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This is a strategy guide for using Tapu Lele in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Tapu Lele, as well as its strengths and weak points.
Tapu Lele - Related Guides | |
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Evolution and Learnset | Build for Ranked Battle |
List of Contents
Pokemon | Type 1 | Type 2 |
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Abilities | ||
Psychic Surge | The Pokemon creates a Psychic Terrain when it enters a battle. | |
Telepathy (Hidden) | Anticipates an ally's attack and dodges it. |
Type | |
---|---|
Takes 4x damage |
|
Takes 2x damage | |
Takes 0.5x damage | |
Takes 1/4x damage | |
Takes 0x damage |
HP | Attack | Defense | Sp. Atk | Sp. Def | Speed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
70 | 85 | 75 | 130 | 115 | 95 |
Best Natures | ||
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Timid (+Spd, -Atk) |
Nature | Timid (+Spd, -Atk) |
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EV Spread | HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd. 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 146 / Def. 95 / Sp.Atk 182 / Sp.Def 135 / Spd. 161 |
Ability | Psychic Surge |
Held Item | Choice Scarf |
Moveset | ・Psychic ・Moonblast ・Thunderbolt ・Shadow Ball |
Tapu Lele made a name for itself as a fearsome special sweeper that doesn't fear priority moves from its counters thanks to its Psychic Surge ability.
This build uses the Choice Scarf to allow it to hit quickly. With the combination of Psychic Surge and Psychic, it can deal big damage to a wide range of opponents. When it Dynamaxes, it can temporarily negate the effects of Choice items, allowing it to handle Dark types who come in expecting immunity from Psychic and hit them super effectively.
This build uses Psychic Surge, which instantly sets up Psychic Terrain when Tapu Lele switches in. This blocks priority moves, boosts the power of Psychic-type moves by 30%, and turns Terrain Pulse into a 100 Base Power Psychic move.
We're giving Tapu Lele Choice Scarf for this build. This item doubles Tapu Lele's speed but it can only use the initial move it used on its turn.
Focus Blast | For handling Steel-types. Its low accuracy is a drawback, however. |
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Energy Ball | An alternative to Thunderbolt that allows Tapu Lele to hit bulky Ground-types. |
Nature | Timid (+Spd, -Atk) |
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EV Spread | HP 4 / Sp.Atk 252 / Spd. 252 |
Final Stat Values | HP 146 / Def. 95 / Sp.Atk 182 / Sp.Def 135 / Spd. 161 |
Ability | Psychic Surge |
Held Item | Focus Sash |
Moveset | ・Psychic ・Moonblast ・Shadow Ball ・Taunt |
Tapu Lele can also threaten opposing leads and defensive Pokemon with its support moves.
Psychic and Moonblast are its main STAB moves, while Shadow Ball lets it cover Ghost-types that would think of switching in and setting up on it. It's last move is Taunt, which allows it to shutdown opposing leads and support Pokemon.
This build uses Psychic Surge, which instantly sets up Psychic Terrain when Tapu Lele switchs in. This blocks priority moves, boosts the power of Psychic-type moves by 30%, and turns Terrain Pulse into a 100 Base Power Psychic move.
We're giving Tapu Lele Choice Scarf for this build. This item doubles Tapu Lele's speed but it can only use the initial move it used on its turn.
Thunderbolt | For hitting the commonly-used Water-type walls super effectively. |
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Energy Ball | An alternative to Thunderbolt that allows Tapu Lele to hit bulky Ground-types. |
Nature's Madness | An exclusive move that cuts its opponent's HP in half. |
Focus Blast | For handling Steel-types. Its low accuracy is a drawback, however. |
Nature | Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk) |
---|---|
EV Spread | HP 28 / Sp. Atk 252 / Sp. Def 4 / Spd 220 |
Final Stat Values | HP 149 / Def 95 / Sp.Atk 200 / Sp.Def 136 / Spd 143 |
Ability | Psychic Surge |
Held Item | Choice Specs |
Moveset | ・Psychic ・Dazzling Gleam ・Thunderbolt ・Shadow Ball |
Psychic will be Tapu Lele's main weapon for this build, with the move being boosted by STAB and from Psychic Surge's Psychic Terrain.
Dazzling Gleam lets Tapu Lele launch a STAB-powered Fairy-type move that can hit both of your opponents.
Shadow Ball can be used against Ghost-type Pokemon that Tapu Lele is weak against. Thunderbolt can be used for those bulky counters like Heatran and Celesteela.
EVs are maximized on Sp. Atk to let Tapu Lele hit as hard as it can, supported by the boost from Choice Specs. Some points are peppered in HP and Sp. Def to give it a bit more bulk against special moves it is weak against.
Choice Specs maximizes Tapu Lele's offensive potential. Letting it Dynamax will temporarily remove the Choice lock and allow it to use other moves, but avoid using moves that will change the Terrain in play.
Once Tapu Lele is in play and Psychic Surge has set up Psychic Terrain, any of your opponent's strategies that rely on priority moves will be wasted.
It is a great idea to let Tapu Lele be one of your lead Pokemon, especially when you see any Pokemon with the Prankster Ability in your opponent's party.
Psyshock | Used against specially defensive Pokemon, as this move calculates damage based on the target's Defense stat. Boosted by Psychic Terrain as well. |
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Moonblast | Single-target Fairy-type move as alternative for Dazzling Gleam. | Focus Blast | A special Fighting-type move against Steel and Dark-type Pokemon. |
Thunder | Works best if Tapu Lele is used in a Rain team. |
Despite its immediate offensive presence, Tapu Lele excels more as a support Pokemon with offensive capabilities first thanks to its Psychic Surge ability. As a result, it's often used as a lead in both Singles and Doubles to set up Psychic Terrain while other special sweepers with better coverage are left to actually sweep the opposing team.
Tapu Lele excels in both the Singles and Doubles format, and is a good addition to almost any team that needs an automatic terrain setter.
Tapu Lele excels in the Doubles format where priority moves are more common. By just switching in, Tapu Lele counters Prankster users such as Grimmsnarl and Whimsicott, as well as support Pokemon like Comfey.
Learn how to build a doubles team with Tapu Lele by checking out our full article below.
How to Build a Doubles Team
Weakness |
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Tapu Lele has a difficult time facing off against Steel-type Pokemon, especially ones that resist its two STAB moves. Many of its counters can withstand all of Tapu Lele's moves and KO with their own STAB moves. That said, Steel Pokemon must be wary of Tapu Lele's Focus Blast.
Pokemon | Description |
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Heatran | Ranking: ★★★★★ ・High defenses can combine with Assault Vest to allow it to switch in easily when its allies are knocked out Moveset & Best Build for Heatran |
Celesteela | Ranking: ★★★★ ・Extremely high defenses give it wide versatility ・Must watch out for Thunderbolt Moveset & Best Build for Celesteela |
Aegislash | Ranking: ★★★ ・High offensive and defensive capabilities allow it to simultaneously survive a hit on switch-in and threaten coming opponents ・Must watch out for Shadow Ball Moveset & Best Build for Aegislash |
All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle
Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides | |||||
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Tier List | Best Builds | Series 10 List of Contenders | |||
Doubles Tier List | Team Building | Rental Teams |
Tapu Lele - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle
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Is it just me or tapu lele can't learn terrain pulse?