What is a good moveset for Tapu Lele?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Tapu Lele, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for its pre-evolutions, if any, can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some detail, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Tapu Lele Pokedex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Definitely one of the cutest Pokemon in Sun/Moon ^_^
Role: Revenge Killer/ Fast offense
Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Modest Nature
Moves:
- Psychic/Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt / Energy Ball

Usage: Straight forward Scarf set. Psychic is used for STAB, but Psyshock can be used over Psychic to hit opponents who aren't as bulky on the defensive side, Moonblast for STAB, Shadow Ball for coverage against Ghost types, T-bolt or Energy ball for the final slot, they are useful coverage moves.

Comments

Yap it is the cutest in sun moon

Answer 2

Tapu Lele @ Life Orb
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Dual STABs in Moonblast and Psyshock, Shock > Psychic to hit Chansey and friends. Thunderbolt does a good chunk to Celesteela and various water types, and HP Fire 2HKOs Ferrothorn.

Answer 3

Though Choice Scarf is probably the better overall set for Lele, I really like using this stallbreaker set:

Tapu Lele @ Twisted Spoon
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Taunt
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind

Twisted Spoon is the best item for this set, since it boosts your Psychic attacks without any drawbacks such as Life Orb recoil, or Choice locking.
- Psyshock --- Preferred Psychic move for a stallbreaking set, since it hits Chansey for good damage.
- Taunt --- This is the most important move for this set. It completely stops most stall Pokemon in their tracks, since they can't use any status moves against you.
- Moonblast --- Secondary STAB move, and since with this set you'll be staying in for many turns against stall, it will become stronger than Psyshock after Psychic Terrain wears off. Also hits Dark Pokemon that Psyshock can not.
- Calm Mind --- Can be swapped out for Hidden Power Fire or Focus Blast to hit Steel Types, but Calm Mind is good for this set in order to set up and sweep entire teams after a couple of boosts.

Answer 4

Gen 8 UU
Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Moonblast is STAB. Psyshock is also STAB and is for special walls such as Chansey. Shadow Ball is for Ghost types. Focus Blast is for Steel Types.

Answer 5

Budget Magearna (Gen 8 OU)

Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 156 HP / 100 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

• Calm Mind
• Iron Defense
• Stored Power
• Nature's Madness

So this is our mini Magearna. It's a lot faster than the latter, but its awful Defense stats and the lack of Speed-Boosting move like Magearna's Shift Gear can make its use a bit questionable I guess. But since Magearna is banned from OU, it's the budget one :P
156 HP and 100 Def preserve its bulk. Iron Defense boosts its weaker Def to something that can hit harder. Calm Mind boosts SpA along with its good SpD. After a few good Defense and SpD boosts, it can be pretty hard to kill (unless opponent has 'em lovely crits in store for you). Stored Power gets to insane BP after few boosts, while Nature's Madness breaks down SpD walls and Pokemon that take less damage like Blissey. Dark-types surely wall this set but only OU Dark-type that outspeds you is Hydreigon. It is afraid of Dark Pulse not killing you and Moonblast's power, so it will surely run away. Weakness Policy is an alternative to Leftovers, but despite the bulk investment Tapu Lele's Defense aren't that great as of Magearna.

Comments

This is an interesting set and I haven't seen anything like it, I would prefer reflect over iron defense though just because I play doubles, but for singles this is definitely better, Nature's Madness isnt used much (at least I don't see it used much) and I would prefer something like moonblast, but still works

---

1. Iron Defense is necessary to make Tapu Lele physically bulky and boosts its Stored Power. Reflect doesn't boost Stored power and wears off after 5-8 turns.
2. The answerer never said this was Doubles? Gen 8 OU is a singles format
3. Nature's Madness is used for bulky Pokemon who can potentially live Stored Power like Heatran, Blissey, and Ferrothorn.

Answer 6

National Dex Monotype (Psychic)

Tapu Lele @ Fightinium Z / Electrium Z / Ghostium Z
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Focus Blast / Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball

A Calm Mind + Z-Move set. Calm Mind + Z-Move sets let Tapu Lele get past some of its checks such as Celesteela, Jirachi, and Tyranitar if it has the right move along with the right Z Crystal. Calm Mind lets you 2HKO bulky walls such as Blissey and Galarian Slowking. Moonblast is a strong Fairy STAB which deals with Dark-types. Psychic is used as a powerful Psychic STAB move in Psychic Terrain, while Psyshock can be used instead to immediately pressure special walls like Chansey and Blissey. Focus Blast is used with Fightinium Z to deal with checks like Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Heatran. Thunderbolt with Electrium Z can be used instead to deal with Celesteela. Ghostium Z is also an option to deal with checks like Jirachi and Aegislash.

Answer 7

Tapu Lele is a very good, if not the best revenge killer once it has a Choice Scarf and it should be used as a revenge killer in my opinion. If it has a Choice Scarf, it will outspeed even Pheromosa and KO non-Focus Sash variants. What's even better is that its ability eliminates priority and even Prankster moves which makes it even more threatening.

Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature

• Psychic / Psyshock
• Moonblast
• Focus Blast
• Shadow Ball / Hidden Power [Fire]

Psychic is obvious for the STAB and Psychic Terrain boost. It lacks the power to 2HKO Chansey after Psychic Terrain but overall, I'd recommend choosing Psyshock. Moonblast is its secondary STAB and for the Dark types which are immune to Psychic / Psyshock. I recommend Focus Blast because it really needs something for Steel types. Your last choice is up to you: Shadow Ball for Alolan Marowak or HP Fire for Scizor, Ferrothorn and Forretress. My choice would be HP Fire since Aegislash is banned now.

Feel free to use a Choice Specs and turn it into a Wallbreaker. I would recommend Psyshock over Psychic and HP Fire over Shadow ball in that case.

Comments

"Don't give it Psyshock, because it lacks the power to 2 OHKO Chansey."

Might wanna check your damage calculator again...

Answer 8

Quick Resistant SpAttacker.

Tapu Lele @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold / Calm / Modest / Timid Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Calm Mind
- Extrasensory / Psychic / Psyshock
- Moonblast / Dazzling Gleam

- Aromatherapy / ???: Cures toxic but use wisely.
- Calm Mind: Yes.
- Extrasensory / Psychic / Psyshock: All have STAB, and Extrasensory can flinch.
- Moonblast / Dazzling Gleam: Dazzling Gleam for doubles.

(This may be a fairy type, but it's a psychic type as well. Any strong psychic move from this gal will mostly OHKO any poison type. As for steel types, that's where you come in. You can choose what move to replace Aromatherapy with if you like. Feedback is appreciated.)

Answer 9

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Calm Mind

- Psychic / Psyshock-strong special STAB, or hit Blissey
- Moonblast-other STAB
- Focus Blast-targets Steel type Pokemon, coverage against Dark
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Calm Mind-kills Ferrothorn and other Pokemon/boosts stats

Comments

yes because
choice specs calm mind

Answer 10

(Edited)
Role: Sweeper
Tapu Lele @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Psychic Surge
Timid / Modest Nature
EVs: 4 HP 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Extrasensory
- Moonblast
- Energy Ball
- Calm Mind

• Extrasensory (STAB, boosted on psychic terrain)
• Moonblast (Coverage, Tapu Lele has good SpA)
• Energy Ball (Coverage)
• Calm Mind (Raise SpA and SpD)

Explanation: If there are no threats on the field, spam calm mind and raise your stats as much as possible, if there are, you can switch out or deal as much damage as possible. With Tapu Lele's already good SpA, and calm mind boosting it even more, this easily sweeps teams. With the additional hp from dynamax if you're playing on Sw/Sh, this Pokemon is a huge threat.

Comments

I hope this set is helpful to anyone that needs it :D

Answer 11

Gen 8 SS Monotype Calm Mind + Nature's Madness (Psychic)

Tapu Lele @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Nature's Madness

A Calm Mind + Nature's Madness set that is used as a tech to help deal with certain Poison-types named Drapion and Galarian Slowking. Calm Mind allows you to boost your Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing you to deal more damage to opposing Pokemon. Moonblast is used as Fairy STAB. Psyshock is used as Psychic STAB that immediately pressures special walls such as Galarian Slowking and Blissey. Nature's Madness is used to help vs Drapion and Galarian Slowking when against a Posion team. Nature's Madness allows you to cut the two mentioned Pokemon's HP in half without having to rely on using Moonblast or Psyshock to deal damage to a switch-in and getting the prediction wrong. Modest Nature is used to allows you to get damage rolls on Drapion and Galarian Slowking. Heavy-Duty Boots is used to avoid taking damage from hazards should hazards get on your side, as there aren't good hazard control options for Psychic teams aside from Hatterene and Defog Latias.