Pokémon GO: Latios vs Latias – Which Is Better?

Latios and Latias are two Dragon/Psychic-Type Legendary Pokémon originally introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. To pay homage to the titles that the Eon duo debuted in, players participating in Pokémon GO Tour: Hoenn will choose between Ruby and Sapphire, which determines which of these Pokémon will spawn during the event, as well as rewards received in Special Research.

With their incredibly similar designs, equal typing, and practically identical Mega Evolutions, picking between Latios and Latias in Pokémon GO may prove challenging. This guide will break down their stat differences, movesets, Mega Evolution potential, and which one is which. Don’t worry; we still get confused too.

Latios and Latias Differences in Pokémon GO

Latios (blue) and Latias (red) share the same Dragon and Psychic-typing but differentiate when it comes to base stats in Pokémon GO. Latios favors Attack, while Latias has higher Defense. Their HP is identical, even when Mega Evolved.

Base Latios:

• Attack — 268 / 335
• Defense — 212 / 241
• HP — 190

Mega Latios:

• Attack — 335
• Defense — 241
• HP— 190

Base Latias:

• Attack — 228
• Defense — 246
• HP— 190

Mega Latios:

• Attack — 289
• Defense — 297
• HP— 190

Latios and Latias Movepool

One of the most significant differences between Latios and Latias in Pokémon GO is their available Fast and Charged moves.

With access to Outrage, one of the best Dragon-type Charged moves in the game, Latias is generally favored as a Dragon-type attacker.

Latios fairs well as a Psychic-type attacker, with Zen Headbutt and Psychic paired with its higher Attack stat. Even without Outrage at its disposal, its Attack stat means that it often outperforms Latias as a Dragon-type attacker.

Latios Moves

Latias Moves

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Is Latios or Latias Better in Pokémon GO?

In most situations, Latios is better than Latias in Pokémon GO due to its higher Attack stat and versatility as either a Dragon or Psychic attacker. While the main series Pokémon games have Abilities and more complex stats to worry about, Pokémon GO‘s simplistic Attack/Defense/HP system means that Latios comes out on top due to the sheer importance of Attack when raiding.

The most crucial factor when attempting to take down a raid boss is DPS (damage per second) — how much damage your Pokémon can dish out before it faints. Overall, Latios has a higher base DPS than Latias, with its lower Defense ironically helping it to gain Charged energy faster.

Choosing Latios or Latias isn’t the only factor you should consider when selecting Ruby or Sapphire; your decision also affects the rewards you receive during the Chasing Legends Special Research. You’ll also need to make an unexpected choice between Cacnea, Surskit, or Gulpin during GO Tour: Hoenn — and we thought choosing a game version each year was challenging.