[OVERVIEW]
* Psychic Terrain is a valuable tool for offensive teams, as it blocks priority moves such as Yveltal's Sucker Punch, Arceus and Rayquaza's Extreme Speed, and Giratina-O's Shadow Sneak for grounded Pokemon.
* Psychic Terrain provides Tapu Lele with more power to its Psychic-type STAB moves, making it a competent attacker when coupled with its base 95 Speed tier.
* Access to support moves such as Nature's Madness and Taunt gives Tapu Lele utility outside of Psychic Surge.
* Tapu Lele tends to struggle against Steel- and Psychic-types without proper coverage or Nature's Madness.Its relatively low bulk and lack of useful resistances makes it difficult to switch in.
* Psychic Terrain can potentially hinder priority users on its team if opposing threats are grounded.
[SET]
name: Offensive Support
move 1: Psychic
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Nature's Madness / Shadow Ball
item: Terrain Extender
ability: Psychic Surge
nature: Timid / Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Psychic is ridiculously powerful under Psychic Terrain and does great damage to specially defensive threats such as Ho-Oh and Primal Kyogre.
* Moonblast is Tapu Lele's secondary STAB move, threatening Dragon-types such as Giratina-O and Rayquaza as well as Dark-types that threaten Psychic-type cores such as Yveltal and Arceus-Dark.
* The combination of Nature's Madness and Taunt allows Tapu Lele to significantly damage bulky Pokemon that resist Psychic, Steel-types, and several support Arceus variants while preventing them from acting defensively.
* Shadow Ball hits Lunala for massive damage regardless of Shadow Shield, which would otherwise be able to switch in on Tapu Lele with relative ease.
* Hidden Power Fire can be used over Nature's Madness for more consistency against opposing Steel-types.
* Aromatherapy is nice insurance against status to safeguard important wincons on Tapu Lele's team while further broadening its support abilities.
Set Details
========
* The given EV spread maximizes Tapu Lele's offensive power as well as its Speed.
* Terrain Extender allows Tapu Lele to use Psychic Terrain to its greatest extent while supporting its teammates as much as possible.
* A Timid nature allows Tapu Lele to outspeed the base 90 Speed tier and bulky base forme Arceus variants while forcing a Speed tie with positive Speed Rayquaza. Modest can be used over Timid for Tapu Lele to perform better offensively.
Usage Tips
========
* Tapu Lele is primarily a support-oriented Pokemon with Psychic Terrain and its defensive capabilities are limited, so switch in sparingly on given opportunities.
* With Psychic Terrain active, Tapu Lele's offensive power is quite respectable; Psychic is a great tool for smacking bulky Pokemon and weakening most checks to offensive threats found on teams built around Psychic-types.
* Determining when to utilize either Tapu Lele or Psychic Terrain is paramount to supporting the team. For example, be sure to sparingly bring in Tapu Lele until priority cleaners are either scouted or identified, such as an unknown Arceus type on offensive teams.
* Nature's Madness + Taunt is a respectable support option for other sweepers on Lele's team; use it if a switch-in to Tapu Lele could potentially come out, since Nature's Madness does decent damage at worst.
Team Options
========
* Deoxys-A immensely benefits from Psychic Terrain, which boosts its STAB moves and removes its weakness to priority, making it the best choice for an offensive Psychic-type to pair with Tapu Lele.
* Mewtwo shares most of the benefits that Deoxys-A has, but is less powerful as a whole.
* Arceus-Dark covers Psychic Terrain Teams' weakness to Ghost-types such as Mega Gengar and Lunala as well as Yveltal.
* Yveltal performs the same function as Arceus-Dark in terms of supporting Tapu Lele, but it cannot optimally use Sucker Punch due to Psychic Terrain's effects.
* Though it doesn't benefit from Psychic Terrain, Mega Salamence offers Tapu Lele + Deoxys-A cores with a Ground immunity and a Primal Groudon check, acting as an offensive threat and giving Psychic Terrain teams more defensive synergy.
* Offensive threats that appreciate the lack of priority attackers are generally good teammates as long as they are grounded. Xerneas is of particular note due to it being extremely difficult to revenge kill under Psychic Terrain and providing a check to Dark-types that threaten Psychic Terrain cores.
* Mega Gengar also appreciates Psychic Terrain, as it hinders Giratina-O and Yveltal's effectiveness, and traps and removes Pokemon that resist Psychic.
* Tyranitar serves the purpose of checking Dark-types such as Yveltal as well as potential opponents that like Psychic Terrain such as Mewtwo and can set up Stealth Rock for Tapu Lele's teammates to take advantage of.
* Other entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon, Excadrill, and Dialga can also be utilized to assist Tapu Lele and its teammates in KOing opposing threats.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Keep in mind that any item choice other than Terrain Extender decreases the time that Psychic Terrain is active, reducing Tapu Lele's support value.
* Choice Specs increases Tapu Lele's wallbreaking abilities and can 2HKO maximum HP Ho-Oh.
* Choice Scarf remedies Tapu Lele's decent Speed at the cost of freedom of move choice.
* Life Orb gives Tapu Lele power and flexibility, but doesn't guarantee the 2HKO on maximum HP Ho-Oh like Choice Specs unless Tapu Lele is Modest.
* Psyshock can be used over Psychic on the standard set to 2HKO Ho-Oh reliably, but prevents Tapu Lele from exploiting physical walls or tanks.
* Focus Blast is able to 2HKO all variants of base forme Arceus.
* Grass Knot is an option to hit both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre as well as Arceus-Water.
* Thunder performs the same role as Grass Knot but covers Ho-Oh instead of Primal Groudon.
* Calm Mind or Substitute + Calm Mind are nice choices to let Tapu Lele carry more weight as a potential wincon, but limit its support options.
* Eject Button is a surprisingly viable choice, as Tapu Lele can set up Psychic Terrain and switch in Deoxys-A safely on the same turn as long as Tapu Lele is hit.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Offensive Ghost-types**: Due to Tapu Lele's slightly lacking Speed and low bulk, Ghost-type threats such as Lunala, Mega Gengar, and Arceus-Ghost can immediately threaten it. However, Mega Gengar hates Psychic and the others get hit hard by Nature's Madness or Shadow Ball.
**Steel-types**: If lacking Hidden Power Fire, Steel-types such as Bronzong, Ferrothorn, Solgaleo, Celesteela, and Magearna can comfortably switch in on Tapu Lele and threaten it with Steel-type STAB moves, but none of them appreciate Nature's Madness as most of them do not have reliable recovery options.
**Pheromosa**: Pheromosa is one of the biggest threats to Tapu Lele teams as a whole. It greatly benefits from Psychic Terrain's priority block and outspeeds a large portion of said Terrain's common offensive users, KOing most of them with its coverage moves.
**Fast Attackers**: Tapu Lele's low physical bulk means that most Pokemon that outspeed it will be able to KO it. Rayquaza always KOes with Dragon Ascent, and Mega Salamence can outspeed and KO with Return or Double-Edge. Deoxys-A can KO Tapu Lele after Stealth Rock damage and with a Psychic Terrain-boosted Psycho Boost or always KO it with Shadow Ball.
**Ho-Oh**: Though it doesn't take Psychic that well, bulky variants of Ho-Oh are still reliable switch-ins to Tapu Lele if Stealth Rock is not up and can threaten it with Sacred Fire or Brave Bird.
**Paralysis**: Any offensive presence that Tapu Lele exerts can be removed with Thunder Wave, leaving it unable to outspeed anything but defensive threats, which is terrible considering its low bulk.
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