How to counter Latias in Pokemon Unite

With each new patch in Pokemon Unite, the meta changes, and the introduction of Latias has certainly kicked things into high gear. Officially debuting in-game as a ranged supporter, Latias has a misleading resilience and good damage scaling. Its combination of sustain, crowd control, and map-wide mobility makes it a threat if left unchallenged. But no Pokemon is unbeatable, and with the correct game plan, Latias can be countered.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to counter Latias successfully, including the best strategies, items to use, and which Pokemon can shut it down.

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Understanding Latias’ strengths in Pokemon Unite

Before constructing a plan against Latias, let's analyze why it may be a threat:

• Mobility: Gains increased move speed after using abilities and additional speed if Latios is close by.
• Sustain: Dragon Pulse heals itself per enemy hit, making it a challenging encounter.
• AoE pressure: Dragon Pulse and Mist Ball hit a lot of targets and stack debuffs.
• Hybrid role: Even though Latias is a "supporter," it can play more like a secondary Attacker if left unchecked.
• Eon Power scaling: Its damage scales up over time depending on how much Eon Power it accumulates.

All of these characteristics make it tanky, speedy, and overwhelming in long battles. That said, these strengths have flaws that can be taken advantage of.

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Latias in Pokemon Unite: Key weaknesses to exploit

Latias' stat spread in the game (Image via The Pokemon Company)

1) Relies on charge-up time: Latias needs to build up Eon Power over time to maximize its damage output. Denying farm or KO'ing it in the early game will significantly delay its power spike. Apply pressure early, invade its jungle or lane when it's low level, and deny its Eon Power stacking

2) Vulnerable to Burst damage: Although Dragon Pulse provides sustain, it does not stop it from getting burst down hard. Latias excels in long fights, but not against properly coordinated burst combos. Employ high damage, debuffs and stuns to shut it down before Latias can heal or scale.

3) Positioning-dependent: Latias must remain mid-range to meter out steady damage and utilize its utility. Force it off from its position, and Latias becomes much less effective. Apply gap closers and flanking to drive it off the backline, particularly when Latias uses Mist Ball or Dragon Pulse from expected angles.

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Best Pokemon to counter Latias in Pokemon Unite

Best counters to Latias in Pokemon Unite (Image via The Pokemon Company)

1) Gengar: Gengar's burst damage and mobility enable him to clear out Latias before it can act.

2) Zacian: Zacian's high damage, mobility, and shield-breaking power make him a formidable matchup.

3) Talonflame: Talonflame excels at targeting squishier backliners and supports. Brave Bird or Aerial Ace builds let him dive in, execute, and escape cleanly.

4) Mamoswine: Mamoswine is tanky enough to survive its damage and can lock it down with an annoying crowd control kit.

5) Absol: Absol's burst crit-based can kill Latias before it has a chance to build up damage or heal. Ideal for punishing solo Latias players.

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Best Items to use against Latias in Pokemon Unite

• Full Heal: Removes slows and debuffs from Mist Ball or Dragon Breath.
• X Attack: Maximizes your burst potential in order to get a quick KO before Latias heals.
• X Speed or Eject Button: Fantastic for chasing it down or getting out of its AoE range.
• Buddy Barrier: Keeps you alive during its Unite combo on key team battles.

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Latias is surprisingly powerful in Pokemon Unite, with a deadly combination of healing, damage, and utility. But its power is dependent on positioning, momentum, and scaling, all of which can be taken away by aggressive teams.

If you take away its space, coordinate your engagements, and have the correct picks to engage, Latias is much more manageable to deal with.

Stay aggressive, coordinate your team, and don’t let it scale. That’s how you win against Latias.

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If you are interested in other topics related to Pokemon Unite, check out these articles:

• Unite license tier list
• Unite Solo Queue licenses tier list
• Best Build for every Pokemon Unite license
• Best Boost Emblems in the game
• Held Item tier list
• Battle Item tier list