After learning about Tapu Koko earlier in the year, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Lele have been revealed for Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon.
Each guardian deity can use the special Z-Move ‘Guardian of Alola.’ When using this Z-Move, the Pokémon closes its shell and a huge avatar appears from the ground to attack the opposing Pokémon, dealing damage equal to 75 percent of the target’s remaining HP.
Tapu Bulu
Category: Land Spirit Pokémon
Type: Grass/Fairy
Height: 6′03″
Weight: 100.3 lbs.
Ability: Grassy SurgeTapu Bulu has the power to manipulate vegetation and cause it to grow. It can use this power on its own horns—which are made of wood—changing their shape or making them larger. This can come in handy in battle! This stolid Pokémon is not very active. People’s opinions differ on whether it’s as docile as it seems, or if the reason it doesn’t move much can be chalked up to simple laziness.
Tapu Bulu does not like unnecessary battles or frightening other Pokémon. Because of this, it makes a loud ringing noise with its tail to alert those nearby of its presence. Although Tapu Bulu may not like to start battles, it shows no mercy when dealing with evildoers. It’s said that when thieves once broke into its ruins, it punished them by swinging trees around like massive clubs.
Tapu Bulu can learn Nature’s Madness, an attack that slams a target with all of nature’s rage, which reduces the target’s HP by half.
Tapu Bulu’s Ability is Grassy Surge, an Ability that no Pokémon has previously had. With Grassy Surge, the field will be turned into Grassy Terrain when Tapu Bulu appears in battle, boosting the power of any Grass-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground and restoring a bit of HP to them each turn. It also halves the damage taken from the moves Earthquake, Magnitude, and Bulldoze.
Tapu Fini
Category: Land Spirit Pokémon
Type: Water/Fairy
Height: 4′03″
Weight: 46.7 lbs.
Ability: Misty SurgeThis Pokémon is able to create a special water that purifies both mind and body. But Tapu Fini requires that supplicants wishing to obtain the purifying water demonstrate the strength to withstand the tapu’s fog. Many humans have tried to withstand Tapu Fini’s fogs in pursuit of its purifying water. Among them were some with evil intentions, which may be the reason for Tapu Fini’s sense of disgust and lack of interest in appearing to people.
Tapu Fini is able to attack by manipulating water. Since it hates to risk harm to itself during battle, it prefers to create a thick fog that puts opponents in a trance and leads them to destroy themselves. Tapu Fini’s expression remains listless even when it’s unleashing moves. Some people say that it might look this way because using its moves is so exhausting. The Pokémon’s Nature’s Madness attack slams a target with all of nature’s rage, reducing the target’s HP by half.
Tapu Fini’s Ability is Misty Surge, an Ability that no Pokémon has previously had. With Misty Surge, the field will be turned into Misty Terrain when Tapu Fini appears in battle, halving the damage taken by Pokémon on the ground from Dragon-type moves and preventing them from being afflicted with status conditions or confusion.
Tapu Lele
Category: Land Spirit Pokémon
Type: Psychic/Fairy
Height: 3′11″
Weight: 41.0 lbs.
Ability: Psychic SurgeThere is a legend which says that long ago Tapu Lele once brought an end to war between the islands of Alola by scattering its scales and soothing the tired warriors.
Tapu Lele scatters glowing scales that physically affect others—providing stimulation to their bodies and healing their illnesses or injuries. But these scales can be dangerous as well, because a body can’t withstand the changes brought about by contact with too many scales at the same time. It will scatter its scales over humans and Pokémon for its own enjoyment; while it is innocent in one sense, there is also cruelty in the way it casually brings others to ruin.
If Tapu Lele doesn’t have much energy stored in its shell, it may lack the strength to seize victory in a head-on battle. With this in mind, it tends to prioritize not losing a battle over actually beating a foe, and it’s skilled at strategies such as inflicting status conditions on opponents.
Nature’s Madness slams a target with all of nature’s rage, reducing the target’s HP by half. Psychic Terrain is a move that no Pokémon was previously able to learn, and using it will boost the power of any Psychic-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground and prevent them from being hit by priority moves.
Tapu Lele’s Ability is Psychic Surge, an Ability that no Pokémon has previously had. With Psychic Surge, the field will be turned into Psychic Terrain when Tapu Lele appears in battle, boosting the power of any Psychic-type moves used by Pokémon on the ground and preventing them from being hit by priority moves.
Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will release exclusively for Nintendo 3DS in North America, Australia and New Zealand on November 18th, and in Europe on November 23rd.
