[SET]
Psychic Seed (Tapu Lele) @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 136 HP / 4 SpA / 132 SpD / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Psychic Seed, Tapu Lele's naturally good special bulk balloons to incredible levels, allowing it to take some of the strongest special hits in the metagame quite comfortably. Moonblast provides strong Fairy-type STAB for use against non-Band Dragapult, Kyurem, and Moltres-G. Psyshock is a Terrain-boosted Psychic STAB move that targets Defense, making it a reliable option against Maranga Berry Togekiss, Goodra, and Calm Mind users like Tapu Fini. Taunt blocks status moves like non-Mental Herb Sylveon's Yawn or Fake Tears, Tapu Fini's Taunt, or Icy Wind Primarina's Encore. Calm Mind helps against all sorts of special attackers, like Porygon-Z, and in conjunction with Psyshock against Volcarona.
EVs
=============
The HP and Special Defense EVs allow Tapu Lele to survive a Choice Specs-boosted Sludge Wave from Modest Naganadel using the fewest EVs possible. Speed investment lets it outpace Venusaur. The remaining EVs have been placed in Special Attack for the Porygon-Z matchup.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Tapu Lele can comfortably use Calm Mind when faced with any special attacker, though it should attack if it's threatened with an OHKO or 2HKO. It should click Taunt against potential status move users, like Sylveon and Misty Terrain Tapu Fini. Do not click Taunt versus Telepathy Tapu Fini, as this ability indicates a Trick Choice Scarf set. Against Porygon-Z, Calm Mind prevents Choice Specs Modest sets from OHKOing, but risks being punished by a Choice Scarf set clicking Trick. Moonblast is a safe middle ground play, preventing Tapu Lele from being locked into a status move while preserving optimal odds of survival against Choice Specs variants.
=============
[SET]
Custap (Tapu Lele) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 16 Def / 252 SpA / 240 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Endure
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Custap Berry, Tapu Lele can turn the tables on faster threats like Dragapult and Naganadel, while retaining the setup that Calm Mind offers against bulky Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Sylveon. Endure allows Tapu Lele to reliably survive attacks at 1 HP and trigger its Custap Berry the next turn. This strategy would normally be vulnerable to priority moves, but Psychic Terrain blocks attacks like Life Orb Urshifu's Sucker Punch or Assault Vest Entei's Extreme Speed. Psyshock reliably beats specially bulky Pokemon like Assault Vest Goodra and Volcarona and can beat Chansey with correct prediction. Moonblast is a reliable Fairy-type STAB move that OHKOes Dragapult and Urshifu.
EVs
=============
A Timid nature allows Tapu Lele to outpace Adamant Choice Band Haxorus, while 16 Defense EVs ensure that Jolly Choice Scarf Haxorus can never OHKO with Poison Jab, allowing for a risk-free Moonblast click when faced with this Pokemon. 252 Special Attack EVs give the best possible roll versus Choice Band Garchomp. The remaining EVs are placed in Speed to outspeed as many Kyurem, Arcanine, and Tapu Lele sets as possible.
Usage Tips
=============
Against Dragapult, Custap Berry Tapu Lele can safely click Moonblast against anything but Choice Specs sets, which must be Endured on instead. Clicking Endure on a Substitute or Choice Band set, however, sets Tapu Lele up for failure: the former can click Curse and stall out turns, while the latter will use Phantom Force and force a risky second Endure to retain any chance of winning the matchup. As Choice Specs Dragapult is relatively rare, Moonblast is generally the best T1 play.
Against Pokemon with powerful recharge moves, like Sylveon or Porygon-Z, a well-timed Endure may be used to absorb these attacks, effectively giving Tapu Lele a free turn while the foe recharges.
Lastly, when knocking a slower Pokemon that commonly runs Custap Berry below 25% health, stalling out a turn with Endure offers some security against a potential Custap activation, though against Primarina this runs the risk of being Encored.
=============
[SET]
Specs (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Thunder
- Focus Blast / Energy Ball
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With the power added by Choice Specs and its unexpected coverage options, Tapu Lele can lure would-be counters. Psyshock hits hard enough to OHKO Sitrus Berry Spectrier, Volcarona, and Choice Specs Sylveon, while Moonblast hits Pokemon like Urshifu, Kyurem, and Moltres-G super effectively. With Thunder, the set has a somewhat unreliable click able to OHKO Choice Specs Primarina, Choice Band Azumarill, Choice Specs Volcanion, Corviknight, and Celesteela sets with low Special Defense investment. Focus Blast beats non-Choice Scarf Heatran and non-Assault Vest Tyranitar. Energy Ball takes care of Assault Vest Rhyperior, Gastrodon, and Swampert.
EVs
=============
Special Attack is maximized for the best possible rolls against Choice Scarf Togekiss and Choice Specs Zapdos. Max Speed is a small step up from the 236 EVs necessary to outspeed Venusaur and gives the best odds versus other base 90s, like Adamant Choice Band Darmanitan-G and other Tapu Lele. 4 Defense EVs improve Tapu Lele's odds versus certain Garchomp and Haxorus sets.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Choice Specs Tapu Lele is a very straightforward set. Click Psyshock, unless the target resists it or is weak to another of Tapu Lele's moves. Against very specially bulky targets, like Assault Vest Goodra or Psychic Seed Tapu Lele, these typing rules may be ignored in favor of clicking Psyshock anyway.
=============
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/here-comes-team-charm.501918/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nunnbetter.501592/
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]
Psychic Seed (Tapu Lele) @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 136 HP / 4 SpA / 132 SpD / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Psychic Seed, Tapu Lele's naturally good special bulk balloons to incredible levels, allowing it to take some of the strongest special hits in the metagame quite comfortably. Moonblast provides strong Fairy-type STAB for use against non-Band Dragapult, Kyurem, and Moltres-G. Psyshock is a Terrain-boosted Psychic STAB move that targets Defense, making it a reliable option against Maranga Berry Togekiss, Goodra, and Calm Mind users like Tapu Fini. Taunt blocks status moves like non-Mental Herb Sylveon's Yawn or Fake Tears, Tapu Fini's Taunt, or Icy Wind Primarina's Encore. Calm Mind helps against all sorts of special attackers, like Porygon-Z, and in conjunction with Psyshock against Volcarona.
EVs
=============
The HP and Special Defense EVs allow Tapu Lele to survive a Choice Specs-boosted Sludge Wave from Modest Naganadel using the fewest EVs possible. Speed investment lets it outpace Venusaur. The remaining EVs have been placed in Special Attack for the Porygon-Z matchup.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Tapu Lele can comfortably use Calm Mind when faced with any special attacker, though it should attack if it's threatened with an OHKO or 2HKO. It should click Taunt against potential status move users, like Sylveon and Misty Terrain Tapu Fini. Do not click Taunt versus Telepathy Tapu Fini, as this ability indicates a Trick Choice Scarf set. Against Porygon-Z, Calm Mind prevents Choice Specs Modest sets from OHKOing, but risks being punished by a Choice Scarf set clicking Trick. Moonblast is a safe middle ground play, preventing Tapu Lele from being locked into a status move while preserving optimal odds of survival against Choice Specs variants.
=============
[SET]
Custap (Tapu Lele) @ Custap Berry
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 16 Def / 252 SpA / 240 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Endure
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With a Custap Berry, Tapu Lele can turn the tables on faster threats like Dragapult and Naganadel, while retaining the setup that Calm Mind offers against bulky Pokemon like Tapu Fini and Sylveon. Endure allows Tapu Lele to reliably survive attacks at 1 HP and trigger its Custap Berry the next turn. This strategy would normally be vulnerable to priority moves, but Psychic Terrain blocks attacks like Life Orb Urshifu's Sucker Punch or Assault Vest Entei's Extreme Speed. Psyshock reliably beats specially bulky Pokemon like Assault Vest Goodra and Volcarona and can beat Chansey with correct prediction. Moonblast is a reliable Fairy-type STAB move that OHKOes Dragapult and Urshifu.
EVs
=============
A Timid nature allows Tapu Lele to outpace Adamant Choice Band Haxorus, while 16 Defense EVs ensure that Jolly Choice Scarf Haxorus can never OHKO with Poison Jab, allowing for a risk-free Moonblast click when faced with this Pokemon. 252 Special Attack EVs give the best possible roll versus Choice Band Garchomp. The remaining EVs are placed in Speed to outspeed as many Kyurem, Arcanine, and Tapu Lele sets as possible.
Usage Tips
=============
Against Dragapult, Custap Berry Tapu Lele can safely click Moonblast against anything but Choice Specs sets, which must be Endured on instead. Clicking Endure on a Substitute or Choice Band set, however, sets Tapu Lele up for failure: the former can click Curse and stall out turns, while the latter will use Phantom Force and force a risky second Endure to retain any chance of winning the matchup. As Choice Specs Dragapult is relatively rare, Moonblast is generally the best T1 play.
Against Pokemon with powerful recharge moves, like Sylveon or Porygon-Z, a well-timed Endure may be used to absorb these attacks, effectively giving Tapu Lele a free turn while the foe recharges.
Lastly, when knocking a slower Pokemon that commonly runs Custap Berry below 25% health, stalling out a turn with Endure offers some security against a potential Custap activation, though against Primarina this runs the risk of being Encored.
=============
[SET]
Specs (Tapu Lele) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Thunder
- Focus Blast / Energy Ball
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=============
With the power added by Choice Specs and its unexpected coverage options, Tapu Lele can lure would-be counters. Psyshock hits hard enough to OHKO Sitrus Berry Spectrier, Volcarona, and Choice Specs Sylveon, while Moonblast hits Pokemon like Urshifu, Kyurem, and Moltres-G super effectively. With Thunder, the set has a somewhat unreliable click able to OHKO Choice Specs Primarina, Choice Band Azumarill, Choice Specs Volcanion, Corviknight, and Celesteela sets with low Special Defense investment. Focus Blast beats non-Choice Scarf Heatran and non-Assault Vest Tyranitar. Energy Ball takes care of Assault Vest Rhyperior, Gastrodon, and Swampert.
EVs
=============
Special Attack is maximized for the best possible rolls against Choice Scarf Togekiss and Choice Specs Zapdos. Max Speed is a small step up from the 236 EVs necessary to outspeed Venusaur and gives the best odds versus other base 90s, like Adamant Choice Band Darmanitan-G and other Tapu Lele. 4 Defense EVs improve Tapu Lele's odds versus certain Garchomp and Haxorus sets.
Usage Tips
=============
In general, Choice Specs Tapu Lele is a very straightforward set. Click Psyshock, unless the target resists it or is weak to another of Tapu Lele's moves. Against very specially bulky targets, like Assault Vest Goodra or Psychic Seed Tapu Lele, these typing rules may be ignored in favor of clicking Psyshock anyway.
=============
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/here-comes-team-charm.501918/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/nunnbetter.501592/
Grammar checked by:
[insert user link]