ORAS OU Mega Latias Balance by GOD MARTH

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Introduction
Mega Latias balance builds have shown great popularity throughout ORAS, thriving during the OLT2 ladder cycles and achieving high peaks. Mega Latias is very notable for its speed tier, bulk, and typing. Mega Latias can also comfortably take on huge threats to balance teams such as Keldeo, Mega Charizard-Y, Thundurus-I, and, when it was still allowed, Landorus-I. The first successful Mega Latias build was used by GOD MARTH in SPL6, and it shares many similarities with other successful Mega Latias builds that came later on in the ORAS metagame. With that said, I hope you all enjoy our latest staff RMT!

Team Members



Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Hippowdon is the team's bulky Ground-type Pokemon and Stealth Rock setter. A specially defensive spread allows Hippodown to efficiently check threats such as Charizard-Y, Latios, and Thundurus. Hippowdon still has decent physical bulk with this spread, enabling it to check threats such as Bisharp. Toxic allows Hippowdon to cripple common switch-ins to it, such as Landorus-T and Rotom-W.



Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
Clefable provides the team with a strong Calm Mind sweeper. The set is fairly standard. Enough EVs are invested in Defense to comfortably take a Latios Psyshock, and the rest is invested into Special Defense to be as specially bulky as possible. Magic Guard is a very important attribute of Clefable's, as it allows it to avoid damage from hazards, Toxic, and other passive means, giving it significant longevity. Ice Beam helps Clefable KO common checks to it, such as Swords Dance Gliscor. Clefable adds quite a bit to the team defensively as well, checking threats such as Thundurus, Latios, and Mega Sableye.



Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
A Steel-type is very important for this type of build, as it provides a much needed resist to Fairy, Water, Rock, and Steel. Ferrothorn completes the hazard core, providing Spikes to slowly wear down opposing teams. Spike stacking is an important part of the team's functioning, as it allows the team to more easily deal with bulky threats such as Mega Metagross. Maximum investment in Defense allows Ferrothorn to better take hits from Azumarill, which is a huge threat for this team to face. Ferrothorn also checks several other powerful threats, such as Mega Gardevoir, Mega Diancie, Gyarados, and Manaphy. Leech Seed, combined with Leftovers, gives Ferrothorn passive recovery and longevity throughout the match, while also forcing the opponent to switch more often and take more hazard damage.



Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
- Dragon Pulse
- Roar
Mega Latias is one of the best defensive walls in OU. It is capable of taking on many threats that the team would otherwise struggle with, such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Landorus-I. It also relieves the pressure on Clefable and Reuniclus when it comes to handling Electric-types and other threats such as Mega Medicham. Mega Latias makes for a solid answer to offensive Ground-type Pokemon such as Garchomp and Landorus-T. It can KO Garchomp after a bit of prior damage, and can 2HKO Landorus-T reliably as it comfortably takes even boosted Stone Edges. The given EV spread makes Mega Latias as bulky as possible while still retaining enough Speed to outrun Jolly Garchomp. Thunder Wave provides a form of speed control, allowing Mega Latias to cripple Steel-types such as Skarmory, making it much easier for Clefable and Reuniclus to set up against them. Roost provides Mega Latias with reliable recovery, allowing it to continuously handle the likes of Keldeo. Dragon Pulse is Mega Latias's most powerful STAB move outside of Draco Meteor and has solid coverage and power, hitting offensive Ground-types as well as Electric- and Water-types for significant neutral damage. Roar is an uncommon choice on Mega Latias but on this team it helps prevent Mega Latias from being set up bait against the likes of Clefable and Mega Altaria. Roar also functions nicely alongside Spikes as it can put a lot of pressure on common switch-ins such as Tyranitar, Mega Scizor, and Ferrothorn.



Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 68 SpA / 24 Spe
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
Zapdos checks a number of threats to the team. In addition to checking the likes of M-Pinsir, which performs very well in general against balance teams, it also provides the team with hazard removal, which helps ease the matchup against teams that rely on hazard stacking to wear down opposing teams. Zapdos's typing allows it to take on threats such as SD Gliscor, and Landorus-T, and act as a solid answer to LO Tornadus-T. Having a Tornadus-T answer that has access to a reliable recovery move is a huge help for any balance team.



Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Focus Blast
- Recover
Reuniclus provides another Calm Mind sweeper that helps the team apply pressure against bulky teams. Like Clefable, Magic Guard allows Reuniclus to avoid passive forms of damage, such as Toxic and entry hazards, when setting up. Reuniclus compliments Clefable well as a CM sweeper as it breaks through bulky Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon, such as Mega Venusaur, which give Clefable trouble. Clefable in return assists Reuniclus in sweeping as it checks Mega Sableye rather well, which otherwise completely walls Reuniclus. Reuniclus also offers some defensive utility, checking threats such as Mega Medicham and Mega Diancie.​

Threatlist
Excadrill - Swords Dance Excadrill can threaten most of the team, especially if it is holding a Life Orb. Ferrothorn can avoid the 2HKO thanks to the heavy Defense investment, but is a shaky answer as it lacks reliable recovery. Zapdos can switch in on Earthquake or Iron Head, live a LO Rock Slide, and dent it heavily with Heat Wave.

Azumarill - Azumarill threatens the majority of the team, with its Belly Drum set being especially threatening. Ferrothorn has to be in near perfect health to tank a +6 Knock Off. Furthermore, Azumarill has several opportunities set up a Belly Drum against this team.

Kyurem-B - Kyurem-B can significantly threaten the team depending on its coverage moves. Iron Head beats Clefable and HP Fire beats Ferrothorn. Mega Latias can revenge kill it, but can't switch in safely at all.

Mega Gardevoir - Hippowdon can switch in on either Psyshock or Focus Blast and check Mega Gardevoir. Clefable and Reuniclus can both beat it after a CM boost.

Gengar - Hippowdon can't check Gengar effectively as it runs Toxic and Earthquake. Gengar's Taunt + 3 attacks set is a pain for this team to handle with Zapdos being the only check, and a shaky one at best.

Mega Heracross - Mega Heracross is a threat to most balance teams due to its extremely high attack. It can be played around though, for example Mega Latias can switch in on Close Combat or Rock Blast and cripple it with Thunder Wave.

Volcarona - Volcarona is a big threat to this team, especially if it has a set of Fire Blast / Bug Buzz / Giga Drain / Quiver Dance. Specially defensive Hippowdon can live any hit from +1 Volcarona and poison it, assuming Volcarona isn't carrying a Lum Berry.

Quagsire - The team has trouble breaking Quagsire. Ferrothorn is the team's only way to beat it, and has to hope that Ferrothorn avoids a Scald burn.

- Offensive Ground-type Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Garchomp threaten the team significantly after a Swords Dance boost.

Heatran - Heatran switches in on Clefable easily, and the stallbreaker set especially gives the team serious issues.

Manaphy - Manaphy threatens everything outside of Ferrothorn and Mega Latias, and both of those are crippled by Scald burns. Tail Glow + Rain Dance sets in particular are threatening to this team, as they aren't crippled by Mega Latias's Thunder Wave.

Serperior - Zapdos is the only solid check, but it too gets 2HKOed by Leaf Storm after Stealth Rock. Mega Latias is a possible answer, but Dragon Pulse Serperior can beat it with Stealth Rock damage + Leaf Storm + a boosted Dragon Pulse.

Weavile - Ferrothorn lacks the reliable recovery to take on Weavile consistently, and Clefable can be beaten by Poison Jab or Iron Tail.

Mew - The stallbreaking set is a big threat to the team. Toxic is the team's best hope of defeating Mew, and as that was a common option on Hippowdon at the time it's unlikely that Mew would switch recklessly into Hippowdon.


Importable
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Slack Off

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Latias-Mega @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 68 Def / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
- Dragon Pulse
- Roar

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 68 SpA / 24 Spe
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Focus Blast
- Recover​


Later Versions
Mega Latias builds have evolved over the course of ORAS OU, but have mostly retained the same basic structure. Mega Latias commonly moved to running Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, which gives it great neutral coverage. Ice Beam / Thunderbolt / Thunder Wave / Roost was a common set during the second OLT. Clefable usually ran Thunder Wave over Ice Beam, as that cripples most Steel-types, such as Mega Metagross and Mega Scizor, that attempt to check it. Hippowdon was often replaced with Garchomp, which brings more offensive presence at the cost of a reliable recovery move. Specially defensive Skarmory became a common replacement for Ferrothorn in later versions, with Skarmory bringing reliable recovery and phasing through Whirlwind. Choice Scarf Tyranitar became a common choice over Zapdos, offering Pursuit trapping to the team and a speedy revenge killer that previous versions of the team badly needed. It is important to note that the initial version of the team suffered from a lack of speed, and the change to Scarf Tyranitar was a huge step towards rectifying that.

Credits
Created by: GOD MARTH
Written by: celticpride, p2, Analytic, DennisEG, Reymedy
GP check by: IronBullet
Art done by: Lax
 
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