[SET]
name: Swords Dance (Fairy)
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Horn Leech
move 3: High Horsepower
move 4: Close Combat
item: Babiri Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Grassy Surge
nature: Adamant
evs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Swords Dance Tapu Bulu utilizes its great bulk to set up and immensely pressure types such as Ground, Water, Steel, and Electric for Fairy teams. Horn Leech deals with Ground- and Water-types such as Excadrill, Rotom-W, and Slowbro and provides longevity, making Tapu Bulu harder to revenge kill. High Horsepower threatens Steel- and Poison-types such as Aegislash, Dragalge, and Toxapex. Close Combat deals with other Steel-types such as Celesteela, Melmetal, and Ferrothorn, and it also allows Tapu Bulu to pick off weakened defensive Pokemon such as Mandibuzz. Babiri Berry allows it to lure in and remove Excadrill for Fairy teams, while Life Orb allows it to OHKO Toxapex and Melmetal at +2 with High Horsepower and Close Combat, respectively. Alternatively, Leftovers turns Tapu Bulu into a bulky sweeper that can be difficult for teams such as Fairy, Electric, and Water teams to take down, as it stacks with Grassy Terrain and Horn Leech recovery. 232 Speed EVs let it outspeed and remove offensive variants of Celesteela and Tyranitar, as well as common defensive Pokemon such as Rotom-W and specially defensive Heatran.
Klefki is an excellent teammate for Tapu Bulu, as it sets dual screens to help Tapu Bulu set up safely, sets Spikes to wear down the opposing team, and can wall and paralyze Poison-types such as Nihilego and Gengar for it. In return, Tapu Bulu provides Grassy Terrain to dampen Earthquake and takes on Ground-types such as Excadrill and Swampert. Calm Mind Clefable is a bulky special setup sweeper that works well with Tapu Bulu, as both wear down defensive Pokemon such as Celesteela, Heatran, and Toxapex, allowing one of them to eventually overwhelm teams such as Steel and Water teams. Azumarill deals with Fire-types such as Victini and Blacephalon, and it can use a Belly Drum set to break down types such as Poison and Steel late-game. Calm Mind Tapu Fini is a bulky special setup sweeper that loves Tapu Bulu's ability to wear down Ferrothorn, Dragalge, and Celesteela, and in return it deals with Heatran, Hydreigon, and Dragonite. Tapu Koko checks fast threats such as Galarian Moltres and Weavile, can pivot Tapu Bulu in against bulky defensive Pokemon that it can threaten such as Swampert, Galarian Slowking, and Ferrothorn, and deals with Flying-types such as Celesteela and Crobat. Choice Scarf Tapu Lele deals with faster Poison- and Dragon-types such as Nidoking and Kyurem, and it appreciates Tapu Bulu dealing with defensive Pokemon such as Celesteela, Tyranitar, and Slowking, as this allows Tapu Lele to clean types like Flying, Dark, and Water late-game. Hatterene is a bulky Calm Mind sweeper that provides entry hazard control in the form of Magic Bounce, which stops Toxapex's Toxic Spikes from wearing down Tapu Bulu, allowing it to pressure teams such as Water and Poison teams more consistently. Hatterene also appreciates Tapu Bulu's ability to remove Pokemon that wall it such as Magnezone and specially defensive Tyranitar, allowing it to sweep types such as Electric and Dark late-game.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Fairy
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A Choice Band set with Wood Hammer, Horn Leech, Stone Edge, and Close Combat may be used for immediate damage, as this allows Tapu Bulu to 2HKO Toxapex, Mandibuzz, and Melmetal without needing to set up, but getting locked into one of these moves can be undesirable. Zen Headbutt may be used over High Horsepower, as it allows Tapu Bulu to threaten Galarian Weezing and Amoonguss. Similarly, Stone Edge allows it to heavily damage Flying-types such as Zapdos, but losing High Horsepower leaves Tapu Bulu unable to OHKO Aegislash and Toxapex at +2. Substitute may be used to take advantage of forced switches and evade status, but the reduced coverage is detrimental to its ability to break down Steel and Poison teams.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[neko, 542526]]
- Fairy analysis by: [[neko, 542526]]
- Quality checked by: [[AtraX Madara, 513753], [Aqua Jet, 531302], [roxiee, 481576]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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