Wow, is Latios FINALLY having its day in the sun for BSS again?!
[SET]
Offensive (Latios) @ Choice Specs / Choice Scarf / Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Steel / Fire / Water
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Flip Turn / Trick / Tera Blast / Shadow Ball
- Trick / Tera Blast / Shadow Ball / Aura Sphere
[SET COMMENTS]
* Latios's useful array of resistances, fantastic use of Terastallization, and good offenses make it a strong choice for either a wallbreaker with Choice Specs or revenge killer with Choice Scarf!
* **Luster Purge**: Despite its low PP and poor offensive coverage, Luster Purge's high chance of dropping Special Defense still makes it a great wallbreaking tool.
* **Flip Turn**: While Flip Turn is weak, Latios forces enough switches to make it a reasonable offensive pivot.
* **Trick**: Trick gives Choice Scarf Latios an option to nearly shut down defensive Pokemon like Porygon2 and Ting-Lu and situationally lock offensive foes like Dragonite and Chien-Pao into more manageable moves. Choice Specs Latios isn't quite as effective with this, but its it's still worth considering for crippling defensive foes.
* **Shadow Ball VS. Aura Sphere**: Shadow Ball is Latios's best move against Gholdengo and will 2HKO most Flutter Mane sets as well. Aura Sphere leaves Latios reliant on Special Defense drops to deal with Gholdengo, but it is a more direct option against common Tera Steel foes like Dragonite and opposing Latios.
Other Options
========
* **Ice Beam**: Ice Beam is handy for letting Choice Specs Latios OHKO Assault Vest Landorus-T and deal massive damage to Ting-Lu, though Draco Meteor has more general utility in many cases.
* **Grass Knot**: If using Choice Specs, Grass Knot pulls a 2HKO even on Sitrus Berry Ting-Lu, though it being resisted by so many popular Pokemon like Dragonite makes it a risky move to be locked into.
* **Surf**: If using Tera Water, Surf is a reasonable coverage option against Steel-types.
* **Thunderbolt**: Thunderbolt offers good coverage against most Steel-types, but it is a very risky move to be locked into due to Ground-types like Landorus-T and Excadrill.
Tera Types
======
* **Tera Dependency - Medium**: Latios's typing isn't amazing defensively, but the very useful resistances to Urshifu-R's and Ogerpon-H's STAB moves mean Terastallization isn't always an upgrade. Still, thanks to Levitate, Latios has some effective defensive options to consider.
* **Steel**: Tera Steel has superb synergy with Levitate, making Latios an effective offensive check against common foes like Landorus-T and Dragonite while giving Latios great counterplay against Fairy-types like Flutter Mane defensively and offensively with Tera Blast. This also lets Latios tank a Blood Moon from Ursaluna-B, though the Vacuum Wave weakness can be bothersome afterwards.
* **Fire**: Tera Fire also gives Latios a vital resistance to Fairy-types while maintaining the resistances against Ogerpon-H's STAB moves and providing a powerful Tera Blast against most Steel-types.
* **Water**: Tera Water covers Latios's issue with Ice-type attacks, which can save it in a pinch against Chien-Pao and Iron Bundle, while still retaining an important resistance to Urshifu-R's Surging Strikes.
* **Electric**: Tera Electric removes all of Latios's weaknesses except from Mold Breaker users with Earthquake like Excadrill and provides a useful paralysis immunity against common status spreaders like Porygon2, Flutter Mane, and Serperior.
* **Fairy**: Tera Fairy is a decent alternative to Tera Steel, giving Latios a good option against Dragon-types while still retaining a Fighting-type resistance.
Items
========
* **Choice Specs VS. Choice Scarf**: Choice Specs is preferred on Latios for the excellent wallbreaking potential. Choice Scarf Latios is a reasonable revenge killer, but it still doesn't deal well with Chien-Pao due to the Sucker Punch weakness, making it more reliant on unique qualities like Trick and Levitate to separate itself from other Choice Scarf revenge killers.
* **Soul Dew**: While not as effective at breaking walls as Choice Specs, Soul Dew is a reasonable alternative to still take advantage of Luster Purge's Special Defense drops, and it is a great way of getting around Item Clause issues if Latios still needs a power boost.
Minor Optimizations
========
* **Neutral Nature**: It's best to use a neutral nature with a Timid Mint to ensure that Latios can eat any berry without getting confused after using Trick.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/theorymon.29010/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/derpysux.528485/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/milak.262594/
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