Pokémon Tapu Bulu

[Count Serperior]

So what's the general consensus about speed EVs?
I assume adamant is the way to go, but what are threats you wanna hit first? Coz some HP investment seems important for sustain

 

[guustavooo]

Off the top of my head....add Pelipper?

I have a team with Bulu, Ferrothorn and M-Venussaur. It's really annoying because they seem to never die with Leech Seed running wild and Bulu using Horn Leech. You have to account your entire second half of your team to cover for Fire weakness, tho.

 

[Justin Rickerman]

I found a core of Toxapex, Bulu, and Marowak to be really effective. They both appreciate the ground debuff, and they both can tank whatever threatens bulu. The last three pokemon are for what your objective is.

 

[Shroob]

Can someone point me in the right direction with a SubSeed set? The one on the front seems a bit outdated compared to what everyone else is using.

 

[Subject 18]

Can someone point me in the right direction with a SubSeed set? The one on the front seems a bit outdated compared to what everyone else is using.

Try this thread.

 

[Goodstyle]

God help you if your opponent is running Kartana and you don't have dedicated Kartana answers while Bulu is on your team. The worst scenario in the world is:

- Killing something with Bulu and being locked into a grass move.
- Having Kartana switch in while in Grassy Terrain, with you forced to leave as it SDs.
- Have your checks get completely dusted by this thing because grassy terrain boosts the power of leaf blade to enormous levels.

What's worse, a lot of Kartana's run 1 point more speed than attack now, potentionally making it unstoppable after a single kill in Grassy Terrain. Watch out for thing folks!

 

[tomtom5858]

What's worse, a lot of Kartana's run 1 point more speed than attack now, potentionally making it unstoppable after a single kill in Grassy Terrain. Watch out for thing folks!

So they're running Timid with 0 EVs and 19 IVs? Because that's the only way they're running more speed than attack. I'm actually interested here, because it seems really counterproductive to run a reducing nature, no EVs, and middling IVs just to get a speed boost, instead of having ~900Atk after the SD.

 

[Goodstyle]

So they're running Timid with 0 EVs and 19 IVs? Because that's the only way they're running more speed than attack. I'm actually interested here, because it seems really counterproductive to run a reducing nature, no EVs, and middling IVs just to get a speed boost, instead of having ~900Atk after the SD.

Yup. Just about every Kartana I face now does this because of pokeaim wrecking teams with it on his stream. They run that set, + a Z move (probably fighting) so they get a free 1 hit KO on things that are supposed to wall it. It also invests 252 in HP just to have good physical bulk. It's annoying.

 

[Jaroda]

So what's the general consensus about speed EVs?
I assume adamant is the way to go, but what are threats you wanna hit first? Coz some HP investment seems important for sustain

Out speeding Rotom-W is a fair benchmark on an offensive set so you don't have to worry about getting burned. You'll also outspeed base 80s and Heatran at a bare minimum should outspeed if you carry Superpower.

 

[JTD783]

216 Speed EVs are sufficient to outspeed Adamant Bisharp and OHKO with Superpower before it OHKOs Bulu with Iron Head.

Tapu Bulu @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 40 HP/ 252 Atk/ 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
-Wood Hammer
-Horn Leech
-Superpower
-Stone Edge/Zen Headbutt/Filler

 

[Pokelatent5]

Bulu could also enjoy some Ice Removers and Steel Removers, Flying-Types still are a pain. Poison-Types are worse, Sludge Bomb from the Special Attackers hits it so hard that it might not even last for another turn unless it's trying to run 252 HP / 252+ Sp.Def AV. 70/115/95 bulk is pretty impressive and 130/85 offenses are also decent but you won't find much use for its Sp.Atk. 75 Spd is nice but not as high as desired for OU Alola but still faster than those sub-60 Base Speed Pokemon but rather average if not below average on the OU for Post-Poke Bank which is a little sad as Bulu is one powerful physical attacker that has the potential to knock out or cripple those who fail to defeat it if they don't resist any of its moves it's currently running. Tailwind allies could help that shaky Speed, or just kill whatever you see on your opponent's team that threatens Bulu then send it out to finish the job. It does learn Calm Mind but you don't really have many moves that would work well while trying to set up. Z-Corkscrew Crash from Smart Strike should be able to deal with the opposing Ice-Type Pokemon as well as making decent dents onto anything that doesn't resist Steel. It does learn Brick Break/Superpower (non-STAB but useful) for Ice, Steel and Rock-Type opponents although that Defense reduction from Superpower might not be desired so much. Stone Edge/Rock Slide (non-STAB again but does great coverage) for those pesky Fire, Bug, Flying and Ice-Type threats, KOs Charizard and Talonflame if they switch in expecting a Wood Hammer, prevents Charizard from going Mega-X since it might not live to do so. Zen Headbutt while not STAB hits its primary weakness to Poison although don't use it recklessly or an Alolan Muk or Drapion will come in and spam Poison Fang, Cross Poison or Sludge Bomb as you can't do anything but switch out.

 

[RainbowDemon]

So what's the general consensus about speed EVs?
I assume adamant is the way to go, but what are threats you wanna hit first? Coz some HP investment seems important for sustain

I think this question is big and you got only one answer so far. I've been wondering... Is speed investment that important for Bulu? I mean, is outspeeding a handful of mons that necessary in comparison to what HP or Def/S.Def investment brings to the table?
This thing is a self-recovering killing machine, but without the proper defensive investment, it can be OHKO'd or 2HKO'd by a large number of mons. Also, the frailty of the "speedy" set severely limits the number of switch-ins, and that's a huge minus considering you'll want Bulu to be hammering the opposition as frequently as possible.
In my opinion, outside of Bisharp, Bulu doesn't get that much of a disavantage by being outsped. He can tank a hit and go for Leech Seed/Horn Leech.
Simply put:
Speed investment Bulu: glass cannon with mediocre speed. Shit longevity.
Bulk investment Bulu: powerful pokémon with solid defenses, albeit slower. Good longevity.

I think people underrate how tanky Bulu can be. He ain't got a great defensive type, that's true, but there are some mons who can form a solid defensive core around him (A-Muk and Toxapex come to mind.

 

[vso]

God help you if your opponent is running Kartana and you don't have dedicated Kartana answers while Bulu is on your team. The worst scenario in the world is:

- Killing something with Bulu and being locked into a grass move.
- Having Kartana switch in while in Grassy Terrain, with you forced to leave as it SDs.
- Have your checks get completely dusted by this thing because grassy terrain boosts the power of leaf blade to enormous levels.

What's worse, a lot of Kartana's run 1 point more speed than attack now, potentionally making it unstoppable after a single kill in Grassy Terrain. Watch out for thing folks!

Timid kartana is bad. It is a meme. It does not deserve the popularity, it is too weak and it's STABs are bad. The set that kartana should be running is + attack to break past balances.

To provide reasons for why timid kartana is bad is that it is depressingly weak and if you don't take out the Pokémon in front of you(and they are a special attacker), you are pretty much doomed. It's special bulk is far from OK even with the hp/spd investments.