Pokemon Sword and Shield's Tapu Fini is a Monster in Competitive Gameplay
Competitive battling in Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are where trainers face off against one another to see who really is the very best. The Crown Tundra DLC for Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield completely redefined the competitive meta thanks to the reintroduction of every Legendary Pokemon from previous games (excluding Mythicals, but they weren't allowed in VGC anyway).
In this series, we're going to highlight Pokemon that are making waves in the competitive scene, how the Pokemon can be used effectively, and how they fit into the competitive meta. This week, we're breaking down the #1 most used Pokemon in Competitive Battling right now: Tapu Fini.
Tapu Fini has skyrocketed up the usage charts since the launch of The Crown Tundra, being one of the many Legendary Pokemon introduced in the Dynamax Adventure. The Tapus were, for the most part, key figures in the Sun and Moon competitive meta, and it seems like that will not change in Sword and Shield. Tapu Fini is a Water/Fairy type, which is the first of its many benefits. Water/Fairy has no 4x Weaknesses, and only a handful of 2x Weaknesses: Grass, Electric, and Poison. While Grass and Electric can be common in Competitive, they are by no means in every battle. Poison is much more rare by comparison.
Tapu Fini takes 0.5x damage from Fire, Water, Ice, Fighting, Bug, and Dark, and is completely immune to Dragon. Tapu Fini's beneficial typing allows it to resist many of the common typings that are prominent at the moment while not opening itself up to too many weaknesses—unless the opponent is running a Toxtricity for some reason. Additionally, it allows Tapu Fini to get access to a lot of good coverage moves.
In terms of stats, Tapu Fini is a bulky defensive Pokemon with a Special Attack focus. Tapu Fini has okay HP with a base of 70, okay Attack at 75, great Defense at 115, solid Special Attack at 95, a whopping 130 base Special Defense, and 85 Speed. With proper EV focus, Tapu Fini can be a wall that opponents will have a tough time getting through. While Tapu Fini's HP is relatively low, EV training that up will allow it to survive a lot of hits thanks to its solid defenses. Tapu Fini's typing and defenses allow it to be a relatively safe Pokemon to lead or to switch in to as the battle goes on.
Having a strong move pool is crucial when planning a team for Competitive VGC battling. What makes Tapu Fini great is that it has such a wide move pool that it can fill several different roles on a team. Tapu Fini has a great array of Water, Fairy, Ice, and Psychic moves that allow it to adapt and be harder to predict on the opponent's side. Having Moonblast is almost always a must, as it is a great STAB-boosted Fairy type move. Muddy Water is also a great pick, and while its accuracy is less than ideal, lowering the opponent's accuracy is a huge benefit. Tapu Fini does also have access to Heal Pulse if players wanted to run it as a more supportive role, and other great moves include: Protect, Calm Mind, Scald, Icy Wind, and Ice Beam. Ultimately, it will depend on a team's type coverage and what types players are missing coverage for, but it's likely Tapu Fini can be trained for it.
Intimidate users are a popular pairing for Tapu Fini, namely Incineroar and Landorus-Therian. While Tapu Fini's Defense stat is nothing to scoff at, it is lower than Fini's Special Defense stat, so having an Intimidate Pokemon can help cover that weakness. Additionally, Pokemon that have complimentary typing will always been a good pairing for Tapu Fini. Being Water/Fairy means that it would pair well with Fire, Grass, and Steel Pokemon to maximize coverage. Some examples would be Metagross, Rillaboom, or Cinderace.
The downside to using Rillaboom is if players are using its Hidden Ability, either Rillaboom or Tapu Fini (depending on speed investment) will have their terrain overwritten by the other. Additionally, one of the returning Ultra Beasts, Kartana, would also fit this role well as Kartana is a Grass/Steel type.
Tapu Fini is an all-around great Pokemon in terms of offense, but Tapu Fini really shines in the defensive role that it fills on a team. Outside of a few specific scenarios, like facing off against a Ferrothrorn, Tapu Fini can survive a lot of damage even from Dynamax Pokemon. It's worth noting that Tapu Fini's default ability is Misty Surge, which sets Misty Terrain on the field, a great counter to Amoongus and other status-users.
However, if Tapu Fini's Misty Terrain fades or is overwritten, then Amoongus can be a real problem for Tapu Fini. Amoongus resists both of Fini's STAB type attacks, and since Amoongus can redirect thanks to Rage Powder, it can really take Tapu Fini out of the fight. Regieleki, one of the new Regi Pokemon, can also be a big threat especially on Electric Terrain. Regieleki is a super fast Special Attacker, and while Tapu Fini has great Special Defense, those super effective hits add up. If Rillaboom has Grassy Terrain set, it can deal a lot of damage with a Wood Hammer or Grassy Glide, as those STAB super-effective Grass moves will still hit very hard against Fini's lower Defense.
Overall, Tapu Fini is a great Pokemon that can fit onto almost any team and cover any holes the team may have. Missing a solid Water type? Tapu Fini's it. Need a Fairy type to deal some strong STAB damage? Tapu Fini's got that on lock. Need a bulky wall to take some hits and be a reliable switch-in? Yup, Fini can do that, too. It's #1 on the usage charts for a reason, and that's because it can easily fill spots on so many different teams. Tapu Fini is a solid work-horse Pokemon that, if built correctly, can resist and take a ton of damage for the team. While it may not be as bulky as Glastrier or as fast as Regieleki, it is one of the best new additions to Sword and Shield for nearly any team.
Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are available now for Nintendo Switch.
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