Tapu Lele Pokémon GO Raid Battle Tips: Which Pokémon to use in a Tapu Lele Raid, how to make the most of Premier Balls and Berries, and what to do with Tapu Lele once you’ve caught it

Tapu Lele is a Psychic- and Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon originally discovered in the Alola region. The guardian deity of Akala Island, Tapu Lele heals the wounds of people and Pokémon by sprinkling them with its sparkling scales. Learn which Pokémon will be most effective in Raid Battles against Tapu Lele, how to catch Tapu Lele after winning a Raid Battle, and how best to use the Land Spirit Pokémon after you’ve caught it.

As a Psychic- and Fairy-type Pokémon, Tapu Lele is vulnerable to Poison-, Ghost-, and Steel-type attacks. When selecting Pokémon for your Tapu Lele Raid Battle lineup, it helps to choose Pokémon that have a Fast Attack and a Charged Attack of one of these types if you want to deal as much damage as possible. It’s not necessary to choose only Poison-, Ghost-, or Steel-type Pokémon, but a Pokémon that shares a type with these attacks will benefit from a same-type attack bonus, which will allow these attacks to deal an additional 20% damage.

It’s worth noting that Poison-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Psychic-type attacks. Any Tapu Lele you encounter may know a Psychic-type Fast Attack or Charged Attack, so your Poison-type Pokémon might not last long against it. That said, Poison-type attacks are still highly effective against Tapu Lele, so consider your lineup with all of this in mind.

If you have multiple Pokémon that know Poison-, Ghost-, or Steel-type attacks, choose the Pokémon with the highest CP and best overall stats. Remember that speed of victory affects how many Premier Balls you will receive at the conclusion of a successful Raid Battle, so bring your strongest Pokémon and defeat Tapu Lele as quickly as possible.

• Nidoqueen / Shadow Nidoqueen (Poison/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Poison Fang (Poison), Sludge Wave (Poison)

• Nidoking / Shadow Nidoking (Poison/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Wave (Poison)

• Alolan Muk (Poison/Dark)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Acid Spray (Poison), Gunk Shot (Poison), Sludge Wave (Poison)

• Roserade (Grass/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Poison Jab (Poison)

  • Charged Attack: Sludge Bomb (Poison)

• Mega Gengar (Ghost/Poison)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost), Lick (Ghost), Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost), Shadow Punch (Ghost), Sludge Bomb (Poison), Sludge Wave (Poison)

• Altered Forme Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Sneak (Ghost)

• Origin Forme Giratina (Ghost/Dragon)

  • Fast Attack: Shadow Claw (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Ominous Wind (Ghost), Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Chandelure (Ghost/Fire)

  • Fast Attack: Hex (Ghost)

  • Charged Attack: Shadow Ball (Ghost)

• Steelix / Mega Steelix (Steel/Ground)

  • Fast Attack: Iron Tail (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Heavy Slam (Steel)

• Scizor (Bug/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Iron Head (Steel)

• Aggron / Shadow Aggron (Steel/Rock)

  • Fast Attack: Iron Tail (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Heavy Slam (Steel)

• Metagross / Shadow Metagross (Steel/Psychic)

  • Fast Attack: Bullet Punch (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Flash Cannon (Steel), Meteor Mash (Steel)

• Excadrill (Ground/Steel)

  • Fast Attack: Metal Claw (Steel)

  • Charged Attack: Iron Head (Steel)

After a successful Tapu Lele raid, you’ll have a limited number of Premier Balls you can use to catch Tapu Lele, so make each one count. You can earn extra Premier Balls by battling with friends and defeating Tapu Lele more quickly.

In an encounter with Tapu Lele, your chance of catching it is greatest when the target ring is small enough for you to score Excellent Throws. Throwing Curveballs can improve your chances even more. But work within your abilities—if you don’t think you can reliably make Excellent Curveball Throws, aim for Nice Throws or Great Throws rather than risk missing the target ring completely.

Tapu Lele isn’t going to make it easy on you by sitting still while you’re trying to catch it. Don’t waste your Premier Balls by throwing while it’s moving around. Watch Tapu Lele to get a feel for its cycle of movement and the pauses in between the cycles. During one of these pauses, wait for the target ring to reappear, and then throw as it starts to grow smaller to increase your odds of making a Great Throw or an Excellent Throw.

Berries can help you catch Tapu Lele. A Razz Berry will make it easier to catch, and a Golden Razz Berry will make it much easier to catch. If you find yourself failing to land any throws, a Nanab Berry will calm Tapu Lele, making its movements less erratic and allowing you to make precise throws more easily. If you need extra Tapu Lele Candy, using a Silver Pinap Berry will make Tapu Lele easier to catch and grant you extra Candy when you catch it.

Buddy Pokémon with a Buddy Level of Great Buddy or higher have the Catch Assist Perk. If a Pokémon—even a Legendary Pokémon—deflects a Poké Ball, your buddy might bounce it back for a second catch opportunity!

Like all Legendary Pokémon, Tapu Lele is tricky to catch, so don’t be discouraged if it escapes. Get a second wind by stocking up on useful items—like Max Potions, Max Revives, and Golden Razz Berries—and try again.

As a Psychic- and Fairy-type Pokémon, Tapu Lele is resistant to Fighting-, Psychic-, and Dragon-type attacks. This is particularly notable as Fighting-, Psychic-, and Dragon-type Pokémon comprise a significant chunk of choices favored in the Ultra League and the Master League. Tapu Lele’s resistance to these prominent types, combined with its wide range of Charged Attacks, could make it a powerful addition to your GO Battle League lineup.

Tapu Lele boasts several attacks that can thwart Pokémon it’s weak against. Poison-type Pokémon are vulnerable to Psychic-type attacks, thus making Tapu Lele’s Confusion, Psychic, and Psyshock attacks powerful counters to Poison-type opponents. Steel-type Pokémon are weak to Fighting-type attacks, so Tapu Lele’s Focus Blast Charged Attack is even more effective.

Tapu Lele’s two types also make it a useful addition to your Raid Battle lineup, particularly against powerful Raid Bosses such as Machamp, Palkia, Darkrai, Terrakion, Zekrom, and Kyurem.

To maximize Tapu Lele’s potential, particularly in the GO Battle League, you should teach it a second Charged Attack and increase its CP—be sure to choose two different Charged Attack types to cover the broadest range of possible Pokémon opponents. Doing this requires a lot of Tapu Lele Candy and Stardust, so try to catch as many Tapu Lele as possible to help you get there faster.

Good luck with your next Raid Battle, and remember to check Pokemon.com/Strategy for more Pokémon GO, video game, and Pokémon TCG tips.