Horn Leech is absolutely necessary if you want to be able to use a STAB move without KOing yourself. Trust me, any Tapu Bulu set that doesn't run Horn Leech or Leech Seed dies way too fast, even with Grassy Terrain.
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Pokémon Tapu Bulu
- Thread starter Hootie
- Start date
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Be careful, man... the last time someone used "Trust me" to justify their points, USA elected him president.
That being said, i actually agree with you on the horn leech matter. I still think Wood Hammer is necessary, forcing you to run 2 grass moves even on non choice sets.
Vague
Banned deucer.
Wood Hammer isn't necessary unless you're running CB since your goal is to wall break rather than sustaining. The purpose of sets that aren't choice related are to dish out respectable damage while lasting long.
Also, if you believe that Sub sets should run Wood Hammer and not see the issue with that then I don't know what to say.
Essentially, horn leech is always better if you aren't running CB
Also, if you believe that Sub sets should run Wood Hammer and not see the issue with that then I don't know what to say.
Essentially, horn leech is always better if you aren't running CB
I've been having good luck with this set:
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Taunt
Leech seed is more than enough recovery and so recoil has been irrelevant in the games I've played. Try it out!
It's better on the bulk up set I suppose but I'm not a fan of that set yet.
This. So much this. Tapu Bulu Control is simply amazing. It partners amazingly with Heatran, Aegislash, Toxapex, Ferrothorn, M-Venusaur. Just spams Leech Seed + Status + Hazard and control the game.Posted this in the metagame discussion page, I'll repost it here! :)
Calling this shit right now, so I can say I invented it if it becomes popular.
Tapu Bulu stall is going to be one of the new prominent stall arch-types in generation seven. Grassy terrain does a couple things, it halves ground damage, it heals grounded mons by 6% each turn and it boosts grass power. Alone this acts as a deterrent to Dugtrio shenanigans, because with half the power you're not doing shit. Choice Banded Dugtrio does like 43% to max defence Toxapex. Not only that, but Earthquake is one of the most common offensive moves and coverage moves. You really, really benefit from every earthquake being significantly weaker.
But that's not all. 6% recovery for all of your grounded pokemon is amazing. Although this does effect your opponent, clever teambuilding really appreciates the passive recovery. For example, Aegislash. Aegislash loves Tapu Bulu. Defensive Landorus-Therian's Earthquake is a roll to 3hko Aegislash with Grassy terrain up - you also give Aegislash 6-12% recovery each turn. But that's not all, Mega Pokemon, Chansey ect. all love the passive recovery that allow them to be a tiny bit more careless.
This pokemon is bulky, it's got plenty of utility, it's got passive recovery in Leech seed + Protect, it removes ground weakness from virtually anything on your team bar Heatran, it gives recovery to every grounded pokemon on your team and it is a powerful wallbreaker.
Here's a core to try
Tapu Bulu + Aegislash + Toxapex
Although I'm testing M-Gyarados now for some kind of win condition besides boring the opponent to death. After Mega Evolving it becomes grounded and benefits from Grassy Terrain. Come to think now that M-Zard X might work as well...
One thing I can't decide is what set to run on Bulu itself. Right now I'm using the Sub/SD/Wood Hammer/Super Power. With Grassy Terrain and Leftovers, Wood Hammer becomes less of a concern. And it just hits so hard I feel bad running Horn Leech. But I'm not completely sold. It gets walled too easily IMO.
One thing I'm sold on is: Tapu Bulu Control will be a thing and it's my thing right now.
Thoughts?
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leech Seed
- Bulk Up
- Horn Leech
- Brick Break
I've been using this set alongside subpunch Buzzwole and aurora veil and it puts in work. Been really enjoying it.
Some replays:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-486481614
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-486490666
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leech Seed
- Bulk Up
- Horn Leech
- Brick Break
I've been using this set alongside subpunch Buzzwole and aurora veil and it puts in work. Been really enjoying it.
Some replays:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-486481614
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-486490666
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This pokemon was made for Assault Vest. I've been using this set with an incredible amount of success.
Tapu Bulu@Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 SpD
Adamant Nature
-Horn Leech
-Megahorn
-Superpower
-Stone Edge
Sustainability is the name of the game for this pokemon. Horn Leech hits hard and allows you to heal and switch out. Megahorn hits grass types, Superpower hits steel types, and Stone Edge hits flying types. You can use Zen Headbutt as a coverage move for poison types, or Wood Hammer if you really want the extra power, but I've found that its coverage moves hit hard enough to deal with a lot of common switch-ins. Thunderbolt is also an option if Skarmory is giving you fits, and HP Fire hits Scizor hard enough too.
Great pokemon.
Tapu Bulu@Assault Vest
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 SpD
Adamant Nature
-Horn Leech
-Megahorn
-Superpower
-Stone Edge
Sustainability is the name of the game for this pokemon. Horn Leech hits hard and allows you to heal and switch out. Megahorn hits grass types, Superpower hits steel types, and Stone Edge hits flying types. You can use Zen Headbutt as a coverage move for poison types, or Wood Hammer if you really want the extra power, but I've found that its coverage moves hit hard enough to deal with a lot of common switch-ins. Thunderbolt is also an option if Skarmory is giving you fits, and HP Fire hits Scizor hard enough too.
Great pokemon.
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I have been running a particularly unique Tapu Bulu set that I have found to be work wonders in Pokebank OU. Here it is:
Tapu Bulu @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 168 HP / 124 Atk / 40 Def / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leech Seed
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
It serves primarily as a stallbreaker but has other options as well. Swords Dance + Tapu Bulu's stupid high base attack and good STAB moves make it must when you have a turn to use it. This set can make Tapu Bulu a very good option against stall, while still serving its role on a BO team. Life Orb just serves to give it that extra oomph it really needs to get through the walls. On many an occasion I have gotten through 4 ot 5 mons just with Tapu Bulu's resilience with Horn Leech and the facthatt I one-shotted the other Pokemon.
Tapu Bulu @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 168 HP / 124 Atk / 40 Def / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leech Seed
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
It serves primarily as a stallbreaker but has other options as well. Swords Dance + Tapu Bulu's stupid high base attack and good STAB moves make it must when you have a turn to use it. This set can make Tapu Bulu a very good option against stall, while still serving its role on a BO team. Life Orb just serves to give it that extra oomph it really needs to get through the walls. On many an occasion I have gotten through 4 ot 5 mons just with Tapu Bulu's resilience with Horn Leech and the facthatt I one-shotted the other Pokemon.
Tapu Bulu @ Big Root
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly/Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Substitute
Quite similar to Albacore's, but I run this set. I'm not sure how competitive it is, but it seems to work
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly/Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Substitute
Quite similar to Albacore's, but I run this set. I'm not sure how competitive it is, but it seems to work
I do not think that a Big Root set needs jolly with max speed, or just max speed in general. Also, a good improvement to the set would be to replace Protect with Swords Dance to make Tapu Bulu an even better stallbreaker.
Might purely bulky stall sets opt for Nature's Madness? Always doing 50% damage gives anything a tough time switching in, and is prediction safe.
Tapu Bulu@Leftovers
Grassy Surge
Impish: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt/Protect/Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Toxic/Horn Leech
Tapu Bulu@Leftovers
Grassy Surge
Impish: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt/Protect/Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Toxic/Horn Leech
With how the metagame is settling, I don't think Wood Hammer is all that viable, Horn Leech coming off that Attack with the recovery + Grassy Terrain is really all you need. Also Megahorn is painfully unviable in my eyes; I'd recommend running Rock Slide instead of Wood Hammer, and Zen Headbutt instead of Megahorn. Zen Headbutt is necessary for Fighting types and other specific threats, while Rock Slide nails a few additional Pokemon for far more damage. Yeah, you sacrifice a tiny bit of additional power not running Wood Hammer but it doesn't nail anything else that important with that extra damage that Horn Leech wouldn't do, and also greatly increases Bulu's longevity.
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Stone Edge / Superpower
- Taunt
- Swords Dance
I haven't seen a Taunt + SD set mentioned yet, so here's the one I've been using to great effect; the comparative lack of coverage is made up for by the sheer utility, and a +2 Grassy Terrain Horn Leech mauls everything that doesn't 4x resist it anyway. The EVs are still a work in progress, though, you might be better off running less Speed and more bulk.
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Stone Edge / Superpower
- Taunt
- Swords Dance
I haven't seen a Taunt + SD set mentioned yet, so here's the one I've been using to great effect; the comparative lack of coverage is made up for by the sheer utility, and a +2 Grassy Terrain Horn Leech mauls everything that doesn't 4x resist it anyway. The EVs are still a work in progress, though, you might be better off running less Speed and more bulk.
I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet, but secret power under grassy terrain has a 30% chance to induce sleep. I'm unsure who could properly abuse this or use the grass coverage. But tbh it's something to keep in mind. Also since secret power turns into a grass type attack it also gets the 50% power boost as well. A lot of 'mons learn thia move so I'm sure there's a way to reasonably incorporate this somehow.
You are mixing the effects of Secret Power(which has the Sleep chance) and Nature Power, wich turns into Energy Ball on Grassy Terrain. The latter is also a status move, which makes it behave differently from Secret Power(Notably getting priority from Prankster and being unusable with Assault Vest on). I like it as a sort of anti-meta coverage move, since it turns into moves that get boosted by the current terrain, possibly resulting in a significant power spike for the mon using it.
Coming back here, I think that the Kebia berry might work well. I haven't tried it, but it seems good.
No Choice Scarf Set? That's one of its best
Hiddenfreezer Albacore posted a scarf set on the first page (post #9). It's not listed in the OP though.
Tapu Bulu @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk/ 4 Def/ 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Superpower
-Horn Leech
-Wood Hammer
-Zen/Stone Edge/Megahorn/Whatever
This set isn't optimized, but the point is Superpower with Fightinium Z. With an adamant nature it allows for this:
252+ Atk Tapu Bulu All-Out Pummeling vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Celesteela: 221-260 (55.5 - 65.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
followed by:
252+ Atk Tapu Bulu Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Celesteela: 140-165 (35.1 - 41.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
Spedef Celesteela takes 97% minimum from All-out-pummeling into Superpower when factoring in rocks + lefties recovery. Of course banded Bulu can still do around 90% to the same set in the same circumstances, but a -1 Bulu locked into Superpower is easier for opponents to play around. This set is probably decent if a team really needs a more reliable way to hit Celesteela and wants to lure in stuff that can handle Wood Hammer, only to get smashed by All-out-pummeling, since the banded damage is comparable but this can bait stuff better. Ferrothorn, for example, can feel safe to stay in after eating a Wood Hammer on the switch in, only to die to Z move.
Honestly this is more of a random tech than a set that should see high usage, but it's something at least.
Tapu Bulu @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk/ 4 Def/ 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Superpower
-Horn Leech
-Wood Hammer
-Zen/Stone Edge/Megahorn/Whatever
This set isn't optimized, but the point is Superpower with Fightinium Z. With an adamant nature it allows for this:
252+ Atk Tapu Bulu All-Out Pummeling vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Celesteela: 221-260 (55.5 - 65.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
followed by:
252+ Atk Tapu Bulu Superpower vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Celesteela: 140-165 (35.1 - 41.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
Spedef Celesteela takes 97% minimum from All-out-pummeling into Superpower when factoring in rocks + lefties recovery. Of course banded Bulu can still do around 90% to the same set in the same circumstances, but a -1 Bulu locked into Superpower is easier for opponents to play around. This set is probably decent if a team really needs a more reliable way to hit Celesteela and wants to lure in stuff that can handle Wood Hammer, only to get smashed by All-out-pummeling, since the banded damage is comparable but this can bait stuff better. Ferrothorn, for example, can feel safe to stay in after eating a Wood Hammer on the switch in, only to die to Z move.
Honestly this is more of a random tech than a set that should see high usage, but it's something at least.
I think running Wood Hammer is preferable if you want Bulu to act as a wallbreaker - which is particularly true if you're using CB Bulu. Also interesting point about Rock Slide / Zen Headbutt; do they take down anything notable?
Zen is for Amoongus/Venusaur, Rock Slide over Stone Edge for a better accuracy, a good flinch chance, etc. +2 Continental Crush using Stone Edge should OHKO SpDef Celesteela after rocks.
I've been running this beauty here:
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Leech Seed
It beats walls really well, maximizes the profit of sustain and can break down teams. Celesteela and other Steel types are NOT handled by this at all, but they don't enjoy switching into Leech Seed at all. Because of the Grassy Terrain boosted Horn Leech, a Sub on a predicted switch will often spell doom for checks while SD allows the set to be offensively relevant on top of the sustain, once the 4x resistant walls are down. I realize it's similar to the Sub-Seed set in the OP, but I don't think Bulu needs to be as passive as running Protect, when a Grassy Terrain Horn Leech usually heals more than a protected round of Leech/Lefties/Terrain on anything neutral.
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Leech Seed
It beats walls really well, maximizes the profit of sustain and can break down teams. Celesteela and other Steel types are NOT handled by this at all, but they don't enjoy switching into Leech Seed at all. Because of the Grassy Terrain boosted Horn Leech, a Sub on a predicted switch will often spell doom for checks while SD allows the set to be offensively relevant on top of the sustain, once the 4x resistant walls are down. I realize it's similar to the Sub-Seed set in the OP, but I don't think Bulu needs to be as passive as running Protect, when a Grassy Terrain Horn Leech usually heals more than a protected round of Leech/Lefties/Terrain on anything neutral.
In all seriousness, does anyone know if running Bulu alongside Ferrothorn is redundant? Ferrothorn seems like it could really take advantage of Grassy Terrain + Leftovers + Leech Seed + Thunder Wave + Protect, but that leaves you with 2 defensive pokes that both lose to fire. How could I get it to work?
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Off the top of my head....add Pelipper?
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