hey
[OVERVIEW]
The combination of a monstrous Special Attack stat, solid offensive coverage, and phenomenal ability makes Tapu Lele one of the most feared wallbreakers in OU. Psychic Surge's Psychic Terrain makes Tapu Lele's Psychic-type STAB attacks deal mind-boggling damage, 2HKOing bulky neutral targets such as Landorus-T, Tapu Fini, and Volcanion with its Choice Specs Psyshock. Despite this absurd wallbreaking potential with Choice Specs, Tapu Lele may also play the role of a late-game cleaner with Choice Scarf and Calm Mind. The former lets Tapu Lele also double as solid Speed control, mitigating its otherwise average Speed while the latter gives Tapu Lele strong snowball potential. Additionally, Psychic Terrain also prevents priority moves, giving Tapu Lele a layer of utility by preventing priority 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 leads a lot to be desired without a Choice Scarf, getting outsped and overwhelmed by common offensive threats such as Kartana, Garchomp, and Blacephalon. Even Choice Scarf variants can be outsped and overwhelmed by Choice Scarf variants of Kartana and Blacephalon. This issue becomes much more concerning when one considers Tapu Lele's middling Defense stat 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. Despite these drawbacks, Tapu Lele remains one of the most polarizing offensive threats in the tier.
[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 with its excellent coverage. Psyshock is Tapu Lele's premier STAB choice, letting it 2HKO special walls like Blissey and Galarian Slowking while also doing more damage to specially defensive Heatran. Moonblast compliments 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 into Steel-types, OHKOing Melmetal without Assault Vest and Ferrothorn and 2HKOing Heatran. Thunderbolt is Tapu Lele's strongest move into Corviknight, Slowbro, and Slowking while Shadow Ball lets Tapu Lele hit Aegislash, Victini, Jirachi, and Shedinja. A Modest nature increases Tapu Lele's power, maximising the odds for OHKOs on Ferrothorn and physically defensive Heatran with Focus Blast and Toxapex with Psyshock. It also lets Tapu Lele OHKO offensive Zapdos with Psychic and 2HKO Corviknight with Focus Blast. However, a Timid nature lets Tapu Lele outspeed the likes of Jolly Rillaboom, Excadrill, Hydreigon, and Nidoking.
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, shielding its average physical bulk from the likes of Weavile, Blaziken, and Zeraora while ensuring that Tapu Lele can switch in safely. 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 that favor Tapu Lele. 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 Weavile and Tyranitar. Offensive Pokemon in general like Volcarona, Weavile, Garchomp, and Blacephalon heavily appreciate Tapu Lele's Psychic Terrain [wip]. Late-game sweepers such as Tapu Koko, Blacephalon, and Kartana 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' prediction-reliant nature. [speed control]
[CREDITS]
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
Last edited:
