INTRODUCTION
Tapu Lele’s introduction as VGC 2016 drew to a close was a breath of fresh air for players that played through the three years where Mega Kangaskhan dominated the VGC metagame. Its accompanying Psychic Terrain, a nifty Terrain that nullifies cross field priority moves, was not only great at stopping Fake Out, but also Prankster shenanigans that could disrupt one’s battle flow. Come VGC 2017, it more or less replaced the role Mega Gardevoir had due to the sharing of Type (and subsequently) STAB combination. One cycle later, Tapu Lele is still going strong as a direct competitor to Mega Gardevoir thanks to the former not being restricted to a Mega Stone. This flexibility allows players to run Tapu Lele in a variety of roles that can cater to different needs. In this article, we will be looking at the different routes that players can choose from when training their Tapu Lele.
STEP ONE
The first step for players would be to determine’s Tapu Lele’s stat and role preference. This refers to what Tapu Lele is needed to fulfill on the team. Here, there are three main branches to deliberate upon: Offense, where Tapu Lele is trained to serve as the team’s primary powerhouse; Defense, where the longevity of Tapu Lele is prioritized; or Speed, where players run Tapu Lele as a lead that exerts immediate pressure from the get-go.
STEP TWO
The next step after deciding on Tapu Lele’s role would be to supplement it with a Hold Item and move spread that would allow Tapu Lele to function as desired. With this framework in place, players can then proceed to develop a corresponding EV spread. In this section, we will be looking at how players can build a spread that allows Tapu Lele to perform its assigned duty.
Offense
 |
 |
| Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 124 HP / 212 Def / 156 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe Modest Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Dazzling Gleam – Moonblast – Psychic – Shadow Ball / Focus Blast |
Tapu Lele @ Normalium Z Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Modest Nature / Timid Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Focus Blast / Shadow Ball – Moonblast – Nature Power – Protect |
| Benchmarks: 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Charizard Y in Psychic Terrain: 157-186 (102.6 – 121.5%) — guaranteed OHKO 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 202-238 (102 – 120.2%) — guaranteed OHKO 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Kangaskhan: 212-250 (100 – 117.9%) — guaranteed OHKO 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 236 HP / 148 SpD Incineroar: 196-232 (98 – 116%) — 87.5% chance to OHKO 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Mega Tyranitar in Sand: 200-236 (96.6 – 114%) — 75% chance to OHKO 156+ SpA Choice Specs Tapu Lele Shadow Ball vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Metagross: 130-154 (83.3 – 98.7%) — guaranteed 2HKO 252+ Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Double-Edge vs. 124 HP / 212 Def Tapu Lele: 135-160 (83.8 – 99.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO Speed: |
Benchmarks: 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Gigavolt Havoc (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 68+ SpD Milotic in Electric Terrain: 236-278 (116.8 – 137.6%) — guaranteed OHKO 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Gigavolt Havoc (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Tapu Fini in Electric Terrain: 200-236 (112.9 – 133.3%) — guaranteed OHKO 252 SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche (175 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Assault Vest Landorus-T in Psychic Terrain: 180-213 (109 – 129%) — guaranteed OHKO 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Twinkle Tackle (175 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Tyranitar in Sand: 188-224 (106.8 – 127.2%) — guaranteed OHKO 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Nature Power vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Charizard Y in Electric Terrain: 152-180 (99.3 – 117.6%) — 93.8% chance to OHKO 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Gigavolt Havoc (175 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Metagross in Electric Terrain: 153-180 (98 – 115.3%) — 87.5% chance to OHKO 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Bulu: 171-202 (96.6-114.1%) — 81.3% chance to OHKO Speed: |
| This is a Tapu Lele set up that was inspired by Shoma Honami’s from the ONOG Invitationals back in VGC 2017. It trades the bulk offered by the base for more immediate firepower, with a slightly different filler move to better account for the “new” threats available in VGC 2018.
Focus Blast, while suspect in terms of accuracy, is a fantastic coverage option for Tapu Lele. This is especially so in the wake of CHALK 2018, where Mega Kangaskhan, Heatran, and Kartana are starting to rise in popularity. Additionally, Focus Blast also allows Tapu Lele to hit other threats like Snorlax, Tyranitar, and Incineroar. Shadow Ball, on the other hand, gives the team an additional option to hit the likes of Mega Metagross, Aegislash, as well as opposing Psychic Types like Mega Gardevoir and Cresselia. Choice Specs may be good at providing a nifty power boost, but it does come with the tradeoff of being locked into the first move it chooses. This would imply an increased need to switch, which can have a detrimental effect on one’s momentum. In the late game, when the player no longer has the flexibility to switch and reset moves, Choice Specs can end up costing the player instead when locked into a non-optimal move. |
Running Focus Blast allows Tapu Lele to hit most Dark and/or Steel Type Pokemon that aren’t fazed by Psychic or Moonblast. Yet, without Shadow Ball, it is a sitting duck against the likes of Mega Metagross and Aegislash. It doesn’t necessarily match up well against opposing Tapu Fini either, since Misty Terrain denies the additional firepower to STAB Psychic, and its counterpart is bulky enough to take even Shattered Psyche, heal up with a pinch Berry, set up Calm Mind, and start punching through with STAB Moonblast.
This is where Nature Power and Normalium Z comes in. Having a flexible Terrain boosted Z move provides Tapu Lele with amazing coverage, especially when supported by a teammate like Tapu Koko. Because Tapu Lele’s Psychic Surge sets up Psychic Terrain upon entry (unless overridden), players can opt to forgo Psychic and run another coverage move instead. That said, running this strategy can be risky since it leads to an overlapping of STAB, and running Tapu Koko itself not only defeats the purpose of setting up Psychic Terrain, but can also be redundant since Tapu Koko can handle the aforementioned foes itself without needing to rely on Tapu Lele, which it naturally outruns. |
Defense
  |
  |
| Tapu Lele @ Wiki Berry / Mago Berry Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 220 HP / 236 Def / 28 SpA / 4 SpD / 20 Spe Bold Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Calm Mind – Moonblast / Focus Blast – Protect – Psychic |
Tapu Lele @ Psychium Z / Fightinium Z Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 108 HP / 228 Def / 172 SpA Modest Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Ally Switch / Focus Blast / Shadow Ball – Moonblast / Dazzling Gleam – Protect – Psychic |
| Benchmarks: +1 28 SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Koko in Psychic Terrain: 186-220 (127.3 – 150.6%) — guaranteed OHKO +1 28 SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T in Psychic Terrain: 177-208 (107.2 – 126%) — guaranteed OHKO +2 28 SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 236 HP / 84 SpD Zapdos in Psychic Terrain: 195-229 (100 – 117.4%) — guaranteed OHKO 252+ Atk Tapu Bulu Wood Hammer vs. 220 HP / 236+ Def Tapu Lele in Grassy Terrain: 150-177 (86.7 – 102.3%) — 12.5% chance to OHKO |
Benchmarks: 172+ SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Landorus-T in Psychic Terrain: 213-252 (108.6 – 128.5%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Heatran: 214-254 (108 – 128.2%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Kangaskhan: 226-266 (106.6 – 125.4%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 236 HP / 148 SpD Incineroar: 210-248 (105 – 124%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Kartana in Psychic Terrain: 141-166 (104.4 – 122.9%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Nihilego in Psychic Terrain: 192-228 (103.7 – 123.2%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele All-Out Pummeling (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Mega Tyranitar in Sand: 212-252 (102.4 – 121.7%) — guaranteed OHKO 172+ SpA Tapu Lele Shattered Psyche (175 BP) vs. 252 HP / 44+ SpD Tapu Fini in Psychic Terrain: 165-195 (93.2 – 110.1%) — 62.5% chance to OHKO 252+ Atk Parental Bond Mega Kangaskhan Double-Edge vs. 108 HP / 228 Def Tapu Lele: 133-159 (83.6 – 100%) — 0.4% chance to OHKO |
| This Tapu Lele is yet another derivative of Shoma Honami’s ONOG set up. This time, the sacrificing of a significant deal of offensive capacity is meant to guarantee the survival against a Tectonic Rage from Jolly Landorus Therian. Instead of running Choice Specs, a pinch Berry is the Hold Item of choice here, which grants more longevity and the power to use Protect. To make up for the shortfall in firepower, Calm Mind is recommended, which has the added benefit of providing a boost to Tapu Lele’s Special Defense simultaneously. The Speed investment is retained because it just outruns Jolly Choice Scarf Landorus Therian after a Tailwind boost. | This particular Tapu Lele may not be extremely bulky, but it is still able to take a Double Edge from Adamant Mega Kangaskhan a whopping 99.6% of the time. While it lacks the immediate raw power offered by Choice Specs, this variant is still capable of dealing massive damage thanks to Psychium Z.
Most Tapu Lele sets that have at least a moderate investment in bulk often sacrifice a lot of Speed, which can cause problems during mirror match ups. Hence, players can look towards Ally Switch. This is a nifty move that can act as a makeshift Follow Me, as players utilize it to bring either Tapu Lele or its partner out of trouble. When powered up by Psychium Z, Tapu Lele gains a +2 increment to its Speed, which more than makes up for its lack of Speed investment. Another option that players can look towards is Fightinium Z, which is extremely useful for patching up Focus Blast’s mediocre accuracy. Turning Focus Blast into a 190 Base Power All Out Pummeling also allows Tapu Lele to OHKO a variety of threats, from Mega Kangaskhan and Heatran, to (Mega) Tyranitar and Incineroar. |
Speed
 |
 |
| Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 28 HP / 84 Def / 252 SpA / 144 Spe Modest Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Dazzling Gleam / Hidden Power [Ice] – Focus Blast / Shadow Ball – Moonblast – Psychic |
Tapu Lele @ Adrenaline Orb Ability: Psychic Surge Level: 50 EVs: 28 HP / 252 SpA / 228 Spe Modest Nature IVs: 0 Atk – Focus Blast / Hidden Power [Ice] / Shadow Ball – Moonblast / Dazzling Gleam – Protect – Psychic |
| Benchmarks: 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Hidden Power Ice vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 180-216 (109 – 130.9%) — guaranteed OHKO -1 252 Atk Landorus-T Tectonic Rage (180 BP) vs. 28 HP / 84 Def Tapu Lele: 126-148 (84.5 – 99.3%) — guaranteed 2HKO Speed: |
Benchmarks: 252+ SpA Tapu Lele Hidden Power Ice vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 180-216 (109 – 130.9%) — guaranteed OHKO 252+ Atk Incineroar Flare Blitz vs. 28 HP / 0 Def Tapu Lele: 130-154 (87.2 – 103.3%) — 18.8% chance to OHKO Speed: |
| It may seem a bit counterintuitive to slap a Choice Scarf onto Tapu Lele, but have it underspeed Tapu Koko. However, this is not only instrumental at concealing the Hold Item, but also maintain Terrain control when led against its Electric Type counterpart.
There aren’t a lot of viable candidates that can outspeed Base 130 Pokemon without an Ability boost, Tailwind, or a Choice Scarf of its own, which means Tapu Lele isn’t necessarily too penalized for running this particular Speed investment. Now that Tapu Lele is in direct contention with opposing Landorus Therian for Speed, Hidden Power [Ice] becomes a useful coverage to eliminate the Abundance Pokemon, especially those that are not carrying Assault Vest. |
Adrenaline Orb grants Tapu Lele a Speed boost comparable to that of Choice Scarf, without locking the holder into a move. With Intimidate rampant in the metagame, players can more or less expect Adrenaline Orb to trigger.
This allows players to not only scout for a Choice Scarf on opposing Landorus Therian, but also make use of its Intimidate to outspeed Adamant variants. Additionally, because Tapu Lele starts off slower than Tapu Koko, players can wrest control of the Terrain, yet still outspeed the opponent, which would include the likes of Mega Gengar. This heavy investment into Speed does cost Tapu Lele in terms of bulk and overall longevity, which can nullify Adrenaline Orb’s boosts if Tapu Lele is forced to switch out to protect it from a super effective hit. |
STEP THREE
Having decided on the role Tapu Lele is going to play on the team, players can then move on to construct a team that not only supports Tapu Lele, but also benefit from and cover the structural weaknesses that plague Psychic Terrain cores. In the next article, we will be looking at Psychic Terrain, as well as Psychic Type Mega Pokemon that can accompany it.
MYSVGC 