[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: Dazzling Gleam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Because of its stellar Speed, good offensive prowess, and access to a strong Volt Switch, Tapu Koko is one of the best offensive pivots in the tier. It has a relatively poor Special Attack stat, but its ability to summon Electric Terrain in tandem with the use of a Choice Specs makes up for that. Hidden Power Ice lets Tapu Koko hit the Ground-types that are immune to its Electric-type moves like Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Hippowdon. This is incredibly important; a well-timed Hidden Power Ice will cleanly OHKO the former two Ground-types and force the latter two out, and the resulting mind games drastically improve Tapu Koko's ability to generate momentum with Volt Switch. Volt Switch lets Tapu Koko scout the opponent and gain free momentum once the opponent's Ground-type has been removed. Dazzling Gleam gives Tapu Koko a good neutral option against Pokemon that resist Thunderbolt but aren't very threatened by Hidden Power, like opposing Tapu Koko, Hydreigon, and Kyurem. Alternatively, it can run Roost to improve its longevity in more drawn-out games against Pokemon that it forces out, such as Toxapex, Corviknight, and Slowbro. However, Roost forces Tapu Koko to switch out, thereby losing momentum. Grass Knot is another option that lends Tapu Koko the ability to pressure Gastrodon and Mega Swampert much harder, but it is inferior to Dazzling Gleam otherwise.
Due to its role as a fast pivot that can generally keep up momentum well, Tapu Koko fits very well on more offensive teams, but it's a fine fit on balanced teams as well. Tapu Koko pairs particularly well with teammates that can bait in Water- and Flying-types such as Toxapex, Slowbro, Tapu Fini, Corviknight, and Zapdos. Such teamates include the likes of Heatran, Cinderace, Ash-Greninja, Greninja, Mega Lopunny, Rillaboom, and Mega Scizor. Moreover, all of these partners bar Heatran are capable of creating pivoting cores with Tapu Koko courtesy of their access to U-turn, with Greninja and Ash-Greninja amplifying progress made through pivoting with Spikes as well. Water-, Grass-, and Ice-types such as Ash-Greninja, Kartana, Rillaboom, and Kyurem can easily pressure most of the metagame's Ground-types, including the ones that are particularly annoying for Tapu Koko such as Gastrodon, Mega Swampert, and Excadrill. On the other hand, Fire-types such as Cinderace and Heatran take advantage of Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss, which can otherwise keep Tapu Koko at bay for extended amounts of time. Due to Tapu Koko's tendency to force plenty of switches and rack up damage with Volt Switch, good entry hazard setters such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and the aforementioned Heatran, Greninja, and Ash-Greninja make for good teammates that can greatly speed up the rate at which Tapu Koko can break teams down. Tapu Koko also likes having strong physical wallbreakers on its side to deal with the more specially defensive Pokemon that check it such as Blissey, Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Gastrodon. Pokemon like Cinderace, Mega Mawile, Mega Medicham, and Hawlucha make for great teammates to pressure these special walls, with the latter two also having great synergy with Electric Terrain. Lastly, as Tapu Koko is quite frail and prone to revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Rillaboom, and Ash-Greninja as a result, it appreciates a defensive backbone that can sponge up hits from these threats. On bulky offense teams, Pokemon such as bulky Landorus-T, Slowbro, Corviknight, Assault Vest Magearna, and Blissey can provide said backbone while also maintaining momentum with their pivoting moves. On balanced teams, the likes of Toxapex, Clefable, and Corviknight can fulfill the same objective.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Fire is a very niche option that covers both Ferrothorn and Excadrill. However, it sacrifices Hidden Power Ice, drastically worsening the matchup against Gliscor. On hyper offense teams, Tapu Koko could run a dual screens set with Light Clay and Taunt that can also enable Hawlucha, but the superior dual screens setter in Grimmsnarl can do the same in conjunction with Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain support
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Opposing teams having a Ground-type can really deter Tapu Koko's progress-making by forcing a lot of mind games between Hidden Power Ice and Volt Switch. Some of the more common Ground-types in the tier like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor must be wary of being OHKOed by Hidden Power Ice, but the Ground-types that aren't weak to Ice, like Gastrodon and Excadrill, completely wall Tapu Koko.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and the rare Assault Vest Tangrowth resist Tapu Koko's main STAB type and are bulky enough to stomach Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Ice relatively easily as well. Amoonguss and Tangrowth are particularly pesky, capable of neutralizing Tapu Koko's progress with Volt Switch due to Regenerator. Although not able to switch in safely, Rillaboom can check Tapu Koko in a pinch as well, owing to its resistance to Electric-type attacks and access to strong priority. However, barring Amoonguss and Tangrowth, none of these Grass-types can maintain a positive or even neutral momentum trade against Volt Switch.
**Specially Bulky Walls**: Blissey, Chansey, and Assault Vest Magearna sport tremendous special bulk, which allows them to hold Tapu Koko off for a while. However, they can be overwhelmed with Volt Switch in the long run quite easily.
**Faster Pokemon** While Tapu Koko is very fast, there are still Pokemon that outspeed it, such as Mega Lopunny and Ash-Greninja. Additionally Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Victini, and Jirachi all outspeed it and can threaten it out with STAB moves. Priority moves from the likes of Mega Medicham, Weaville, and Ash-Greninja can threaten to knock out a previously weakened Tapu Koko as well.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zneon, 487629], [Guard, 360582]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: Dazzling Gleam
item: Choice Specs
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Because of its stellar Speed, good offensive prowess, and access to a strong Volt Switch, Tapu Koko is one of the best offensive pivots in the tier. It has a relatively poor Special Attack stat, but its ability to summon Electric Terrain in tandem with the use of a Choice Specs makes up for that. Hidden Power Ice lets Tapu Koko hit the Ground-types that are immune to its Electric-type moves like Garchomp, Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Hippowdon. This is incredibly important; a well-timed Hidden Power Ice will cleanly OHKO the former two Ground-types and force the latter two out, and the resulting mind games drastically improve Tapu Koko's ability to generate momentum with Volt Switch. Volt Switch lets Tapu Koko scout the opponent and gain free momentum once the opponent's Ground-type has been removed. Dazzling Gleam gives Tapu Koko a good neutral option against Pokemon that resist Thunderbolt but aren't very threatened by Hidden Power, like opposing Tapu Koko, Hydreigon, and Kyurem. Alternatively, it can run Roost to improve its longevity in more drawn-out games against Pokemon that it forces out, such as Toxapex, Corviknight, and Slowbro. However, Roost forces Tapu Koko to switch out, thereby losing momentum. Grass Knot is another option that lends Tapu Koko the ability to pressure Gastrodon and Mega Swampert much harder, but it is inferior to Dazzling Gleam otherwise.
Due to its role as a fast pivot that can generally keep up momentum well, Tapu Koko fits very well on more offensive teams, but it's a fine fit on balanced teams as well. Tapu Koko pairs particularly well with teammates that can bait in Water- and Flying-types such as Toxapex, Slowbro, Tapu Fini, Corviknight, and Zapdos. Such teamates include the likes of Heatran, Cinderace, Ash-Greninja, Greninja, Mega Lopunny, Rillaboom, and Mega Scizor. Moreover, all of these partners bar Heatran are capable of creating pivoting cores with Tapu Koko courtesy of their access to U-turn, with Greninja and Ash-Greninja amplifying progress made through pivoting with Spikes as well. Water-, Grass-, and Ice-types such as Ash-Greninja, Kartana, Rillaboom, and Kyurem can easily pressure most of the metagame's Ground-types, including the ones that are particularly annoying for Tapu Koko such as Gastrodon, Mega Swampert, and Excadrill. On the other hand, Fire-types such as Cinderace and Heatran take advantage of Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss, which can otherwise keep Tapu Koko at bay for extended amounts of time. Due to Tapu Koko's tendency to force plenty of switches and rack up damage with Volt Switch, good entry hazard setters such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and the aforementioned Heatran, Greninja, and Ash-Greninja make for good teammates that can greatly speed up the rate at which Tapu Koko can break teams down. Tapu Koko also likes having strong physical wallbreakers on its side to deal with the more specially defensive Pokemon that check it such as Blissey, Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Gastrodon. Pokemon like Cinderace, Mega Mawile, Mega Medicham, and Hawlucha make for great teammates to pressure these special walls, with the latter two also having great synergy with Electric Terrain. Lastly, as Tapu Koko is quite frail and prone to revenge killers such as Mega Lopunny, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Rillaboom, and Ash-Greninja as a result, it appreciates a defensive backbone that can sponge up hits from these threats. On bulky offense teams, Pokemon such as bulky Landorus-T, Slowbro, Corviknight, Assault Vest Magearna, and Blissey can provide said backbone while also maintaining momentum with their pivoting moves. On balanced teams, the likes of Toxapex, Clefable, and Corviknight can fulfill the same objective.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Fire is a very niche option that covers both Ferrothorn and Excadrill. However, it sacrifices Hidden Power Ice, drastically worsening the matchup against Gliscor. On hyper offense teams, Tapu Koko could run a dual screens set with Light Clay and Taunt that can also enable Hawlucha, but the superior dual screens setter in Grimmsnarl can do the same in conjunction with Rillaboom's Grassy Terrain support
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Opposing teams having a Ground-type can really deter Tapu Koko's progress-making by forcing a lot of mind games between Hidden Power Ice and Volt Switch. Some of the more common Ground-types in the tier like Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Gliscor must be wary of being OHKOed by Hidden Power Ice, but the Ground-types that aren't weak to Ice, like Gastrodon and Excadrill, completely wall Tapu Koko.
**Grass-types**: Defensive Grass-types such as Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and the rare Assault Vest Tangrowth resist Tapu Koko's main STAB type and are bulky enough to stomach Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Ice relatively easily as well. Amoonguss and Tangrowth are particularly pesky, capable of neutralizing Tapu Koko's progress with Volt Switch due to Regenerator. Although not able to switch in safely, Rillaboom can check Tapu Koko in a pinch as well, owing to its resistance to Electric-type attacks and access to strong priority. However, barring Amoonguss and Tangrowth, none of these Grass-types can maintain a positive or even neutral momentum trade against Volt Switch.
**Specially Bulky Walls**: Blissey, Chansey, and Assault Vest Magearna sport tremendous special bulk, which allows them to hold Tapu Koko off for a while. However, they can be overwhelmed with Volt Switch in the long run quite easily.
**Faster Pokemon** While Tapu Koko is very fast, there are still Pokemon that outspeed it, such as Mega Lopunny and Ash-Greninja. Additionally Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Victini, and Jirachi all outspeed it and can threaten it out with STAB moves. Priority moves from the likes of Mega Medicham, Weaville, and Ash-Greninja can threaten to knock out a previously weakened Tapu Koko as well.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Pannuracotta, 517892]]
- Quality checked by: [[Zneon, 487629], [Guard, 360582]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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