Latias - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Latias in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Latias, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Latias - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Latias

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Latias
Abilities
Levitate	Gives immunity to Ground type moves.

Latias Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

HP	Attack	Defense	Sp. Atk	Sp. Def	Speed
80	80	90	110	130	110

Best Nature for Latias

Best Natures
Timid (+Spd, -Atk)	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)

Singles Movesets for Latias

Calm Mind + Kee Berry Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 236 / Def 20 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 185 / Def 113 / Sp.Atk 130 / Sp.Def 150 / Spd 178
Ability	Levitate
Held Item	Kee Berry
Moveset	・Calm Mind ・Recover ・Psyshock ・Mystical Fire

Latias naturally high special defense and resistances to common attacking types make it a great defensive Pokemon that can easily shut down the popular Fire/Water/Grass offensive core.

About Latias's Moves

Calm Mind boosts Latias' Special Attack and Special Defense by one stage, and even without offensive investment, allows the Eon Pokemon to hit hard thanks to its naturally high Special Attack. Recover lets it fill the role of a wall effectively, keeping it healthy throughout the battle.

Psyshock is its main STAB move and lets it beat specially defensive walls like Chansey and Blissey by hitting their weaker defensive stat.

It's last move, Mystical Fire, allows Latias to hit Steel-type Pokemon that take little damage from its STAB moves. The move also lowers the target's Special Attack by one stage, giving it some utility against opposing special attackers.

About Latias's EV Spread

We're using a modified Defensive EV spread for this Latias with full investment in Speed so that it can outpace opposing walls. 236 HP EVs make it as naturally bulky as possible while 20 Defense EVs patch up its relatively lower Defense stat - especially after a Kee Berry Boost.

About Latias's Ability

Levitate is Latias' only ability and allows it to switch into Ground-type moves and avoid entry hazards like Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

About Latias's Held Item

This build revolves around using Kee Berry. When Latias is hit by a physical move, it's Defense increases by one stage.

Other Viable Moves

Draco Meteor	A stronger STAB move with good neutral coverage, but lowers Latias' Special Attack by two stages.
Psychic	Generally more powerful than Psyshock, but causes Latias to struggle against Special Walls.
Stored Power	A potentially powerful move that works well with Calm Mind and Kee Berry's Defense boost.

Choice Attacker Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd 252
Final Stat Values	HP 156 / Def 110 / Sp.Atk 178 / Sp.Def 150 / Spd 162
Ability	Levitate
Held Item	Choice Scarf Choice Specs
Moveset	・Draco Meteor ・Psychic ・Mystical Fire ・Trick

Latias wide special movepool and great STAB moves make it an effective user of Choice Scarf or Choice Specs.It's naturally high Special Defense also gives it more opportunities to switch in, especially against attacking types that it resists.

About Latias's Moves

Draco Meteor is Latias' strongest STAB move and gives it great neutral coverage. Psychic is its secondary STAB move and lets it hit Fairy-types for neutral damage, while also threatening Fighting and Poison-types.

Mystical Fire is its main coverage move, letting Latias power through Steel-type Pokemon. The move also inflicts a guaranteed Special Attack drop against the target.

It's last move is Trick and allows Latias to shut down walls by giving them their choice item.

About Latias's EV Spread

We're using a standard special attacking EV spread with full investment in Special Attack and Speed, while the remaining 4 EVs increase its overall bulk.

About Latias's Ability

Levitate is Latias' only ability and allows it to switch into Ground-type moves and avoid entry hazards like Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

About Latias's Held Item

Choice Scarf boosts Latias' Speed by 50% but restricts it to using only the first move it used.

Choice Specs is a good alternative for more power, boosting Latias' Special Attack by 50% at the cost using only the first move it used

Other Viable Moves

Thunderbolt	A good alternative coverage move that lets Latias hit Water-types and Flying-types such as Tapu Fini and Celesteela respectively.
Air Slash	Becomes Max Airstream during Dynamax. It's also a good utility move when used in conjuction with Choice Scarf thanks to its high flinch rate.
Ice Beam	Another good alternative coverage move that hits Landorus and Salamence for super effective damage.
Aura Sphere	Allows Latias to threaten Dark-types that are immune to Latias' Psychic STAB and provides great neutral coverage.
Surf	Allows Latias to hit Heatran for super effective damage.
Shadow Ball	Allows Latias to hit Aegislash for super effective damage.
Energy Ball	A niche coverage move that allows Latias to beat Water/Ground types like Swampert and Quagsire.

Weakness Policy Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

Nature	Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EV Spread	HP 156 / Sp.Atk 244 / Spd 108
Final Stat Values	HP 175 / Def 110 / Sp.Atk 177 / Sp.Def 150 / Spd 144
Ability	Levitate
Held Item	Weakness Policy
Moveset	・Draco Meteor ・Psychic ・Air Slash ・Mystical Fire

Latias' natural special bulk makes it a great Weakness Policy user. It's best used as the main Dynamax user in the team since the HP boost from Dynamax works well with its naturally high Special Defense.

About Latias's Moves

Draco Meteor is Latias' strongest STAB move and gives it great neutral coverage. Psychic is its secondary STAB move and lets it hit Fairy-types for neutral damage, while also threatening Fighting and Poison-types.

Air Slash is mainly used in Dynamax as it becomes Max Airstream. This move boosts Latias and the rest of its team's speped by one stage. Mystical Fire is its main coverage move, letting Latias hit Steel-types that can easily shrug off its other moves.

About Latias's EV Spread

We're using a bulkier special attacking EV spread with 156 HP and 244 Sp.Atk EVs, with the remaining 108 EVs are placed in Speed.

About Latias's Ability

Levitate is Latias' only ability and allows it to switch into Ground-type moves and avoid entry hazards like Spikes and Toxic Spikes.

About Latias's Held Item

This build revolves around Weakness Policy. When hit by a super effective attack, Latias' Attack and Special Attack increases by two stages.

Other Viable Moves

Thunderbolt	A good alternative coverage move that lets Latias hit Water-types and Flying-types such as Tapu Fini and Celesteela respectively.
Aura Sphere	Allows Latias to threaten Dark-types that are immune to Latias' Psychic STAB and provides great neutral coverage.
Surf	Allows Latias to hit Heatran for super effective damage.
Shadow Ball	Allows Latias to hit Aegislash for super effective damage.
Recover	A good alterantive to Mystical Fire that allows Latias to recover and stay in battle for a longer time.
Calm Mind	A good alternative to Mystical Fire that lets Latias further boost its offensive prowess, but limits its overall coverage.

How to Use Latias Effectively

A Bulkier Sweeper

Latias is outclassed by its brother Latios in straightforward offense, so it's best used as a bulkier sweeper - using its great resistance to check Fire/Water/Grass offensive cores to switch in and set up with Calm Mind.

A Special Attacker with Great Coverage

Latias' wide special movepool makes it difficult to check or counter as it has plenty of options in terms of coverage moves. It's great speed and ability to trick its held items to opposing Pokemon also make it difficult for walls to stay in battle with it.

Latias also learns plenty of utility moves that can assist its teammates, such as Healing Wish, Tailwind, and Baton Pass.

How to Build a Team with Latias

Latias faces stiff competition from its brother Latios who not only has a higher Special Attack, but can also run a mixed attacking set. Despite this, it's a more popular Dynamax and Weakness Policy user than its counterpart thanks to its better overall bulk.

A Bulky Defensive Pivot

Latias is best used as a defensive pivot to differentiate it from its more offensive oriented counterpart. It's best used in a team that's in need of a Fire, Water, Grass, or Electric resist.

Example Calm Mind User + Defensive Team

Lead Dynamax	Defensive Pivot	Special Attacker
Celesteela	Latias	Nidoking

Latias is a great partner for Celesteela, as it shrugs off Electric and Fire-type moves directed at the Ultra Beast. Celesteela, in turn, resists and counters Fairy-types that Latias is weak against.

Nidoking fills the role of a Special Attacker for this team, and its great dual STAB allows it to threaten Fairy-types and opposing Steel-types by threatening them with Sludge Wave and Earth Power respectively that Latias and Celesteel have trouble with.

Check out our guide below to learn more about building a defensive team.
How to Build a Defensive Team

A Bulky Choice User for Hyper Offensive Teams

Latias' great natural bulk gives it more opportunities to switch into battle, making it a great Choice User in more offensive oriented teams.

Example Choice User + Offensive Team

Lead Dynamax	Defensive Pivot	Choice Scarf/Revenge Killer
Galarian Zapdos	Swampert	Latias

Latias's great speed and naturally high bulk make it a great revenge killer with Choice Scarf - especially when partnered with Lead Dynamax Pokemon like Galarian Zapdos that relies on setting up with Max Knuckle.

Swampert is a great defensive partner for Latias. Not only does it distrupt opposing offensive teams with Yawn and Stealth Rock, it can use Flip Turn to pivot to its teammates.

Check out our guide below to learn more about building a Hyper Offense team.
How to Build a Hyper Offense Team

Lead Dynamax + Weakness Policy

Latios' great mixed bulk make it an arguably better Dynamax + Weakness Policy user than Latios - with Dynamax's health boost further increasing its overall bulkiness.

Example Weakness Policy User + Balanced Team

Lead Dynamax	Setup Sweeper	Wish Support
Latias	Scizor	Clefable

This Latias is best used as a Lead Dynamax user so that it can support its teammates with Max Airstream. The Eon Pokemon's typing synergizes well with Scizor, resisting Fire-type moves it's weak to. Scizor, in turn, makes a great check to Fairy-types thanks to its powerful Steel-type moves.

Clefable fills the role of defensive pivot, but it's main role is passing Wish to its teammates to keep them in good condition.

Counters for Latias

Weakness

Overpower it with Physical Attackers

Although Latias has a respectable base 120 Defense, the power creep throughout the generations mean that certain physical attackers can easily overpower Latias with their strong super effective physical attacks.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Mimikyu	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・It's Disguise Ability lets it switch into Latias with impunity and set up with Swords Dance ・Threatens Latias with Shadow Claw and can KO it with a Swords Dance boost Moveset & Best Build for Mimikyu
Grimmsnarl	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Immune to Latias Psychic and Dragon-type STAB ・Can use Spirit Break to lower Latias' Special Attack ・It's Prankster Ability bypasses Latias' speed and cripple it with Thunder Wave Moveset & Best Build for Grimmsnarl
Urshifu Single-Strike Style	Ranking: ★★★★★ ・It's Wicked Blow bypasses Latias' Kee Berry boosts ・Slower than Latias and needs to be careful of Max Airstream Moveset & Best Build for Urshifu Single-Strike Style
Cinderace	Ranking: ★★★★ ・It's Libero and Life Orb boosted Sucker Punch deals heavy damage against Latias Moveset & Best Build for Cinderace
Glastrier	Ranking: ★★★ ・It's massive Special Defense lets its shrug off Latias' moves and potentially KO it with Avalanche Moveset & Best Build for Glastrier

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
Kartana	Stakataka	Blaziken
Kyogre	Yveltal	Xerneas
Necrozma (Dusk Mane)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Mewtwo
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Dialga	Lugia
Black Kyurem	Zekrom	Ho-Oh
Rayquaza	Zygarde	Reshiram
White Kyurem	Groudon	Regirock
Palkia	Regigigas	Registeel
Regice	Giratina	Solgaleo
Lunala	Kyurem	Necrozma
Uxie	Mesprit	Azelf
Calyrex