey.
* Latios has decent special bulk meaning it can take some special hits with ease giving it more opportunities to remove entry hazards with Defog.
* It has decent Dragon / Psychic typing which grants it resistances to common Fighting-, Electric-, and Fire-type attacks.
* Latios also has powerful STAB attacks in Draco Meteor and Psychic enhancing its ability to revenge kill.
* However, Latios is susceptible to common Dark- and Ghost-type attacks making it hard to preserve its HP.
* Latios is extremely predictable as Dragon teams lack fast revenge killers outside of it.
* It is also easily trapped by Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Muk and Tyranitar making it extremely hard to preserve.

[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Psychic
move 3: Trick
move 4: Defog
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

* Draco Meteor is Latios' strongest attack enabling it to revenge kill mutiple threats at the cost of dropping its Special Attack by two stages
* Psychic is preferred over Psyshock as it allows Latios to always OHKO Keldeo and Terrakion, while also being able to hit Poison-types such as Mega Venusaur and Gengar
* Trick allows Latios to criiple defensive Pokemon such as Chansey and Zapdos
* Defog enables Latios to remove entry hazards for Kyurem-B and Dragonite.
* Surf can be used over Trick to hit threats such as Heatran and Gliscor, but it comes at the cost of being unable to cripple special walls such as Chansey and Zapdos.

Set Details
========

* Maximum Speed investment, a Timid nature, and Choice Scarf allow Latios to be as fast as possible enabling it to outspeed threats such as Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Terrakion.
* Maximum Special Attack investment allows Latios to hit as hard possible.
* Levitate makes Latios immune to Ground-type attacks from the likes of Gliscor and Garchomp.

Usage Tips
========

* It is usually best to bring Latios in on a fainted teammate or on a predicted switch so that Latios doesn't take unnecessary damage as it needs to be at full HP to take prioity Ice Shard from Mamoswine and Weavile.
* Be careful when locking Latios into an attack, especially Defog, as certain threats such as Mega Altaria and Bisharp can utilize Latios as set up bait if it locked into the wrong move.
* Latios should be conservatively if there is a Pursuit trappers such as Alolan Muk and Tyranitar because if Latios is trapped it cannot remove entry hazards for its teammates.
* Latios should aim to use Trick against bulky walls such as Porygon2 and Chansey, but Latios should wary of using Trick if it needs it Choice Scarf to revenge kill certain threats; For example against Normal teams Latios needs its Choice Scarf to revenge kill Mega Lopunny without Choice Scarf Latios Dragon teams cannot reliably revenge kill it.
* Latios should be used early-game to revenge kill certain threats, while late-game it can be used to sweep weakened teams.

Team Options
========

* Latios is a great addition to any Dragon team because of its ability to revenge kill a plethora of threats and remove entry hazards with Defog.
* Kyurem-B is an excellent mixed wallbreaker being able to break threats such as Zapdos and Heatran for Latios allowing Latios to potentially sweep late-game.
* Choice Band Dragonite can break special walls such Zapdos and Chansey. Latios in return can KO fast revenge killers such as Keldeo and Terrakion.
* Mega Latias and Latias can remove hazards with Defog allowing Latios to run an extra coverage move such as Sruf.
* Latias can also provide Healing Wish allowing Latios to be played a bit more recklessly.
* Mega Altaria can take Dragon-type attacks for Latios and can wallbreak once it has set up a Dragon Dance granting Latios more opportunities to sweep late-game.
* Hydregion can eliminate bulky Psychic- and Ghost-types such as Slowbro and Jellicent that wall Latios.
* Dragalge can take special Fairy-type attacks while also being able to set up Toxic Spikes making it a easier for Latios to revenge kill grounded threats.
* Garchomp can set up Stealth Rock making it much easier for Latios to revenge kill certain threats such as Dragonite and Volcarona.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Dragon
--------
* Latios can run other coverage moves in Thunderbolt, Hidden Power Fire, and Energy Ball to hit certain threats such as Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Seismitoad, but outside of a few rare situations they are outclassed by Surf.
* Choice Specs, Soul Dew, Life Orb Latios can be run for extra power they provide, but Dragon teams lack an extremely fast and reliable revenge killer, so it isn't worth it.
* Psyshock can be used to hit special walls such as Chansey and Zapdos slightly harder, but without Psychic Latios cannot always OHKO Keldeo and Terrakion.


Checks and Counters
===================

Dragon
--------
**Alolan Muk**: Can take any attack from Latios and can trap it with Pursuit

**Special Walls**: Special Walls such as Chansey and Zapdos can take mutiple hits from Latios. However, Special Walls must be wary of Trick.

**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types such as Togekiss and Clefable can easily take and hit and can KO Latios with their Fairy-type attacks

**Dark-types**: Dark-types such as Bisharp and Tyranitar can easily take a hit and KO Latios with their Dark-type attacks.

**Ice-types**: Ice-types such as Weavile and Mamoswine can threaten Latios with STAB priority Ice Shard, but they cannot switch in.
 
Last edited:
Overview:
- For the Defog comment, it's a nitpick but I'd add about Levitate helping Latios avoid grounded hazards making it an even more valuable partner. Pretty sure none appreciates Spikes of any sort and Sticky Web (or could mention this in set details).

Usage Tips:
- I'd also add when most defensive threats want to switch in to Latios it'll be fine to use Trick on them on them coming into Latios. Also Trick is great for things that would attempt to set up on it.
- Discuss a bit with Defog. Latios is able to force out certain threats (give a couple examples) out to freely remove entry hazards off the field.

Team Options:
- Should also mention in one of the teammates (Garchomp, Hydreigon, whichever) they can help against Steel-types because Latios won't really be doing anything to them.

Nice
QC 1/3
 
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