Topu Keko Langann
QC (3/3): dk, PK Gaming, Subject 18
GP (2/2): The Dutch Plumberjack, Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Tapu Koko is a high priority offensive threat in OU thanks to an ideal combination of speed, power, and a variety of team-supporting utilities at its disposal. Its naturally electrifying base 130 Speed certainly stands out, allowing it to outrun and revenge kill most non-Choice Scarf Pokemon in OU sans Mega Alakazam, Mega Beedrill, and Ash-Greninja. Its fantastic Speed tier complements its access to U-turn and Volt Switch as well as its obscenely powerful Electric-type attacks thanks to stacked boosts from STAB, Electric Surge, and its chosen boosting item. Additionally, Tapu Koko's access to Taunt and Nature's Madness allow it to also pressure defensively-oriented teams, adding to its rather underrated versatility. Though its bulk is nothing special, its defensive typing often gives it useful opportunities to switch in against U-turn, Knock Off, Outrage, and other similar attacks.
Although it has decent coverage, moves outside of Electric-type attacks can be rather underwhelming due to low Base Power and Tapu Koko's only decent base 95 Special Attack stat. Because Tapu Koko's bulk is just about average, it can typically only switch into resisted or particularly weak attacks. Regardless, all serious offensive teams always need to take Tapu Koko into account while other archetypes should never underestimate it.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Hidden Power Ice
move 4: Taunt / Volt Switch
item: Magnet
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thunderbolt is Tapu Koko's main attack, as it does substantial work against most neutral targets and some weaker threats that resist it. U-turn exploits predicted switch-ins to Thunderbolt (such as Ground-types) by switching out to a better matchup while doing chip damage. Hidden Power Ice is very weak but offers optimal coverage with Thunderbolt by dealing slightly better damage to Dragon-, Ground-, and Grass-types. It is particularly effective against Landorus-T, Zygarde, and bulky Garchomp when all of them are slightly weakened.
In the last slot, Taunt can be used instead to stop lead entry hazard setters, Defog users, and defensive Pokemon from setting up or recovering. Volt Switch mixes the benefits of Thunderbolt and U-turn; it becomes a significantly better option to use over U-turn (coverage- and power-wise) if foes immune to Electric-type attacks are eliminated or not present at all. Dazzling Gleam is worth considering in that it has decent Base Power and STAB. In this set's case, however, the normally fantastic Fairy-type STAB is not necessary, as Hidden Power Ice tends to hit more relevant 4x weak threats. Without a boosting item, it's not really hitting too hard either.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature ensure Tapu Koko is able to hit as hard and fast as possible. U-turn does negligible damage regardless of the Attack drop from the Timid nature, so using a Hasty or Naive nature is unnecessary and ill advised. Magnet boosts the power of Tapu Koko's Electric-type attacks even further while preserving its health when using U-turn or Volt Switch. This set is therefore sufficiently powerful as is and does not require the all-around boosts from Life Orb and the recoil that comes with it.
Usage Tips
========
Tapu Koko typically forces frail, offensive Pokemon to switch out thanks to its powerful Electric-type attacks and often unmatched Speed tier. Thus, it may be wise to use U-turn early-game, as the opponent may switch in a Pokemon that is immune or resistant to Thunderbolt. Alternatively, using Thunderbolt or Volt Switch outright can KO a threat, as some opponents may anticipate the normally weaker U-turn. Depending on the structure of the opposing team, Tapu Koko can either significantly wear the opposing team down before fainting itself or clean up after faster threats are accounted for. Be cautious when sending in Tapu Koko because its average bulk does not allow it to switch into much outside of resisted or very weak hits (from Tornadus-T, Scizor, and Toxapex, for example). Therefore, avoid hard-switching if possible.
Taunt is relatively unexpected and disrupts momentum, making it useful against a variety of targets such as lead Azelf and Smeargle, Defog users, and defensive Pokemon wanting to use status or recovery moves. A common example is preventing Ferrothorn from using Leech Seed or setting up Spikes or Stealth Rock. However, do not stay in too long against such threats because they may attempt to attack Tapu Koko directly instead.
Team Options
========
Tapu Koko tends to keep high momentum thanks to its speedy switching attacks, so teammates that break through common defensive checks and counters are required. Defensively inclined Grass-types can also give Tapu Koko some issues; threats such as Mega Mawile, Tapu Lele, and Heatran are very effective at keeping Tangrowth, Mega Venusaur, and others at bay. Specially defensive Pokemon can often shrug off Tapu Koko's attacks with little issue, making physically offensive wallbreakers such as Landorus-T, Mega Mawile, Mega Metagross, Hoopa-U, Mega Medicham, and Tapu Lele with Psyshock options worth considering.
As Tapu Koko will likely force a number of switches, teammates that can lay out Stealth Rock or Spikes can enable it to wear down switch-ins further. Greninja, Garchomp, Ferrothorn, and Heatran, amongst others, are premier entry hazard layers for offensive teams. Mega Metagross creates an absolutely excellent offensive core with Tapu Koko, as both cover each other's relative weaknesses fairly well. Mega Metagross is notable for providing priority, great bulk, and splendid physical offense while benefiting from Tapu Koko's greater Speed, faster offense, and access to switching moves. Similarly, Tornadus-T alleviates most of Tapu Koko's problems against bulky Grass-types by threatening them with a powerful Hurricane or otherwise appropriate coverage attack. Its access to Regenerator and U-turn also makes it a very good option to synergize with Tapu Koko and create a VoltTurn core.
Using other Tapu guardians may seem redundant, but doing so is actually effective because each guardian can reset each other's Terrain whenever necessary. Therefore, they do not have to worry about their respective Terrains expiring at inconvenient times. Tapu Lele stands out, as it generally hits extremely hard, while Psychic Terrain makes it a decent switch-in into predicted priority attacks. Tapu Bulu makes a fantastic switch-in against the majority of Ground-types while offering astounding physical offense through its Grass-type moves thanks to Grassy Surge.
[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Dazzling Gleam
move 3: Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Roost / Taunt
item: Life Orb
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moves
========
Thunderbolt is a reliable and extremely terrifying attack thanks to stacked boosts from Electric Terrain, STAB, and Life Orb. Most neutral and even resisted targets will be hard pressed to switch into Thunderbolt alone. Dazzling Gleam is a STAB move that hits healthy Electric-immune or resistant targets fairly hard. It 2HKOes Landorus-T while doing as much damage to Zygarde and other Dragon-types as Tapu Koko would if it used Hidden Power Ice. Hidden Power Fire 2HKOes standard Ferrothorn, Magnezone, and Excadrill, which would otherwise wall this set and KO back, while picking off Mega Scizor at higher percents. Roost provides instant recovery, which offsets entry hazard damage, Life Orb recoil, and other forms of damage. Taunt stops lead entry hazard setters, defensive Pokemon, Defoggers, and otherwise troublesome foes from setting up or recovering, giving Tapu Koko some potential to break past more defensive teams further.
Hidden Power Ice hits healthy Landorus-T harder, but it is not advised to use it with Dazzling Gleam—it should be replaced instead—as it provides redundant coverage. Hidden Power Ground is Tapu Koko's best option against Alolan Marowak, nearly KOing it after Stealth Rock damage, while maintaining coverage against Excadrill and being a much better option against Magnezone and Heatran. Grass Knot can be used to lure in and KO Hippowdon and Gastrodon, but the move has no other notable targets, and they are rather uncommon.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed and Special Attack with a Timid nature ensure Tapu Koko is able to hit as hard and fast as possible. Life Orb is preferred over other items on this set to significantly boost the power of Thunderbolt as well as all coverage attacks. A Z-Crystal such as Electrium Z or Fairium Z provides a one-time nuke and bluffs the Pivot set. However, using it compromises the power of coverage attacks as well as the freedom to use it on a dedicated sweeper.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Tapu Koko's splendid coverage and power between three attacks and the Life Orb boost, it can afford to play more aggressively than other sets. As this set lacks switching moves like U-turn, however, Tapu Koko must make sure it doesn't forfeit momentum and make its time on the battlefield count. Most players will expect Tapu Koko to use Thunderbolt or U-turn and switch in an appropriate answer accordingly. Using Dazzling Gleam instead can surprise the foe and take a chunk of health from conventional switch-ins.
Gauge the opposing team carefully to see if Tapu Koko should weaken foes and sacrifice itself mid-game or switch in later and clean up after checks and counters are gone. Tapu Koko's average bulk is more risky thanks to Life Orb recoil among other forms of damage, so find opportunities to switch in as safely as possible without hard switching. Additionally, using Roost can be a risky maneuver because it often compromises momentum. Therefore, the player should also gauge whether using Roost or sacrificing it by attacking the foe outright is appropriate.
Team Options
========
Despite expanded coverage, Tapu Koko still faces a fair number of trouble from common checks and counters, including special walls, Alolan Marowak, and bulky Grass-types. Teammates should be able to weaken or force out these threats. Mega Mawile, Mega Metagross, and Mega Medicham, for instance, match up against special walls and Grass-types fairly well while having good offensive synergy with Tapu Koko. Landorus-T and Tornadus-T are notable for having U-turn to synergize with and safely send in Tapu Koko, while both having considerable power and utilities such as Stealth Rock and leverage against Grass-types, respectively. Additionally, Spikes and Stealth Rock users are handy, as Tapu Koko is likely to force switches and requires prior damage to achieve some KOs, such as a 2HKO against defensive Landorus-T. Greninja, Garchomp, and Heatran are notable for providing hazards along with excellent offensive presence.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Tapu Koko is a fairly good user of a Choice Scarf. It takes advantage of Tapu Koko's fancy Speed tier and enables it to revenge kill virtually any threat with +1 or even +2 Speed boosts. The drop in power due to a lack of boosting items can be compensated for somewhat by using a Special Attack-boosting nature, such as Modest or Rash, instead of Timid. If used, it works well with Brave Bird in order to revenge kill +1 Volcarona; maximum Attack will guarantee an OHKO on uninvested variants, while zero investment in Attack puts Volcarona in range of most priority attacks that follow. Similarly, Choice Specs further boosts the power of Tapu Koko's Electric-type attacks to monstrous heights while giving other attacks, especially Hidden Power and Dazzling Gleam, a considerable boost. However, Tapu Koko generally prefers to switch moves whenever it can because Electric-type moves can be unfavorable to be locked into. Expert Belt is another item to consider, boosting the power of super effective attacks by 20%. However, the boost does not apply to neutral targets, plus Tapu Koko will be wanting to hit everything in general as hard as possible with guaranteed boosting items like Magnet and Life Orb.
For moves, Thunder is an option with Drizzle support, making Tapu Koko an real terror to switch into on rain teams. A stallbreaker set consisting of Nature's Madness and Taunt is also decently effective against defensively oriented teams; it pressures common defensive Pokemon with Thunderbolt while denying them recovery or setup with the aforementioned moves. Access to Light Screen and Reflect along with Taunt and a switching move also opens the possibility of a fast dual screens support set; unlike other dedicated screen setters such as Alolan Ninetales or Azelf, it is not immediately obvious that Tapu Koko would be running such a set. Calm Mind boosts Tapu Koko's Special Attack and Special Defense by one stage, giving it the ability to wallbreak when given the opportunity. It is also effective with Roost to heal off damage it suffers while switching in or setting up. However, Tapu Koko will rarely find opportunities to use it and must give up a moveslot for it. Brave Bird lets Tapu Koko lure in and deal heavy damage to most Grass-types, though Tapu Koko mostly has to go out of its way to use it by dedicating a moveslot, item, or possibly nature and EVs to it. If considered, the option of using a Flyinium Z should also be taken into account for bluffing the standard set while providing a one-time nuke in Supersonic Skystrike. Using an entirely or mostly physical set with Magnet, Choice Band, or a Z-Crystal, is an option to take advantage of Tapu Koko's nice base 115 Attack, though it will be hard pressed to survive or do anything meaningful thanks to being reliant on recoil attacks with shoddy coverage.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Grass-type Pokemon**: Grass-types sport a resistance to Thunderbolt and like to tank Hidden Power Ice thanks to their abounding bulk and access to recovery, making some defensive variants substantial counters against Tapu Koko. Mega Venusaur, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss are persistently pesty in this regard, as they sponge most common attacks well and wear Tapu Koko down significantly, fearing nothing but the rare and unoptimal Brave Bird. Similarly, Ferrothorn shrugs off most attacks and annoys Tapu Koko further by setting up entry hazards or using Leech Seed on it or its switch-in. Though sets with Hidden Power Fire give it trouble, it will not be taken out at full health.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Although Tapu Koko is quite generally powerful thanks to Electric Surge and good coverage, its base 95 Special Attack can only take it so far. Thus, it may find itself unable to effectively break past dedicated special tanks and walls, including Chansey, Tyranitar, Assault Vest Alolan Muk, Assault Vest Magearna, and Nihilego. All of these threats are capable of wearing it down or OHKOing outright, with some being able to recover or set up entry hazards.
**Revenge Killers**: Though Tapu Koko is naturally fast, there are some threats that can outspeed and KO it. Offensive Pokemon with a higher Speed stat such as Ash-Greninja, Mega Beedrill, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Alakazam can all do so but have difficulty switching in. Likewise, Choice Scarf users including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Tapu Lele, and Nihilego can net a surprise kill; the former two are notable for their immunity to Electric-type attacks and reputation for holding other items effectively, making Tapu Koko susceptible to mind games. Tapu Lele, on the other hand, replaces Electric terrain with its own Psychic Surge and thus hits Tapu Koko or its switch-in fairly hard with a dangerously faster and powerful Psychic. Priority attacks such as Mega Metagross's Bullet Punch, Zygarde's Extreme Speed, Mega Medicham's Fake Out and Bullet Punch, and Ash-Greninja's Water Shuriken can take Tapu Koko out if it as at reasonable health. Lastly, Swift Swim Kingdra, Kabutops, Omastar, Sand Rush Excadrill, and other similar threats can revenge kill Tapu Koko under their respective weather conditions.
**Pokemon That Resist Common Attacks**: Virtually nothing Tapu Koko commonly carries can make a significant dent in Alolan Marowak due to its ability Lightning Rod as well as its convenient resistances to Hidden Power Fire, Hidden Power Ice, U-turn, and Dazzling Gleam. Though Alolan Marowak can be worn down with Stealth Rock and U-turn, it will place the rest of Tapu Koko's team in a difficult position; not many Pokemon will enjoy switching into its Thick Club-boosted attacks. Similarly, Magnezone basically shrugs off any attack thanks to its bulk and Electric / Steel typing and cares only for the occasional Hidden Power Fire or Hidden Power Ground—in which case it may take at least two or three hits to go down depending on the set.
**Ground-type Pokemon and Coverage**: The very presence of Ground-types prevents Tapu Koko from simply firing and winning with Thunderbolt, as they are immune to Electric-type attacks and typically OHKO back with their own STAB Earthquake. Though Tapu Koko sports several effective countermeasures against common ones, it cannot hope to win against them unless they are severely weakened. Excadrill stands out because it minds nearly nothing from Tapu Koko except Hidden Power Fire, but it can shrug of even that if it is running HP investment or at full health. It also sports Sand Rush with sandstorm support sometimes, enabling it to outrun and revenge kill nearly flawlessly. Without the help of a boosting item or prior damage, Hidden Power Ice will never OHKO Zygarde or Landorus-T at full health; the former can set up Dragon Dance or KO with Extreme Speed or Thousand Waves, while the latter can KO with Earthquake by tanking a hit with its defensive set or outspeeding with a Choice Scarf. Gastrodon, Mamoswine, and Hippowdon typically switch into Tapu Koko all day with the exception of the rare Grass Knot headed their way.
[SET]
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Nature's Madness
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: U-turn
item: Mago Berry / Leftovers
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 80 HP / 212 SpA / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nature's Madness is a catch-all, low-risk move that halves the HP of any target, effectively protecting Tapu Koko from coverage and power issues against defensive cores. Taunt synergizes well with Nature's Madness as it prevents defensive Pokemon from recovering back their lost HP. It also completely stops the foe's attempts at setting up or using Defog. Thunderbolt is powerful, reliable attack that threatens a fraction of common stall archetypes, and should otherwise be used mainly against weakened or frail targets. U-turn punishes predicted switch-ins, does chip damage, and switches Tapu Koko out to a better matchup. It also allows Tapu Koko to escape from non-Scarfed Dugtrio unscathed.
While Roost may sound like a good option to replace over U-turn, doing so forfeits momentum more often and makes it more difficult to bluff Tapu Koko's pivot set.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is optimized to work against stall teams while still providing considerable offensive presence. 80 HP EVs is necessary to reach 301 HP, allowing Tapu Koko to live three Seismic Tosses from Chansey and other similar threats. 216 Speed EVs with a Timid nature is just enough to outspeed max Speed Weavile, while the rest is invested into Special Attack to power up Thunderbolt considerably.
The choice of Mago Berry or Leftovers is up to preference; the former bluffs the standard pivot set and instantly recovers a large chunk of HP at quarter health. The latter may be preferred if the player forsees using this set in the long run against defensive teams. Tapunium Z turns Nature's Madness into Guardian of Alola for one time, giving Tapu Koko an opportunity to deal huge damage to a threat that otherwise switches easily into it. However, it forfeits its teammates' freedom to use Z Crystals themselves.
Usage Tips
========
This variant of Tapu Koko is valuable against defensively oriented teams, as it dismantles defensive Pokemon by continually attacking and denying them opportunities to recover. As such, it is important to gauge when to attack and when to sacrifice Tapu Koko when necessary. Against stall teams, utilize Nature's Madness and Taunt continuously, but never excessively to the point where Tapu Koko could faint early. Thunderbolt notably threatens Skarmory and Toxapex, while forcing Mega Sableye to keep using Recover while exposing itself to critical hits or full paralysis.
Switch in carefully as Tapu Koko's bulk still holds it back. Hard switches should be avoided unless the target in question is very passive or fears Tapu Koko, such as Skarmory or Toxapex. Against offensive or balanced teams, Taunt and Nature's Madness are still useful for preventing setup and dealing surprise damage to resists, respectively. Thunderbolt and U-turn are much more valuable in such cases as Tapu Koko can manage to deal decent damage or pivot out of bad matchups. Above all, do not overestimate Tapu Koko's bulk or power, as its bulk is still average at best, and the set forfeits a boosting item for recovery.
Team Options
========
As this set is relatively lacking in power and focuses its efforts on stallbreaking, having wallbreakers as teammates is more necessary than ever. Specifically, once Tapu Koko faints, using strong attackers to pick up where it left off will give the opponent little to no opportunities to recover. Mega Mawile is a paragon wallbreaker that deals with weakened Pokemon on stall extremely easily, and appreciate's Electric Surge to strengthen Thunder Punch against Toxapex and Skarmory. Additionally, Mega Mawile also still deals with common Grass-types easily. Mega Metagross can perform much of what Mega Mawile does to a slightly lesser extent, but tends to perform much better against offense due to its high Speed and coverage.
Tapu Lele is an option for doubling down on stall, easily hitting hard on its own while providing backup in case Tapu Koko falls. A Grass-type, such as Tangrowth, Amoonguss, or Tapu Bulu, makes it easier to deal with Quagsire and other Ground-types. Tapu Bulu, in particular, appreciates Tapu Koko's ability to threaten and/or weaken Skarmory in preparation for a Swords Dance sweep, and can outright sweep whole stall teams given the opportunity.
name: Stallbreaker
move 1: Nature's Madness
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Thunderbolt
move 4: U-turn
item: Mago Berry / Leftovers
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 80 HP / 212 SpA / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Nature's Madness is a catch-all, low-risk move that halves the HP of any target, effectively protecting Tapu Koko from coverage and power issues against defensive cores. Taunt synergizes well with Nature's Madness as it prevents defensive Pokemon from recovering back their lost HP. It also completely stops the foe's attempts at setting up or using Defog. Thunderbolt is powerful, reliable attack that threatens a fraction of common stall archetypes, and should otherwise be used mainly against weakened or frail targets. U-turn punishes predicted switch-ins, does chip damage, and switches Tapu Koko out to a better matchup. It also allows Tapu Koko to escape from non-Scarfed Dugtrio unscathed.
While Roost may sound like a good option to replace over U-turn, doing so forfeits momentum more often and makes it more difficult to bluff Tapu Koko's pivot set.
Set Details
========
The EV spread is optimized to work against stall teams while still providing considerable offensive presence. 80 HP EVs is necessary to reach 301 HP, allowing Tapu Koko to live three Seismic Tosses from Chansey and other similar threats. 216 Speed EVs with a Timid nature is just enough to outspeed max Speed Weavile, while the rest is invested into Special Attack to power up Thunderbolt considerably.
The choice of Mago Berry or Leftovers is up to preference; the former bluffs the standard pivot set and instantly recovers a large chunk of HP at quarter health. The latter may be preferred if the player forsees using this set in the long run against defensive teams. Tapunium Z turns Nature's Madness into Guardian of Alola for one time, giving Tapu Koko an opportunity to deal huge damage to a threat that otherwise switches easily into it. However, it forfeits its teammates' freedom to use Z Crystals themselves.
Usage Tips
========
This variant of Tapu Koko is valuable against defensively oriented teams, as it dismantles defensive Pokemon by continually attacking and denying them opportunities to recover. As such, it is important to gauge when to attack and when to sacrifice Tapu Koko when necessary. Against stall teams, utilize Nature's Madness and Taunt continuously, but never excessively to the point where Tapu Koko could faint early. Thunderbolt notably threatens Skarmory and Toxapex, while forcing Mega Sableye to keep using Recover while exposing itself to critical hits or full paralysis.
Switch in carefully as Tapu Koko's bulk still holds it back. Hard switches should be avoided unless the target in question is very passive or fears Tapu Koko, such as Skarmory or Toxapex. Against offensive or balanced teams, Taunt and Nature's Madness are still useful for preventing setup and dealing surprise damage to resists, respectively. Thunderbolt and U-turn are much more valuable in such cases as Tapu Koko can manage to deal decent damage or pivot out of bad matchups. Above all, do not overestimate Tapu Koko's bulk or power, as its bulk is still average at best, and the set forfeits a boosting item for recovery.
Team Options
========
As this set is relatively lacking in power and focuses its efforts on stallbreaking, having wallbreakers as teammates is more necessary than ever. Specifically, once Tapu Koko faints, using strong attackers to pick up where it left off will give the opponent little to no opportunities to recover. Mega Mawile is a paragon wallbreaker that deals with weakened Pokemon on stall extremely easily, and appreciate's Electric Surge to strengthen Thunder Punch against Toxapex and Skarmory. Additionally, Mega Mawile also still deals with common Grass-types easily. Mega Metagross can perform much of what Mega Mawile does to a slightly lesser extent, but tends to perform much better against offense due to its high Speed and coverage.
Tapu Lele is an option for doubling down on stall, easily hitting hard on its own while providing backup in case Tapu Koko falls. A Grass-type, such as Tangrowth, Amoonguss, or Tapu Bulu, makes it easier to deal with Quagsire and other Ground-types. Tapu Bulu, in particular, appreciates Tapu Koko's ability to threaten and/or weaken Skarmory in preparation for a Swords Dance sweep, and can outright sweep whole stall teams given the opportunity.
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