[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Draco Meteor
move 2: Psyshock
move 3: Surf
move 4: Trick / Healing Wish
item: Choice Specs
ability: Levitate
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
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Draco Meteor is Latias's strongest STAB move, which is capable of OHKOing Krookodile and 2HKOing Hippowdon and Gligar when boosted by Choice Specs. Psyshock is Choice Specs Latias's preferred Psychic-type move due to its ability to hit special walls such as Blissey and Sylveon much harder than Psychic. Surf allows Latias to hit one of its main counters in Mega Steelix super effectively, as well as Aggron prior to Mega Evolution if it attempts to swap in. Surf is also Latias's most powerful attack versus most Steel-types, notably 2HKOing bulky Scizor after Stealth Rock damage. Thunderbolt is an alternative to Surf that allows Latias to hit Empoleon and is its best option against Calm Mind Slowbro, while still retaining the same power as Surf versus Scizor. It is, however, a very dangerous move to lock into, as it allows Choice Scarf Krookodile to freely Pursuit trap Latias, and Trick can instead be used to cripple Empoleon. Hidden Power Fire is another option that lets Latias OHKO all Scizor variants, 2HKO Mega Steelix after Stealth Rock, and deal decent damage to Mega Aggron. However, it has a low damage output in general and faces competition for the moveslot from Surf, which does more damage against neutral targets and is less easily taken advantage of by setup sweepers such as Terrakion and Pursuit trappers such as Mega Aerodactyl and Krookodile. Trick allows Latias to potentially cripple a switch-in such as Empoleon, Blissey, or Sylveon by giving them Choice Specs. Healing Wish allows Latias to trade its life in order to fully heal a teammate and cure them of status, allowing Latias to potentially change the outcome of a game. This permits Latias's teammates to play more aggressively earlier in the match.
Set Details
========
Levitate is Latias's only ability, giving it an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. This provides it with more longevity in the absence of any recovery moves and an immunity to Ground-type moves that allows it to come in on Pokemon such as Hippowdon and Choice Scarf Krookodile locked into Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Choice Specs Latias is best used to break holes in the opposing team due to its strong coverage options limiting its switch-ins. In particular, it can lure in Mega Steelix and hit it hard with Surf and dent other Steel-types such as Scizor and Mega Aggron. Latias can take advantage of its resistances and special bulk to swap in on Pokemon such as Infernape and Nihilego, which it can either OHKO or force out. It should, however, be wary of switching in repeatedly due to its lack of recovery allowing it to be easily put into range of attacks from Pokemon such as Mega Aerodactyl. It should also be careful of physical Infernape sets, as U-turn or Choice Band-boosted attacks will do considerable damage to Latias. It is therefore ideal to bring Latias in on free switches or predicted double switches in order to preserve its HP. Latias should be careful about locking itself into its STAB moves, as being locked into Draco Meteor can provide free turns for Pokemon such as Swords Dance Scizor, Primarina, and Mimikyu, while being locked into Psyshock allows Pokemon such as Assault Vest Bisharp and Choice Scarf Krookodile to Pursuit trap Latias for free. Therefore, in matches against teams with bulkier Pursuit trappers such as Bisharp and Alolan Muk, it is often better to make double switches to rack up entry hazard chip damage on the opposing Pokemon until they are in range of Latias's Choice Specs-boosted attacks. Against bulkier teams featuring Pokemon that wall Latias's STAB moves, such as Sylveon and Mega Aggron, Latias can be played either in a high-risk, high-reward manner through careful prediction or more safely by using Trick earlier in the match to provide some immediate value via potentially disrupting part of the opponent's defensive core at the cost of reducing Latias's power throughout the match. Using Trick against more offensive teams is often not ideal due to the drop in power, as it allows Pokemon such as Scizor to swap into and set up on Latias more easily and causes Latias to lose the ability to revenge kill Pokemon such as Nasty Plot Celebi after a small amount of chip damage. If running Healing Wish, Latias should aim to use it if healing a teammate is important to winning the match. This is particularly valuable when used at the right moment, as Healing Wish offers the chosen target a free switch in, providing valuable momentum especially for more offensive teams. Latias can also use Healing Wish if its HP is too low for it to come in anymore, or if it is no longer useful and restoring a teammate's health would be of more benefit.
Team Options
========
Choice Specs Latias fits best on bulky offense and balance teams thanks to its wallbreaking prowess and ability to soft check various offensive Pokemon such as Infernape and Nihilego. Entry hazard setters are essential in allowing Choice Specs Latias to secure various KOs, such as 2HKOing bulky Scizor with Surf after Stealth Rock damage. Cobalion is a particularly good choice, as it can punish Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Hydreigon and Krookodile for locking themselves into Dark-type moves and act as a strong offensive check to Scizor. Nidoqueen is another good choice that can set either Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes, provide a pivot into Zeraora, which threatens to OHKO Latias after Stealth Rock with Knock Off, and help Latias check Pokemon such as Terrakion. It also helps to break bulky Steel- and Fairy-types, allowing Latias to spam its STAB attacks more freely. Tsareena is a solid hazard control option to pair with Choice Specs Latias, as it is able to pressure bulky Water-types that Latias struggles against, such as Suicune, while being able to provide Latias momentum with U-turn on predicted switches into Pokemon such as Amoonguss, giving Latias more opportunities to wallbreak. Empoleon and Sludge Bomb Tentacruel are also good choices for hazard removal, as they can help to check Primarina, which can punish Latias for being locked into Draco Meteor or Surf. Tentacruel can also help check Scizor and set up Toxic Spikes to wear down the opposing team. Due to Choice Specs Latias's weakness to Pursuit trappers, teammates that can discourage Choice Scarf Krookodile from locking itself into Pursuit such as Cobalion, Terrakion, and Lucario pair nicely, as they can use it doing so as an opportunity to set up. The former two and Swords Dance Lucario variants can also punish other Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Hydreigon for using Dark Pulse due to the threat of a potential Justified boost, while Nasty Plot Lucario variants can help break stall teams. They can also help to break Steel-types, allowing Latias to more freely use its STAB attacks. Other offensive pivots such as Mienshao and Scizor synergize well with Choice Specs Latias, getting it in safely with U-turn, which offers it more opportunities to break holes in the enemy team. Assault Vest Mienshao in particular can repeatedly swap into Choice Scarf Hydreigon due to Regenerator, which is notable because Hydreigon easily forces Latias out every time it comes in. Pokemon such as Mega Altaria and Scizor greatly appreciate Choice Specs Latias luring in and weakening Mega Steelix for them, as well as wearing down other Steel-types such as Doublade and Mega Aggron. Mega Manectric appreciates Latias's ability to pivot into and remove Ground-types such as Hippowdon, allowing it to more freely use Volt Switch. It also appreciates Latias helping to break through specially defensive Pokemon such as Blissey and Florges or potentially crippling them with Trick. In return, Mega Manectric is able to bring Latias in through Volt Switch against Pokemon such as Rotom-H to provide it with more wallbreaking opportunities. Moltres can help Latias take on Steel-types such as Mega Aggron and Scizor thanks to its Fire-type moves and access to Flame Body, which allows it to punish contact moves such as Bullet Punch. In return, Moltres appreciates Latias being able to use Trick on defensive Pokemon such as Blissey that would otherwise indefinitely wall it.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Estarossa, 461329]]
- Quality checked by: [[Twilight, 344575], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157], [Hilomilo, 313384]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Empress, 175616], [Martha, 384270]]
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