Doubles Tapu Fini (Revamp)

talkingtree

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[OVERVIEW]

Tapu Fini leverages its great defensive typing and stats to secure a place at the forefront of the Doubles metagame. Though Tapu Fini is the only Island Guardian whose summoned Terrain doesn't boost the power of its attacks, its ability to block status and weaken Dragon-type attacks on grounded targets is still quite useful. With a solid movepool that contains useful attacks and utility moves alike, Tapu Fini has every tool it would need to thrive, save for a recovery move. As a result, Tapu Fini can end up being worn down somewhat easily. Tapu Fini is also a bit weak unless it's accrued a Calm Mind boost or two, but its STAB attacks are super effective on large metagame threats like Zygarde, Landorus-T, and Incineroar, so Tapu Fini fits onto most teams quite easily.

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Heal Pulse
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 124 SpA / 68 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Muddy Water provides a way for Tapu Fini to deal respectable spread damage and fish for accuracy drops to help buy its teammates free turns. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's best Fairy-type STAB attack, helping it deal with threats such as Zygarde and Kommo-o offensively. Heal Pulse is Tapu Fini's most commonly valuable support move, either aiding a setup user like Mega Scizor by keeping it healthy in preparation for a sweep or simply keeping an important teammate healthy. Protect shields Tapu Fini from damage and allows it to scout the opponent's moves, stall out certain field effects, and retain solid positioning. However, some teams may benefit from Tapu Fini using either Icy Wind or Calm Mind in Protect's place, the former for speed control and the latter to take advantage of a passive foe and gain the ability to become a threat in its own right.

Set Details
========

The given spread allows Tapu Fini to survive two hits from Spooky Plate Aegislash or +1 Double-Edge from any Mega Salamence. As a result, Tapu Fini is also guaranteed to take less than 50% from Mega Metagross's Iron Head. The remaining EVs are used to boost its Special Attack while also ensuring Muddy Water OHKOes Deoxys-A. A Wiki Berry provides significant healing to a weakened Tapu Fini, lessening the impact of it failing to learn any recovery moves. If Tapu Fini is using Icy Wind, moving 16 Special Attack EVs to Speed allows Tapu Fini to outspeed Kyurem-B after hitting it with the move.

Usage Tips
========

Tapu Fini functions best on bulky offense teams, keeping threatening teammates healthy and providing role compression by checking a variety of threats in one team member. Use Tapu Fini's defensive typing to switch into threatening Pokemon like Kommo-o and Kingdra, pivoting in to either threaten super effective damage or heal up an ally. If you're predicting an incoming status move like Spore or Hypnosis, switch Tapu Fini in to nullify its effect. However, keep in mind that non-grounded Pokemon aren't affected by Misty Terrain and won't be shielded from status effects. Heal Pulse is best used on teammates with setup moves or those that are especially bulky, as frail Pokemon rarely benefit from having a bit more health. Tapu Fini's damage output can be disappointing, so it should generally only attack when the move will hit super effectively. The main exception to this would be to use Muddy Water to pick off one weakened foe and chip the other. Fishing for accuracy drops through Muddy Water is a somewhat viable strategy, but it's far from reliable. Don't use Heal Pulse if the opponent has a redirection user such as Amoonguss or Togekiss on the field, as they can steal the effect and cause your move to be detrimental.

Team Options
========

A wide variety of teams can benefit from Tapu Fini's presence due to its generally solid matchups and easily usable support. Teams with bulky setup Pokemon such as Mega Scizor and Mega Tyranitar that can take advantage of Heal Pulse support and the prevention of status effects will especially appreciate having this Tapu Fini as a teammate. Dragon-type Pokemon that don't use Dragon-type moves themselves, such as Kyurem-B and Zygarde, benefit from the weakening of opposing Dragon-type moves to keep them healthy. Tapu Fini doesn't need much in return from its team, but a teammate to beat Grass-types is essential, making Mega Scizor, Incineroar, and Heat Wave Zapdos solid picks. Zapdos can also use a Misty Seed set to pair with Tapu Fini and boost its staying power. Tapu Fini also has trouble breaking through opposing bulky Water-types like Volcanion and Suicune, making Zapdos an even better partner. Tapu Koko and Ferrothorn also stand out as solid teammates in this category. Landorus-T and Assault Vest Kyurem-B can aid Tapu Fini by threatening out Electric-types. Misty Seed Hoopa-U can be a decent teammate on teams that appreciate Trick Room, as it beats Amoonguss and Mega Gengar and benefits from Tapu Fini's activation of its item for the added bulk and immediate usability of its ability, Magician.

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Calm Mind
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dealing damage to both foes is a valuable asset for setup users in Doubles, so Muddy Water is a crucial part of this set. Potential accuracy drops can also ease setup. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's strongest attack for neutral targets. It also does respectable damage even unboosted, KOing Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. Calm Mind opens the door for Tapu Fini to either break through or clean the opposing team while also improving its staying power by boosting its already decent Special Defense. With Calm Mind, Tapu Fini also forces the opponent to respond by making itself significantly more threatening. Protect keeps Tapu Fini safe while its teammate takes out a threat or sets a useful field effect. It's an essential move in Doubles for ease of positioning, but it also allows Tapu Fini to stall for Leftovers recovery and improve its ability to take a hit.

Set Details
========

The Defense investment makes sure Tapu Fini will avoid the 2HKO from Mega Metagross's Iron Head and avoid the OHKO from Thunder Punch Mega Metagross in Electric Terrain. The remaining investment is used to improve Tapu Fini's ability to do damage. If Tapu Fini's being used on a team with Tailwind support, you may want to move 56 EVs from Special Attack to Speed so that it outruns Deoxys-A under Tailwind. With Leftovers, Tapu Fini can lower its Defense investment to 72 EVs with a Modest nature and still retain the defensive benchmarks. However, Wiki Berry tends to provide considerably more recovery than the slow drip of HP from Leftovers, giving Tapu Fini a second chance to act as a switch-in.

Usage Tips
========

This set functions best on bulkier teams that need Tapu Fini's positive matchups but can't afford the passivity of support sets. There are two main times Tapu Fini can benefit from using Calm Mind: to put pressure on early-game or clean up late-game. If Tapu Fini provides your best chance to finish off your opponent's team in the end, avoid letting it take unnecessary damage early on, since this set has limited recovery. However, this set otherwise operates similarly to more support-focused sets. That is, Tapu Fini acts as a solid defensive pivot against some popular attackers like Incineroar and Zygarde while also using its Misty Terrain to block incoming status moves like Hypnosis and Spore.

Team Options
========

Grass-types are Tapu Fini's biggest obstacles for cleaning, so it needs a teammate to take on Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Tapu Bulu. Incineroar takes these on and also provides Fake Out support to ease setup. Other options for this role include Kyurem-B, Mega Gengar, and Heat Wave Zapdos. Zapdos also provides speed control and offers Tapu Fini a way to break through bulky Water-types. Intimidate support helps Tapu Fini cushion the attacks that won't become weaker after it uses Calm Mind, and the common Intimidate users also offer valuable additional roles. In addition to the aforementioned Incineroar, Landorus-T beats Electric-types, Mega Salamence defeats Grass-types, and Mega Manectric can help against both Grass-types and bulky Water-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Tapu Fini has a fairly wide movepool with varyingly viable options. Nature's Madness is an interesting move that helps teammates that share checks with Tapu Fini, greatly lowering the health of otherwise safe switch-ins like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn. Ice Beam might seem like an odd pick when the combination of Muddy Water and Moonblast already hits the most common targets, Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Mega Salamence, super effectively; however, it does considerably more damage without needing a boost and also hits Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu. Taunt provides a different form of utility for Tapu Fini, blocking setup of all kinds including Trick Room, Swords Dance, and Tailwind. Taunt and Ice Beam fit better on sets with a lot of Speed investment to outrun Zygarde, Zapdos, Mega Scizor, and Adamant non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini might seem a bit out of place, but when used in conjunction with Soak and a strong Electric- or Grass-type like Tapu Koko or Kartana, it can be quite valuable. Soak also has the benefit of removing the STAB bonus from foes' attacks, making them weaker. Assault Vest is another slightly strange item choice, but it fits well with Tapu Fini's access to Icy Wind and decent moves to pair it with such as its STAB attacks, Nature's Madness, Hidden Power Fire, and Knock Off; the result is a highly specially defensive Tapu Fini set with utility in speed control and Knock Off or Nature's Madness as well as some decent coverage. A Choice Specs set provides considerably more damage output with Tapu Fini's decent coverage through its STAB attacks and Ice Beam, but Tapu Fini still struggles to hit neutral targets hard.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: In addition to resisting Muddy Water, many common Grass-types also resist Moonblast, and all can hit Tapu Fini hard in return. Amoonguss, though its Spore is blocked by Misty Terrain, can be especially frustrating to handle, with Clear Smog removing Tapu Fini's Calm Mind boosts. Ferrothorn also resists Moonblast and hits physically, avoiding any potential Calm Mind boosts attempting to shield Tapu Fini from damage. Tapu Bulu uses Tapu Fini to heal up with Horn Leech and typically runs sets with enough special bulk to take even a boosted Moonblast.

**Electric-types**: Tapu Fini is weak to STAB Electric-type attacks, and Z-Moves can KO even from full health. Tapu Koko, Mega Manectric, Zapdos, and Electric-type coverage users like Kyurem-B and Mega Metagross are all threatening, though none resist Tapu Fini's STAB combination, and they must fear a boosted Tapu Fini with speed control on its side.

**Mega Gengar**: Using Shadow Tag, Mega Gengar is able to pivot in on and remove Tapu Fini from play using its super effective Sludge Bomb. This prevents Tapu Fini from acting as a defensive pivot later, its main role on many teams.

**Taunt**: Losing Protect and either Heal Pulse or Calm Mind access can be a big momentum drain, and Tapu Fini can't hit most Taunt users like Tapu Lele and Mega Gengar very hard.

**Redirection**: Heal Pulse becomes a liability instead of a tool if redirected. Amoonguss and Togekiss, the two most common redirectors, also don't take much from Tapu Fini's attacks anyway.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[talkingtree, 232101]]
- Earlier versions by: [[DaAwesomeDude1, 228280]]
- Quality checked by: [[Level 51, 118474], [DaAwesomeDude1, 228280], [Memoric, 215000]]
- Grammar checked by: [[The Dutch Plumberjack, 232216], [A Cake Wearing A Hat, 388157]]
 
Last edited:

Level 51

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[Support]
[Moves] Under Moonblast, replace Marshadow with Zygarde (and maybe Kyurem-B?)
[Set Details] 4 Speed EVs let Tapu Fini outrun Jolly Landorus-T after an Icy Wind may be worth a mention (also speed creeeeep)
[Usage Tips] "Only attack when it will hit super effectively, as otherwise the damage output is disappointing"—you probably don't mean this literally but it's more of a "generally" than an "only", even aside of just the Muddy Water exception. Something like "Generally don't, but some situations such as [Muddy Water thing] may warrant it" would be cool
[Team Options pt 4] List Heat Wave Zapdos before the other two since it's become more common / relevant
[Team Options pt 4] Fire Blast on Salamence seems like a "beats these, especially if it has Fire Blast" kinda thing, since it beats Amoonguss/Tapu Bulu/Kartana without it anyway
[Team Options pt 5] Zapdos also beats opposing bulky Waters
[Team Options pt 6] Remember to mention why the item consumption on Misty Seed Hoopa-U is important!
[Team Options pt 7] Add Zygarde to stuff that beats Electric-types

[Calm Mind]
[Moves] Not sure I'd ever use Heal Pulse on a CM set (it seems like spreading Fini too thin), but I'll leave that to your discretion since I've never used that specific combination of moves ever
[Set Details] I'd change the alternative spread to 252 HP / 64 Def / 148 SpA / 44 SpD; SpA benchmark is 0/4 Landorus-T with Muddy Water, and by corollary standard Zygarde with Moonblast, while the Def dump gives it a better chance of reaching the above (very useful) benchmarks—for example, 182/256 (=71.1%) chance to take the double Iron Head, and 15/16 chance to take an Adamant Landorus-T's Tectonic Rage
[Team Options] Incineroar is a cool Fire-type next to it, does Fire-type things plus Fake Out can help get CM boosts off
[Team Options] In this same sentence, the Fire Blast mention seems a little extraneous in the same way mentioned above
[Team Options] I'd move Zapdos above Amoonguss at least, if not right to the top—classic Fini/Zap durdle, ya feel?
[Other Options] When mentioning that Ice Beam OHKOs Landorus-T/Zygarde/Mence, remember to point out that its main pro is that it does this unboosted, since Fini can OHKO these things at +1 with its STABs anyway
[Other Options] Trick is cool with a Choice item too

really cool points here, for a mon as versatile as Tapu Fini you summarised it pretty well. QC 1/2 pending these! :D

edit: also not sure if the line "ivs: 0 Atk" is necessary but if it is remember to include it :d
 

DaAwesomeDude1

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Great analysis as always!

[Support]
[Moves] Minor nitpick, but change Hoopa-U to Kommo-o; it's just a more relevant target for now
[Usage Tips] Same thing, change Hoopa-U to Kommo-o
[Team Options] In the sentence talking about how Landorus-T and Assault Vest Kyurem-B threatens out Electric-types, I would add that they also threaten out Mega Gengar

[Calm Mind]
[Moves] You can keep this if you think it's worth it but I would personally remove the Icy Wind mention over Protect. Protect imo is just too valuable on CM sets (keeps fini healthy, punishes double targets, etc) and like Heal Pulse, I think it's kinda spreading Fini too thin
[Set Details] "Factoring Leftovers, the Defense investment makes sure Tapu Fini will avoid the 2HKO from Mega Metagross' Iron Head factoring Leftovers recovery and avoid the OHKO from Thunder Punch Mega Metagross in Electric Terrain" you used "factoring Leftovers" twice

I don't really have much else to say, everything was great! QC 2/2
 

Idyll

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I personally think pinch berry should be the first slash item for CM Fini too, regardless of whether or not it has Protect. Leftovers is just generally too slow, the burst recovery is still generally better as the quick burst of HP with the boosts are generally better at pushing Fini out of KO ranges + CM Fini functionally doubles as a great general pivot as well. In addition, he sets should honestly be flipped tbh as Fini's pivoting is generally what's appreciated more these days rather than the support tools itself, but CM Fini makes sure it's not easy as ignorable nor dependent on specific partners (which with Lax having left the tear means one less too). Also I'd change how you describe CM on Fini a bit; it's functionally less about breaking through or cleaning but moreso forcing a response as it makes Fini an actual offensive threat. The CM's set should also still specifically note pivoting on threats and misty terrain usage instead of glossing over it; that particular job is what Fini as a whole is generally best at, not just the support set itself. They're just different means of trying to push a threat (helping threatening teamamtes vs being a threat itself) but the pivoting ability is a universal Fini characteristic.

I'd also specifically note Mega Gengar in C&C. It's a great check not only because it's SE, but also because Fini is generally one of the easier punishes and picking it off means it can't actually do its intended purpose of actually getting to pivot.
 

Lumari

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GP 1/2
[OVERVIEW]

Tapu Fini leverages its great defensive typing and stats to secure a place at the forefront of the Doubles metagame. Though Tapu Fini is the only Island Guardian whose summoned Terrain doesn't boost the power of its attacks, its ability to block status and weakening of weaken Dragon-type attacks on grounded targets is still quite useful. With a solid movepool that contains useful attacks and utility moves alike, Tapu Fini has every tool it would need to thrive, (AC) save for a recovery move. As a result, Tapu Fini can end up being worn down somewhat easily. Tapu Fini is also a bit weak unless it's accrued a Calm Mind boost or two, but its STAB attacks are super effective on large metagame threats like Zygarde, Landorus-T, (AC) and Incineroar, so Tapu Fini fits onto most teams quite easily.

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Heal Pulse
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 124 SpA / 68 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Muddy Water provides a way for Tapu Fini to deal respectable spread damage and fish for accuracy drops to help buy its teammates free turns. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's best Fairy-type STAB attack, helping it deal with threats such as Zygarde and Kommo-o offensively. Heal Pulse is Tapu Fini's most commonly valuable support move, either aiding a setup user like Mega Scizor by keeping it healthy in preparation for a sweep or simply keeping an important teammate healthy. Protect shields Tapu Fini from damage and allows it to scout the opponent's moves, stall out certain field effects, and retain solid positioning. However, some teams may benefit from Tapu Fini using either Icy Wind or Calm Mind in Protect's place, the former for speed control and the latter to take advantage of a passive foe and gain the ability to become a threat in its own right.

Set Details
========

The given spread allows Tapu Fini to survive two hits from Spooky Plate Aegislash or +1 Double-Edge from any Mega Salamence. As a result, Tapu Fini is also guaranteed to take less than 50% from Mega Metagross's Iron Head. The remaining EVs are used to boost its Special Attack, also ensuring Muddy Water OHKOes Deoxys-A. A Wiki Berry provides significant healing to a weakened Tapu Fini, lessening the impact of it failing to learn any recovery moves. If Tapu Fini is using Icy Wind, moving 16 Special Attack EVs to Speed allows Tapu Fini to outspeed Kyurem-B after hitting it with the move.

Usage Tips
========

Tapu Fini functions best on bulky offense teams, keeping threatening teammates healthy and providing role compression by checking a variety of threats in one team member. Use Tapu Fini's defensive typing to switch into threatening Pokemon like Kommo-o and Kingdra, pivoting in to either threaten super effective damage or heal up an ally. If you're predicting an incoming status move like Spore or Hypnosis, switch Tapu Fini in to nullify its effect. However, keep in mind that non-grounded Pokemon aren't effected affected by Misty Terrain and won't be shielded from status effects. Heal Pulse is best used on teammates with setup moves or those that are especially bulky, as frail Pokemon rarely benefit from having a bit more health. Tapu Fini's damage output can be disappointing, so it should generally only attack when the move will hit super effectively. The main exception to this would be to use Muddy Water to pick off one weakened foe and chip the other. Fishing for accuracy drops through Muddy Water is a somewhat viable strategy, but it's far from reliable. Don't use Heal Pulse if the opponent has a redirector redirection user such as Amoonguss or Togekiss on the field, as they can steal the effect and cause your move to be detrimental.

Team Options
========

A wide variety of teams can benefit from Tapu Fini's presence due to its generally solid matchups and easily usable support. Teams with bulky setup Pokemon such as Mega Scizor or Mega Tyranitar that can take advantage of Heal Pulse support and the prevention of status effects will especially appreciate having this Tapu Fini as a teammate. Dragon-type Pokemon that don't use Dragon-type moves themselves, such as Kyurem-B and Zygarde, benefit from the weakening of opposing Dragon-type moves to keep them healthy. Tapu Fini doesn't need much in return from its team, but a teammate to beat Grass-types is essential, making Heat Wave Zapdos, Mega Scizor, and Incineroar solid picks. Zapdos can also use a Misty Seed set to pair with Tapu Fini and boost its staying power. Tapu Fini also has trouble breaking through opposing bulky Water-types like Volcanion and Suicune, making Zapdos an even better partner. Tapu Koko and Ferrothorn also stand out as solid teammates in this category. Landorus-T and Assault Vest Kyurem-B can also aid Tapu Fini by threatening out Electric-types. Misty Seed Hoopa-U can be a decent teammate on teams that appreciate Trick Room, as it beats Amoonguss and Mega Gengar and benefits from Tapu Fini's activation of its item for the added bulk and immediate usability of its ability, Magician.

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Calm Mind
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dealing damage to both foes is a valuable asset for setup users in Doubles, so Muddy Water is a crucial part of this set. Potential accuracy drops can also ease setup. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's strongest attack for neutral targets. It also does respectable damage even unboosted, KOing Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. Calm Mind opens the door for Tapu Fini to either break through or clean the opposing team, also improving its staying power by boosting its already decent Special Defense. With Calm Mind, Tapu Fini also forces the opponent to respond by making itself significantly more threatening. Protect keeps Tapu Fini safe while its teammate takes out a threat or sets a useful field effect. It's an essential move in Doubles for ease of positioning, but it also allows this Tapu Fini to stall for Leftovers recovery and improve its ability to take a hit.

Set Details
========

The Defense investment makes sure Tapu Fini will avoid the 2HKO from Mega Metagross's Iron Head and avoid the OHKO from Thunder Punch Mega Metagross in Electric Terrain. The remaining investment is used to improve Tapu Fini's ability to do damage. If Tapu Fini's being used on a team with Tailwind support, you may want to move 56 EVs from Special Attack to Speed so that it outruns Deoxys-A under Tailwind. With Leftovers, Tapu Fini can lower its Defense investment to 84 EVs and a give it with a Modest nature and still retain the defensive benchmarks. However, Wiki Berry tends to provide considerably more recovery than the slow drip of HP from Leftovers, giving Tapu Fini a second chance to act as a switchin switch-in.

Usage Tips
========

This set functions best on bulkier teams that need Tapu Fini's positive matchups but can't afford the passivity of support sets. There are two main times Tapu Fini can benefit from using Calm Mind; (colon) to put pressure on early-game or clean up in the late-game. If Tapu Fini provides your best chance to finish off your opponent's team in the end, avoid letting it take unnecessary damage early on, (AC) since this set has limited recovery. However, this set otherwise operates similarly to more support-focused sets. That is, Tapu Fini acts as a solid defensive pivots into some popular attackers like Incineroar and Zygarde, also using its Misty Terrain to block incoming status moves like Hypnosis and Spore.

Team Options
========

Grass-types are Tapu Fini's biggest obstacles for cleaning, so it needs a teammate to take on Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Tapu Bulu. Incineroar takes these on and also provides Fake Out support to ease setup. Other options for this role include Kyurem-B, Mega Gengar, and Heat Wave Zapdos. Zapdos also provides speed control and offers Tapu Fini a way to break through bulky Water-types. (Note to QC 2: Removed sentence about Amoonguss redirecting for Fini, I think it's rare that Fini needs or even wants this support) Intimidate support helps Tapu Fini shore up cushion the attacks that won't become weaker after it uses Calm Mind, and the common Intimidate users also offer valuable additional roles. In addition to the aforementioned Incineroar, Landorus-T beats Electric-types, Mega Salamence defeats Grass-types, and Mega Manectric can help against both Grass-types and bulky Water-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Tapu Fini has a fairly wide movepool with varyingly viable options. Nature's Madness is an interesting move that helps teammates that share checks with Tapu Fini, greatly lowering the health of otherwise safe switchins switch-ins like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn. Ice Beam might seem like an odd pick when the combination of Muddy Water and Moonblast already hits the most common targets, Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Mega Salamence, super effectively; however, it does considerably more damage without needing a boost and also hits Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu. Taunt provides a different form of utility for Tapu Fini, blocking setup of all kinds including Trick Room, Swords Dance, and Tailwind. Taunt and Ice Beam fit better on sets with a lot of Speed investment to outrun Zygarde, Zapdos, Mega Scizor, and Adamant non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini might seem a bit out of place, but when used in conjunction with Soak and a strong Electric- or Grass-type like Tapu Koko or Kartana, it can be quite valuable. Soak also has the benefit of removing the STAB bonus from foes' attacks, making them weaker. Assault Vest is another slightly strange item choice, but it fits well with Tapu Fini's access to Icy Wind and decent moves to pair it with such as its STAB attacks, Nature's Madness, Hidden Power Fire, and Knock Off; the result is a highly specially defensive Tapu Fini set with utility in Speed Control speed control and Knock Off/Nature's Madness as well as some decent coverage. A Choice Specs set provides considerably more damage output with Tapu Fini's decent coverage through its STAB attacks and Ice Beam, but Tapu Fini still struggles to hit neutral targets hard.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: In addition to resisting Muddy Water, many common Grass-types also resist Moonblast, (AC) and all can hit Tapu Fini hard in return. Amoonguss, though its Spore is blocked by Misty Terrain, can be especially frustrating to handle, (AC) with Clear Smog removing Tapu Fini's Calm Mind boosts. Ferrothorn also resists Moonblast and it hits physically, avoiding any potential Calm Mind boosts attempting to shield Tapu Fini from damage. Tapu Bulu uses Tapu Fini to heal up with Horn Leech and typically runs sets with enough special bulk to take even a boosted Moonblast.

**Electric-types**: Tapu Fini is weak to their STAB Electric-type attacks, and Electrium Z attacks Z-Moves can KO even from full health. Tapu Koko, Mega Manectric, Zapdos, and Electric-type coverage users like Kyurem-B and Mega Metagross are all threatening, though none resist Tapu Fini's STAB combination, (AC) and they must fear a boosted Tapu Fini with speed control on its side.

**Mega Gengar**: Using Shadow Tag, Mega Gengar is able to pivot in on and remove Tapu Fini from playing using its super effective Sludge Bomb. This prevents Tapu Fini from acting as a defensive pivot later, its main role on many teams.

**Taunt**: Losing Protect and either Heal Pulse or Calm Mind access can be a big momentum loss drain, and Tapu Fini can't hit most Taunt users like Tapu Lele and Mega Gengar very hard.

**Redirection**: Heal Pulse becomes a liability instead of a tool if redirected. Amoonguss and Togekiss, the two most common redirectors, also don't take much from Tapu Fini's attacks anyway.
 
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A Cake Wearing A Hat

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[OVERVIEW]

Tapu Fini leverages its great defensive typing and stats to secure a place at the forefront of the Doubles metagame. Though Tapu Fini is the only Island Guardian whose summoned Terrain doesn't boost the power of its attacks, its ability to block status and weaken Dragon-type attacks on grounded targets is still quite useful. With a solid movepool that contains useful attacks and utility moves alike, Tapu Fini has every tool it would need to thrive, save for a recovery move. As a result, Tapu Fini can end up being worn down somewhat easily. Tapu Fini is also a bit weak unless it's accrued a Calm Mind boost or two, but its STAB attacks are super effective on large metagame threats like Zygarde, Landorus-T, and Incineroar, so Tapu Fini fits onto most teams quite easily.

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Heal Pulse
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 124 SpA / 68 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Muddy Water provides a way for Tapu Fini to deal respectable spread damage and fish for accuracy drops to help buy its teammates free turns. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's best Fairy-type STAB attack, helping it deal with threats such as Zygarde and Kommo-o offensively. Heal Pulse is Tapu Fini's most commonly valuable support move, either aiding a setup user like Mega Scizor by keeping it healthy in preparation for a sweep or simply keeping an important teammate healthy. Protect shields Tapu Fini from damage and allows it to scout the opponent's moves, stall out certain field effects, and retain solid positioning. However, some teams may benefit from Tapu Fini using either Icy Wind or Calm Mind in Protect's place, the former for speed control and the latter to take advantage of a passive foe and gain the ability to become a threat in its own right.

Set Details
========

The given spread allows Tapu Fini to survive two hits from Spooky Plate Aegislash or +1 Double-Edge from any Mega Salamence. As a result, Tapu Fini is also guaranteed to take less than 50% from Mega Metagross's Iron Head. The remaining EVs are used to boost its Special Attack, (RC) while also ensuring Muddy Water OHKOes Deoxys-A. A Wiki Berry provides significant healing to a weakened Tapu Fini, lessening the impact of it failing to learn any recovery moves. If Tapu Fini is using Icy Wind, moving 16 Special Attack EVs to Speed allows Tapu Fini to outspeed Kyurem-B after hitting it with the move.

Usage Tips
========

Tapu Fini functions best on bulky offense teams, keeping threatening teammates healthy and providing role compression by checking a variety of threats in one team member. Use Tapu Fini's defensive typing to switch into threatening Pokemon like Kommo-o and Kingdra, pivoting in to either threaten super effective damage or heal up an ally. If you're predicting an incoming status move like Spore or Hypnosis, switch Tapu Fini in to nullify its effect. However, keep in mind that non-grounded Pokemon aren't affected by Misty Terrain and won't be shielded from status effects. Heal Pulse is best used on teammates with setup moves or those that are especially bulky, as frail Pokemon rarely benefit from having a bit more health. Tapu Fini's damage output can be disappointing, so it should generally only attack when the move will hit super effectively. The main exception to this would be to use Muddy Water to pick off one weakened foe and chip the other. Fishing for accuracy drops through Muddy Water is a somewhat viable strategy, but it's far from reliable. Don't use Heal Pulse if the opponent has a redirection user such as Amoonguss or Togekiss on the field, as they can steal the effect and cause your move to be detrimental.

Team Options
========

A wide variety of teams can benefit from Tapu Fini's presence due to its generally solid matchups and easily usable support. Teams with bulky setup Pokemon such as Mega Scizor or and Mega Tyranitar that can take advantage of Heal Pulse support and the prevention of status effects will especially appreciate having this Tapu Fini as a teammate. Dragon-type Pokemon that don't use Dragon-type moves themselves, such as Kyurem-B and Zygarde, benefit from the weakening of opposing Dragon-type moves to keep them healthy. Tapu Fini doesn't need much in return from its team, but a teammate to beat Grass-types is essential, making Heat Wave Zapdos, Mega Scizor, and Incineroar, (AC) and Heat Wave Zapdos solid picks. Zapdos can also use a Misty Seed set to pair with Tapu Fini and boost its staying power. Tapu Fini also has trouble breaking through opposing bulky Water-types like Volcanion and Suicune, making Zapdos an even better partner. Tapu Koko and Ferrothorn also stand out as solid teammates in this category. Landorus-T and Assault Vest Kyurem-B can also aid Tapu Fini by threatening out Electric-types. Misty Seed Hoopa-U can be a decent teammate on teams that appreciate Trick Room, as it beats Amoonguss and Mega Gengar and benefits from Tapu Fini's activation of its item for the added bulk and immediate usability of its ability, Magician.

[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Muddy Water
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Calm Mind
move 4: Protect
item: Wiki Berry / Leftovers
ability: Misty Surge
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpA

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========

Dealing damage to both foes is a valuable asset for setup users in Doubles, so Muddy Water is a crucial part of this set. Potential accuracy drops can also ease setup. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's strongest attack for neutral targets. It also does respectable damage even unboosted, KOing Mega Salamence after Stealth Rock damage. Calm Mind opens the door for Tapu Fini to either break through or clean the opposing team, (RC) while also improving its staying power by boosting its already decent Special Defense. With Calm Mind, Tapu Fini also forces the opponent to respond by making itself significantly more threatening. Protect keeps Tapu Fini safe while its teammate takes out a threat or sets a useful field effect. It's an essential move in Doubles for ease of positioning, but it also allows this Tapu Fini to stall for Leftovers recovery and improve its ability to take a hit.

Set Details
========

The Defense investment makes sure Tapu Fini will avoid the 2HKO from Mega Metagross's Iron Head and avoid the OHKO from Thunder Punch Mega Metagross in Electric Terrain. The remaining investment is used to improve Tapu Fini's ability to do damage. If Tapu Fini's being used on a team with Tailwind support, you may want to move 56 EVs from Special Attack to Speed so that it outruns Deoxys-A under Tailwind. With Leftovers, Tapu Fini can lower its Defense investment to 84 EVs with a Modest nature and still retain the defensive benchmarks. (I don't see how Leftovers helps at all with dodging the OHKO from Thunder Punch MMeta. Consider finding a way to clarify that it's just for the Iron Head benchmark?) However, Wiki Berry tends to provide considerably more recovery than the slow drip of HP from Leftovers, giving Tapu Fini a second chance to act as a switch-in.

Usage Tips
========

This set functions best on bulkier teams that need Tapu Fini's positive matchups but can't afford the passivity of support sets. There are two main times Tapu Fini can benefit from using Calm Mind: to put pressure on early-game or clean up in the late-game. If Tapu Fini provides your best chance to finish off your opponent's team in the end, avoid letting it take unnecessary damage early on, since this set has limited recovery. However, this set otherwise operates similarly to more support-focused sets. That is, Tapu Fini acts as a solid defensive pivots into pivot against some popular attackers like Incineroar and Zygarde, (RC) while also using its Misty Terrain to block incoming status moves like Hypnosis and Spore.

Team Options
========

Grass-types are Tapu Fini's biggest obstacles for cleaning, so it needs a teammate to take on Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, and Tapu Bulu. Incineroar takes these on and also provides Fake Out support to ease setup. Other options for this role include Kyurem-B, Mega Gengar, and Heat Wave Zapdos. Zapdos also provides speed control and offers Tapu Fini a way to break through bulky Water-types. Intimidate support helps Tapu Fini cushion the attacks that won't become weaker after it uses Calm Mind, and the common Intimidate users also offer valuable additional roles. In addition to the aforementioned Incineroar, Landorus-T beats Electric-types, Mega Salamence defeats Grass-types, and Mega Manectric can help against both Grass-types and bulky Water-types.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============

Tapu Fini has a fairly wide movepool with varyingly viable options. Nature's Madness is an interesting move that helps teammates that share checks with Tapu Fini, greatly lowering the health of otherwise safe switch-ins like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn. Ice Beam might seem like an odd pick when the combination of Muddy Water and Moonblast already hits the most common targets, Landorus-T, Zygarde, and Mega Salamence, super effectively; however, it does considerably more damage without needing a boost and also hits Amoonguss and Tapu Bulu. Taunt provides a different form of utility for Tapu Fini, blocking setup of all kinds including Trick Room, Swords Dance, and Tailwind. Taunt and Ice Beam fit better on sets with a lot of Speed investment to outrun Zygarde, Zapdos, Mega Scizor, and Adamant non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini might seem a bit out of place, but when used in conjunction with Soak and a strong Electric- or Grass-type like Tapu Koko or Kartana, it can be quite valuable. Soak also has the benefit of removing the STAB bonus from foes' attacks, making them weaker. Assault Vest is another slightly strange item choice, but it fits well with Tapu Fini's access to Icy Wind and decent moves to pair it with such as its STAB attacks, Nature's Madness, Hidden Power Fire, and Knock Off; the result is a highly specially defensive Tapu Fini set with utility in speed control and Knock Off/Nature's Off or Nature's Madness as well as some decent coverage. A Choice Specs set provides considerably more damage output with Tapu Fini's decent coverage through its STAB attacks and Ice Beam, but Tapu Fini still struggles to hit neutral targets hard.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Grass-types**: In addition to resisting Muddy Water, many common Grass-types also resist Moonblast, and all can hit Tapu Fini hard in return. Amoonguss, though its Spore is blocked by Misty Terrain, can be especially frustrating to handle, with Clear Smog removing Tapu Fini's Calm Mind boosts. Ferrothorn also resists Moonblast and it hits physically, avoiding any potential Calm Mind boosts attempting to shield Tapu Fini from damage. Tapu Bulu uses Tapu Fini to heal up with Horn Leech and typically runs sets with enough special bulk to take even a boosted Moonblast.

**Electric-types**: Tapu Fini is weak to STAB Electric-type attacks, and Z-Moves can KO even from full health. Tapu Koko, Mega Manectric, Zapdos, and Electric-type coverage users like Kyurem-B and Mega Metagross are all threatening, though none resist Tapu Fini's STAB combination, and they must fear a boosted Tapu Fini with speed control on its side.

**Mega Gengar**: Using Shadow Tag, Mega Gengar is able to pivot in on and remove Tapu Fini from playing play using its super effective Sludge Bomb. This prevents Tapu Fini from acting as a defensive pivot later, its main role on many teams.

**Taunt**: Losing Protect and either Heal Pulse or Calm Mind access can be a big momentum drain, and Tapu Fini can't hit most Taunt users like Tapu Lele and Mega Gengar very hard.

**Redirection**: Heal Pulse becomes a liability instead of a tool if redirected. Amoonguss and Togekiss, the two most common redirectors, also don't take much from Tapu Fini's attacks anyway.

you told me you're already doing this but just so i don't look incompetent in public, add credits

2/2
 

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