Tapu Koko Analysis

AUTHOR: @jolteonization
META: VGC/Doubles
INTRODUCTION
Tapu [strike]Cocoa[/strike] Koko is a new legendary Pokemon in Generation 7. It is the guardian deity of Melemele Island and can be found at the Ruins of Conflict after completing the game. Tapu Koko is a dual-type Electric/Fairy Pokemon and has decent attack and special attack stats (115 and 95, respectively). Its signature ability, Electric Surge, generates Electric Terrain for 5 turns. Some of the benefits of this terrain include a 50% boost on Electric type attacks and Pokemon being immune to sleep afflicting status moves, like Yawn and Hypnosis. All of these factors make Tapu Koko a force to be reckoned with.
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BASIC INFO
POKEMON: Tapu Koko, dex# 725
TYPE/S:  Electric/Fairy
ABILITIE/S:  Electric Surge – Generates Electric Terrain for 5 turns. Electric Terrain boosts the power of Electric type attacks by 50%, prevents Pokemon from being put to sleep, turns Nature Power into Thunderbolt, transforms a Pokemon using Camouflage into Electric type, makes Secret Power look like Thunder Shock and has a chance of paralyzing the opponent, and doubles the Speed stat of Pokemon with the Surge Surfer ability.
Telepathy (Hidden Ability): Prevents damage from team-mates during Double and Triple battles. Currently unavailable.
HP: 70
ATTACK: 115
DEFENSE: 85
SPECIAL ATTACK: 95
SPECIAL DEFENSE: 75
SPEED: 130
IMPORTANT MOVES:
-	Thunderbolt: Standard Electric type (special) STAB move. This can hit hard as it has 90 base power and gets a 50% power boost with Electric Terrain on the field.
-	Discharge: Electric type (special) STAB spread move. This is mostly used in doubles/VGC when you want to hit multiple opponents. In particular, it partially bypasses effects of abilities like Lightningrod by allowing you to hit that Pokemon's ally (i.e. vs A-Marowak and Gyarados, Discharge will be immune on A-Marowak but will connect on Gyarados).
-	Dazzling Gleam: Fairy type (special) STAB spread move. This one will hit both opponents and not affect your ally. It happens to be one of the only strong Fairy moves Tapu Koko gets too, so you will frequently see this move in both singles and doubles.
-	Hidden Power: A 60 base power special move that takes on a given type based on the IV combination of the Pokemon. Some common types seen on Tapu Koko include Ice, Grass, and Ground. There have been some instances where Fire has been utilized for Kartana, but this really depends on your team composition and needs.
-	Grass Knot: Grass type (special) attack to hit Ground types. It can be particularly useful against Gastrodon, a common bulky Water/Ground type in VGC.
-	U-turn: Bug type (physical) move with base power 70. It will hit the opponent and let you switch Tapu with another Pokemon in your team. It's not common in VGC but has uses in singles for maintaining momentum and avoiding unfavorable matchups.
-	Volt Switch: The Electric (special) version of U-turn. While it takes advantage of STAB and Electric Terrain, U-turn might be the better move if A-Marowak is a concern for your team.
-	Wild Charge: Electric type (physical) STAB attack. Like Thunderbolt, it hits hard with its base power of 90 and 50% boost from Electric Terrain. Because Tapu Koko's physical attack is higher, it would do more damage than Thunderbolt. However, Tapu Koko takes recoil damage.
-	Brave Bird: Flying type (physical) STAB attack. It's a very powerful move at 120 base power and takes advantage of Tapu Koko's higher attack stat, but it, like Wild Charge, has recoil damage.
-	Nature's Madness: Signature Tapu deity move that always halves the damage of the opponent. A good way to hit bulkier Pokemon and/or stuff that walls your team hard.
-	Other notable moves: Taunt, Roost, Calm Mind, Steel Wing, Thunder Wave. (Z-) Mirror Move, Acrobatics, Reflect, Light Screen.
ANALYSIS
USUAL ROLES
Tapu Koko is commonly used as a special attacker. Although Tapu Koko has a Attack stat, its physical movepool is rather limited. It gets Wild Charge as its strong physical Electric type STAB move but lacks a physical Fairy move like Play Rough. Brave Bird, one of its stronger physical moves, has recoil damage like Wild Charge. Even so, Tapu Koko has potential to be a mixed sweeper or even go fully physical.
On the defensive side, Tapu Koko's Defense and Special Defense stats (85 and 75, respectively) and mediocre HP base stat of 70 allow it usually survive most non-boosted attacks that are not super-effective. While not the frailest Pokemon in existence, Tapu Koko's overall defenses can be described as decent at best. Some folks opt to run a bulkier build, but Tapu Koko shines best a sweeper/attacker due to its ability to apply strong offensive pressure.
USUAL SETS
Special Attacker
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb/Focus Sash
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Discharge
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect
This is the standard Special Attacker set you will see in VGC/Doubles format. Thunderbolt is a strong Electric STAB attack. Discharge is there as a strong and useful Electric type spread STAB and in case Pokemon with Lightningrod ability (i.e. A-Marowak) are on the field. Dazzling Gleam is another spread move and Tapu Koko's only actual Fairy STAB move. Protect is there as it's essential for the format. The idea is to hit your opponents hard and fast. To take full advantage of Discharge, pair Tapu Koko up with an ally immune to Electric attacks, such as Garchomp or A-Marowak.
Life Orb is the commonly used item, especially since Tapu Koko's Special Attack stat is mediocre on its own. Focus Sash is another possibility if you fear Tapu Koko getting OHKO'd, but you sacrifice some power in return.
Offensive calcs:
252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 120-143 (65.5 - 78.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 180 HP / 148+ SpD Celesteela in Electric Terrain: 190-226 (97.4 - 115.8%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO

252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 44+ SpD Tapu Fini in Electric Terrain: 174-211 (98.3 - 119.2%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO

252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Discharge vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Gyarados in Electric Terrain: 317-380 (186.4 - 223.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Defensive:
252+ SpA Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Tapu Koko: 108-127 (73.9 - 86.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Choice Specs

Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spd
Level: 50
-	Thunderbolt
-	Dazzling Gleam
-	Hidden Power Ice/Hidden Power Ground/Discharge
-	Grass Knot/Hidden Power Ice/Hidden Power Grass/Hidden Power Ground

Choice Specs sacrifices Tapu Koko's ability to Protect and locks it into one attack, but it gives that one move a nice power boost. Thunderbolt and Dazzling Gleam are there for strong STAB attacks. Hidden Power Ice will OHKO Garchomp without SpD investment and/or Assault Vest (see Offensive calculations below). Hidden Power Grass and Grass Knot are there for handling Gastrodon, and Hidden Power Ground is there if you want to get a hit on A-Marowak. Discharge might seem redundant with Thunderbolt, but it's good for spread damage and landing a hit when Lightningrod ability Pokemon are on the field.

Calculations:

252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252 SpD Celesteela: 218-260 (106.8 - 127.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 140-168 (76.5 - 91.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Koko Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 192-228 (104.9 - 124.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Koko Hidden Power Ground vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Marowak-Alola: 102-120 (61 - 71.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Tapu Koko Grass Knot (60 BP) vs. 236 HP / 100 SpD Gastrodon: 176-208 (81.4 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Mixed Attacker
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 152 Atk / 104 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Wild Charge/Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam/HP Ice/HP Ground/Sky Drop/Brave Bird/Steel Wing
- Discharge/Thunderbolt/Sky Drop/Brave Bird/Steel Wing
- Protect
This set utilizes both of Tapu Koko's offensive stats. The first move slot is for your Electric STAB move of choice, Thunderbolt being special and Wild Charge physical. For the second and third slots, it's entirely up to you and your team's needs. Dazzling Gleam nice for STAB and a spread move, and Hidden Power is there for reasons mentioned back in the Choice Specs set. Discharge is another STAB spread move to consider. Sky Drop lets you slip in a free spread move from your ally, such as Earthquake from Garchomp, and can be a way to prevent opponents from setting up (i.e. TR Pokemon like Porygon2). Brave Bird is there for a strong physical attack, but you have to account of recoil damage on that attack and Wild Charge too. Steel Wing is there to hit other Fairy types. This set is regrettably all over the place- not exactly my favorite set yet definitely a possibility.
Offensive:
152 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela: 179-213 (87.7 - 104.4%) -- 25% chance to OHKO

104 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Dazzling Gleam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 109-127 (59.5 - 69.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

104 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Garchomp: 146-172 (79.7 - 93.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

104 SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Hidden Power Ground vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Marowak-Alola: 75-91 (55.5 - 67.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

152 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 0+ Def Celesteela: 229-273 (112.2 - 133.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Physical Attacker
Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Wild Charge
- Brave Bird
- Sky Drop/Steel Wing/U-turn/Nature's Madness/Roost
- Protect
A physical attacker set. Wild Charge is there as your Electric type STAB move. Brave Bird is a strong physical Flying type move at a 120 base power. The third slot has some degrees of flexibility. Sky Drop is there for reasons mentioned in the mixed set. Steel Wing isn't commonly used, but it has a slight chance at OHKOing Tapu Lele and an option for hitting other Fairy types. Nature's Madness is there to handle Pokemon that wall Tapu Koko. Roost is an option if you're concerned about recoil damage from Wild Charge and Brave Bird, but Tapu Koko is honestly rather frail that it might not even get a chance to recover. I know U-turn isn't very common in VGC/Doubles, but I put it there if you'd like to have a free switch-in.
252 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela: 198-234 (97 - 114.7%) -- 75% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Wild Charge vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tapu Lele: 117-138 (80.6 - 95.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Brave Bird vs. 244 HP / 140 Def Tapu Bulu: 130-153 (73.8 - 86.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery

252 Atk Life Orb Tapu Koko Steel Wing vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tapu Lele: 122-146 (84.1 - 100.6%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
ALTERNATIVE SETS/ITEMS
I listed offensive sets in Usual Sets, but Tapu Koko has other potential options.
- Taunt: If Trick Room, Tailwind, and other similar status moves cripple your team, Tapu Koko can be a good Taunt user. Something like Thunderbolt/HP Ice or Dazzling Gleam/Taunt/Protect can work.
- Choice Scarf: This may seem a little redundant because of Tapu Koko's high speed, but it can be handy if other Choice Scarf Pokemon scare your team (i.e. ScarfChomp). You might want to run Modest (or Adamant if physical) for this one to get a little power boost.
- Choice Band: Though I mentioned physical Tapu Koko not being very common, you could run a full physical Choice Band Koko for the surprise factor.
- Assault Vest: AV Tapu Koko has been gaining some popularity recently. I have not personally tested this, so I can't really offer much input on EV spread and the like.
- Electric Seed: This item increases Tapu Koko's Defense stat in Electric Terrain. A Calm Mind set with Electric Seed as its held item could have potential for a bulkier Tapu Koko. I have seen a few of these in singles rather than doubles.
- Z-Crystals: Not very commonly seen, though I heard Fairium Z was used at a recent VGC regional. It's definitely a nice way of getting a strong single-target attack in.
POTENTIAL TEAMMATES
Teammates can be an element that boils down to individual preference and playstyles, but here are a few ideas to consider:
-	Garchomp: A very strong Pokemon across the board and in pretty much any format. In Doubles, the Tapu Koko/Garchomp lead combo is very good and applies strong offensive pressure. Because Garchomp is a dual Ground/Dragon type, Tapu Koko can freely use Discharge. Garchomp with the Groundium Z crystal can get a strong Ground STAB attack without hurting Tapu Koko. Of course, there's always Protect and/or Sky Drop to avoid Earthquake damage.
-	Krookodile: Like Garchomp, its Ground typing will let Tapu Koko freely Discharge. Krookodile offers Intimidate support, which can help in Tapu Koko's longevity, and is a good Taunt user
-	Gastrodon: Another Ground dual type. While Ground Pokemon overall can be good teammates, Gastrodon boasts its Storm Drain ability, which is essentially the Water type version of Lightningrod. This is a great answer to the Double Ducks (Pelipper + Z-Crystal Golduck) combination.
-	Alolan Raichu: The pancake-obsessed Alolan form of Raichu thrives under Electric Terrain because of its Surge Surfer ability (its Speed stat doubles). A-Raichu can offer some needed support to your team as it learns Fake Out and Encore. A-Raichu+Tapu Koko is another strong offensive combination, but you have to be a bit careful of EQ users and the like.
-	Celesteela: Ah, the champion of stalling! It is immune to Poison and Ground type attacks, which are Tapu Koko's weaknesses.
THREATS/COUNTERS
As strong as Tapu Koko is, it is far from overpowered and has its weaknesses. Ground, Poison, and Grass types generally give Tapu Koko some trouble. Pokemon with the ability Lightningrod wall most special variations. Smart Trick Room application and playing the terrain game with having another Tapu on the field can put Tapu Koko in trouble as well. Last but not least, Tapu Koko has very average defensive stats. Without Assault Vest or any HP/Def/SpD investments, any strong neutral-hitting physical or special attack will hit it hard or even potentially OHKO.
If Tapu Koko shreds your team apart and you want more specific options:
-	Alolan Marowak: A-Marowak with the Lightningrod ability pretty much walls Tapu Koko. Thunderbolt and Discharge are useless, while Dazzling Gleam and Hidden Power Ice are not very effective. Nature's Madness and Hidden Power Ground are a few of Tapu Koko's options against it, but A-Marowak threatens it with Bonemerang, which OHKOs Koko without any Defense investment (this is with Thick Club as its held item).
-	Alolan Muk: A-Muk is just strong against the Tapu deities. Its Dark/Poison typing is solid as is. Like A-Marowak, A-Muk puts Tapu Koko in a tight spot. Hidden Power Ground can only 3HKO A-Muk without any HP and SpD investments while A-Muk can OHKO it with Poison Jab.
-	Garchomp: Specifically ScarfChomp, but most variations of Garchomp have potential to be troublesome. SpecsKoko with Hidden Power Ice can OHKO it, but other Koko variations can get 2HKOs with HP Ice or Dazzling Gleam. In return, Garchomp's EQ or Groundium Z move, Tectonic Rage, can get the OHKO on Tapu Koko.