Tapu Bulu Best Moveset
AbilityGrassy Surge sets Grassy Terrain on entry, healing 1/16 HP per turn for grounded Pokemon and boosting Grass damage by 30%. 130 Attack with Grass/Fairy TermStab hits hard physically with the terrain boost. A-tier because the passive healing and physical power support the entire team.
Grassy Surge set Grassy Terrain on entry in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Horn Leech healed more in terrain, and Earthquake damage was halved for grounded Pokemon. The defensive Tapu.
Best Moves
Best Build
Tapu Bulu best EVs are Sp. Def and HP
Bulky Support Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Stone Edge
- Wood Hammer
Recommended Teammates
Dropped in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Rillaboom did the Grassy Surge job with Grassy Glide priority, which Tapu Bulu lacked. Outclassed by a newer terrain setter.
Physical Tank Moveset
- Horn Leech
- Bulk Up
- Substitute
- Darkest Lariat
Recommended Teammates
Tapu Bulu Weakness
Tapu Bulu's Grass/Fairy typing leaves it vulnerable to Poison, Fire, Ice, Flying, and Steel. Poison hits land at 4x, so they're the biggest threat. It shrugs off Dragon-type attacks completely. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Tapu Bulu's overall bulk (70/115/95) lets it take a hit or two from most weaknesses before going down.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Poison |
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Ice, Flying, Steel |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Water, Electric, Grass, Fighting, Ground, Dark |
| 0x (Immune) | Dragon |
What is Tapu Bulu Weak Against
VulnerableBest Pokemon Against Tapu Bulu
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityVesselofruin ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Tapu Bulu View Ting-Lu builds →Earthquake7-9% | ||
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Tapu Bulu View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn3-4% Scald4-5% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemRocky Helmet NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Tapu Bulu View Hippowdon builds →Earthquake8-9% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemLeftovers NatureBold Moves
Damage vs Tapu Bulu View Slowbro builds →Scald9-10% Psychic20-23% | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySharpness ItemAssault Vest NatureJolly Moves View Samurott-Hisui builds →
| ||
Evolution
You can't breed Tapu Bulu or evolve it into anything else. This Grass/Fairy legendary packs 570 stats and doesn't need a chain to be relevant. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
How to Get Tapu Bulu
Tapu Bulu can't be caught in Sword & Shield. Bring it over from Sun & Moon or Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Tapu Bulu is not available as a wild encounter in this game.
Also Obtainable In:
Pokemon transfers only go forward through generations, never backward. Direct cross-gen trades aren't supported.
Tapu Bulu waits at a fixed spot in this game. Head to Ruins of Abundance for a one-time encounter. No random spawns or encounter rates involved — it's a set battle at a known location.
How to Get Tapu Bulu in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
Tapu Bulu is a fixed encounter, not a random spawn. Walk up to it, interact, and the battle starts immediately. Head to Ruins of Abundance when your team is ready for the fight.
How to Get Tapu Bulu in Sun & Moon
Base Stats
Attack and Defense carry most of Tapu Bulu's stat budget. HP's the obvious dump stat. Near-impossible to catch and yields 3 Attack EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It makes ringing sounds with its tail to let others know where it is, avoiding unneeded conflicts. This guardian deity of Ula’ula controls plants.
Tapu Bulu Guide
At 570 BST, Tapu Bulu is built different. We rank it B-Tier. As a Legendary Pokemon, the raw stats back up the reputation. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Watch for Nidoking (Poison), Blaziken (Fire), and Weavile (Ice) when using Tapu Bulu. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Nidoking is the most dangerous since Poison moves deal 4x damage. Flying and Steel-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter.
Grassy Surge when this Pokémon enters battle, it changes the terrain to Grassy Terrain. That's the one you want on Tapu Bulu. Telepathy is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses.
Base 75 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Tapu Bulu is a physical attacker with base 130 Attack. Defensively? Tanky enough to absorb a few hits. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Run Horn Leech, Superpower, Leech Seed, and Stone Edge on Tapu Bulu. Horn Leech is the most common pick at 0% usage. This set covers the wallbreaker role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
First obtainable in Sun & Moon, Tapu Bulu has been featured in 3 titles across 4 generations. Legendary status means a single encounter per playthrough in most games.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMDebut
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves