[OVERVIEW]
* Tapu Koko is extremely fast, outspeeding all viable non-Mega Evolutions that aren't running Choice Scarf besides Pheromosa.
* Despite its average Special Attack stat, Electric Terrain gives it a very strong Thunderbolt.
* However, low power on its coverage moves makes it difficult for it to break past Pokemon that resist Electric.
* Its coverage, while not spectacular, has everything it needs to hit the vast majority of the tier.
* Its Fairy typing helps it defensively by giving it useful resistances to Fighting and Dark and an immunity to Dragon, letting it switch into Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Thundurus, and Weavile relatively easily.
* Electric Terrain provides minor team support by preventing Pokemon like Tangrowth and Amoonguss from putting its teammates to sleep and crippling opposing Tapu Lele and Bulu in a pinch.
[SET]
name: Offensive Pivot
move 1: Thunderbolt
move 2: Hidden Power Ice
move 3: Volt Switch
move 4: U-turn
item: Life Orb / Magnet
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Thunderbolt is a given: it's by far the most powerful reliable move Tapu Koko has access to.
* Hidden Power Ice enables Tapu Koko to 2HKO Gliscor and specially defensive Zygarde, as well as OHKO offensive Garchomp and Landorus-T after SR damage.
* However, Hidden Power Fire is still a good option for hitting Ferrothorn, Excadrill, and Magnezone, which otherwise completely wall Tapu Koko. Both of these Hidden Powers also 2HKO physically defensive Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu.
* Volt Switch is a much harder-hitting pivoting move that wears down Ferrothorn without causing recoil.
* U-turn is used alongside Volt Switch for scouting and escaping Focus Sash Dugtrio. It also enables Tapu Koko to wear down checks like Assault Vest Tangrowth, Mega Venusaur, Excadrill, and Alolan Marowak.
* Dazzling Gleam is an option for hitting Dragons such as Latios, Latias, Kyurem-B, and Hydreigon. It works great in tandem with Hidden Power Fire, which covers targets such as Ferrothorn, Magnezone, and offensive Excadrill.
* Grass Knot enables Tapu Koko to deal significant damage to Hippowdon and Gastrodon.
* Taunt is another alternative that cripples defensive Pokemon like Chansey and Mega Venusaur, as well as Stealth Rock setters, Defoggers, status users, and setup sweepers. It also lets Tapu Koko function as a good late-game stallbreaker, since it can escape Dugtrio via U-turn.
* Brave Bird can be used to 2HKO Grass-types such as Amoonguss, Assault Vest Tangrowth, and Mega Venusaur, which otherwise wall Tapu Koko completely, and is its best option against specially defensive Alolan Marowak. However, it causes a massive amount of recoil, and thus it should be used wisely, especially since two of its main targets have Regenerator.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Speed enables Tapu Koko to at least Speed tie with other Tapu Koko, all the while outspeeding Choice Scarf Magneton as well as the vast majority of the OU tier.
* While a Naive nature may seem tempting to power up U-turn, it's mostly unnecessary, so a Timid nature is preferred instead, unless Tapu Koko is running Brave Bird.
* Maximum Special Attack makes Thunderbolt as powerful as possible.
* Life Orb gives a strong boost to all of Tapu Koko's moves, particularly Hidden Power Ice, only coming at the cost of minor recoil that a fast offensive Pokemon like this doesn't mind much.
* Magnet is an alternative that powers up Tapu Koko's main STAB attack without causing recoil and has much better synergy with U-turn and Volt Switch.
* Finally, Expert Belt is another option, which, much like Magnet, limits how much Tapu Koko gets worn down and helps against Hidden Power Ice and Grass Knot targets. However, it is generally inferior to Magnet, since it renders its main STAB significantly weaker.
Usage Tips
========
* Tapu Koko is too frail to switch in directly on much; thus, it's preferable to send it in freely via VoltTurn support, through double switches, or after an opposing Pokemon KOes something
* It can provide a switch-in to Pokemon like Tornadus-T, Thundurus, Mantine, and Toxapex; however, do keep in mind that any additional damage will give it fewer hits to fire off due to Life Orb recoil.
* Early game, use U-turn or Volt Switch in order to wear down checks to Tapu Koko. However, don't use it too much, since Tapu Koko will be worn down a lot by its Life Orb. If the opponent has a very durable check like Excadrill or Amoonguss, it's a bad idea to send in Tapu Koko at all until it's severely weakened.
* Later on in the battle, Thunderbolt is the move you should be using the vast majority of the time, since it hits even Pokemon that resist it hard, with the obvious exception of Ground-types.
* You don't need to predict much against Ground-types, since most common one are OHKOed by either Hidden Power Ice or Grass Knot, and U-turn can help wear them down regardless.
* However, your opponent may be scouting your moveset by switching in a Ground-type, in which case you do want to play around them by predicting. You may also want to lull them into a false sense of security by U-turning out of them initially, giving them the false impression that it can't hit them at all.
* Depending on which coverage moves it runs, Tapu Koko may or may not be able to hit certain Pokemon. Try not to reveal its full moveset too early; that way, you can catch your opponent by surprise.
* Taunt is relatively unexpected and thus can be used relatively safely against the likes of Ferrothorn, Heatran and Azelf, as long as it hasn't been revealed prior.
Team Options
========
* Tapu Koko works very well on offensive teams looking for something that can heavily threaten opposing offensive teams as well as break past Water-types like Mantine, Toxapex, and Manaphy and check certain Flying-types like Tornadus-T.
* It's a good idea to pair it up with another U-turn user such as Genesect or Mega Scizor, especially if it runs U-turn itself. A Volt Switch user can also be used; however, most of these are Electric-types and are thus redundant with Tapu Koko itself, with the main exception being Magearna.
* This set struggles a lot with Grass-types like Ferrothorn Mega Venusaur, Tangrowth, and Amoonguss, so pair it up with a good check to these, such as Heatran, Buzzwole, or Mega Charizard X.
* Tapu Koko requires a good check to Sand Rush Excadrill and Choice Scarf Excadrill, since it's one of the few offensive Pokemon it loses to. As such, Landorus-T is a very good teammate, especially since it provides U-turn support.
* Tapu Lele is also a huge threat, since it cancels out Electric Terrain and, if it's running Choice Scarf, outspeeds it. Similarly, Mega Alakazam can revenge kill Tapu Koko, so make sure you have a Pokemon that can take these two on, such as Celesteela or Jirachi.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind
move 2: Thunderbolt
move 3: Hidden Power Ice / Hidden Power Fire
move 4: Roost / Dazzling Gleam / Grass Knot
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Electric Surge
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Calm Mind powers up Tapu Koko's Special Attack, letting it clean weakened teams much more easily and break past Pokemon it otherwise couldn't, such as Assault Vest Tangrowth and Chansey lacking Toxic.
* Thunderbolt is Tapu Koko's main STAB attack.
* Hidden Power Ice has near-perfect neutral coverage alongside Thunderbolt.
* Hidden Power Fire can be used to hit Ferrothorn, Excadrill, and Magnezone; however, it leaves Tapu Koko walled by many common Pokemon if it isn't used alongside Dazzling Gleam.
* Roost enables Tapu Koko to set up Calm Minds reliably and stay healthy throughout the battle.
* However, Dazzling Gleam is also an option, letting it hit Dragon-types for higher damage.
* Finally, Grass Knot can be used to catch certain Ground-types off guard, particularly Hippowdon and Gastrodon.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Attack and Speed let Tapu Koko outspeed as much as possible and hit as hard as possible.
* Life Orb gives Tapu Koko a lot of initial power.
* However, Leftovers can be used in order to let Tapu Koko set up more reliably.
Usage Tips
========
* This set plays similarly to how Tapu Koko generally does against offensive teams, using Hidden Power Ice against Pokemon that resist Electric and Thunderbolt against anything else. Calm Mind and Roost should almost never be used, since they give up too much momentum, especially the latter, and Tapu Koko's frail nature prevents it from setting up against any offensive threat.
* Against bulkier teams, you may want to set up Calm Mind to break past a certain threat. However, be careful, since once you reveal Calm Mind, the opponent will play differently against Tapu Koko.
* Calm Mind also lets Tapu Koko clean weakened slower teams, so it can be a good idea to set up later on in the battle, if this will guarantee you a win.
* If Tapo Koko is running low on health, it may be a good idea to Roost up in order to help it stay around longer. This is especially true if Tapu Koko needs to be kept around to check something like Tornadus-T or Toxapex. However, much like with Calm Mind, you need to do this against a forced switch or something that cannot threaten Tapu Koko much.
* You might be tempted to keep Tapu Koko in for extended periods of time, but this is generally not a good idea, since it relies heavily on Electric Surge. You should almost never set up more than one Calm Mind, since the advantages of the second will be outweighed by the loss of an Electric Surge turn.
Team Options
========
* Compared to other Tapu Koko sets, this one fits better on bulkier teams, which benefit more from its longevity and rely on it to check certain threats.
* If not running Grass Knot, this set struggles against bulky Ground-types like Hippowdon, Gastrodon, and Quagsire, and therefore a Grass-type like Tapu Bulu or Serperior can make for a very good teammate.
* Bulky Grass-types like Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur and Amoonguss can also cause problems for Tapu Koko, so Heatran's ability to handle all of these makes it a good partner. In return, Tapu Koko checks Water-types such as Manaphy and Tapu Fini, which give Heatran a lot of trouble.
* A good answer to Sand Rush Excadrill is also required. Landorus-T can do this while also removing bulky Ground- and Grass-types via Swords Dance + Supersonic Skystrike. Celecteela is also a good partner, dealing with most Grass-types and Ground-types very well and supporting Tapu Koko with Leech Seed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Roost can be used on non-Calm Mind sets for more longevity; however, it compromises Tapu Koko's coverage, making it easier to wall.
* A Work Up set with Brave Bird can be a good alternative to Calm Mind, making Tapu Koko a better AV Tangrowth lure.
* Electricium Z can also be used in order to give Tapu Koko a very powerful hit. It is especially useful on the Calm Mind set
* Nature's Madness can help deal significant damage to defensive Pokemon that switch into it relatively easily, like Ferrothorn, Hippowdon, and Chansey, and pairs up well with Taunt.
* Wild Charge may seem good due to Tapu Koko's superior Attack stat, but the recoil makes it generally a poor option, not to mention that Thunderbolt hits hard enough already.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Grass-types**: Grass-types are generally very good answers to Tapu Koko. Assault Vest Tangrowth in particular switches into any set that doesn't carry Brave Bird and can easily use Regenerator to heal up any damage caused by Brave Bird, while Tapu Koko takes massive recoil. Rocky Helmet Tangrowth can deal with it decently, but it fears Hidden Power a lot more. Ferrothorn can very easily take on any set that doesn't run Hidden Power Fire, and even sets that do can't KO it from full health, giving it the opportunity to get its health back with Leech Seed. Amoonguss has enough special bulk to take Hidden Power, but it takes too much damage from Brave Bird to be able to shrug off, as does Mega Venusaur. Celebi is a reliable check, with a fully physically defensive spread barely avoiding the 2HKO from both Brave Bird and Hidden Power.
**Ground-types**: Ground-types are amongst the best checks to Tapu Koko, given their immunity to its main STAB attack and its relatively weak type coverage. Excadrill in particular is one of the best checks available, with its specially defensive set not even fearing Hidden Power Fire much. Hippowdon, Quagsire, and Gastrodon easily beat any set that doesn't carry Grass Knot. Specially defensive Gliscor easily takes on Hidden Power Fire variants. Nidoking can switch into Thunderbolt and avoid the 2HKO from Hidden Power Ice before OHKOing back with either of its STAB attacks. Landorus and Landorus-T can beat Hidden Power Fire variants one-on-one but cannot switch into Dazzling Gleam.
**Alolan Marowak**: Alolan Marowak's Electric immunity lets it switch in on any of Tapu Koko's coverage moves. However, it is easily worn down by Stealth Rock, especially if it switches into repeated U-turns.
**Chansey**: Unlike most other special walls without an Electric resistance, which take a huge amount from Thunderbolt regardless, Chansey has so much bulk that it can easily shrug off Thunderbolt. Even though it can be 2HKOed by Wild Charge, the recoil will KO Tapu Koko back. However, it is shut down by Taunt, although it can still break past non-Roost sets thanks to Seismic Toss.
**Electric-types**: Thanks to their own resistance to Tapu Koko's main STAB attack and their ability to take advantage of Electric Terrain, Electric-types can hold their own against Tapu Koko. Magnezone takes on any set not running Hidden Power Fire, Choice Scarf Xurkitree can switch into Thunderbolt quite well and retaliate with an extremely powerful Thunderbolt of its own, and Raikou can switch in quite easily thanks to its natural special bulk and start setting up Calm Mind against it.
**Choice Scarf users**: While most of them can't switch into Tapu Koko at all, Choice Scarf users are able to check it well. Landorus-T and Garchomp are particularly good checks, since they are immune to Tapu Koko's main STAB attack.
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