Is Tapu Fini worth using in Pokemon Go?

The guardian of Poni Island (Image via Niantic)
The guardian of Poni Island (Image via Niantic)

Pokemon Go continues to introduce a never-ending supply of new creatures, activities, and strategies. With every new Pokemon, players must undertake a complex series of statistics to determine where they fall in the new meta.

Tapu Fini is one of the four island guardians, along with Tapu Koko, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Lele. Fini is a water guardian, known for remaining hidden behind a thick fog to keep from sight. This legendary being will be present in five-star raids from May 10 to 25, but is it worth picking up?


Is Tapu Fini good in Pokemon Go?

Tapu Fini is a water/fairy-type legendary Pokemon that players will need to go through some trouble to unlock. Despite the work that will go into picking this unique creature, its usefulness on the field of battle is dubious.

Tapu Fini's max stats are as follows:

  • Max CP: 3230
  • Attack: 189
  • Defense: 254
  • Stamina: 172

Tapu Fini is a mixed bag in Pokemon Go. It lacks the attack power to keep up with a lot of other heavy hitters, but its defense skill is a substantial advantage. Simply put, this Pokemon excels in some situations and falls behind in others.


Tapu Fini in Pokemon Go Raids

Tapu Fini is not a good Raid attacker. Its base attack skill is substantially lower than a variety of Water attackers, tons of whom completely outclass the new legendary.

With its best moveset, Tapu Fini can reliably deal around 12.5 damage per second in a Raid situation. This places it well behind the overwhelming majority of popular options of the same type.

Additionally, Tapu Fini lacks a fairy-type fast attack. Its one fairy-type charge move is fine but is inferior to its Water arsenal. This lack of type advantage makes it very weak in Raid encounters, and players shouldn't bother bringing it along.


Tapu Fini in PvP

Tapu Fini can make a great addition to a well-balanced PVP team. The right composition and strategy can turn Tapu Fini into a stellar tank with a great type setup.

The Pokemon's high defense and solid water arsenal make it a good choice for teams lacking in damage absorption. It could excel in the role previously filled by Pokemon like Azumaril, with some added benefits.

Tapu Fini's charge moves; Hydro Pump, Moonblast, Surf, and Ice Beam are all solid options. Set fast attack to Water Gun for maximum damage output, and Tapu Fini will survive far more than its peers.

Tapu Fini isn't a jack of all trades; it's really only great in one situation. Pokemon Go players looking for a new Raid attacker should look elsewhere, but PvP fans looking looking for a water tank can dive into the raid today.