Tapu Bulu Raid Guide – Best Counters, Weakness, CP & Strategy

← Back to All Raid Guides

Raid Boss: Tapu Bulu

Type:
Fairy Grass

Raid Tier: Legendary Raid

Recommended Trainers: 3-5

Raid Boss CP: 45325

Shiny Available: Yes

Major Weakness: Flying, Poison, Steel, Fire, Ice

Tapu Bulu raid boss Pokémon GO weakness counters guide

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.


Quick Navigation

Raid Boss Overview – Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu is a Legendary Raid Boss (Gen 7 Guardian of Alola) with a unique Grass/Fairy typing. It’s one of the most important Fairy-type raid bosses because it performs well in both raids and PvP.

Why Tapu Bulu Matters

Strong PvP Utility

  • Grass/Fairy typing is rare and meta-relevant
  • It threatens:
    • Dragon-types
    • Dark-types
    • Water/Ground cores

Raid Utility (Fairy Attacker Role)

  • It can function as a Fairy-type attacker
  • Useful against:
    • Dragon raid bosses
    • Fighting/Dark raid bosses

Unique Grass/Fairy Typing

  • Resistance to Water, Electric, Grass
  • Offensive advantage vs Dragons and Dark types

Collector + Dex Value

  • Legendary Guardian of Alola
  • Required for Pokédex completion
  • Often rotates in raids → limited availability

Difficulty Level

Overall Raid Difficulty: MODERATE (3–5 players recommended)

Solo

Not possible

  • Too bulky
  • Legendary HP pool

Duo

Very difficult

  • Only possible with:
    • Maxed Steel/Ice teams
    • Weather advantage
    • High coordination

Trio

Possible (skilled players only)

  • Requires:
    • Strong counters
    • Weather boost advantage
    • Proper Mega support

4–6 Players

Comfortable range

  • Most standard groups can clear easily
  • Minimal coordination needed

Best Difficulty Factors

Makes it easier:

  • Snow weather → boosts Ice & Steel counters
  • Coordinated Mega Pokémon boosts
  • Strong Steel attackers

Makes it harder:

  • Weather boost (Grass boost) → increases boss damage
  • Unoptimized teams (auto-select)
  • Too many random players

Tapu Bulu Moveset Guide

Tapu Bulu is a Grass/Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon known for

  • Extremely high attack
  • Heavy charged move pressure
  • Strong Grass-type raid damage
  • Dangerous Fairy coverage

Its moveset makes it threatening in:

  • Raids
  • Master League PvP
  • Gym battles

Fast Moves

Fast moves generate energy and apply quick pressure.

Tapu Bulu Fast Moves Table

Fast Move Type PvE Power PvP Power Energy Gain Notes
Bullet Seed Grass Low Low Very High Best energy generation
Rock Smash Fighting Moderate Weak Average Rarely useful

Best Fast Move: Bullet Seed

Why it’s Best

  • Generates energy extremely fast
  • Allows quicker charged move spam
  • Essential for PvP performance

Best Uses

  • Master League
  • Raids
  • Gym offense

Charged Moves

Charged moves determine Tapu Bulu’s real damage output.

Charged Moves Table

Charged Move Type PvE Power PvP Power Energy Cost Purpose
Grass Knot Grass High Strong Medium Main STAB Grass attack
Nature’s Madness Fairy Strong Very Strong Low-Medium Signature move
Dazzling Gleam Fairy High Moderate High Heavy Fairy nuke
Megahorn Bug High Strong Medium-High Coverage vs Psychic/Dark
Solar Beam Grass Massive Slow Very High Big raid hit

Best Charged Moves

PvP Best Set

  • Bullet Seed
  • Nature’s Madness
  • Grass Knot

Why?

  • Excellent shield pressure
  • Fast charged attacks
  • Strong neutral coverage

PvE Best Set

  • Bullet Seed
  • Grass Knot

Why?

  • Highest consistent Grass DPS
  • Reliable energy cycle

Elite Moves

Elite moves are moves requiring:

  • Elite TM
  • Event availability
  • Special release

Elite Move Table

Move Type Elite Required? Importance
Nature’s Madness Fairy Sometimes Event Exclusive Extremely important

Nature’s Madness Analysis

Why It Matters

  • Lower energy cost
  • Reliable Fairy pressure
  • Faster gameplay

PvP Impact

Before this move:

  • Slower
  • Less threatening

After this move:

  • Meta-relevant in Master League

Raid Boss Moves

When Tapu Bulu appears as a raid boss, its move pool changes raid difficulty significantly:

Possible Raid Boss Fast Moves

Fast Move Danger Level Notes
Bullet Seed Medium Fast energy generation
Rock Smash Low Easier to handle

Possible Raid Boss Charged Moves

Charged Move Danger Level Why It’s Dangerous
Grass Knot High Strong STAB Grass damage
Dazzling Gleam Very High Destroys Dragon/Dark counters
Megahorn High Unexpected coverage
Solar Beam Extreme Massive one-shot potentiale

Most Dangerous Moves

Solar Beam

Why Dangerous

  • Huge damage burst
  • Can instantly KO Water, Ground, and Rock counters

Raid Problem

  • Dodge too late
  • Underestimate charge timing
Dazzling Gleam

Why Dangerous

  • Fairy coverage destroys:
    • Dragons
    • Dark-types
    • Fighting-types

Especially Dangerous Against

  • Dragon raid teams
  • Shadow Dragon attackers
Megahorn

Why Dangerous

  • Unexpected Bug damage can punish:
    • Psychic-types
    • Dark-types

Best Counters Against Dangerous Moves

Dangerous Move Best Counter Types
Solar Beam Fire, Steel
Dazzling Gleam Steel, Poison
Megahorn Fire, Flying
Grass Knot Steel, Fire

Tapu Bulu in PvP, PvE, Raids, Gyms & Various Cups

Tapu Bulu is a powerful Grass/Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon known for:

  • Very high Attack stat
  • Strong Grass-type damage
  • Useful Fairy typing
  • Excellent bulk in some PvP formats
  • Access to hard-hitting moves like Nature’s Madness, Grass Knot, and Megahorn

Its typing gives it unique advantages against:

  • Water
  • Ground
  • Dark
  • Dragon
  • Fighting

But it also has major weaknesses to:

  • Poison
  • Steel
  • Fire
  • Flying
  • Ice

PvP Performance

Great League

Usually not recommended in open Great League because its CP is too high and difficult to optimize. However:

  • It can work in limited formats or special cups
  • Bulk is decent
  • Fairy typing helps against Dark/Fighting Pokémon

Problems in Great League

  • Weak to common Steel types
  • Struggles against Flyers
  • Expensive to build

Best Moveset

  • Fast Move: Bullet Seed
  • Charged Moves: Grass Knot + Nature’s Madness

Overall Rating

  • Niche pick
  • Mostly cup-dependent

Ultra League

This is where Tapu Bulu becomes much stronger.

Why It Performs Well

  • Beats many Water and Ground Pokémon
  • Fairy typing threatens Dragons and Fighters
  • Good shield pressure
  • Nature’s Madness lowers enemy HP reliably

Strong Matchups

  • Swampert
  • Giratina
  • Poliwrath
  • Virizion
  • Zygarde

Weak Matchups

  • Registeel
  • Talonflame
  • Skarmory
  • Venusaur
  • Poison users

Best Moveset

  • Bullet Seed
  • Grass Knot
  • Nature’s Madness

PvP Role

  • Anti-Water core breaker
  • Dragon counter
  • Shield pressure attacker

Overall Ultra League Value

  • Very solid and underrated.

Master League

Performance

  • In Master League, Tapu Bulu becomes more of a specialist pick.

Strengths

  • Strong against Kyogre
  • Can pressure Dragon types
  • Useful against Ground Pokémon
  • Hits very hard

Weaknesses

  • Steel-types dominate Master League
  • Weak against Ho-Oh
  • Loses to Dialga
  • Vulnerable to Poison damage

Good Matchups

  • Kyogre
  • Garchomp
  • Palkia
  • Groudon

Difficult Matchups

  • Dialga
  • Metagross
  • Ho-Oh
  • Solgaleo

Recommended Moveset

  • Bullet Seed
  • Nature’s Madness
  • Megahorn / Grass Knot

Overall

  • A spicy but dangerous pick with proper team support.

Various PvP Cups

Fantasy Cup

Very useful because:

  • Fairy typing is valuable
  • Can pressure Dragons
  • Strong against Water types

Sunshine Cup

Excellent performance because:

  • Grass types are valuable
  • Water counters matter a lot
  • Fairy coverage helps

Element Cup

Not eligible.

Love Cup

Usually unavailable due to Legendary restrictions.

Limited Meta Cups

Tapu Bulu often becomes stronger in:

  • Cups without Steel-types
  • Water-heavy metas
  • Ground-heavy metas

PvE Performance

As a Grass-Type Attacker

  • This is Tapu Bulu’s best PvE role.

Strengths

  • Very high Grass-type damage
  • Excellent against Water, Rock, and Ground raid bosses
  • Strong raid DPS

Best Targets

  • Kyogre
  • Groudon
  • Swampert
  • Rhyperior
  • Gyarados

Weaknesses in PvE

  • Fragile against Fire/Ice bosses
  • Competes with Mega Grass attackers
  • Some Shadow Pokémon outperform it

Best PvE Moveset

  • Bullet Seed
  • Grass Knot

Overall PvE Ranking

  • One of the stronger non-Mega Grass attackers.

Raids

As a Raid Attacker

Tapu Bulu is very strong in raids against:

  • Water bosses
  • Ground bosses
  • Rock bosses

Excellent Against

  • Kyogre raids
  • Groudon raids
  • Mega Swampert raids
  • Rock-type raid bosses

As a Raid Boss

When appearing in raids:

  • It can be difficult because of strong Grass/Fairy typing
  • Fire and Steel attackers perform best

Best Counters Against Tapu Bulu

  • Mega Charizard Y
  • Mega Rayquaza
  • Metagross
  • Nihilego
  • Reshiram

Gym Performance

As a Gym Attacker

Good against:

  • Water defenders
  • Ground defenders
  • Dark/Fighting defenders

But:

  • Not the fastest gym clearer
  • Flying defenders can stop it

As a Gym Defender

Not ideal because:

  • Legendary Pokémon cannot defend gyms in Pokémon GO.

Tapu Bulu Raid Strategy Guide

Tapu Bulu is a Tier 5 Legendary Raid Boss known for its massive Attack stat and dangerous Grass/Fairy typing. While it has several weaknesses, it can still punish unprepared teams very hard.

Raid Difficulty Overview

Strategy Type Difficulty
Solo Nearly Impossible
Duo Extremely Hard
Trio Achievable
4-5 Trainers Comfortable
Beginner Groups Recommended

Why Tapu Bulu Matters

  • Strong Fairy-type attacker
  • Valuable for Pokédex & shiny hunters
  • Useful in Master League
  • Excellent collection Pokémon
  • Can hit extremely hard with Grass moves

Best Overall Strategy

Use:

  • Poison attackers
  • Steel attackers
  • Fire attackers

Double Weakness Advantage

Tapu Bulu has a HUGE weakness:

Double Weak To:

  • Poison

Solo Strategy

Technically:

  • Only under extreme conditions
  • Usually unrealistic

Requires:

  • Level 50 top Poison counters
  • Weather boost
  • Best friend boost
  • Perfect dodging
  • Optimal moveset

Solo Strategy Tips

Use ONLY Top Poison Attackers

  • Examples:
    • Mega Beedrill
    • Nihilego
    • Roserade

Dodge Dangerous Charged Moves

  • Especially:
    • Megahorn
    • Grass Knot

Solo Difficulty

Condition Difficulty
Normal Weather Nearly Impossible
Cloudy Weather Slightly Easier
Best Friend Boost Needed

Duo Strategy

Very Difficult But Possible:

  • Strong high-level players can duo Tapu Bulu.

Trainer Requirements:

  • Level 40+
  • Powered-up counters
  • Friendship bonus preferred

Best Duo Approach

Player 1

  • Mega Poison attacker

Player 2

  • Full Poison DPS team

Dangerous Raid Boss Moves

Move Threat
Megahorn Destroys Psychic counters
Solar Beam Massive one-shot damage
Dazzling Gleam Hurts Dark/Dragon Pokémon

Duo Tips

  • Relobby quickly
  • Avoid weak neutral counters
  • Focus pure Poison damage

Trio Strategy

Most Efficient Strategy:

  • This is the ideal challenge level for experienced players.

Trio Requirements

Requirement Recommended
Trainer Level 30+
Counters Strong Poison/Steel
Mega Pokémon Helpful

Trio Advantages

  • Safer timer
  • Less relobby pressure
  • More room for mistakes

Beginner Strategy

Recommended Group Size:

  • 5–7 trainers

Beginner Tips:

  • Focus On:
    • Staying alive
    • Using recommended teams
    • Rejoining quickly

Good Beginner Counters

  • Roserade
  • Excadrill
  • Metagross
  • Chandelure

Common Beginner Mistakes

Mistake Problem
Using Dragon-types Fairy moves punish them
Using Water-types Grass attacks destroy them
Not reviving quickly Huge DPS loss

Intermediate Strategy

Recommended Group:

  • 3-4 trainers

Intermediate Focus:

  • Build proper counters
  • Learn move dodging
  • Use Mega boosts correctly

Strong Intermediate Team

Pokémon Role
Mega Beedrill Mega boost + DPS
Nihilego Top Poison DPS
Metagross Safe Steel damage
Roserade Budget Poison attacker

Intermediate Goal

Balance:

  • Survival
  • DPS
  • Team synergy

Advanced Strategy

Recommended Group:

  • Duo or fast trio

Advanced Techniques

Move Reading

  • Identify charged move quickly:
    • Solar Beam → dodge
    • Megahorn → swap fragile Psychic types

Mega Rotation

  • Coordinate Mega boosts:
    • Mega Beedrill
    • Mega Gengar

Relobby Optimization

  • Rejoin instantly
  • Pre-build teams
  • Avoid healing delays

Expert Strategy

Experts aim for:

  • Fastest clear time
  • Maximum efficiency
  • Minimal fainting

Expert Techniques

Weather Abuse

  • Best Weather:
    • Cloudy → boosts Poison damage

Team Coordination

  • Experts coordinate:
    • Mega uptime
    • Friendship bonuses
    • Simultaneous relobbies

Glass Cannon Strategy

  • Use extremely high DPS Pokémon:
    • Nihilego
    • Shadow Roserade
    • Mega Beedrill

Expert Risk

  • Experts rely on:
    • Perfect dodging
    • Fast re-entry
    • Optimized move timing

Tapu Bulu Raid Counters Guide

Tapu Bulu is a Grass/Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon.

Main Weaknesses

  • Poison
  • Steel
  • Fire
  • Flying
  • Ice

Resists

  • Water
  • Electric
  • Grass
  • Ground
  • Dark
  • Dragon
  • Fighting

Best Counters Overall

Pokémon Why It’s Strong
Mega Beedrill Absolute best counter due to double Poison damage
Nihilego Extremely high Poison DPS
Roserade Strong and accessible
Shadow Victreebel Very high Poison damage
Mega Gengar Massive Poison damage output
Metagross Bulky Steel attacker
Mega Rayquaza Strong Flying damage
Reshiram Excellent Fire attacker

Top Counters

Poison-Type Counters

Pokémon Recommended Moveset Why It Dominates
Mega Beedrill Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb Highest overall DPS
Nihilego Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb Amazing damage output
Mega Gengar Lick + Sludge Bomb Huge offensive pressure
Roserade Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb Budget-friendly strong option
Shadow Victreebel Acid + Sludge Bomb Glass cannon DPS

Why Poison Is Best

Tapu Bulu’s double weakness means:

  • Poison attacks hit incredibly hard
  • Raid clears become much faster
  • Fewer players are needed

Steel-Type Counters

Pokémon Recommended Moveset Strength
Metagross Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash Best Steel attacker
Dialga Metal Claw + Iron Head Good survivability
Excadrill Metal Claw + Iron Head Fast Steel DPS

Why Steel Works

Steel resists:

  • Grass
  • Fairy

This makes Steel Pokémon:

  • Very durable
  • Safe for beginners

Fire-Type Counters

Pokémon Recommended Moveset
Reshiram Fire Fang + Fusion Flare
Mega Charizard Y Fire Spin + Blast Burn
Chandelure Fire Spin + Overheat

Fire Strategy

Fire counters:

  • Grass typing
  • Deals consistent damage

But:

  • Not as strong as Poison
  • Some Fire Pokémon are fragile

Flying-Type Counters

Pokémon Recommended Moveset
Mega Rayquaza Air Slash + Dragon Ascent
Yveltal Gust + Hurricane
Moltres Wing Attack + Sky Attack

Flying Strategy

Flying attacks exploit Grass weakness.

  • Flying attackers can struggle vs Fairy moves

Ice-Type Counters

Pokémon Recommended Moveset
Mamoswine Powder Snow + Avalanche
Weavile Ice Shard + Avalanche

Ice Strategy

Ice hits Grass super effectively.

  • Ice Pokémon are fragile
  • Usually faint quickly

Counter Strategy By Player Type

Beginners

Use:

  • Metagross
  • Excadrill
  • Roserade

Why:

  • Easier to obtain
  • Good survivability

Intermediate Players

Focus on:

  • Poison teams
  • Mega evolution boosts

Goal:

  • Faster clears

Experts

Use:

  • Mega Beedrill
  • Nihilego
  • Shadow Poison attackers

Goal:

  • Duo/trio clears
  • Maximum DPS

Dangerous Raid Boss Moves

Most Threatening Moves

Move Why Dangerous
Megahorn Destroys Psychic attackers
Grass Knot Heavy Grass damage
Dazzling Gleam Strong Fairy burst

Why These Work Well

  • Raikou / Electivire:
    • Strong Electric damage
    • Easy to build teams
  • Roserade / Zarude:
    • Grass-type attackers
    • Good balance of DPS + survivability
  • Togekiss:
    • Fairy typing resists Dark moves
    • Safer option
  • Machamp:
    • Budget-friendly Fighting counter

3. Counters by Type Strength

Now let’s break it down by type:

Electric-Type Counters

Examples

  • Zekrom
  • Xurkitree
  • Raikou

Why Electric is Best

  • Hits Water typing directly
  • High DPS output
  • Consistent performance

Recommended for all players

Grass-Type Counters

Examples

  • Kartana
  • Roserade
  • Zarude

Why Grass Works

  • Super effective vs Water
  • Good sustainability

Slightly less DPS than Electric but safer

Fighting-Type Counters

Examples

  • Lucario
  • Conkeldurr
  • Machamp

Why Fighting Works

  • Hits Dark typing
  • Strong neutral damage vs Water

Good alternative option

Fairy-Type Counters

Examples

  • Togekiss
  • Gardevoir

Why Fairy Works

  • Resists Dark-type moves
  • Provides stability

Lower DPS but high survivability

Bug-Type Counters

Examples

  • Genesect
  • Scizor

Why Bug Works

  • Strong vs Dark typing
  • Limited overall DPS

Only useful if lacking better options

4. What Counters to AVOID

Bad Choices

Type Reason
Fire Weak to Water
Ground Neutral + slow
Psychic Weak to Dark
Ghost Weak to Dark

5. Counter Strategy Tips

General Strategy

  • Prioritize:
    • Electric (best)
    • Grass (safe)

Advanced Tips

  • Dodge Hydro Pump
  • Use Mega Pokémon for boosts
  • Build full teams of same type for synergy

Final Counter Summary

Category Best Option
Overall Best Type Electric
Highest DPS Zekrom / Xurkitree
Best Budget Machamp / Electivire
Safest Option Togekiss

Shiny Comparison – Tapu Bulu

Shiny Tapu Bulu is one of the more noticeable Legendary shiny forms because it changes color significantly, not just slightly.

Normal vs Shiny Appearance

Normal Tapu Bulu

  • Body: Deep red / maroon shell
  • Horns: Black and yellow accents
  • Aura: Earthy, grounded “guardian” look

Shiny Tapu Bulu

  • Body: Green turns into a bright mint / lime green
  • Shell becomes more vibrant and lighter
  • Horn accents shift to brighter tones

Visual Difference Summary

Feature Normal Shiny
Body Color Dark red Bright green
Mood Heavy / earthy Fresh / vibrant
Rarity Standard legendary Rare shiny form
Visibility Subtle in raids Very noticeable

How Easy Is It to Spot?

Very easy in encounters:

  • Green glow stands out immediately
  • No need to inspect closely

Does Shiny Affect Battle Power?

No gameplay difference:

  • Same stats
  • Same moves
  • Same raid performance

Shiny Value in Raids

Shiny Tapu Bulu is valuable for:

  • Collection collectors
  • Legendary shiny hunters
  • Showcase gyms (if available)

Catch Tip for Shiny Encounters

If you encounter shiny Tapu Bulu:

  • Use Pinap Berry (guaranteed catch if you hit)
  • Don’t rush throws
  • Curve + Excellent still recommended for bonus XP
Normal Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Shiny Tapu Bulu

Shiny Tapu Bulu

Images are used for informational and educational purposes only. All rights belong to their respective owners.


Evolution & Buddy Distance – Tapu Bulu

Evolution

Tapu Bulu does NOT evolve

  • It is a Legendary Pokémon
  • Part of the Alolan Guardian Deities
  • It has:
    • No pre-evolution
    • No evolution
    • No Mega Evolution

Buddy Distance

20 km per Candy

Category Value
Buddy Distance 20 km
Candy per walk 1 Candy

What this means in practice

  • Tapu Bulu is a very slow candy farmer
  • Not ideal for casual walking farming
  • Best used with:
    • Rare Candy
    • Raid catches
    • Events

Candy Farming Tips

Best ways to get candy faster:

  • Raid Tapu Bulu repeatedly
  • Use Rare Candy from raids
  • Walk only if you’re actively grinding long distances

Why the distance is so high

Tapu Bulu is:

  • A Legendary Guardian Pokémon
  • Designed to be rare and hard to power up

Best Mega Pokémon vs Tapu Bulu

Key Weaknesses of Tapu Bulu:

  • Steel
  • Fire
  • Poison
  • Ice

Top Mega Counters

Mega Metagross (BEST OVERALL)

Mega Metagross

  • Steel typing = double pressure vs Fairy
  • Extremely high DPS + bulk
  • Survives long in raids

Role:

  • Main raid carry Mega

Mega Beedrill (High Poison DPS)

Mega Beedrill

  • Poison attacks hit Fairy super effectively
  • Very high damage output

Weakness:

  • Very fragile (faints quickly)

Role:

  • Glass cannon DPS booster

Mega Charizard Y (Fire DPS option)

Mega Charizard Y

  • Fire is super effective vs Grass typing
  • Great raid-wide Fire boost

Limitation:

  • Doesn’t hit Fairy weakness directly
  • Less efficient than Steel/Poison

Mega Blaziken (Mixed DPS option)

Mega Blaziken

  • Fire + Fighting pressure
  • Strong DPS output

Note:

  • Fighting is resisted by Fairy typing
  • Still useful due to Fire damage

Mega Abomasnow (Situational)

Mega Abomasnow

  • Ice attacks hit Grass for super effective damage

Note:

  • Doesn’t hit Fairy weakness
  • Less efficient overall

Best Raid Strategy

Ideal Setup

  • 1 Mega Metagross (core tank DPS boost)
  • 2–4 Steel attackers
  • 1 Poison attacker for extra damage

Fast Clear Strategy

  • Stack Steel attackers (Metagross, Excadrill)
  • Use Mega Metagross for team boost
  • Dodge Grass charged moves if needed

Boosted Candy Catching – How it helps Tapu Bulu

When you catch Tapu Bulu during raids or encounters, there are ways to increase the amount of Candy you earn per catch, which directly speeds up powering it up and unlocking second moves.

Why Candy Boost Matters

Tapu Bulu is a legendary Pokémon, meaning:

  • It needs a lot of Candy to power up
  • It is expensive to:
    • Level up
    • Unlock second Charged Move

Pinap Berry

Effect:

  • Doubles the Candy you get from a catch
Situation Candy Earned
Normal catch 3 Candy
With Pinap Berry 6 Candy

When to use Pinap on Tapu Bulu

Use Pinap when:

  • You are confident in catching it
  • It’s a low IV CP encounter
  • You want maximum Candy farming efficiency

Avoid Pinap when:

  • It is a high CP / 100% IV potential
  • You are low on Premier Balls

Silver Pinap Berry

Effect:

  • Gives:
    • Increased catch rate (like Razz Berry)
    • Bonus Candy (1.5× to 2× effect)

Catch Bonus Stack

Candy gains can stack with:

  • Pinap / Silver Pinap
  • Events (2× Catch Candy events)
  • Mega Evolution bonus

During events, you can get:

  • 6–12 Candy per catch

Why Candy Farming is Important for Tapu Bulu

Powering Up

  • High Stardust cost + Candy requirement
  • Needs Candy XL for max level

PvP Relevance

  • Ultra League
  • Limited formats

Raid Utility

  • Strong Grass/Fairy attacker in certain matchups
  • Useful for:
    • Water
    • Ground
    • Dragon counters

Candy Efficiency Strategy

Situation Best Berry Goal
Easy catch Pinap Max Candy
Hard catch Silver Pinap Safe + Candy
Shiny encounter Pinap Guaranteed catch + bonus Candy
High IV hunt Golden Razz Secure catch first

Weaknesses of Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu is a Grass / Fairy-type Pokémon, which gives it strong offensive coverage—but also creates some very exploitable weaknesses in raids and PvP.

Main Weaknesses

Poison (Double Weak Focus in Practice)

  • Poison deals super effective damage to Fairy
  • Tapu Bulu is heavily pressured by Poison attackers

Why it matters:

  • Poison is one of the safest and most reliable counters
  • Many strong Poison Pokémon can spam fast moves quickly

Best Poison counters:

  • Gengar (Lick + Sludge Bomb)
  • Roserade (Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb)
  • Nihilego(Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb)

Steel (Biggest Raid Threat)

  • Steel hits both Grass and Fairy super effectively

Why Steel is dangerous:

  • Double advantage (dual typing pressure)
  • Very tanky attackers survive longer in raids

Best Steel counters:

  • Metagross (Meteor Mash)
  • Dialga (Iron Head)
  • Excadrill (Iron Head / Drill Run)

Fire (Strong but not double weakness)

  • Fire is super effective vs Grass only

Why it still matters:

  • Fire attackers have very high DPS
  • Can overwhelm Tapu Bulu quickly in raids

Best Fire counters:

  • Reshiram
  • Chandelure
  • Darmanitan

Flying (Situational Weakness)

  • Flying hits Grass super effectively

Notes:

  • Useful but less optimal than Steel/Poison
  • Mostly secondary raid option

Ice (Neutral but Effective in Practice)

  • Ice is NOT super effective
  • But still used due to very high DPS

Example:

  • Mamoswine -style attackers can still perform well

Tapu Bulu – Resistance Guide

Typing

  • Grass / Fairy

This typing gives it a mix of strong resistances and some notable weaknesses.

What Tapu Bulu Resists

Strong Resistances (½ damage)

Type Reason
Electric Grass resistance
Rock Grass resistance
Grass Double resistance advantage
Dragon Fairy resistance
Fighting Fairy resistance
Bug Grass resistance
Dark Fairy resistance

Important Neutral Interactions

These do normal damage (not strong or weak):

  • Fire
  • Ice
  • Poison
  • Psychic
  • Water
  • Ground

Water, Fire, Ice

  • Water typing reduces these
  • Common mistake: using Fire Pokémon

Weaknesses (Take Extra Damage)

Double Weakness Area

Type Reason
Fire Grass weakness
Ice Grass weakness
Poison Fairy weakness
Steel Fairy weakness

Biggest Threats

Most dangerous matchups:

  • Steel attackers (Metagross-type damage)
  • Poison attackers (fast Fairy counter damage)
  • Strong Fire/Ice raid bosses

Raid & PvP Defensive Insight

Why Tapu Bulu is tanky:

  • Resists Fighting + Dark + Dragon
  • Has decent bulk in PvP
  • Can survive many neutral hits

Why it struggles:

  • Weak to common meta types (Steel + Poison)
  • Ice and Fire are very common raid attacks

Conclusion – Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu is a strong but situational Legendary Pokémon that shines most when used correctly rather than universally.

Overall Performance Summary

Where Tapu Bulu is GOOD

PvP (Limited Use)

  • Performs well in:
    • Limited cups
    • Certain Ultra League matchups
  • Can pressure Dragons, Darks, and some Fighters

Strength:

  • Good bulk
  • Strong Charm + Grass Knot pressure (if used correctly)

Raid Utility

  • Useful as a Grass-type attacker
  • Can help vs:
    • Water raid bosses
    • Ground raid bosses
    • Rock raid bosses

Defensive Value

  • Decent bulk for a Fairy-type Legendary
  • Can absorb hits better than many attackers

Where Tapu Bulu is WEAK

Not a Top Grass Attacker

  • Outclassed by stronger Grass types like:
    • Kartana-style attackers
    • Mega Grass Pokémon

Weak Raid Impact Overall

  • Doesn’t compete with top meta DPS Pokémon
  • Limited raid dominance

Common Weakness Exploits

  • Steel moves hit extremely hard
  • Poison pressure can shut it down quickly

Tapu Bulu Catch CP (Raid Encounter)

After defeating Tapu Bulu in a raid, its CP depends on:

  • IVs (0% → 100%)
  • Weather boost (Cloudy / Sunny)

Normal Weather (No Boost)

IV (%) CP
100% (hundo) 1613 CP
98% 1604 CP
93–96% 1585 – 1596 CP
80–90% 1550 – 1575 CP
Low IV ~1500+ CP

Weather Boosted (Cloudy Weather ☁️)

Tapu Bulu is Fairy/Grass, so it gets boosted in:

  • Cloudy weather (Fairy boost)
  • Sunny weather (Grass boost)
IV (%) CP
100% (hundo) 2017 CP
98% 2006 CP
93–96% 1980 – 1995 CP
80–90% 1940 – 1970 CP
Low IV ~1900+ CP

How to Identify a Good Tapu Bulu

Hundo (100% IV)

  • 1613 CP (no weather)
  • 2017 CP (weather boosted)

Catch Tips

To catch Tapu Bulu easily:

  • Use Golden Razz Berries
  • Always throw Curve + Excellent
  • Wait for attack animation before throwing

Common Mistake

  • Thinking high CP = guaranteed high IV
  • CP only shows level + IV range

Weather Boost for Tapu Bulu

What is Weather Boost?

In Pokémon GO, weather boost increases a Pokémon’s level and CP in raids and wild spawns, making it:

  • Stronger in battle (higher CP)
  • Slightly harder to defeat in raids
  • Gives better catch CP after raids

Tapu Bulu Weather Boost

Best Weather: Cloudy Weather

Tapu Bulu is:

  • Fairy-type
  • Grass-type

Cloudy weather boosts:

  • Fairy-type moves
  • Fairy-type Pokémon
  • Fighting & Poison also boosted

What Changes in Cloudy Weather

  • Tapu Bulu becomes:
    • Higher CP
    • Slightly bulkier in raids
    • More challenging for unprepared teams

Catch CP Boost

  • Encounter CP after raid is higher than normal
  • Example:
    • Normal: lower CP range
    • Cloudy: boosted CP

Strategic Impact

When Pheromosa is weather boosted:

  • Higher CP when you encounter it
  • Stronger fast moves (Bug/Fighting pressure increases)
  • Harder raid difficulty overall

Weather Boost Impact on Counters

When Weather Boost HELPS YOU

If YOU are raiding Tapu Bulu:

  • Weather boost = harder raid boss
  • You need:
    • Strong Steel counters
    • Good coordination

When Weather Boost HELPS YOU

If YOU use counters:

  • Cloudy weather slightly benefits Fairy-type users
  • But Steel-types still dominate

Best Counters in Cloudy Weather

Even in boosted conditions, Tapu Bulu is still weak to:

Steel-types

  • Metagross
  • Dialga
  • Excadrill

Poison-types

  • Gengar
  • Roserade

Ice-types

  • Useful for Grass typing, but Fairy is main concern

Is it worth raiding Tapu Bulu?

PvE (Raids & Gyms Value)

Strengths

  • One of the better Grass-type attackers
  • Very useful vs:
    • Water raid bosses
    • Ground raid bosses
    • Rock raid bosses

Best Role

  • Strong Grass DPS attacker
  • Can replace mid-tier Grass Pokémon

Weakness

  • Not top-tier like Kartana-level attackers
  • No Mega Evolution

PvP Value

Great League / Ultra League

  • Bulky
  • Spammy with energy moves
  • Annoying to deal with

Strengths

  • Good vs:
    • Water types
    • Ground types
    • Fighting types

Weakness

  • Poison (biggest threat)
  • Flying pressure
  • Steel matchup can be tricky

Raid Utility Compared to Other Grass Types

Better attackers exist:

  • Kartana (much higher DPS)
  • Mega Sceptile (team boost + damage)
  • Shadow Grass attackers

What makes Tapu Bulu special?

Unique advantages:

  • Fairy + Grass typing
  • Good bulk compared to most Grass attackers
  • Can surprise Dragon teams in PvP

Hidden value:

  • Works well in limited cups
  • Performs well when Grass is needed but survivability matters

Is it worth raiding?

YES if you want:

  • A solid Ultra League PvP Pokémon
  • A reliable Grass attacker
  • A safe, bulky raid option

NO if you want:

  • Top-tier raid DPS (skip if you want meta attackers only)
  • Mega-level damage output
  • Budget-efficient raid investments

Personal Raid Experience – Tapu Bulu

First Impression

When I first went into a raid against Tapu Bulu, I honestly underestimated it. It looks like a calm, forest-themed Pokémon, but in battle it hits much harder than expected. From the start, I noticed something important: it doesn’t feel like a “glass cannon raid boss.” It’s bulky, and it stays on the field longer than I expected. My team was mostly Dragon and Water attackers at first, and that was my first mistake. Very quickly, I realized Tapu Bulu punishes the wrong matchup hard. Its Fairy + Grass typing means it resists a lot of common raid picks like Water, Fighting, and Ground. My Dragons especially didn’t last long because of Fairy pressure.

What Worked Best in the Raid

Once I switched to better counters, the fight changed completely:

  • Steel-types started performing much better
  • Poison attackers helped a lot against Fairy typing
  • Flying and Fire support added steady damage

When I used proper counters like Metagross-style Steel attackers, the raid became much smoother. The difference was huge — instead of struggling with fainted Pokémon, I was consistently dealing damage.

What Caught Me Off Guard

There were two big surprises:

It survives longer than expected

  • Even with decent DPS teams, Tapu Bulu doesn’t go down quickly. You need sustained damage, not burst-only teams.

Charged moves matter a lot

  • Some charged attacks can chunk your team if you’re not paying attention. I lost several Pokémon just because I ignored dodging early on.

Tapu Bulu – Unique Insight Guide

Hidden Strength: Double Pressure Typing

Fairy Side

  • Counters Dragons (like Rayquaza-type threats)
  • Threatens Dark and Fighting types

Grass Side

  • Punishes:
    • Water types
    • Ground types
    • Rock types

Unique PvP Insight

Tapu Bulu is NOT a spammer

Unlike many Fairy types (like Gardevoir or Togekiss), it:

  • Does NOT rely on fast charged spam
  • Instead uses high-impact charged moves

Key behavior:

  • Builds energy slowly
  • Hits extremely hard when it fires

PvP Trick

Grassy Terrain Effect

  • Boosts Grass-type damage
  • Slight healing pressure in longer fights

Raid Insight

Tapu Bulu is NOT a top raid attacker

Even though it has strong stats:

  • Its moveset is not optimized for DPS racing

But it HAS a niche:

It becomes valuable when:

  • Grass boost is needed in group raids
  • You want fairy + grass hybrid coverage

Defensive Meta Insight

Tapu Bulu is surprisingly strong because:

It resists key meta threats:

  • Water
  • Electric
  • Ground
  • Dark

But struggles vs:

  • Steel (biggest weakness)
  • Poison (hard counter)
  • Flying (pressure weakness)

Team Building Insight

Best role in teams:

  • Anti-Dragon backup
  • Anti-Ground pivot
  • Safe switch in neutral matchups

Bad role:

  • Primary DPS attacker
  • Steel matchup bait

Tapu Bulu FAQ

What is Tapu Bulu?

Tapu Bulu is a Legendary Grass/Fairy-type Pokémon from the Alola region. It is one of the four Guardian Deities and is known for protecting forests and nature.

Is Tapu Bulu good in Pokémon GO?

Yes, but situationally strong

  • Strong in Great League & Ultra League PvP
  • Useful as a Fairy attacker in raids
  • Not a top Grass attacker compared to meta Pokémon

What type is Tapu Bulu weak to?

Tapu Bulu is weak to:

  • Ice
  • Fire
  • Poison
  • Flying
  • Steel

Steel and Poison are the most reliable counters in raids

What are the best counters for Tapu Bulu?

Top counters include:

  • Metagross (Steel)
  • Roserade (Poison)
  • Chandelure (Fire)
  • Togekiss (Fairy/Flying)

Steel-type Pokémon are the safest choice

What is the best moveset for Tapu Bulu?

PvP / Raid Moves:

  • Fast Move: Bullet Seed
  • Charged Moves:
    • Nature’s Madness (signature move)
    • Close Combat or Grass Knot

Nature’s Madness is its signature and most important move

Is Tapu Bulu good in raids?

  • Outclassed by stronger Grass attackers like:
    • Kartana
    • Shadow Grass attackers

Best used as a Fairy-type raid attacker support option

Is Tapu Bulu good in PvP?

Strengths:

  • Bulky
  • Strong Fairy pressure
  • Good against Dragons, Fighters, and Darks

Weaknesses:

  • Steel-types dominate it
  • Poison types can shut it down

Can Tapu Bulu be shiny?

Yes

  • Shiny Tapu Bulu has a pinkish/red color shift
  • Usually released during special events or raids

What is Tapu Bulu’s role?

  • PvP bulky Fairy attacker
  • Grass-type niche attacker
  • Anti-Dragon / Anti-Dark specialist

Should I power up Tapu Bulu?

Yes if:

  • You play PvP (Ultra League)
  • You need a bulky Fairy-type

Skip if:

  • You only care about raid DPS meta

Quick Summary

  • Strong PvP Pokémon (especially Ultra League)
  • Mid-tier raid attacker
  • Weak to Steel and Poison
  • Best role: bulky Fairy counter specialist

Pokédex Entry – Tapu Bulu

Basic Information

Category Details
Pokémon Type Grass / Fairy
Pokédex Number #787
Region Alola
Classification Land Spirit Pokémon
Height 1.9 m
Weight 45.5 kg

What is Tapu Bulu?

Tapu Bulu is one of the four guardian deities of the Alola region. It protects islands and nature, acting as a powerful spirit tied closely to forests, plants, and the land itself. Unlike many Fairy-type Pokémon, Tapu Bulu is known for:

  • Massive physical strength
  • Aggressive defensive behavior
  • Nature-based powers

It represents the island guardian of:

  • Ula’ula Island in Alola

Typing Explanation

Grass / Fairy Typing

  • Strong resistance to:
    • Water
    • Electric
    • Grass
    • Dark
    • Fighting

But it is weak to:

  • Poison
  • Flying
  • Steel
  • Fire
  • Ice

Biggest Weakness

  • Poison attacks are especially dangerous due to a double weakness interaction.

Lore & Design Inspiration

Tapu Bulu’s design is inspired by:

  • Polynesian guardian spirits
  • Totem-like wooden idols
  • Nature guardians

Its large bell-shaped body and wooden horns resemble:

  • Ancient tribal protectors
  • Forest guardians

Personality & Behavior

Unlike peaceful Fairy Pokémon, Tapu Bulu:

  • Can be destructive
  • Protects nature aggressively
  • Dislikes unnecessary conflict but becomes dangerous when angered

It is known to:

  • Manipulate vegetation
  • Control plant growth
  • Protect forests and sacred lands

Signature Ability & Power

Tapu Bulu uses:

  • Nature's Madness - Creates Fairy Terrain automatically

This boosts:

  • Grass-type moves
  • Healing effects

Role

Tapu Bulu is mainly used as:

  • Strong Grass attacker
  • Raid counter against Water/Ground/Rock bosses
  • Decent PvP option in Master League formats

Strengths

High Attack Power

  • Tapu Bulu hits very hard with Grass-type moves.

Unique Fairy Secondary Typing

  • Dragons
  • Dark-types
  • Fighting-types

Strong Raid Utility

  • Kyogre
  • Groudon
  • Swampert -style bosses

Weaknesses

Double Weakness to Poison

  • Poison attacks can destroy Tapu Bulu quickly.

Limited Bulk

  • Not as tanky as some legendary Pokémon.

Shiny Tapu Bulu

Shiny Tapu Bulu changes:

  • Red body accents → darker black coloration

Pokédex Flavor Summary

Tapu Bulu is:

  • A guardian spirit
  • Protector of nature
  • Powerful Grass/Fairy legendary.
  • Aggressive defender of Alola’s lands

It combines:

  • Ancient guardian themes
  • Tribal inspiration
  • Natural power

How to Catch Tapu Bulu Easily in Pokémon GO

Catching Tapu Bulu can feel tricky because:

  • It moves a lot
  • It attacks frequently
  • Legendary catch rates are naturally low

But with the right strategy, you can greatly improve your catch chances

Best Catch Strategy

Always Use Golden Razz Berry

This is the MOST important step.

Why?
  • Gives the highest catch boost
  • Essential for Legendary raids
Best Practice

Use:

  • Golden Razz Berry on every throw

Master the Circle Lock Technique

This is the best method used by experienced raiders.

How It Works
  • Hold the Poké Ball
  • Wait until the circle becomes:
    • Small enough for Excellent throw
  • Release finger WITHOUT throwing
  • Wait for Tapu Bulu attack animation
  • Throw during the attack

Why This Helps

  • Prevents jumping/attacking interruptions
  • Makes Excellent throws easier

Aim for Excellent Throws

Catch Difficulty Improves Greatly With:

Throw Type Catch Boost
Nice Small
Great Medium
Excellent HUGE

Always Throw Curveballs

Curveballs significantly increase catch chance.

Benefits
  • Extra XP
  • Higher catch rate
  • More consistent throws

Be Patient With Movement

Common Mistake
  • Players rush throws when Tapu Bulu moves side to side.
Better Strategy

Wait until:

  • It returns to center
  • Attack animation starts

Know Weather Boost Catch CP

Weather boost changes catch CP.

Sunny / Clear Weather
  • Tapu Bulu gets boosted.
Weather Boost CP
  • Higher CP range
  • Harder to catch sometimes

Tapu Bulu Catch CP

Normal Raid Catch CP

IV Quality CP
100% IV 1953 CP
Lowest IV 1860 CP

Weather Boosted CP

IV Quality CP
100% IV 2441 CP
Lowest IV 2326 CP

Common Catch Mistakes

Throwing During Attack

Ball gets knocked away.

Fix

Throw AFTER attack starts.

Using Pinap Berry First

Extra candy is tempting, but risky.

Fix

Secure catch first using Golden Razz.

Rushing Throws

Panicking lowers accuracy.

Fix

Slow down and wait for good timing.

Best Throw Timing

Ideal Moment

Throw when:

  • Tapu Bulu finishes attack animation
  • Circle is locked for Excellent size

This gives:

  • Safe throw
  • High accuracy
  • Better catch odds

Easy Catch Formula

Best Combo Possible:

  • Golden Razz Berry
  • Curveball
  • Excellent Throw
  • Circle Lock Technique

Beginner-Friendly Tip

If Excellent throws are hard:

  • Aim for consistent Great throws first
  • Consistency matters more than random Excellent attempts

Common Raid Mistakes Against Tapu Bulu

Many trainers underestimate it because it looks bulky rather than aggressive, but its moves can punish bad team choices very quickly.

Using Dragon-Type Pokémon

Why It’s Bad

Tapu Bulu’s Fairy typing completely destroys Dragons.

Common Bad Picks

  • Dragonite
  • Rayquaza
  • Salamence

What Happens

  • Fairy moves hit Dragons super effectively
  • Your team faints very quickly
  • Huge revive waste

Ignoring Poison-Type Counters

Biggest Beginner Error

Many players forget Tapu Bulu has a double weakness to Poison.

Best Strategy

Use strong Poison attackers like:

  • Nihilego
  • Mega Beedrill
  • Roserade

Using Water Types

Why This Fails

Grass attacks destroy Water Pokémon.

Common Mistakes

Using:

  • Kyogre
  • Swampert

Result

  • Fast knockouts
  • Low overall damage contribution

Not Checking Raid Boss Moveset

Tapu Bulu can run dangerous moves like:

  • Grass Knot
  • Dazzling Gleam
  • Megahorn

Why It Matters

Different moves destroy different counters.

  • Megahorn can punish Psychic-types
  • Dazzling Gleam destroys Dragons/Darks

Using Recommended Team Blindly

Auto-Recommendation Trap

The game often suggests:

  • Bulky Pokémon
  • Neutral tanks

Instead of:

  • Actual high DPS counters

No Mega Evolution Support

Missed Team Damage Boost

Mega Pokémon help the entire raid lobby.

Best Megas

  • Mega Beedrill
  • Mega Gengar

Benefit

  • Faster clear times
  • More Premier Balls
  • Better success in small groups

Dodging Everything

Overdodging Problem

Some players spend too much time dodging.

Result

  • Massive DPS loss
  • Raid timer becomes dangerous

Correct Strategy

  • Dodge only big charged moves
  • Keep attacking consistently

Bringing Underleveled Counters

Common Issue

Using low CP Pokémon with correct typing but poor stats.

Better Choice

A powered-up neutral attacker is often better than:

  • Weak low-level super effective Pokémon

Poor Weather Planning

Weather Changes Raid Difficulty

Dangerous Weather

  • Sunny Weather:
    • Boosts Grass attacks
    • Makes Tapu Bulu stronger

Helpful Weather

  • Cloudy Weather
    • Boosts Poison counters

Attempting Small Groups Without Preparation

Tapu Bulu Is Bulkier Than Expected

Duo/trio attempts require:

  • Strong counters
  • Correct movesets
  • High levels

Common Failure

Running out of time rather than fainting.


Related Posts

You may also find these Pokémon GO raid guides helpful: