Which Tapu is best in Pokemon?

Even though they bring different things to the table, the Tapus are all mighty Pokemon.

Many Pokemon games have a legendary trio, but Generation VII introduced this legendary quartet. Aside from their stats and moveset, the Tapus also bring up their respective terrains with their abilities, leading to some nasty combinations.

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Which Pokemon is the best Guardian of Alola?

Debating which Tapu is the best can honestly be a struggle. It’s much easier to figure out the worst and work up. When it comes to that, unfortunately, Tapu Bulu lacks many tools that its brethren have.

First of all, it has the worst typing of the four Guardians of Alola. Grass is weak in many types, making it hard to serve as the defensive, bulky crutch that Tapu Bulu wants to be.

The Grassy Terrain can give it some extra recovery, which can be great when coupled with Leftovers. Lowering the power of Earthquake does almost nothing for Tapu Bulu, who resists Earthquakes anyways. It’s a different story in doubles, where Tapu Bulu could pair with a weak teammate to Earthquake.

Comparing the remaining three (Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini) can be what trainers value more. Those who value speed might prefer Tapu Koko, while fans of raw power might take Tapu Lele and defensive players like Tapu Fini.

In terms of movesets, though, most of Tapu Fini’s tools are supportive. Defog can get hazards out of the way, while Taunt can stop an opponent from spamming Toxic. Even Scald can be used to burn opponents when Misty Terrain isn’t up.

Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain can negate status (Image via The Pokemon Company)

When it comes to dealing with flat damage, Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele have Tapu Fini beat. Although Tapu Fini received a huge buff in Generation VIII with Iron Defense and Draining Kiss, many trainers might benefit more from these other Tapus that can be powerful without setup.

That leaves two Tapu’s wrestling for the top spot. Tapu Lele has a stronger Special Attack stat, while Tapu Koko is faster.

While both of these are Pokemon to be reckoned with, it’s a lot easier to counter Tapu Koko than Tapu Lele. Tapu Koko usually only runs Electric and Fairy coverage, with the occasional Grass Knot to maybe hit Swamprt.

Tapu Lele has plenty of moves for its counters. Focus Blast can hit incoming Steel-types (if it hits) and Shadow Ball can hit Ghosts. That’s on top of the fact that a Specs Moonblast probably hits hard even if it’s resisted. For that reason, Tapu Lele takes it by a small margin.

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Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the writer.