What is a good moveset for Latios?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Latios, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Latios Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen 4-6 Ubers

Latios (M) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

• Calm Mind
• Dragon Pulse
• Hidden Power Fire / Surf / Psyshock / Roost
• Grass Knot / Thunder

Calm Mind boosts Latios's already crazy Special Attack and Special Defense. STAB Dragon Pulse is preferred over Draco Meteor so that Calm Mind does something useful. Hidden Power Fire slams Ferrothorn (5, 6), Aegislash (6), Klefki (6), and the many Steel types in DPP Ubers like Scizor, Magnezone, and Skarmory (appears in 5, 6 as well). It also covers Ice types if you ever see one of those in Ubers. Surf drenches Heatran and Tyranitar. Psyshock makes getting rid of Chansey or Blissey easier, and is STAB. Roost can be used to heal and blocks revenge-kill attempts, as well as healing from Stealth Rocks and letting Latios get even more CM boosts. Grass Knot is a reliable way of dealing with Groudon and Kyogre as well as their Primal forms, and is generally a very good move with all the really heavy Ubers running around. However the high amount of Dragon types makes this move not as spammable as you might think. Thunder is very hard to switch into thanks to its immense power and 30% paralysis chance, unless of course you're running something like Arceus-Ground or Groudon/Primal Groudon. Thunder can also do a lot to Kyogre.

Comments

You had wanted Roost so that you can set-up Calm Mind while healing but nice set, +1.

Answer 2

(Gen 9) National Dex Monotype All-Out-Attacker (Dragon)

Latios (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe or 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Naive / Timid Nature
- Luster Purge
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Earthquake / Mystical Fire

An AoA set Mega Latios can use on Dragon teams in Gen 9 National Dex Monotype. Mega Latios has been seeing more usage on Dragon thanks to its Ground immunity and ability to deal with a variety of matchups thanks to different coverage moves it can choose to use. Luster Purge is the STAB move used on this set, being useful against Poison- and Fighting-types such as Toxapex, Galarian Weezing, Mega Venusuar, Kommo-o, Keldeo, and Urshifu-Rapid-Strike. Luster Purge's 50% chance to drop the Special Defense stat of opposing Pokemon is useful to help with Mega Latios wallbreak better. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt form the infamous BoltBeam combo, being useful to handle the Ground, Water, Dragon, and Flying matchups. Ice Beam is useful to target Pokemon such as Gliscor, Landorus/Landorus-Therian, Garchomp/Mega Garchomp, Zapdos, Roaring Moon, Dragonite. Thunderbolt lets Mega Latios hit Water- and Flying-types such as Celesteela, Corviknight, Mantine, Hisuian Samurott, and Greninja. Earthquake allows Mega Latios to deal super effective damage to Heatran (once its Air Balloon is popped if it has Air Balloon), Alolan Muk, Hisuian Goodra, and Galarian Slowking. Mystical Fire can be an option if you want to get rid of Scizor/Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn.

Naive Nature is used if you use Earthquake. Timid Nature is used if you use Mystical Fire. You should also use the second EV spread listed if you use Mystical Fire. You can still use Timid Nature with the first EV spread, but it does make Earthquake deal less damage, meaning you miss out on stuff like a guaranteed 2HKO vs Galarian Slowking. An alternative set you could run with the first EV spread with Naive Nature is Luster Purge/Mystical Fire/Earthquake/Roost, with Roost being useful for longevity.

Answer 3

Latios (M) @ Soul Dew (the best item for the eons)
Ability: Levitate (you have no other choices)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)

• Psychic (STAB)
• Shadow Ball / Ice Beam / Thunderbolt
• Recover (recovery of course)
• Dragon Pulse (STAB)

With recover in the play Latios will be better.

Comments

Soul dew is banned

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Not in Ubers.

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But can latios make it through an Uber's match without being 1H KO?

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honestly for the move set i'm stuck between deciding to have psychic or luster purge because while psychic does 20 more damage it only has a 10% chance to lower SDef while luster purge has a 50% chance

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can dragon pulse be replaced by draco meteor?

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yes it can be. in fact if in gen 4 or gen 5 then draco meteor is an absolute nuke

Answer 4

Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

• Draco Meteor
• Hidden Power [Fire]
• Surf
• Recover

Draco Meteor is STAB, and does quite a bit of damage to most things and the Life Orb is a bonus.
Hidden Power Fire is for obstacles like Ferrothorn and Forretress, but it most Steel types like Jirachi for decent damage.
Surf hits Heatran for decent damage, and helps round out the coverage.
Recover is nice for recovering off Life Orb damage and attacks from the opponent.

Comments

Speed EVs??

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Crap lol, I don't know what happened there!
Thanks for pointing out.

Answer 5

Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Timid Nature

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• Psyshock
• Thunderbolt
• Ice Beam
• Trick / Hidden Power [Fire]

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Did you know that Latios is tied for Latias as the fastest dragon type? Seeing that, I had to use him in battle. The bolt beam on this Pokemon is brilliant, and Dragon Pulse isn't needed because ice beam already has that covered. This Pokemon can sweep.

Answer 6

Super Sweeper (Latios) (M) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 256 SpA / 250 Spe / 4 Def.
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)

• Thunder
• Ice Beam
• Earthquake
• Calm Mind

Calm Mind gives an amazing boost paired with Soul Dew. Thunder takes care of Kyogre and other water threats. Ice beam destroys Groudon / Rayquaza while Earthquake takes care of those pesky steel types.
Thunder will also do super effective damage to Skarmory, which can be pretty high with Latios' SpA.

Answer 7

Latios (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake

P.S: Mega Latios has the same Attack stat as Mega Charizard X bar tough claws, and opponents rarely expect a physical Mega Latios.

Answer 8

Latios-Mega (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf / Thunderbolt
- Dragon Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Psychic

I highly recommend Mega Latios. He is faster, stronger, and more powerful than other Megas.

Dragon Pulse: STAB
Ice Beam: 4x Strong against most Dragon Pokemon
Surf/Thunderbolt: For more coverage
Psychic: STAB
Note: Using STAB Moves have 1.5x power so don't underestimate STAB moves
Note. Use Mega Latios one of the best OU Pokemon and also a powerful UBER Pokemon

Answer 9

Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Psyshock
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Explanation: Choice Specs is to boost Latios' already high Special Attack. Ice Beam hits Landorus-Therian and Gliscor. Psyshock is STAB and it hits Special Walls like Blissey. Draco Meteor is STAB and amazing power but at the risk of lowering Special Attack by 2 Stages. HP Fire is to hit Ferrothorn and Scizor. If you can't get the right Hidden Power use Thunderbolt to cover Water and Flying type coverage.

Answer 10

Okay so we can't use Soul Dew because it is only allowed in Ubers and I don't think Latios can survive a Dark Pulse from a Yveltal.

Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Energy Ball

Okay so we are Scarfed so we can out speed Rayquaza. Modest Nature Draco Meteor because there is a lot of switching in competitive anyway. Psychic STAB. Ice Beam is good Coverage. And Energy Ball is more coverage

Answer 11

Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt

OK so Latios Choice Scarf allows it to out speed Mega Rayquaza and KO it with a Draco Meteor (trust me I've done it before)
Psychic is STAB. Ice Beam covers 4 more types. Thunderbolt is there for Suicune.

Answer 12

If you would like to sweep steven (Assuming you're playing OR), then this set will be your biggest friend

Latios (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 132 SpD / 120 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
- Luster Purge
- Shadow Ball / Shadow Claw

Moveset:
1. Ice Beam (Dragon Pulse receives stab, but Ice Beam mostly gets a 4x advantage against Dragon types, and can also be used as a powerful coverage move)
2. Calm Mind (Increases Latios's already high SpA and SpD)
3. Luster Purge (50% chance of lowering the enemy's SpD, and if Latios already used Calm Mind the turn before,
then it'll do even more damage.)
4. Shadow Ball / Shadow Claw (Shadow Ball is recommended as it's a special move, and Shadow Ball can be otherwise be used as a coverage move against ghost types.)

Answer 13

Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature

• Draco Meteor
• Psychic / Energy Ball / Mystical Fire / Surf / Thunderbolt
• Ice Beam
• Aura Sphere

Draco Meteor is strong STAB. Psychic is STAB, everything else is coverage. Ice Beam has expansive coverage, Aura Sphere for steel types.

Answer 14

Gen 8 National Dex / Gen 8 National Dex Monotype

Latios-Mega (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Aura Sphere
- Calm Mind
- Recover

The Gen 8 National Dex formats are basically the only formats Mega Latios can have access to Aura Sphere. Psyshock is STAB that hits special walls. Aura Sphere is coverage for steel and dark types, as steel types resist Psyshock and dark types are immune to Psyshock. Calm Mind boosts your special attack and special defense. Recover is for healing.

Answer 15

Gen 8 OU

Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Psyshock
- Draco Meteor
- Ice Beam
Trick can cripple walls. Psyshock can break past Special walls, such as the Chansey sisters. Draco Meteor is insanely powerful with STAB and Specs. Ice Beam is coverage against Ground and Flying, which is quite valuable in OU.

Answer 16

Gen 5 OU

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Trick
- Surf

This is a Latios set that uses the rare Psychic. The reason why Psychic is used here instead of something like Dragon Pulse is because this set specifically fits on the rather volatile DragMag offensive teams which absolutely need an answer to mons like Scarf Keldeo and Scarf Terrakion. Scarf Latios with Psychic does just that. Scarf Draco Meteor doesn't OHKO Keldeo or Terrakion, even after Stealth Rock, but Psychic is a clean OHKO without any prior chip. That's 2 major threats to your team down. Latios can't actually switch into them very well if it is weakened by Stealth Rock, but if you cleverly hide your Choice Scarf the enemy will think this is just another Specs or Dragon Gem Latios that gets 2HKOed, or a Scarf Draco - trick - surf - dragon pulse latios that doesn't OHKO and they'll be in for a surprise. Side note: Please don't use Psyshock. Blissey and Chansey are both bad in BW OU. Draco Meteor is your premier wallbreaking tool, especially against weakened teams where PursuitTar is nowhere to be seen. Trick is used to cripple things like Ferrothorn, but only use Trick after Keldeo or Terrakion has gone down. Surf is used to hit Heatran pretty hard, especially since in BW, Heatran most commonly runs an offensive set without much or any Special Defense or HP investment.

Partners

Trap and remove Steel types like Skarmory and Ferrothorn which would otherwise annoy Latios. This opens up opportunities for it to dart in and out of battle with Draco Meteor until it is time to get rid of Terrakion or Keldeo with Psychic.

Specially defensive Jirachi is the preferred Stealth Rock setter on Dragmag that can bring in Latios safely with its U-turn.

I really like Substitute + Swords Dance Salac Berry Garchomp with Scarf Latios. Chomp has the ability to threaten and scare out most Tyranitar sets barring the Choice Scarf set which carries Ice Beam, but Garchomp will usually still force a switch because of how popular Scarf Garchomp is on Dragmag and because Tyranitar users don't want to risk unintentionally sacking their best Latios check. With this, Garchomp can safely set up Substitute and use Swords Dance.

Answer 17

Gen 8 OU:

Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock/Psychic
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Mystical Fire/Aura Sphere

Choice Specs boosts SpA. the EVs are pretty straightforward, max Spe & SpA possible and invest the left 4 in SpD. Timid is for maximum Speed possible. Psyshock takes care of Blisseys; you can also use Psychic, though. Draco Meteor is a strong STAB. Surf is a coverage option, and it takes care of Heatran. Mystical Fire/Aura Sphere is a much needed move because there are a lot of Steel-types in OU.

Answer 18

Gen 3 Ubers

Latios @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Timid Nature
- Dragon claw
- Calm mind
- Solar beam
- Thunder

For those who wonder why I tackle a dragon claw in its moveset is because in Gen 3 dragon claw was special, Whis is latios stab, calm mind is setup, Solar beam is to take proferir of Groudon drought which is common in Gen 3 Ubers, and thunder is a Kyogre counter, taking proferir of its drizzle!

Looks like it’s latios that’s going to stop the groudon and kyogre s fighting, not rayquaza.

Answer 19

Battle Stadium Singles (BSS) suicide lead

Latios @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Simple Beam
- Memento
- Mystical Fire / Icy Wind

This build is intended to cripple your opponent's offensive lead (predicted) in order to let the second Pokémon you bring in (once this Latios faints) setup to sweep.

1. Open with Thunder Wave.
2. Follow-up with Simple Beam only if you expect to survive another round and keep speed advantage.
3. Close with Momento (which causes the user to faint).
4. Send out an offensive setup sweeper (e.g. Zacian-Crowned with Swords Dance).

If your opponent's lead is immune to Thunder Wave, then open with Simple Beam and follow up directly with Momento.

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Mystical Fire / Icy Wind is a damaging attack included for in case you get taunted. The choice is between only these two (and not, e.g. Psychic or Draco Meteor) because:

• There is no defensive type immune to either Fire or Ice (unlike Psychic and Dragon).
• They both have a guaranteed side effect of reducing one of your opponent's stats (which offsets not being able to use Memento due to being taunted).

Answer 20

National Dex Monotype Mixed Wallbreaker (Dragon)

Latios (M) @ Latiosite
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Psychic
- Earthquake
- Mystical Fire / Thunderbolt / Ice Beam / Draco Meteor
- Recover

A Mixed Offensive set that Mega Latios can use in National Dex Monotype. Psychic is used for a consistent Psychic STAB. Earthquake allows Mega Latios to break past certain checks such as Heatran, Tyranitar, Alolan Muk, and Magnezone. The third attacking move depends on what you want Mega Latios to deal with. Mystical Fire lets Mega Latios melt Steel-types such as Scizor and Ferrothorn. Thunderbolt lets Mega Latios fry Water- and Flying-types such as Mantine, Slowbro, Celesteela, and Corviknight. Ice Beam also lets Mega Latios nail Flying-types as well as Pokemon such as Gliscor, Landorus/Landorus-Therian, Dragonite, and Garchomp. Draco Meteor is an option to allow Mega Latios to have a really powerful Dragon STAB. Recover allows Mega Latios to recover HP so it can stay around longer.