[OVERVIEW]
The combination of a monstrous Special Attack stat, a great offensive STAB combination, and a phenomenal ability makes Tapu Lele one of the most feared wallbreakers in OU. Psychic Surge makes Tapu Lele's Psychic-type STAB attacks deal mind-boggling damage with Choice Specs, 2HKOing bulky neutral targets such as Landorus-T, Tapu Fini, and Volcanion with its Psyshock, and helps it retain substantial power even on sets without Choice Specs, still OHKOing threats weak to its STAB moves like Buzzwole and 2HKOing neutral targets like Slowbro. Tapu Lele can play a late-game cleaner role with Choice Scarf or be an incredible wallbreaker with Choice Specs. Choice Scarf lets Tapu Lele also provide solid speed control, improving its otherwise average Speed. Calm Mind sets are another option for Tapu Lele thatoffers offer strong sweeping potential. Additionally, Psychic Terrain gives Tapu Lele extra utility by preventing priority moves from the likes of Weavile, Urshifu-R, and Scizor. This heavily benefits faster teammates and makes setting up easier for them. However, Tapu Lele's Speed often leaves a lot to be desired without a Choice Scarf, with it getting outsped and overwhelmed by common offensive threats such as Kartana, Garchomp, and Blacephalon. Even Choice Scarf variants can be outsped and overwhelmed by other Choice Scarf users like Kartana and Blacephalon. This issue becomes much more concerning when one considers Tapu Lele's middling bulk, leaving it prone to revenge killers like Weavile and Kartana. Tapu Lele also lacks a consistent way to hit Steel-types like Heatran and Melmetal due to Focus Blast's inaccuracy.
[SET]
Choice Specs (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Modest / Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Focus Blast
- Focus Blast / Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Equipped with Choice Specs, Tapu Lele becomes an absolutely monstrous wallbreaker capable of decimating defensive staples such as Clefable, Galarian Slowking, and Toxapex. Psyshock lets (filler) it 2HKO special walls like Blissey and Galarian Slowking while also doing more damage to specially defensive Heatran than Psychic. Moonblast complements Psyshock extremely well, targeting Dark-types such as Weavile, Tyranitar, and Galarian Moltres while also hitting Dragon-types such as Dragapult, Garchomp, and Dragonite. Psychic is a stronger STAB option that lets Tapu Lele deal more damage to the likes of Melmetal and Corviknight. Meanwhile, Focus Blast is Tapu Lele's best option against Steel-types, OHKOing Melmetal without Assault Vest and Ferrothorn and 2HKOing Heatran. Thunderbolt is Tapu Lele's strongest move against Corviknight, Slowbro, and Slowking, while Shadow Ball lets Tapu Lele hit Aegislash, Victini, Jirachi, and Shedinja. A Modest nature increases Tapu Lele's power, maximizing the odds for OHKOs on Ferrothorn and physically defensive Heatran with Focus Blast and Toxapex with Psyshock. It also allows Tapu Lele to OHKO offensive Zapdos with Psychic and 2HKO Corviknight with Focus Blast. However, a Timid nature lets Tapu Lele outspeed the likes of Timid Nidoking, Excadrill, and Timid Rotom-W.
Team Options
========
Choice Specs Tapu Lele fits best on offensive teams thanks to its insane wallbreaking potential. Slow, bulky pivots such as Landorus-T, Corviknight, Slowbro, and Rotom-W make for excellent partners for Tapu Lele, each shielding its mediocre bulk from powerful attackers and ensuring that it can switch in safely on Pokemon such as Slowbro, Landorus-T, and Buzzwole. Faster-paced offensive pivots such as Dragapult, Tapu Koko, and Urshifu-R also make for solid partners, as they can let Tapu Lele in by forcing switches into Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Slowbro that it can take advantage of. Urshifu-R in particular can lure in defensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to Tapu Lele such as Toxapex and Zapdos while also appreciating Tapu Lele luring in Heatran and Melmetal. Frail offensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to priority like Volcarona and Blacephalon heavily appreciate the protection given by Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain. Late-game sweepers such as Blacephalon, Weavile, and Volcarona appreciate Tapu Lele threatening Pokemon like Landorus-T, Tyranitar, and Zapdos, letting them more easily apply pressure to weakened opposing teams. In return, these Pokemon are able to threaten Steel- and Dark-types such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Tyranitar that could otherwise force Tapu Lele out. This also eases Choice Specs's prediction-reliant nature. Speed control from the likes of Choice Scarf Urshifu-R and Choice Scarf Kartana is also appreciated, as they can help Tapu Lele deal with faster threats such as Dragapult, Blacephalon, and Tapu Koko.
[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pulsar512b.469728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
The combination of a monstrous Special Attack stat, a great offensive STAB combination, and a phenomenal ability makes Tapu Lele one of the most feared wallbreakers in OU. Psychic Surge makes Tapu Lele's Psychic-type STAB attacks deal mind-boggling damage with Choice Specs, 2HKOing bulky neutral targets such as Landorus-T, Tapu Fini, and Volcanion with its Psyshock, and helps it retain substantial power even on sets without Choice Specs, still OHKOing threats weak to its STAB moves like Buzzwole and 2HKOing neutral targets like Slowbro. Tapu Lele can play a late-game cleaner role with Choice Scarf or be an incredible wallbreaker with Choice Specs. Choice Scarf lets Tapu Lele also provide solid speed control, improving its otherwise average Speed. Calm Mind sets are another option for Tapu Lele that
[SET]
Choice Specs (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Modest / Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Focus Blast
- Focus Blast / Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Equipped with Choice Specs, Tapu Lele becomes an absolutely monstrous wallbreaker capable of decimating defensive staples such as Clefable, Galarian Slowking, and Toxapex. Psyshock lets (filler) it 2HKO special walls like Blissey and Galarian Slowking while also doing more damage to specially defensive Heatran than Psychic. Moonblast complements Psyshock extremely well, targeting Dark-types such as Weavile, Tyranitar, and Galarian Moltres while also hitting Dragon-types such as Dragapult, Garchomp, and Dragonite. Psychic is a stronger STAB option that lets Tapu Lele deal more damage to the likes of Melmetal and Corviknight. Meanwhile, Focus Blast is Tapu Lele's best option against Steel-types, OHKOing Melmetal without Assault Vest and Ferrothorn and 2HKOing Heatran. Thunderbolt is Tapu Lele's strongest move against Corviknight, Slowbro, and Slowking, while Shadow Ball lets Tapu Lele hit Aegislash, Victini, Jirachi, and Shedinja. A Modest nature increases Tapu Lele's power, maximizing the odds for OHKOs on Ferrothorn and physically defensive Heatran with Focus Blast and Toxapex with Psyshock. It also allows Tapu Lele to OHKO offensive Zapdos with Psychic and 2HKO Corviknight with Focus Blast. However, a Timid nature lets Tapu Lele outspeed the likes of Timid Nidoking, Excadrill, and Timid Rotom-W.
Team Options
========
Choice Specs Tapu Lele fits best on offensive teams thanks to its insane wallbreaking potential. Slow, bulky pivots such as Landorus-T, Corviknight, Slowbro, and Rotom-W make for excellent partners for Tapu Lele, each shielding its mediocre bulk from powerful attackers and ensuring that it can switch in safely on Pokemon such as Slowbro, Landorus-T, and Buzzwole. Faster-paced offensive pivots such as Dragapult, Tapu Koko, and Urshifu-R also make for solid partners, as they can let Tapu Lele in by forcing switches into Pokemon such as Landorus-T and Slowbro that it can take advantage of. Urshifu-R in particular can lure in defensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to Tapu Lele such as Toxapex and Zapdos while also appreciating Tapu Lele luring in Heatran and Melmetal. Frail offensive Pokemon that are vulnerable to priority like Volcarona and Blacephalon heavily appreciate the protection given by Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain. Late-game sweepers such as Blacephalon, Weavile, and Volcarona appreciate Tapu Lele threatening Pokemon like Landorus-T, Tyranitar, and Zapdos, letting them more easily apply pressure to weakened opposing teams. In return, these Pokemon are able to threaten Steel- and Dark-types such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, and Tyranitar that could otherwise force Tapu Lele out. This also eases Choice Specs's prediction-reliant nature. Speed control from the likes of Choice Scarf Urshifu-R and Choice Scarf Kartana is also appreciated, as they can help Tapu Lele deal with faster threats such as Dragapult, Blacephalon, and Tapu Koko.
[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bt89.487308/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/pulsar512b.469728/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/veti.612907/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/slowpoke-fan.617219/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/zinnias.569291/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/solarbeam.470115/
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