Tapu Fini Movesets & Competitive Sets

Set Details The combination of Whirlpool, Nature's Madness, and Taunt allows Tapu Fini to trap opposing walls such as Toxapex, Slowking, and Blissey. Moonblast is a mandatory move to check Urshifu-R and Weavile while effectively threatening out Dragon-types. Nature's Madness can deal hefty damage against the aforementioned bulky foes and punishes switch-ins such as Galarian Slowking, Assault Vest Melmetal, and Ferrothorn. Taunt shuts down Toxapex, Slowking, and Blissey from recovering their HP or pivoting out with Teleport. If trapping foes is not a priority, Defog in conjunction with Scald can be run over Whirlpool and Nature's Madness, respectively; this allows Tapu Fini to act as a serviceable entry hazard remover for its team, gives it a more reliable Water-type STAB option, and lets it threaten to burn foes unaffected by Misty Terrain such as Zapdos, Corviknight, and Tornadus-T. Knock Off can be run over Defog to displace foes' items. These EVs allow Tapu Fini to avoid being 3HKOed by Choice Band Urshifu-R's Close Combat and Choice Specs Dragapult's Shadow Ball after switching into Stealth Rock. Teammates that appreciate Toxapex and Slowbro being removed such as Weavile and Urshifu-R pair up nicely with this set. Similarly, Jumbao and Dragapult greatly appreciate Blissey being gone. Ground-types such as Colossoil and Landorus-T can take Electric-type attacks thrown Tapu Fini's way and force Galarian Slowking out, while Tornadus-T and Corviknight help deal with Rillaboom and Jumbao and can bring Tapu Fini in safely with U-turn. Scizor also has great defensive synergy with Tapu Fini, taking on Ferrothorn, Melmetal, and Kartana, while Tapu Fini deals with Astrolotl and Heatran nicely.

Set Details Taunt allows Tapu Fini to shut down passive foes such as Blissey and Toxapex and set up in front of them. It additionally prevents foes like Slowking, Slowbro, and Blissey from safely pivoting into a revenge killer with Teleport. Scald is weaker than Hydro Pump but punishes switch-ins such as Landorus-T, Rillaboom, and Zapdos by threatening to burn them. Draining Kiss keeps Tapu Fini healthy, but Moonblast can be considered for its higher damage output. 140 Speed EVs allow Tapu Fini to outspeed Timid Magnezone and defensive Landorus-T. Investment in Defense is preferred, as Tapu Fini boosts its Special Defense with Calm Mind. Magnezone can trap and remove Ferrothorn, Calm Mind Tapu Fini's greatest counter. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Colossoil can deal with Electric-types as well as Galarian Slowking. In return, Tapu Fini can switch into Urshifu-R and Weavile for them. Tornadus-T can help deal with offensive Grass-types such as Kartana and Rillaboom, threaten Ferrothorn with Heat Wave, and remove Galarian Slowking's Assault Vest with Knock Off, making it a fantastic partner.

Set Details Hydro Pump allows Tapu Fini to OHKO Cawmodore after it has used Belly Drum. Trick allows Tapu Fini to cripple walls such as Slowking, Ferrothorn, and Blissey as well as slower setup sweepers such as Dragon Dance Dragonite and Geomancy Necturna, locking them into their setup move. Taunt stops Clefable and opposing Tapu Fini from setting up after it has already removed its Choice Scarf with Trick. Defog is an option over Taunt on teams that desperately need entry hazard control. 224 Speed EVs with a Timid nature and Choice Scarf allow Tapu Fini to outspeed Jolly Dragonite and Blaziken at +1 as well as Modest +2 Necturna. Maximum Special Attack EVs allow Tapu Fini to OHKO Dragapult with Moonblast, with the rest of the EVs put into HP and Speed to survive +6 Cawmodore's Bullet Punch after switching into Stealth Rock twice and outspeed Modest Choice Scarf Tapu Lele. This set role compresses a revenge killer and check to wallbreakers such as Weavile, Urshifu-R, and Garchomp. Teammates that appreciate Tapu Fini luring in and crippling walls such as Galarian Slowking, Blissey, and Ferrothorn such as Jumbao and Nasty Plot Tornadus-T make for excellent partners, with both of them acting as good checks to Rillaboom. Krilowatt and Tapu Koko can pressure Water-types such as Slowking for Tapu Fini and pivot into it to deal with Blissey. Ground-types such as Colossoil, Landorus-T, and Garchomp can take on Electric-type attacks for Tapu Fini and appreciate it checking Weavile, Urshifu-R, and Arghonaut.

Whirlpool allows Tapu Fini to trap bulky foes that cannot significantly threaten it such as specially defensive Eternatus, some Necrozma-DM sets, and Ferrothorn without Grass-type coverage. Nature's Madness combined with Taunt and the residual damage from Whirlpool lets Tapu Fini KO most defensive Pokemon in Ubers. Moonblast helps Tapu Fini defensively check Zygarde, Yveltal, and Marshadow, although its lack of reliable recovery means it cannot do so consistently throughout a game. The lack of reliable recovery also means it can only normally trap one Pokemon per game, as it will normally take significant damage in the process. 56 Speed EVs guarantee that Tapu Fini will outspeed Calyrex-I and paralyzed Calyrex-S. Tapu Fini partners best with offensive wallbreakers that appreciate its Misty Surge and trapping capabilities. Kyogre in particular appreciates Misty Surge both halving Eternatus's damage output with Dynamax Cannon and Draco Meteor and making Toxic fail, allowing it to potentially set up on Eternatus. Tapu Fini can also trap Blissey, one of Kyogre's sturdiest defensive answers. Marshadow and offensive Ho-Oh enjoy Tapu Fini preventing Zygarde, as well as other defensive Pokemon like Xerneas, Giratina, and Kyogre, from recovering with Rest. Galarian Darmanitan appreciates Tapu Fini potentially trapping Necrozma-DM and not having to fear paralysis. Galarian Darmanitan can also bring Tapu Fini onto the field frequently with U-turn, giving Tapu Fini an easier time trapping its targets. Heatran can be used alongside Tapu Fini to trap a wider range of Pokemon, including all defensive Eternatus sets. Tapu Fini can protect Groudon from status so it can set up more easily, and Tapu Fini checks one of Groudon's better answers in Zygarde.

Tapu Fini is a great bulky Water-type due to its support options that can effectively deal with threats such as Kyogre and Calyrex-S. Moonblast is its main STAB move, hitting Urshifu-R while being able to lower Calyrex-S's and Xerneas's Special Attack. Nature's Madness patches Tapu Fini's lack of offensive presence, being able to damage Zacian-C and Xerneas for half of their remaining HP. Icy Wind aids slower allies such as Landorus in outspeeding and threatening Zacian-C, while Heal Pulse is great for healing Tapu Fini's partners and punishing defensive play. Misty Surge enables Tapu Fini to soft check Pokemon that rely on status conditions such as Amoonguss, Volcarona and Zapdos. Wiki Berry paired with Tapu Fini's EV spread allows it to take many hits such as +1 Zacian-C's Behemoth Blade, +2 Xerneas's Moonblast, +1 Nihilego's Sludge Bomb, and Rillaboom's Grassy Glide in Grassy Terrain. For restricted partners, Zacian-C, Groudon, and Necrozma-DM are great allies, being able to check Rillaboom easily while Tapu Fini threatens Urshifu-R and protects them from burns. As for non-restricted Pokemon, Incineroar and Entei are great to quickly check Grass-types like Tsareena and Rillaboom for Tapu Fini, while it checks Urshifu-R and Kyogre in return. Landorus is another good option, being able to OHKO Nihilego, Zacian-C, and Stakataka. Rillaboom's and Incineroar's Fake Out pressure offers Tapu Fini opportunities to easily damage opposing threats, leaving them in range for a potential Grassy Glide or Flare Blitz.

Taking advantage of Tapu Fini's ability, good defensive typing, and high defensive stats, this set is a powerful setup sweeper in the Monotype metagame and poses a threat to many types, including Fire and Flying. Scald deals with Steel- and Ground-types such as Corviknight and Nidoking, and it threatens to burn incoming physical attackers such as Celesteela, which Tapu Fini can then use as setup fodder. Draining Kiss hits Dragon-types like Dragapult and Hydreigon super effectively and lets Tapu Fini regain health. Taunt allows Tapu Fini to thwart Haze attempts from foes like Toxapex and Mantine. Substitute can be used over Taunt to prevent foes like Toxic Victini from statusing it once Misty Terrain runs out, in addition to blocking Celesteela's Leech Seed. It also lets Tapu Fini safely damage offensive checks such as Thundurus-T, and it prevents Clear Smog Gastrodon from clearing Tapu Fini's boosts. 184 Defense EVs ease the matchup against Celesteela and Dragonite, and 8 Special Attack EVs guarantee Scald 2HKOes Thundurus-T when Tapu Fini is at +1. 8 EVs in Special Defense prevent Gastrodon from breaking its Substitute with Earth Power. 56 Speed EVs let Taunt Tapu Fini outspeed Jolly Azumarill to prevent it from using Belly Drum, as well as Mantine to stop its Haze. Klefki is a superb teammate for Tapu Fini, as not only does it set dual screens to let Tapu Fini set up more easily, but it is also immune to Poison. It can also set Spikes to assist Tapu Fini's sweep attempts. Tapu Bulu is also a great teammate, as it can deal with Toxapex and Mantine, both of which cause trouble for Tapu Fini. However, the latter is only problematic if using Substitute. Tapu Bulu can also deal with troublesome Steel- and Poison-types, such as Ferrothorn and Galarian Slowking, with Close Combat and High Horsepower. Tapu Lele is another solid option, as it threatens Poison- and Water-types such as Toxapex, Amoonguss, and Mantine with Psychic and Thunderbolt, all while pressuring Kyurem and drawing in Dragalge to chip it. Tapu Koko threatens Water-types and Cinderace and brings Tapu Fini in against foes such as Landorus-T with U-turn. Clefable is a strong utility option, providing Knock Off and Stealth Rock support while threatening Steel-types such as Ferrothorn with Flamethrower. Azumarill is also a good teammate for Tapu Fini, as it can remove items from foes like Tornadus-T and Thundurus-T, making them prone to Stealth Rock wearing them down. In addition, it is a physical wallbreaker that can take on Victini, Galarian Slowking, and Steel- and Poison-types for the team.

Calm Mind Tapu Fini acts as a bulky stallbreaker and late-game wincon for Water teams against types such as Dragon and Steel, once checks such as Dragalge and Ferrothorn are dealt with. Calm Mind makes Tapu Fini a threatening sweeper, allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Kyurem, Galarian Moltres, and Aegislash. Draining Kiss lets Tapu Fini stay healthy, making it harder to take down, and it also targets Dragon- and Dark-types such as Kyurem and Hydreigon, which shrug off Scald. Scald deals with Steel- and Poison-types such as Corviknight and Nidoking, and it can spread burns, making Tapu Fini harder to break down. Taunt shuts down phazers such as Mantine and Toxapex, allowing Tapu Fini to use them as setup fodder. The bulk EVs let Tapu Fini survive a Power Whip from Choice Scarf Zarude at full health and have a good chance to beat SubRoost Kyurem after a boost, while 12 Speed EVs allow it to outspeed uninvested Rotom-W. Leftovers helps Tapu Fini stay healthy throughout the match, which is useful for setting up multiple Calm Minds. Swampert sets Stealth Rock to wear down opposing teams, as well as dealing with defensive Pokemon Tapu Fini struggles with, such as Aegislash and Poison-types. Slowking forms the team's defensive core with Swampert and deals with Poison-types like Toxapex, Amoonguss, and Nidoking with Future Sight and Teleport. Golisopod deals with common Grass- and Psychic-type threats like Rillaboom, Zarude, Mew, and Jirachi with its powerful First Impression and Knock Off. Urshifu-R removes other defensive Pokemon like Celesteela and Corviknight, which Tapu Fini fails to break through. Volcanion supports Tapu Fini by dealing with popular threats such as Amoonguss, Ferrothorn, and Celesteela with its powerful Fire-type moves.

Choice Scarf Tapu Fini outspeeds and removes threats like Kyurem, Dragapult, and Bulk Up Zarude. Trick cripples defensive Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Galarian Slowking, and Toxapex, which can switch into Tapu Fini's attacks with ease. Ice Beam threatens Flying-types such as Dragonite, Landorus-T, and non-Choice Scarf Thundurus-T. Knock Off removes key items like Leftovers, Assault Vest, and Black Sludge from common switch-ins like Celesteela, Galarian Slowking, and Dragalge. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini acts as a reliable revenge killer for Water teams and usually fits on balance teams with Slowking + Toxapex as the main defensive core. Slowking pressures Poison-types such as Toxapex and Amoonguss with Future Sight, as well as bringing in Tapu Fini and other teammates safely with Teleport. Toxapex deals with Choice Scarf Zarude and Tapu Bulu, which give Tapu Fini trouble. Swampert forms a solid defensive backbone with Slowking and Toxapex, as it provides an Electric immunity, sets Stealth Rock, deals with defensive Pokemon such as Aegislash, and handles Poison-types such as Nidoking and Nihilego. Urshifu-R breaks through defensive Steel-types like Celesteela and Ferrothorn for Tapu Fini. Volcanion deals with Grass- and Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Amoonguss, Celesteela, and Aegislash. Golisopod deals with Grass-types such as Rillaboom and Choice Scarf Zarude, and it also provides Spikes support for Tapu Fini to sweep late-game.

Moonblast hits Fairy-weak Pokemon like Zygarde and Urshifu-R and can claim KOs against foes weakened by Nature's Madness. Nature's Madness weakens foes for Tapu Fini or its teammates to pick off. Icy Wind allows Tapu Fini to provide speed control for its teammates along with punishing and forcing switches. Heal Pulse is particularly useful for Pokemon that lack recovery and and take a lot of hits like defensive Kyurem-B, along with setup sweepers like Dragon Dance Zygarde. Taunt is also an option over ether Icy Wind or Heal Pulse, as it can prevent Trick Room, Tailwind, and other status moves from Pokemon slower than Tapu Fini. However, it can be useless against faster Tailwind setters like Zapdos. Sitrus Berry's burst recovery is preferred over Leftovers's gradual recovery due to this set's tendency to repeatedly switch in-and-out of battle Summoning Misty Terrain is great against Pokemon that rely on Terrain, like Necrozma and Rillaboom. 144 Special Attack EVs allow Tapu Fini to always OHKO Urshifu-R with Moonblast. The Defense EVs and Bold nature are used to increase its lower Defense. EVs can be shifted to outspeed certain threats in Tailwind or after Icy Wind.

Muddy Water and Moonblast allow Tapu Fini to effectively exert offensive pressure the opposing team. Moonblast is a single target move that hits many threats like Urshifu-R, Zygarde, and Kommo-o, while Muddy Water hits both targets and nails Pokemon that aren't too threatened by Moonblast like Heatran and Incineroar. However, both need boosts to become significantly threatening. Tapu Fini can set up Calm Mind on a wide variety of Pokemon, like Volcanion and the aforementioned Urshifu-R and Heatran. Keep in mind that this will force a lot of attention on Tapu Fini, which can open up a hole for a teammate. Protect allows Tapu Fini to accumulate Leftovers recovery safely, along with bringing in a teammate that can better support it, such as a Fake Out user like Zeraora. Leftovers recovery is greatly appreciated, as it helps Tapu Fini switch in more, and it's likely to spend several turns on the field attacking or using Calm Mind. Summoning Misty Terrain makes it considerably harder to prevent Tapu Fini from setting up via moves like Toxic. 144 Special Attack EVs let Tapu Fini always OHKO Urshifu-R with Moonblast. The Defense EVs and Bold nature allow it to take more physical hits, which Calm Mind doesn't help against, such as Pokemon like Zygarde and Fusion Bolt Kyurem-B. EVs can be shifted from Defense to Speed to outspeed certain threats with speed control.

With a Choice Scarf, Tapu Fini outspeeds Pheromosa and its Speed receivers, making it a nice revenge killer when combined with a better Special Attack stat. Moonblast is its preferred Fairy STAB attack that deals great damage to many dangerous Ubers such as Yveltal and Kyurem-W, as well as frail receivers like Zeraora and Alolan Persian. Scald is more reliable and can threaten a burn on unprotected switch-ins such as Rillaboom and Corviknight, however Hydro Pump is still a usable alternative to increase its damage output. Trick cripples common defensive walls that can easily take Tapu Fini's attacks such as Gastrodon and Tangrowth. Taunt works well in tandem with Trick to deny recovery moves like Gastrodon's Recover and also prevent Slowbro and Slowking from using Teleport and gaining momentum. Whirlpool can surprise defensive Pokemon and potentially let Tapu Fini KO them should they lock themselves into an unfavorable move like entry hazards or Defog. Defog is another option if the team needs an entry hazard control option, which also helps Scald by removing Misty Terrain. While Misty Surge negates Tapu Fini's ability to spread burn, it also allows Tapu Fini to be played more aggressively by switching in directly against a predicted status inducing move or Rest. Choice Scarf Tapu Fini finds its place on bulky offense builds that enjoy its role compression. Gods with a high Special Attack stat like Yveltal and Dialga are great partners to maximize Tapu Fini's revenge kill capabilities. Yveltal and Dialga also have great defensive synergy with Tapu Fini, as the former can take on dangerous Grass-types like Rillaboom and Kartana while the latter can check Electric-types such as Zapdos. In turn, Tapu Fini can check Weavile and Pheromosa for them. Tangrowth handles a myriad of Grass- and Electric-type Pokemon Tapu Fini struggles with, and it also appreciates Misty Terrain to avoid status effects. Magnezone can capitalize on defensive Steel-types that have already been given a Choice Scarf, and also traps Ferrothorn, which is one of Tapu Fini's best counters. Bulky Pokemon with a setup option also like Misty Terrain to set up safely, which makes Kartana and Buzzwole great partners. If Tapu Fini doesn't run Defog, a teammate with an entry hazard removal option like Excadrill or Rotom-H is necessary.

Calm Mind Tapu Fini is a dangerous wincon capable of setting up on passive Pokemon such as Giratina and Skarmory. It also has great bulk, especially if it receives HP, and a fantastic defensive typing, allowing it to check common attackers like Urshifu-R and Weavile. Calm Mind gradually boosts Tapu Fini's Special Defense, allowing it to shrug off weak special hits from the likes of Slowking and Clefable. Draining Kiss is preferred over Moonblast since it increases Tapu Fini's longevity and helps keep it out of range of being revenge killed by faster threats like Tapu Koko and Rayquaza. Taunt stops status effects, opposing setup, and phazing attempts aimed at Tapu Fini. Scald discourages Pokemon not protected by Misty Terrain from switching in and risking a burn, such as Rillaboom and Tornadus-T. 44 Speed EVs allow Tapu Fini to outrun common base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, the aforementioned Giratina, and their Speed receivers. Tapu Fini fits best on bulkier builds that want a solid late-game wincon. Gods with a high HP stat like Yveltal and Ho-Oh make for great partners. They can also handle Grass-types that Tapu Fini struggles against such as Ferrothorn and Amoonguss. In return, Tapu Fini walls Weavile. Alternatively, a Special Attack donation from Kyurem-W or Dialga lessens the number of boosts needed to overwhelm the opposing team, which comes in handy against Clear Smog Gastrodon. Landorus-T also has great synergy with Tapu Fini, as it checks various Electric-type Pokemon such as Zeraora and Dracozolt. Entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, hinder Tapu Fini's ability to switch in, so entry hazard removal like Excadrill's Rapid Spin and Corviknight's Defog are necessary. Poison-type Pokemon such as Nihilego and Galarian Slowking beat Tapu Fini one-on-one if it doesn't have enough boosts, which sturdy special walls like Ho-Oh and Assault Vest Reuniclus can take on. If Gastrodon is a concern, offensive Tornadus-T invites it in and removes its Leftovers, allowing Tapu Fini to beat it. Magnezone traps and eliminates Ferrothorn, which is a common Tapu Fini answer, as well as Corviknight to prevent it from pivoting out against Tapu Fini.

Tapu Fini is an excellent Defogger that pressures and beats a large number of entry hazard setters such as Heatran, Landorus-T, and Kommo-o. Its amazing typing and multiple utility moves in Taunt and Nature's Madness, as well as its great bulk, allow it to be a sturdy check to terrifying threats such as Ash-Greninja, Weavile, and Heatran as well. However, due to its lack of consistent recovery and its vulnerability to all entry hazards, it is easily worn down throughout the match. Scald allows Tapu Fini to threaten burns on the likes of Tapu Bulu, Landorus-T, Corviknight, and Rillaboom, as well as pressuring Heatran consistently. Nature's Madness greatly chips its switch-ins like Amoonguss and Ferrothorn for its teammates. Taunt lets Tapu Fini prevent Pokemon such as Ferrothorn from setting up entry hazards in front of it and the likes of Mega Scizor and Clefable from setting up on it; Taunt also lets it force out Pokemon like Toxapex and Slowking in combination with Nature's Madness. Knock Off is another option that can punish common switch-ins such as Tangrowth and Galarian Slowking by removing their items, as well as removing Leftovers, Heavy-Duty Boots, and Black Sludge from the likes of Toxapex, Amoonguss, Slowking, and Tapu Bulu, greatly reducing their longevity and effectiveness. The given EV spread allows Tapu Fini to live a boosted Acrobatics from Hawlucha and OHKO it back, as well as outspeeding and 2HKOing offensive Heatran with Scald, with the remaining EVs in Special Defense to check the likes of Heatran and Ash-Greninja better. Tapu Fini fits on bulky offense teams, which appreciate it checking big offensive threats such as Heatran and Ash-Greninja, as well as providing good Defog support. Physical attackers that fear being burnt such as Kartana, Garchomp, Mega Scizor, and Melmetal, as well as Pokemon generally susceptible to status like Tangrowth, Volcarona, and Mega Tyranitar, synergize well with Tapu Fini due to Misty Terrain protecting them from status. Due to Tapu Fini being weak to Electric- and Grass-type moves, Pokemon that can take these attacks such as Gliscor, Ferrothorn, Zapdos, and Mega Latias are solid teammates. In return, Tapu Fini takes the Ice- and Fire-type attacks directed at them. Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Scizor that appreciate its reliable Defogging are also good partners. Lastly, it checking offensive behemoths like Greninja and Heatran makes Volcarona and Gliscor stellar partners.

Calm Mind Tapu Fini is a terrifying late-game sweeper, using its immense bulk, typing, and ability to summon Misty Terrain to find multiple setup opportunities throughout the match. It also checks offensive behemoths such as Ash-Greninja and Heatran. However, due to its low Speed stat and time needed to become a huge threat, it is prone to being revenge killed. Calm Mind, besides boosting Tapu Fini's offense, makes it harder for special attackers to revenge kill. Taunt stops Toxapex's Haze from removing its boosts, as well as denying recovery from the likes of Chansey, Blissey, Clefable, and Toxapex. It also blocks status moves after its Misty Terrain wears off. Scald allows Tapu Fini to effectively check Heatran, as well as threatening burns on Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Rillaboom, and Tapu Bulu. Draining Kiss allows Tapu Fini to consistently recover HP alongside its Leftovers while wearing down the foe, as well as outhealing the likes of Chansey and Blissey. The given EV spread lets it outspeed Modest Heatran. Tapu Fini fits best on bulky offense teams that appreciate having a sturdy wincon as well as a check to the likes of Heatran and Ash-Greninja. Pokemon that appreciate Tapu Fini pressuring bulkier teams work well with it, including Pokemon that can pressure offense such as Mega Lopunny and Zeraora. Pokemon that can wear down or remove bulky Grass-types such as Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Ferrothorn are great partners, such as Mega Latios and Heatran. Mega Medicham, Ash-Greninja, and Rillaboom break holes in opposing teams to pave the way for Tapu Fini to clean. Magnezone works great with Tapu Fini due to it removing the likes of Ferrothorn for it. Pokemon such as Mega Mawile and Gliscor that appreciate Heatran and Ash-Greninja being pressured are also good partners.

Choice Scarf Tapu Fini can outspeed and revenge kill threats like Mega Gyarados and non-Choice Scarf Kartana. While Tapu Fini is traditionally known for other roles, it has a decent offensive presence thanks to its great defensive typing and good bulk, which allow it to check a variety of threats like Mega Lopunny, Heatran, Weavile, and Ash-Greninja to an extent. Misty Surge protects the team from status moves such as Thunder Wave from Clefable and Toxic from Toxapex. Hydro Pump is Tapu Fini's strongest move and chunks Gliscor, Heatran, and Landorus-T. However, Surf is a more reliable option and still does decent damage. Defog allows Tapu Fini to clear entry hazards, but it clears Misty Terrain too. Taunt is an option over Defog to further mess with the defensive Pokemon mentioned, denying them healing or preventing them from setting entry hazards. Hidden Power Fire can also be used to 2HKO Ferrothorn and better revenge kill Kartana. Trick debilitates defensive switch-ins to Tapu Fini such as Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Clefable. The EV spread allows Tapu Fini to survive a +2 Acrobatics from Hawlucha, guarantees an OHKO on Greninja with Moonblast, and still outspeeds +1 Mega Gyarados. Tapu Fini fits best on more offensive teams, as they appreciate it acting as a defensive switch-in to top threats while also being a respectable revenge killer. Pokemon like Weavile, Mega Lopunny, and Kartana that fear Scald burns from the likes of Toxapex are ideal teammates, since they enjoy Misty Terrain. Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Heatran that can cover Tapu Fini's weakness to opposing Mega Scizor, Kartana, and Serperior make wonderful teammates. In return, Tapu Fini can remove Ash-Greninja and Mega Lopunny for them. Ground-types like Gliscor and Landorus-T, are amazing partners as they cover Tapu Fini's weakness to Electric and appreciate it switching into Ice- and Water-types like Ash-Greninja and Weavile. Setup sweepers such as Quiver Dance Volcarona, Calm Mind Mega Latias, and Swords Dance Landorus-T appreciate Tapu Fini ruining shared checks such as Blissey and Skarmory via Trick. This Tapu Fini set lacks defensive investment, so it can't check many Pokemon it wants to long-term such as Ash-Greninja and Heatran. Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Garchomp can provide extra insurance against these Pokemon.

Whirlpool Tapu Fini aims to trap and KO Pokemon that cannot really hurt it such as Toxapex, Clefable lacking Thunder, Heatran, and Slowbro with the combination of Whirlpool, Nature's Madness, Taunt, and status immunity from Misty Terrain. It also retains the ability to check threats like Heatran and Ash-Greninja. However, it is prone to being worn down due to its lack of reliable recovery and the chip damage it takes when trying to eliminate these Pokemon. Taunt prevents Pokemon like Clefable, Toxapex, Slowbro, and Blissey from using recovery moves, letting Tapu Fini efficiently KO them after trapping them. Moonblast is run to effectively check Ash-Greninja and Hydreigon. The given Speed EVs let it outspeed Modest Heatran, with the other non-HP EVs dumped in Special Defense to optimally deal with threats like Ash-Greninja. Tapu Fini fits best on bulky offense teams, where it partners up with offensive Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Ash-Greninja, Hawlucha, and Weavile that appreciate it trapping checks such as Toxapex and Clefable. Tapu Fini hates entry hazards, so Defoggers like Corviknight and Kartana make for good teammates. Tapu Fini is vulnerable to Grass-types like Rillaboom, Serperior, and Kartana, so good checks to them like Tangrowth, Mega Scizor, and Corviknight are great partners. In return, Tapu Fini checks Heatran for them. Pokemon like Gliscor, Amoonguss, and Galarian Slowking can check Electric-types like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Zeraoara for it. Lastly, physical threats appreciate Misty Terrain, like Mega Medicham, Mega Mawile, and Weavile.

Choice Scarf + Trick enhances Tapu Fini's defensive profile by making it an aggressively played revenge killer to offensive threats like Galarian Zapdos and Belly Drum Kommo-o, and it can also punish walls like Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Corviknight by severely limiting their utility. Having a Choice Scarf also allows Tapu Fini to play much more aggressively, as it can outspeed and threaten to KO foes like Galarian Zapdos and Terrakion. Moonblast and Scald are the preferred STAB options, dealing decent damage to or KOing everything Tapu Fini outspeeds, such as Barraskewda, Terrakion, and Talonflame; Scald also threatens to burn physical attackers that Tapu Fini outspeeds but cannot always beat one-on-one, such as Garchomp and Terrakion, and potentially punishes switch-ins like Blissey and Ferrothorn with extra chip damage from burn. Defog fills out the last slot by making sure Tapu Fini can still fulfill its role as one of best Defoggers in the tier. 8 Special Attack EVs are enough to OHKO Terrakion with Moonblast after it drops its defenses with Close Combat while 172 Speed EVs and Choice Scarf outpace Barraskewda; the rest of the EVs are dumped into HP and Defense to maximize bulk. Tapu Fini primarily excels on bulky offense and balance teams, most notably as a check to strong physical attackers like Terrakion, Galarian Zapdos, and Tough Claws Zarude. Fire-types like Volcarona, Heatran, and Moltres all appreciate its ability to switch into Fighting- and Water-type attacks for them; their Desolate Land variants can then pivot into the Water-type Pokemon, overriding Primordial Sea. Bulky teammates like Blissey and Swampert pair well with Tapu Fini since it can switch into opposing Trick users like Mew, Jirachi, and Tapu Fini for them; in return, they check Electric-types like Tapu Koko and Zapdos. Other physically and specially defensive walls are important teammates: Dauntless Shield Mew, Intimidate Corviknight, RegenVest Jirachi, and Chansey are able to cover for Tapu Fini's lack of defensive investment. In particular, Intimidate Corviknight can switch into Grass-types like Zarude, Tapu Bulu, and Dhelmise for Tapu Fini. The versatility of Trick also means Tapu Fini can cripple common defensive Pokemon like Toxapex, Ferrothorn, for teammates like Pixilate Tapu Koko and Primordial Sea Barraskewda. Any viable entry hazard setter, such as Heatran, Ferrothorn, or Garchomp, capitalizes on Tapu Fini forcing frail offensive threats to switch by weakening them with entry hazard damage. Secondary entry hazard control measures, such as Rapid Spin Dhelmise and Defog Mandibuzz, are useful to alleviate pressure off of Tapu Fini to remove entry hazards, especially in matchups where it would rather keep its Choice Scarf and does not want to be Choice-locked into Defog.

Tapu Fini's access to utility moves such as Defog, Haze, and Knock Off allows it to excel as a defensive pivot to a wide array of attackers. The combination of Moonblast and Knock Off in particular enables Tapu Fini to cripple Heavy Duty Boots and Assault Vest users while retaining a strong Fairy-type STAB move. Tapu Fini's typing and bulk allow it to serve as a blanket check to prominent physical attackers like Garchomp, Barraskewda, and Terrakion; the use of Rocky Helmet serves as a means for Tapu Fini to switch in and passively limit the amount of times they can attack successfully. Leftovers allows Tapu Fini to slightly increase its passive recovery so that it doesn't have to switch immediately versus opposing attackers. Tapu Fini also serves as one of the most effective counters to Barraskewda, as it can easily restore chip damage from Flip Turn with Regenerator while punishing Barrskewda with Rocky Helmet. Because common Stealth Rock users such as Swampert and Garchomp don't tend to carry moves that are immediately threatening to Tapu Fini, it's able to Defog Stealth Rock away consistently with the option of also removing potential Swords Dance boosts or threatening to burn with Scald. Tapu Fini also retains the ability to check setup sweepers in general: Quiver Dance Volcarona for example can be dealt with to an extent by resetting its stat changes with Haze, but Tapu Fini is not the most reliable long-term answer to them. Knock Off can also be used to potentially remove useful items like Leftovers and Rocky Helmet from Pokemon that rely on them, making Tapu Fini a very versatile utility user. Tapu Fini fits onto virtually any type of team; it can work on balance, offense, and even stall. Ground-types such as Swampert and Garchomp enjoy having Tapu Fini as a teammate because they cover for its weakness to Electric-type attacks and can make progress by going for Stealth Rock. Tapu Fini also largely benefits from teammates like Mandibuzz, Zapdos, and Moltres that can patch up its weakness to Grass-type attacks from common users such Volcarona, Tapu Bulu, and Zarude. It's also worth noting that despite being a Water-type, Tapu Fini struggles versus especially powerful Fire-type attacks from Pokemon like Choice Specs Volcanion and offensive Heatran, so Flash Fire and Primordial Sea users like Corviknight and Zapdos can alleviate the pressure for it.

With an excellent typing and ability to set up Misty Terrain, Tapu Fini is the premier bulky Water-type of the metagame. Surf is the obvious reliable choice for a Water STAB, but Scald can burn floating Pokemon, and others when Misty Terrain expires. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's most reliable Fairy-type STAB. Draining Kiss isn't nearly as powerful, but it restores enough health that it can give Tapu Fini an extra edge against less defensive threats. Taunt is important for shutting down more defensive threats such as Hippowdon, Leech Seed Celesteela, and opposing Tapu Fini. Substitute on the flip side, does a great job of punishing more offensive Tapu Fini switch-ins. Nature's Madness reliably damages switch-ins, even if it isn't boosted by Calm Mind. Items Leftovers provides a reliable amount of healing while it sets up Calm Mind. Sitrus Berry and berries such as Iapapa Berry give Tapu Fini a quicker burst of recovery, which can improve its match-up against more offensive threats. EV Spreads 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe Bold: This EV spread allows Tapu Fini to outspeed up to Timid Celesteela, letting it get an important Taunt in before Celesteela attempts to stall with Leech Seed. If needed, more EVs can be shifted to Defense if Celesteela is handled by the team. The rest goes into Defense to increase Tapu Fini's ability to set up Calm Mind. 252 HP / 100 SpA / 156 Spe Modest: This EV spread makes Tapu Fini a better offensive threat while Dynamaxed, notably OHKOing offensive Dynamaxed Landorus-T with a boosted Max Geyser after Stealth Rock damage.

Tapu Fini may not seem strong, but it makes a shockingly capable offensive threat due to its typing and good coverage. Ice Beam is Tapu Fini's best option against a wide variety of threats, mainly Grass- and Flying-types such as Rillaboom and Thundurus-T. Nature's Madness on the other hand, provides reliable damage output against unfavorable switch-ins for Choice Scarf Tapu Fini. Trick is essential, allowing Tapu Fini to cripple bulky Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Celesteela. Modest is the prefered nature for the most damage output possible, but Timid does gurantee that Tapu Fini can outspeed Dracovish, and Dragapult provided that Tapu Fini is holding a Choice Scarf. Items Choice Specs give Tapu Fini much more power than usual, making it into an effective bulky special attacker. Choice Scarf is a valuable alternative to outspeed major threats such as Landorus-T and Nihilego, and tends to punish defensive Pokemon more when Tricked onto them. EV Spreads 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Modest or Timid: This EV spread gives Tapu Fini the best combination of power and Speed. 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe Modest: This is Tapu Fini's bulkiest offensive spread for Choice Specs. 100 HP / 252 SpA / 156 Spe Modest: This spread ensures that Tapu Fini outspeeds Timid Celesteela, while giving it decent bulk.

Moves Taunt allows Tapu Fini to stop recovery moves from Pokemon like Chansey and Porygon2 and Leech Seed from users like Jumpluff. When used as Guardian of Alola, Nature's Madness takes 3/4 of the opposing foe's HP. Brine will double in strength once the opponent's HP is below half, turning it into a powerful Water-type STAB move after using Guardian of Alola, which is good for taking on Deoxys-S and Tapu Lele. Icy Wind takes on Dragon-types like Garchomp, Ground-types like Landorus-T, and Grass-types like Jumpluff and slows down Psychic-types like stall Deoxys-S and fast Tapu Lele. Moonblast is an option for Dark-types like Earthquake Mega Gyarados. Set Details A Calm nature and the given HP and Special Defense EVs allow Tapu Fini to take a Twinkle Tackle followed by a Fleur Cannon from bulky Magearna, as well as beat physical attackers such as Donphan and non-Metal Burst Mega Mawile. 96 Speed EVs allow it to outpace neutral Speed Magearna, as well as outpace Garchomp after Icy Wind. The rest of the EVs go into Special Attack to make its moves as strong as possible. Its ability Misty Surge allows it to avoid status for 5 turns, which is good against common sleep users like Jumpluff. Usage Tips Send out Tapu Fini against walls like Chansey and Porygon2, as the combination of Taunt and Guardian of Alola will take care of these. Send Tapu Fini out against any Dragon-type except Naganadel and Flyinium Z + Fly Dragonite, as Tapu Fini cannot beat defeat these. Allow it to face Sturdy Pokemon like Donphan and Golem, as after Guardian of Alola, Brine will finish them off. Use Icy Wind against Garchomp and Landorus-T, as this will let Tapu Fini outspeed and 2HKO them. Against fast Tapu Lele, use Guardian of Alola turn one, followed up by Icy Wind turn two and Brine turn three, as Tapu Fini will now outspeed it. Tapu Lele will be able to take a Brine after two Calm Minds, but not an Icy Wind followed by a Brine. Against slower, bulkier variants, use Guardian of Alola turn one, followed by Brine. Be careful if there is a Charizard in Team Preview, because even though Tapu Fini can beat Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y 2HKOes it. Do not send it out against Mega Slowbro, as they are unaffected by Taunt and will able to slowly wear down Tapu Fini. Strong special attackers like non-Choice Scarf Porygon-Z can also beat Tapu Fini, so avoid sending it out against them. Team Options Ground-types like Zygarde-C and Choice Scarf Landorus-T help Tapu Fini with troubling Electric- and Steel-types like Zeraora and Magnezone. The latter can also handle Mega Charizard X and Y to ease the mind games. In return, Tapu Fini can take on non-Metal Burst Mega Mawile, stall Deoxys-S, and Jumpluff for them. Tapu Fini struggles with Steel-types like Thunderbolt Choice Specs Genesect and non-Metal Burst Mega Mawile, so having Fire-types like Heatran and bulky Mega Charizard X helps Tapu Fini with pressuring these Pokemon at Team Preview as well as beating these. In return, Tapu Fini can take on Water-types like Primarina and walls like Chansey. Powerful Dragon-types like Choice Scarf Haxorus, Naganadel, and Choice Band Garchomp can help with Tapu Bulu, Whimsicott, and Mega Charizard Y. Garchomp can deal with either of Charizard's Mega Evolutions because of Outrage. In return, Tapu Fini can take care of opposing Dragon-types like Garchomp along with Mega Gyarados and Mega Charizard X. Steel-types like Mega Metagross, Aegislash, and Magnezone help Tapu Fini with troubling Grass-types like Mega Venusaur and Whimsicott as well as Poison-types such as Naganadel. In return, Tapu Fini can take on Fire-types like Air Balloon Heatran. Electric-types like mixed Zeraora helps break Water-types like Mega Slowbro. In return, Tapu Fini can take on Ground-types like Landorus-T and Garchomp. Walls like Chansey and Mega Venusaur can take on Choice Specs Genesect, and Mega Venusaur also helps with non-Choice Band Dragon-types like Naganadel. In return, Tapu Fini can take on Fire- and Fighting-types like Air Balloon Heatran, Choice Scarf Sawk, and Incineroar. Grass-types like Tapu Bulu and Mega Sceptile help with Mega Slowbro as well. Jumpluff can use Sleep Powder and Leech Seed on the likes of Aegislash and non-Ice Punch Mega Metagross, while Mega Sceptile can help with troubling Dragon-types like Naganadel. In return, Tapu Fini can take on Dragon- and Fire-types like Garchomp and Air Balloon Heatran.

Moves Hydro Pump transforms into Hydro Vortex to nuke Pokemon like non-specially defensive Mega Mawile and Mega Aggron. Tapu Fini's Rain Dance can be used to either boost Hydro Vortex's damage output or give Tapu Fini a Speed boost with Z-Rain Dance and cancel out Mega Charizard Y's Drought. Calm Mind allows Tapu Fini to take on slower special attackers like Primarina and bulky Necrozma by enabling it to take their attacks as well as boost its Hydro Vortex. Alternatively, Taunt stops Pokemon like Jumpluff, Aegislash, and Stored Power Necrozma from using Leech Seed or Calm Mind. Moonblast allows Tapu Fini to take care of bulky Dark-types like Mega Sableye and Dragon-types like Zygarde-C. Set Details The given HP and Defense EVs with a Bold nature allow Tapu Fini to take Choice Band Victini's Bolt Strike, as well as Z-Moves from Landorus-T, Donphan, and Terrakion. Additionally, 52 Special Defense EVs let it survive Never-Ending Nightmare from Aegislash, as well as the following Shadow Sneak. 56 Speed EVs allow Tapu Fini to outpace maximum Speed Donphan as well as Mega Charizard Y after it gets a boost from Z-Rain Dance. The rest of the EVs go into Special Attack to make Tapu Fini's moves more powerful. Tapu Fini's ability Misty Surge allows it to avoid status for 5 turns, which is good against common sleep users like Jumpluff. Usage Tips Regardless of which Mega an opposing Charizard is, use Z-Rain Dance to outspeed Mega Charizard Y and cancel out its Drought. If the opponent is running Mega Charizard Y and the Charizard does not Mega Evolve right away, use Rain Dance again the following turns to cover its eventual Mega Evolution and OHKO it with Hydro Pump. Otherwise, just attack with Hydro Pump. Against Sturdy Pokemon like Donphan and Mega Aggron, be sure to use Moonblast first and then use Hydro Vortex to avoid getting KOed by Endeavor followed by Ice Shard or Metal Burst, respectively. Similarly, be careful of sending Tapu Fini out against Magearna, as it has to engage in a mind game of using Taunt to prevent Magearna from using Calm Mind. Predict when Magearna attacks to use Calm Mind. After Tapu Fini gets one Calm Mind ahead of it and uses Taunt, use Hydro Pump then Hydro Vortex to finish it off. Against non-Earthquake Mega Gyarados, first use Taunt, then Calm Mind and Moonblast. For Carracosta, use Taunt so it cannot set up Shell Smash, and then use Moonblast twice to KO it. For Primarina, it will be better to spam Calm Mind and take care of it with Moonblast when Encore ends. Avoid sending Tapu Fini out against walls like Mega Venusaur, Mega Slowbro, and Chansey, because even with Taunt, Tapu Fini cannot win. Avoid sending it out against strong special attackers like Tapu Lele, Choice Specs Genesect, and Normalium Z Porygon-Z, as Tapu Fini does not take their attacks well. Be sure not to send Tapu Fini out to face Deoxys-S, as Deoxys-S has a faster Taunt and will proceed to PP stall Tapu Fini with Recover and Amnesia. Team Options Mega Aggron is a good Pokemon to pair with Tapu Fini because of its ability to take care of Grass- and Electric-types like Tapu Bulu and Zeraora. In return, Tapu Fini can take care of sleep users like Jumpluff and setup sweepers like non-Earthquake Mega Gyarados. Dragon-types like Haxorus, Naganadel, and Garchomp are good partners, as they handle Tapu Fini's counters such as Tapu Bulu and Magnezone. Tapu Fini in return can take care of troubling Pokemon like non-Earthquake Mega Gyarados, non non-Flyinium Z Dragonite, and Mega Altaria. Ground-types like Zygarde and Landorus-T can help beat Zeraora and Magnezone as well as Steel-types like Magearna and Mega Metagross. In return, Tapu Fini can take care of Dragon- and Flying-types like Mega Latias and Mega Charizard. Fighting-types like Sawk, Mega Blaziken, and Mega Lucario helps with annoying walls like Chansey and offensive Porygon2, and if Sawk is running Poison Jab, it is able to take on Tapu Bulu as well. In return, Tapu Fini can take care of bulky Pokemon like non-Flyinium Z Dragonite, non-specially defensive Mega Mawile, and non-Earthquake Mega Gyarados. Fire-types like Mega Charizard X, Mega Charizard Y, and Heatran are good to pair with Tapu Fini to take care of troubling Steel-and Grass-types like Genesect, specially defensive Mega Mawile, and Ferrothorn. Finally, Grass-types like Mega Sceptile and Mega Venusaur to take care of Electric-types like Zeraora and Magnezone. In return, Tapu Fini can take care of Dragon-types like bulky Zygarde-C and Fire-types like Air Balloon Heatran and Incineroar.

Moves Calm Mind increases Tapu Fini's Special Attack and Special Defense by one stage, which can turn it into a potent wincon that is able to clean through teams with limited ways to break it. Muddy Water is Tapu Fini's Water-type STAB move and is preferred over Scald for its ability to threaten two Pokemon at once. It also has a small chance to reduce the foe's accuracy, which is nifty while Tapu Fini is setting up. Moonblast is a reliable Fairy-type STAB move that threatens Dragon-, Dark-, and Fighting-types. It can also cause Special Attack drops, which helps with setting up. Protect keeps Tapu Fini safe from potential double targets and gives it a free turn of Leftovers recovery. Scald can be used if Muddy Water's accuracy is a hindrance for you, but it should be noted that Tapu Fini can't burn grounded foes while Misty Terrain is active. Set Details 252 HP EVs and 116 Defense EVs allows Tapu Fini to survive maximum Attack Jolly Kartana's Leaf Blade and makes Arcanine's maximum Attack Wild Charge a 3HKO. The 140 leftover EVs are placed into Special Defense to enable Tapu Fini to stomach a Sludge Bomb from Life Orb Nihilego and Life Orb Thunder from Tapu Koko outside of Electric Terrain. If you desire a faster variant then an EV spread of 252 HP / 12 Def / 244 Spe is viable, as it enables Tapu Fini to outspeed Adamant maximum Speed Arcanine and Timid maximum Speed Xurkitree. However, this gives Tapu Fini significantly less physical bulk and gives Kartana a strong chance to OHKO with Leaf Blade. Leftovers provides passive recovery to keep Tapu Fini healthy for the long haul. Aguav Berry can be used to heal 50% of Tapu Fini's health should it be brought below 25%. Usage Tips This Tapu Fini set is designed to stay on the field and slowly win games, so you have to play very conservative with it. Tapu Fini's natural bulk and typing allows it to switch in on many threats, but try to avoid coming in on strong neutral attacks, as you'll want Tapu Fini's HP as high as possible. It's important that Tapu Fini stays as healthy as possible because it lacks a form of reliable recovery outside of Leftovers or a certain Z-Move. Tapu Fini should be sent out when its counters are either not on the field or are checked by one of Tapu Fini's partners. Tapu Fini often doesn't need too many Calm Mind boosts to win a game so just setting up one or two will be enough. Avoid setting up Calm Minds versus Pokemon that can deal a lot of damage to Tapu Fini and instead use that time to either get an attack off, use Protect, or even just switch out. Keep in mind that even with Special Attack boosts Tapu Fini still isn't dishing out too much damage until you have about four or five. Be wary of Toxic users if your opponent has ways of removing Misty Terrain. Team Options Arcanine is a staple partner for Tapu Fini, as it provides much needed Intimidate support, which eases the stress from physical attackers. It's also one of the best answers to Kartana in the format because it can OHKO it with a Fire-type move, which is a huge blessing for Tapu Fini. Garchomp works well with Tapu Fini, as it is one of the few Pokemon in the format that can reliably counter Alolan Muk with Tectonic Rage. Kartana is a valuable partner, as it can reliably take on opposing Tapu Fini, which makes winning the mirror matchup a lot easier. Tapu Fini also keeps Arcanine in check, which Kartana very much appreciates. Eevee is an interesting partner, as Tapu Fini is a fantastic recipient of Extreme Evoboost because of its stellar bulk being boosted even further and its solid type coverage being complemented by the +2 Special Attack boost. Misty Terrain also prevents the opponent from slowing down the Extreme Evoboost strategy with status. While Tapu Koko can remove Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain, it is a good partner that can take on faster threats like Garchomp, Gengar, and Kartana before they can do any damage to Tapu Fini.

Moves Hydro Pump is Tapu Fini's strongest STAB move and can plow through many opponents with its impressive power. Scald is a safer alternative to Hydro Pump for when you want perfect accuracy but comes at the cost of significantly less power. Muddy Water is Tapu Fini's secondary STAB move, which is good for doing decent damage to both foes at the same time along with having a chance to lower their accuracy. Moonblast is Tapu Fini's most consistent STAB option, which will always OHKO non-Assault Vest Garchomp. Dazzling Gleam is likely the move that Tapu Fini will use the least, as it is the weaker spread move but doesn't have the chance to miss and can hit Pokemon that resist Muddy Water. Ice Beam is an option if you want to do more damage to Tapu Bulu, and it also OHKOes non-Assault Vest Kartana. Set Details Maximum Special Attack with a Modest nature is necessary to hit as hard as possible Maximum HP is used in order to stick around as long as possible to get off more attacks. Choice Specs amplifies Tapu Fini's damage output so that it can pick up KOs that it normally is unable to. This spread has no Speed investment because Tapu Fini can't outspeed much around its Speed tier without too much investment, which would cut away from its bulk and power. However, if you want a faster spread, then 156 HP / 252 SpA / 100 Spe is an option to outspeed maximum Speed Pelipper and Magnezone. Usage Tips While this Tapu Fini set is meant to be played more aggressively, you should still avoid being too reckless. This Tapu Fini set has significantly less physical bulk, meaning that it's more threatened by the likes of Tectonic Rage Garchomp, Wild Charge Arcanine, and Kartana. Try to find an opening against two Pokemon that can't threaten Tapu Fini too much, so that Tapu Fini can come in and start firing off boosted attacks. Choice Specs Tapu Fini also works pretty well as a lead, since the lack of Speed means that it's more likely to activate Misty Terrain versus another island guardian. Try to avoid spamming Muddy Water against more offensively inclined teams, since a miss will be hugely detrimental. Dazzling Gleam and Hydro Pump are more helpful in these matchups. Muddy Water is more useful against defensive teams that can't handle Tapu Fini too well so that you can stick around longer and harass with accuracy drops. Team Options Arcanine is a solid partner for Choice Specs Tapu Fini, as Intimidate support keeps it a bit safer against physical attackers. Arcanine also possesses Helping Hand to further increase Tapu Fini's damage output. Ninetales is a fine partner that can provide Aurora Veil to buff up Tapu Fini's bulk and Icy Wind to provide much-needed speed control. Kartana is again a solid partner, as it excels at eliminating most Water-type Pokemon, which makes it much easier for Tapu Fini to consistently fire off Muddy Water and Hydro Pump. It's also very good at beating down on Snorlax and Chansey, which Tapu Fini struggles against. Even with the Choice Specs boost, Tapu Fini still struggles against Alolan Muk, which makes Garchomp a good partner. Tectonic Rage + boosted Fairy-type attacks can also do incredible damage to opposing teams and is very difficult to switch into.

An immunity to status through Misty Terrain makes Tapu Fini an excellent Calm Mind user. The spread survives Landorus-T’s Tectonic Rage, and OHKOes back with +1 Muddy Water, as well as Timid Tapu Koko’s Thunderbolt. Leftovers and Sitrus Berry are viable alternative items, although rarely heal as much as a 50% Berry does over the course of a battle. Intimidate users such as Mega Salamence and Landorus-T make excellent partners, as they can reduce the damage Tapu Fini receives from physical attackers. The aforementioned Pokemon are also useful in order to check Grass- and Electric-types, respectively, with their STAB moves.

Choice Specs boosts Tapu Fini’s initially underwhelming damage output to acceptable levels, making it more immediately threatening and reducing the need for support from teammates. This set utilizes a straightforward EV spread and has few alternate move choices; Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Haze are all possibilities, but often weaker than those listed on the set. Cresselia makes a good partner, as it appreciates foes like Heatran being removed, and can use Helping Hand to boost Tapu Fini’s damage output further. A Heatran of your own has in common with Cresselia the ability to check Amoonguss, which walls Tapu Fini’s attacks.

Moves Taunt can shut down setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Mega Scizor, can stop opposing walls such as Soft-Boiled Chansey and Leech Seed Celesteela from recovering health, and can neuter entry hazard setters such as Skarmory, Swampert, and Clefable. Nature's Madness halves the opposing Pokemon's health. When Nature's Madness is combined with Taunt, Tapu Fini becomes an effective stallbreaker, weakening and checking walls such as Toxapex. Tapu Fini needs another attacking move because Nature's Madness is only good to cut a threat's health in half, so Scald is chosen as a reliable STAB move that has a chance to burn the foe, especially Tapu Bulu, which tends to switch in and activate Grassy Terrain; however, Scald has bad synergy with Misty Terrain because grounded Pokemon aren't affected by status. Defog grants Fairy teams a reliable Defogger to give Tapu Fini's teammates more opportunities to switch. Set Details Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Tapu Fini to be as fast as possible, outspeeding threats such as Calm Mind Suicune and defensive Jirachi. 252 HP EVs increase Tapu Fini's bulk in order to tank attacks more efficiently, especially if it needs to switch in to use Defog to remove entry hazards. Leftovers gives Tapu Fini passive recovery every turn. Misty Surge protects itself and its teammates from any status, allowing them to play much more aggressively on the field while setting up for a sweep and wallbreaking. Usage Tips Make sure not to switch in Tapu Fini carelessly on threats just because of its bulk investment. Instead, take advantage of its defensive typing to switch into resisted attacks. Due to its lack of recovery and reliance on Leftovers, make sure not to switch Tapu Fini in too often. Even though Tapu Fini resists Dark-type attacks, many foes would still go for a Knock Off to remove its or its teammate's item, so switch out so it doesn't lose out on the longevity Leftovers provides. In the event Tapu Fini isn't on the field mid-game while an entry hazard setter is, it's best to switch it in immediately, especially when Toxic Spikes are on the field, and clear the field with Defog. Remember, despite Misty Terrain protecting Tapu Fini from status, it will get poisoned from Toxic Spikes prior to its ability activating. Tapu Fini should mainly be used against defensive Pokemon that would pose a threat to its team, so using Taunt on them and going for Nature's Madness is always the best thing to do. If Tapu Fini is against bulky defensive threats such as Chansey and Celesteela, immediately go for Taunt to prevent them from setting up Stealth Rock and Leech Seed, respectively. Even though Nature's Madness should be used more towards defensive Pokemon, it's also reliable in wearing down more offensive threats that would try to switch into it. Scald is a great move, especially in case Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain has disappeared or Tapu Bulu tries to switch in and activate Grassy Terrain. While Misty Terrain is gone, Tapu Fini should always fire off Scald in order to get a burn to wear opposing Pokemon down faster. Team Options Tapu Fini supports Fairy teams by weakening walls with Nature's Madness and clearing the field of entry hazards with Defog. Klefki can provide dual screen support to assist Tapu Fini in tanking any attack better while spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave prior to Tapu Fini switching in and Misty Terrain activating. Klefki can also set down Spikes to wear down the opposing team, while Tapu Fini can pressure them with Nature's Madness to wear down bulkier Pokemon even more. With its Steel typing, Klefki becomes a reliable switch-in to incoming Poison-type attacks for Tapu Fini. Clefable provides utility with Stealth Rock, and combined with Tapu Fini's stallbreaking capabilities, the two can severely weaken threats. With Magic Guard, Clefable becomes a great status absorber for Tapu Fini once Misty Terrain disappears. Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu appreciate Tapu Fini weakening walls, allowing them to KO opposing threats more easily. Tapu Bulu can also switch into resisted Electric- and Ground-type attacks for Tapu Fini, while Tapu Koko can bring in Tapu Fini with a Volt Switch or U-turn from a double switch. Mega Diancie and Mega Gardevoir are great wallbreakers that can finish off threats weakened by Tapu Fini's Nature's Madness. Mega Diancie can bounce back entry hazards to give Tapu Fini more opportunities to switch in. Sweepers such as Azumarill and Mimikyu enjoy being free of status while under Misty Terrain to set up Z-Belly Drum or Swords Dance and proceed to sweep; in Mimikyu's case, the opposing team would have to rely on breaking its Disguise or phazing it. With Tapu Fini running Defog, Togekiss can play more aggressive in running a Choice Scarf set. Togekiss also is a great switch-in to Grass- and Ground-type attacks thanks to its Flying typing.

Moves Nature's Madness offers consistent damage on foes that normally switch in on Tapu Fini for free like Chansey and Amoonguss, chipping enemies in range of a more offensive ally's attack. 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 in preparation for a sweep or simply keeping an important teammate healthy. Taunt stops slow setup Pokemon like Cresselia and foes trying to set Trick Room. Protect shields Tapu Fini from damage and allows it to scout the opponent's moves, stall out certain field effects, and retain solid positioning. Icy Wind offers some speed control that also deals decent damage to Landorus-T. Scald is most notable for taking out Mega Camerupt, a threat that few Pokemon in the meta can claim to tank a hit from and return with a KO. Though Misty Terrain blocks its ability to burn foes, levitating enemies are still susceptible. Defog aids Stealth Rock-weak allies like Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y. Each of these three moves could go anywhere in Tapu Fini's moveset, but Nature's Madness should find its way on most all sets. So, Icy Wind would often replace Moonblast or Protect, Scald usually replaces Moonblast, and Defog takes the third moveslot. Set Details The given spread allows Tapu Fini to take less than 50% from Mega Metagross's Iron Head. With 132 EVs in Special Attack, Tapu Fini's Moonblast OHKOes an omni-boosted Kommo-o. The remainder of the EVs are dumped in Special Defense. A Wiki Berry provides significant healing to a weakened Tapu Fini, lessening the impact of it failing to learn any recovery moves. Sets with Scald in place of Moonblast can instead use a spread of 252 HP / 32 Def / 80 SpA / 36 SpD with a Calm nature, which retains the defensive benchmark but instead offers enough power to OHKO Mega Camerupt with Scald. If Tapu Fini is using Icy Wind, 16 Speed EVs are all it needs to outrun a -1 Kyurem-B. 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 Icy Wind to pick off one weakened foe and chip the other. Don't use Heal Pulse if the opponent has a redirection user such as Amoonguss or Volcarona 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. Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona also roast Grass-type foes, and Defog Tapu Fini sets ensure they can enter the field without taking Stealth Rock damage. Landorus-T and Assault Vest Kyurem-B can aid Tapu Fini by threatening Electric-types.

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. 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 60 EVs from Special Attack to Speed so that it outruns Pheromosa 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 and Heat Wave Zapdos, which 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.

Tapu Fini is bulky enough to pull off a Calm Mind set, with Surf and Moonblast working well as complementary STAB attacks. Surf is better than Scald, since Misty Terrain blocks burns, thus Surf's higher base power is superior. Mist with Icium Z give Tapu Fini one chance to fully restore its health with Z-Mist. Hidden Power Fire allows Tapu Fini to deal good damage to Ferrothorn. Taunt is useful for shutting down recovery against bulky Pokemon such as Cresselia and Porygon2. Sitrus is a reliable way to restore some health, but Iapapa Berry is a riskier alternative that restores more health when Tapu Fini reaches 25% of its HP. The given EV spread ensures Tapu Fini outspeeds Jolly Alolan Marowak while giving it maximum bulk otherwise. Don't be too reckless with Tapu Fini switch-ins, because while it might be bulky, it has no consistent, reliable recovery. Make sure to pack in resists for Electric, Grass, and Poison-type Pokemon, as these are the kind of Pokemon that can bust through Tapu Fini's bulk.

Nature's Madness and Z-Hydro Pump can blast through major defensive Pokemon together, such as Porygon2 and Cresselia. Z-Hydro Pump notably OHKOes Tapu Koko. Moonblast is a reliable STAB that slams Dragon-types. Hidden Power Fire KOs Ferrothorn after it switches into Nature's Madness. Calm Mind gives Tapu Fini the power to defeat Cresselia even if it restores its health with Sitrus Berry, while Taunt shuts down recovery, letting Tapu Fini defeat defensive Pokemon even after using Z-Hydro Pump. Haze helps against Moody Pokemon and Extreme Evoboost Eevee chains. The given EV spread outspeeds Jolly Alolan Marowak while giving Tapu Fini a good amount of bulk and power. This Tapu Fini excels at blasting through defensive Pokemon, so consider pairing it with sweepers that can take advantage of these holes. Prepare Pokemon that resists Grass-, Electric-, and Poison-type attacks, since these are commonly aimed at Tapu Fini.