Tapu Bulu
Type(s) - Grass / Fairy
Base Stats: 70 / 130 / 115 / 85 / 95 / 75
Abilities
Ability 1 - Grassy Surge: Turns the ground into Grassy Terrain when the Pokemon enters a battle.
Hidden Ability - Telepathy: This Pokemon does not take damage from attacks made by its allies.
Level Up Moves
1 - Grassy Terrain
1 - Wood Hammer
1 - Superpower
1 - Mean Look
1 - Disable
1 - Whirlwind
1 - Withdraw
1 - Leafage
8 - Horn Attack
14 - Giga Drain
20 - Scary Face
26 - Leech Seed
32 - Horn Leech
38 - Rototiller
43 - Nature’s Madness
48 - Zen Headbutt
53 - Megahorn
58 - Skull Bash
TM Moves
TM01 - Work Up
TM04 - Calm Mind
TM05 - Roar
TM06 - Toxic
TM08 - Bulk Up
TM10 - Hidden Power
TM11 - Sunny Day
TM12 - Taunt
TM15 - Hyper Beam
TM16 - Light Screen
TM17 - Protect
TM20 - Safeguard
TM21 - Frustration
TM22 - Solar Beam
TM27 - Return
TM31 - Brick Break
TM33 - Reflect
TM39 - Rock Tomb
TM41 - Torment
TM42 - Facade
TM48 - Round
TM49 - Echoed Voice
TM52 - Focus Blast
TM53 - Energy Ball
TM54 - False Swipe
TM56 - Fling
TM59 - Brutal Swing
TM66 - Payback
TM67 - Smart Strike
TM68 - Giga Impact
TM71 - Stone Edge
TM75 - Swords Dance
TM77 - Psych Up
TM80 - Rock Slide
TM86 - Grass Knot
TM87 - Swagger
TM88 - Sleep Talk
TM90 - Substitute
TM95 - Snarl
TM96 - Nature Power
TM99 - Dazzling Gleam
TM100 - Confide
Egg Moves: N/A
Analysis of Tapu Bulu
Tapu Bulu is a Pokemon that is the epitome of bulky offense, sporting great sustain through Grassy Terrain, Leech Seed, and Horn Leech, as well as typing that lets it switch into a multitude of threats such as Landorus-T and Garchomp. Tapu Bulu also doubles as a fearsome wallbreaker with an incredibly powerful Wood Hammer, capable of OHKOing Latios after Stealth Rock damage when equipped with a Choice Band, just a testament to its power. While its coverage is limited, it has just about all it needs; Superpower for Heatran and Ferrothorn, Megahorn for Tangrowth and Amoonguss, and Stone Edge for Mega Charizard X and Y.
Potential Movesets:
Choice Band
Tapu Bulu @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Horn Leech
- Megahorn
- Superpower
Set Description
When sporting a Choice Band, Tapu transforms into a frightening wallbreaker, capable of OHKOing Latios and Mega Charizard Y after Stealth Rock with Grassy Terrain boosted Wood Hammer, a testament to how powerful this set is. Horn Leech gives Tapu Bulu great sustain and still hits fairly hard. Megahorn lets Tapu Bulu get past Tangrowth and Amoonguss. Superpower rounds out Tapu Bulu's coverage hitting both Heatran and Ferrothorn, which otherwise wall its Grass STAB.
Bulk Up + Leech Seed
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 144 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leech Seed
- Bulk Up
- Horn Leech
- Brick Break
Set Description
This set takes more advantage of Tapu Bulu's incredible sustain with Leftovers, Grassy Terrain, Leech Seed, and Horn Leech. Bulk Up increases Tapu Bulu's already impressive Attack and Defense, making it hit hard and hard to knock out. Brick Break is used for the last slot and provides necessary coverage for Ferrothorn and Heatran. Superpower is stronger, but it's counterproductive when using Bulk Up alongside it. The given EV spread allows Tapu Bulu to outspeed defensive Landorus-T and maximizes its Attack, while the rest is dumped into HP for supplementary bulk.
Substitute + Leech Seed
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Protect
- Horn Leech
Set Description
A more defensively inclined variant of the above set, trading the ability to setup in exchange for a shield from status and revenge killers through Substitute. Thanks to Tapu Bulu's immense amount of passive recovery, it is able to continually set up Substitute alongside Protect. Leech Seed lets Tapu Bulu stall out Heatran, Garchomp, and Mega Charizard Y. The EV spread lets it outpace 0 Speed Rotom-W to Substitute before it can burn Tapu Bulu, while max Attack is crucial for 2HKOing Clefable with Horn Leech.
Closing Thoughts
Tapu Bulu will definitely make a huge impact in the metagame, checking a multitude of threats with its typing while hitting like a truck. I'm more interested to see its potential with the other two sets listed below Choice Band. Though the lack of Play Rough initially looked disappointing, as it turns out, the coverage isn't necessary thanks to its already strong Grass STABs. Excited to see how this fares as the metagame further develops.