Tapu Lele Pokémon GO encounters give Trainers the chance to catch the guardian deity of Akala Island. This Psychic and Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon has a high Attack stat, useful resistances and access to Nature’s Madness, giving it some value in raids and selected GO Battle League teams.
This Tapu Lele Pokémon GO guide covers shiny Tapu Lele, its weaknesses, the best raid counters, perfect IV catch CP, strongest moveset and whether Tapu Lele is worth powering up.
Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Pokédex number | #0786 |
| Pokémon | Tapu Lele |
| Category | Land Spirit Pokémon |
| Generation | Generation VII |
| Type | Psychic and Fairy |
| Shiny available | Yes |
| Main weaknesses | Ghost, Poison and Steel |
| Weather boost | Windy and Cloudy |
| Maximum CP | Approximately 3,950 at Level 50 |
Tapu Lele is a dual Psychic and Fairy-type Pokémon. This combination gives Tapu Lele Pokémon GO raids three weaknesses while providing several useful resistances.
Damage taken when Tapu Lele is hit by each type:
Weak to
Resists
Strongly resists
Immune to
Based on Psychic / Fairy typing. Abilities may modify these matchups.
Can Tapu Lele Be Shiny in Pokémon GO?
Yes, shiny Tapu Lele is available in Pokémon GO.
Regular Tapu Lele has a bright pink shell with black and white markings. Shiny Tapu Lele changes the pink shell to black, creating a dramatic difference that is easy to recognise during the catch encounter.
A shiny encounter is not guaranteed after winning a Tapu Lele Pokémon GO raid. Trainers may need to complete several raids before shiny Tapu Lele appears.
Tapu Lele will not look shiny during the raid battle itself. The shiny check takes place after the Legendary Pokémon has been defeated and the catch encounter begins.
The shiny version is mainly a collection target because shiny status does not affect Tapu Lele’s stats, attacks or battle performance.
Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Weaknesses
The Tapu Lele Pokémon GO weaknesses are:
- Ghost-type attacks
- Poison-type attacks
- Steel-type attacks
Tapu Lele does not have a double weakness. Ghost, Poison and Steel attacks all deal ordinary super-effective damage.
Its Psychic and Fairy typing gives Tapu Lele resistance to:
- Dragon-type attacks
- Fighting-type attacks
- Psychic-type attacks
Dragon attacks are particularly ineffective because Fairy Pokémon have a strong resistance to Dragon damage.
Ghost attackers will usually provide the strongest overall damage, although Steel and Poison Pokémon can also perform well.
Foggy weather boosts Ghost-type attacks. Cloudy weather boosts Poison attacks, while Snowy weather boosts Steel attacks.
Windy and Cloudy weather boost Tapu Lele and increase the CP of the Pokémon encountered after a successful raid.
Best Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Raid Counters
The best Tapu Lele Pokémon GO counters are powerful Ghost, Steel and Poison-type attackers using matching moves.
| Pokémon | Recommended moves |
|---|---|
| Dawn Wings Necrozma | Shadow Claw and Moongeist Beam |
| Mega Gengar | Lick and Shadow Ball |
| Dusk Mane Necrozma | Metal Claw and Sunsteel Strike |
| Crowned Sword Zacian | Metal Claw and Behemoth Blade |
| Shadow Metagross | Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash |
| Mega Banette | Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball |
| Gholdengo | Hex and Shadow Ball |
| Shadow Chandelure | Hex and Shadow Ball |
| Metagross | Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash |
| Nihilego | Poison Jab and Sludge Bomb |
Dawn Wings Necrozma is one of the strongest Tapu Lele Pokémon GO raid counters available. Moongeist Beam deals enormous Ghost-type damage and can remove the boss’s health quickly.
Dusk Mane Necrozma, Crowned Sword Zacian and Shadow Metagross are excellent Steel-type alternatives.
Mega Gengar deals extremely high damage but may faint quickly if Tapu Lele lands a strong Psychic-type Charged Attack. Trainers using Mega Gengar should consider preparing a second team.
Some recommended attacks, including Moongeist Beam, Sunsteel Strike, Behemoth Blade and Meteor Mash, may require an Elite TM when they are unavailable through regular TMs.
How Many Trainers Are Needed to Beat Tapu Lele?
Tapu Lele has a high Attack stat and can deal considerable damage, but its defensive stats are manageable for a five-star raid boss.
Two experienced Trainers using exceptional Ghost or Steel-type counters may be able to defeat it under favourable conditions.
Most players should aim for at least three or four Trainers to complete a Tapu Lele Pokémon GO raid comfortably.
| Group size | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| One Trainer | Not normally possible |
| Two Trainers | Possible with exceptional counters |
| Three Trainers | Achievable with strong teams |
| Four or more | Recommended for most groups |
A larger group may be needed when counters are underlevelled, friendship bonuses are unavailable or players are relying on the automatically recommended party.
Party Power, Mega Evolution bonuses, suitable weather and high friendship levels can make the battle considerably easier.
Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Perfect IV CP
The perfect IV Tapu Lele Pokémon GO catch values are:
| Encounter conditions | Perfect IV CP |
|---|---|
| Level 20 without weather boost | 1,996 CP |
| Level 25 with Windy or Cloudy weather | 2,496 CP |
The standard non-weather-boosted Tapu Lele raid catch range is approximately 1,912 CP to 1,996 CP.
During Windy or Cloudy weather, Tapu Lele can be encountered between approximately 2,390 CP and 2,496 CP.
A Tapu Lele caught at 1,996 CP or 2,496 CP under the corresponding conditions will have perfect 15/15/15 IVs.
Use Golden Razz Berries and wait for Tapu Lele’s attack animation before attempting an Excellent Curveball Throw.
Best Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Moveset
The best Tapu Lele Pokémon GO moveset for Psychic-type raid damage is:
- Fast Attack: Confusion
- Charged Attack: Future Sight
Tapu Lele may have access to the following attacks:
Fast Attacks
- Confusion
- Astonish
Charged Attacks
- Future Sight
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Nature’s Madness
Confusion and Future Sight give Tapu Lele a complete Psychic-type moveset, allowing both attacks to receive the same-type attack bonus.
Nature’s Madness is Tapu Lele’s signature Fairy-type attack. However, Tapu Lele does not currently have a Fairy-type Fast Attack to create a complete Fairy raid moveset.
Moonblast provides another Fairy-type option, while Focus Blast gives coverage against Dark, Ice, Normal, Rock and Steel-type opponents.
Nature’s Madness may require an Elite Charged TM when it is unavailable through a regular Charged TM.
Is Tapu Lele Good in Pokémon GO Raids?
Tapu Lele is a useful Psychic-type raid attacker, although stronger alternatives are available.
The Tapu Lele Pokémon GO moveset of Confusion and Future Sight can deal super-effective damage against Fighting and Poison-type raid bosses.
Tapu Lele can be useful against Pokémon such as:
- Terrakion
- Zamazenta
- Mega Venusaur
- Mega Beedrill
- Fighting-type raid bosses
- Poison-type raid bosses
However, Tapu Lele faces competition from stronger Psychic attackers such as Shadow Mewtwo, Mewtwo, Mega Alakazam, Mega Latios and Hoopa Unbound.
Tapu Lele remains usable for Trainers who need another Psychic attacker, but it is not usually the first Legendary Pokémon that should receive large amounts of Rare Candy.
Is Tapu Lele Good in PvP?
Tapu Lele has limited but interesting potential in the GO Battle League.
Its Psychic and Fairy typing allows it to pressure Fighting, Dragon and Dark-type Pokémon. Nature’s Madness also gives it access to more consistent Fairy-type damage.
A possible Tapu Lele Pokémon GO PvP moveset is:
- Fast Attack: Confusion
- Charged Attack: Nature’s Madness
- Second Charged Attack: Focus Blast or Moonblast
Nature’s Madness can provide reliable same-type damage, while Focus Blast threatens Steel and Dark Pokémon that may otherwise resist Tapu Lele’s attacks.
Tapu Lele struggles against Ghost, Poison and Steel opponents. Its Charged Attacks can also require a significant amount of energy, reducing its ability to apply rapid shield pressure.
It is best treated as a specialist choice rather than an essential open-league investment.
What Is Tapu Lele?
Tapu Lele is a Legendary Pokémon introduced in Generation VII. It is the guardian deity of Akala Island in the Alola region.
Tapu Lele scatters glowing scales that can heal injuries, although exposure to too many of them can be dangerous.
The four guardian deities of Alola are:
- Tapu Koko
- Tapu Lele
- Tapu Bulu
- Tapu Fini
It heals the wounds of people and Pokémon by sprinkling them with its sparkling scales. This guardian deity is worshiped on Akala.
Base stat total: 570
Is Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Worth Raiding?
Tapu Lele Pokémon GO raids are worth completing for the Pokédex entry, shiny chance, Tapu Lele Candy and the opportunity to complete the full Alolan guardian collection.
Tapu Lele can function as a Psychic-type raid attacker, although stronger alternatives are available. Trainers with established Psychic teams may not need to invest heavily in it.
Nature’s Madness gives Tapu Lele additional value and makes it more interesting for PvP experimentation.
Collectors may also want to continue raiding for shiny Tapu Lele, perfect IVs or additional Candy while it is available.
