Niantic has announced the full slate of five-star raids for Pokemon Go in April, and trainers should prepare to face off against the third Alolan island guardian starting April 12.
Tapu Bulu, the game’s third Legendary Pokemon hailing from the Alolan region, has been named as the latest Pokemon Go five-star raid, running from now until April 26. Tapu Bulu’s time as the five-star raid Pokemon was announced along with the Pokemon Go April 2022 event schedule, which runs concurrently with the game’s Season of Alola event introducing Pokemon Sun and Moon to the game.
Tapu Bulu is the third “Tapu” Pokemon to be introduced to Pokemon Go, with Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele already in the game and only Tapu Fini still to come. If you caught Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele you’re on your way to completing the set, so if you’re going to challenge the Tapu Bulu raid check out our tips below.
Tapu Bulu Raid Schedule
Tapu Bulu enters the five-star Raid ring starting April 12 at 10 AM local time, remaining there until 8 PM on April 26. Unfortunately the game does not follow any set schedules with its raid–there’s no guarantee Tapu Bulu will be waiting for you–but the game constantly tells you who’s around to raid, so just keep an eye out.
There is a glimmer of hope for those who need a Tapu Bulu appearance though: Pokemon Go’s weekly Raid Hour on Wednesday night. Two of April’s Raid Hour events–April 13 and 20 from 6 PM to 7 PM local time–will feature the Land Spirit Pokemon at nearly every Gym in the game. If you want a guaranteed shot at Tapu Bulu, gather your friends and head out after dinner on those two Wednesday nights.
Tapu Bulu Weaknesses And Counters
Tapu Bulu is a Grass- and Fairy-type Pokemon, a rare type duo in the world of Pokemon shared only by four other Pokemon: Generation V’s Cottonee and Whimsicott, and Generation VII’s Morelull and Shiinotic. While Tapu Bulu’s typing is hard to find elsewhere, its five weaknesses should make building a team to counter it much easier to pin down.
Poison-type Pokemon are Tapu Bulu’s Poke-Kryptonite, with Poison-type moves seeing increased effectiveness against both Grass and Fairy Pokemon. As such, Weezing, Nidoking/Nidoqueen, Muk, and Gengar will be invaluable in a fight with this island deity.
Fire-, Flying-, Ice-, and Steel-type moves are also extra effective against Tapu Bulu, so any mixture of Skarmory, Charizard–perhaps the Mega Charizard Y you caught in the current Mega Raid–Ho-Oh, Articuno, or Alolan Ninetales will be helpful in the battle ahead.
Types To Avoid
The Grass- and Fairy-type Tapu Bulu is resistant to seven Pokemon types, nearly half of the 18 types featured in Pokemon games, so there are plenty of Pokemon to avoid. Dark-, Dragon-, Electric-, Fighting-, Grass-, Ground-, and Water-type Pokemon will all be battling from behind against Tapu Bulu, so leave traditionally powerful Pokemon like Blastoise, Dragonite, Lucario, Umbreon, and Absol behind when challenging the raid.
There’s still some time before Tapu Bulu joins the five-star raid roster, so get yourself ready by catching as many Grass-types as you can during the current Lush Jungle event, or take on the current five-star raid Tapu Lele if you haven’t done so already.
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