Pokémon Tapu Lele

[DC]

Name: Tapu Lele
Typing: Psychic / Fairy
Stats: 70 HP / 85 Atk / 75 Def / 130 SpA / 115 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Psychic Surge

Moves

Moves learned by Level-Up
[1] Astonish
[1] Confusion
[5] Withdraw
[10] Aromatherapy
[15] Draining Kiss
[20] Psybeam
[25] Flatter
[30] Aromatic Mist
[35] Sweet Scent
[40] Extrasensory
[45] Psyshock
[50] Mean Look
[55] Nature's Madness
[60] Moonblast
[65] Tickle
[70] Skill Swap
[75] Psychic Terrain

Moves learnt by TM
TM 08 - Hyper Beam
TM 09 - Giga Impact
TM 17 - Light Screen
TM 18 - Reflect
TM 19 - Safeguard
TM 21 - Rest
TM 23 - Thief
TM 24 - Snore
TM 25 - Protect
TM 29 - Charm
TM 34 - Sunny Day
TM 39 - Facade
TM 59 - Fling
TM 60 - Power Swap
TM 61 - Guard Swap
TM 62 - Speed Swap
TM 69 - Psycho Cut
TM 71 - Wonder Room
TM 72 - Magic Room
TM 76 - Round
TM 87 - Draining Kiss
TM 91 - Psychic Terrain

Moves learnt by TR
TR 08 - Thunderbolt
TR 09 - Thunder
TR 11 - Psychic
TR 20 - Substitute
TR 25 - Psyshock
TR 26 - Endure
TR 27 - Sleep Talk
TR 33 - Shadow Ball
TR 34 - Future Sight
TR 37 - Taunt
TR 40 - Skill Swap
TR 46 - Iron Defense
TR 49 - Calm Mind
TR 64 - Focus Blast
TR 65 - Energy Ball
TR 77 - Grass Knot
TR 82 - Stored Power
TR 83 - Ally Switch
TR 90 - Play Rough
TR 92 - Dazzling Gleam

Egg Moves
None

Notable Moves:
- Psychic
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Draining Kiss
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder
- Nature's Madness
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Iron Defense
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Future Sight
- Shadow Ball

Notable Losses:
Hidden Power (Fire)

Pros:
- Psychic + Fairy is an extremely potent STAB combination, covering each other's weaknesses.
- A very high Special Attack, coupled with Psychic Terrain boost, means Psychic-type STAB moves will dish out a lot of damage.
- Psychic Terrain provides innate protection from priority attacks from grounded foes for both Tapu Lele and its grounded teammates, making revenge killing a little bit harder.

Cons:
- Lackluster HP and Defense means Tapu Lele is susceptible to faster physical attackers.
- Loss of Hidden Power Fire makes it even more difficult to hit Steel-types that resist both of its STAB moves.
- Tapu Lele's speed tier is not as great as before and lets it be outsped by alot of the metagame giants.

Potential Movesets:
Psychic goes brrrrrr
Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock / Thunder / Thunderbolt / Nature's Madness

This sets aims to accomplish what Tapu Lele does best: dealing a lot of damage. Psyshock can be used instead of Psychic to hit special walls like Blissey and specially defensive Heatran harder. Focus Blast is an inaccurate, but stronger way of hitting Heatran and other Steel-types like Magnezone and Ferrothorn. Thunder / Thunderbolt is for Celesteela and Corviknight and can also be useful for paralyzing the aforementioned Steel-types. Nature's Madness is a useful early game tool to wear down opposing checks like the aforementioned Steel-types.

Need for Speed
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock / Thunder / Thunderbolt

This set aims to be more of a mid- to late-game threat, bolstering Tapu Lele's decent Speed to new levels. In particular, this helps outspeed foes like +1 Blaziken, Cinderace, Dragapult, Zeraora, Naganadel, and alot more, letting it function as a capable revenge killer and cleaner. Set is relatively similar to Specs, trading power for the ability to pressure its offensive checks.

Discount Magearna
Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Iron Defense
- Stored Power
- Draining Kiss / Taunt

All jokes aside, this gimmicky set aims to capitalize on setting up and sweeping pass unsuspecting teams. Primarily, the set functions best late-game when Steel-types like Heatran and Magearna have been significantly weakened or removed. Iron Defense makes it difficult for physical attackers to exploit Tapu Lele's weak physical defense and works in conjunction with Calm Mind to power up Stored Power. Draining Kiss helps Tapu Lele shore up its lack of decent recovery, while Taunt is useful for preventing a potential Toxic or Haze that might deter set up.

 

[Flareon]

Does Lele not learn Expanding Force? That should be a given as a Primary STAB move.

 

[tigerharvest]

Does Lele not learn Expanding Force? That should be a given as a Primary STAB move.

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you ask) the Tapu's did not receive any IOA Tutor moves, meaning that Lele does not get Expending Force.

 

[BitBitio]

Does Lele not learn Expanding Force? That should be a given as a Primary STAB move.

No it does not. Just like how no GGlide for Bulu, no RVoltage for Koko, no Fturn for Fini. Sadly

 

[Dreadfury]

I wanted to highlight a very different, very unique Lele set from the others, that takes a page out of Slowbro's/Slowking's book: AV+Future Sight.

Tapu Lele @ Assault Vest
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Future Sight
- Psychic
- Focus Blast

Lele's Special bulk is really good and Assault Vest buffs it even more. This set can also bluff Scarf in the early game if you play it aggressively.

This set doesn't have the Slowtwins' extremely good Regenerator, but it makes up for this by having a Future Sight that just blows the entire tier away. It pairs well with typical breakers like GZap or Urshifu by forcing stuff into an extremely bad checkmate situations where either Lele's Future Sight or the inevitable punishment for a Dark type switchin claims something.

This set pairs extremely well with any Spectrier variant and any Fighting-type breaker. This trio forms an ABSURD offensive core that just doesn't let up the offensive pressure.