Tapu Lele - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

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
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Tapu Lele

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Tapu Lele
Abilities
Psychic Surge	The Pokemon creates a Psychic Terrain when it enters a battle.
Telepathy (Hidden)	Anticipates an ally's attack and dodges it.

Tapu Lele Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Tapu Lele

Singles Movesets for Tapu Lele

Choice Scarf Sweeper Moveset & Best Build

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.

About Tapu Lele's Moves

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.

About Tapu Lele's Ability

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.

About Tapu Lele's Held Item

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.

Other Viable Moves

Focus Sash Moveset & Best Build

Tapu Lele can also threaten opposing leads and defensive Pokemon with its support moves.

About Tapu Lele's 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.

About Tapu Lele's Ability

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.

About Tapu Lele's Held Item

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.

Other Viable Moves

Doubles Moveset for Tapu Lele

Doubles Special Attacker Moveset & Best Build

About Tapu Lele's Moves

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.

About Tapu Lele's EV Spread

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.

About Tapu Lele's Held Item

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.

About Tapu Lele's Ability

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.

Other Viable Moves

How to Use Tapu Lele Effectively

A Powerful Support Sweeper

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.

How to Build a Team with Tapu Lele

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.

A Powerful Sweeper in Doubles

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

Counters for Tapu Lele

Weakness

Use Powerful Steel-type Pokemon

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.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
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

Related Guides

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Galarian Articuno	Galarian Zapdos	Galarian Moltres
Raikou	Entei	Suicune
Articuno	Zapdos	Moltres
Tornadus	Thundurus	Landorus
Tapu Koko	Tapu Lele	Tapu Bulu
Tapu Fini	Regieleki	Regidrago
Latios	Latias	Heatran
Cresselia	Glastrier	Spectrier
Nidoking	Swampert	Dragonite
Salamence	Garchomp	Metagross
Galarian Slowking	Nihilego	Naganadel
Pheromosa	Buzzwole	Celesteela
Kartana	Stakataka	Blaziken
Kyogre	Yveltal	Xerneas
Necrozma (Dusk Mane)	Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Mewtwo
Calyrex (Ice Rider)	Dialga	Lugia
Black Kyurem	Zekrom	Ho-Oh
Rayquaza	Zygarde	Reshiram
White Kyurem	Groudon	Regirock
Palkia	Regigigas	Registeel
Regice	Giratina	Solgaleo
Lunala	Kyurem	Necrozma
Uxie	Mesprit	Azelf
Calyrex