[OVERVIEW]
Blacephalon is blessed with an outstanding Special Attack stat, which, coupled with its great offensive typing in Fire / Ghost, turns it into a deadly wallbreaker. Blacephalon sets itself apart from other special wallbreakers thanks to its high Speed stat, which lets it act as a late-game cleaner and revenge killer when equipped with a Choice Scarf and outspeed a fair amount of the metagame without a boosting item. On top of that, Blacephalon's Beast Boost ability boosts its Special Attack by one stage after each KO, further bolstering its late-game cleaning capabilities. However, Blacephalon has a fair amount of issues that hold it back in the metagame, such as an annoying vulnerability to every entry hazard and a weakness to Stealth Rock. Additionally, Blacephalon is weak to common priority moves like Ash-Greninja's Water Shuriken and Mega Mawile's Sucker Punch, which allows these Pokemon to stop a late-game sweep from it and gain momentum by forcing it out. Finally, the presence of Tyranitar as a top-tier threat in the metagame hurts Blacephalon's viability, since it's unable to 2HKO Tyranitar on the switch without prior damage and falls prey to Pursuit.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Trick / Explosion
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball, albeit weak due to its low Base Power, is Blacephalon's most reliable Ghost-type STAB move that hits a wide amount of the tier for neutral damage. Similarly, Flamethrower boasts decent power alongside 100% accuracy, which makes for a reliable Fire-type STAB move, although it doesn't have the same neutral coverage Shadow Ball provides due to the abundance of Water-types in the tier that can switch into it easily. Fire Blast is a significantly stronger option that can be useful in a pinch where Blacephalon needs the damage to get a KO, though it's usually not the best move for Blacephalon to lock itself into in a late-game scenario because of Fire Blast's unreliable accuracy. Trick is a useful utility move that lets Blacephalon cripple defensive Pokemon like Chansey in matchups where the Speed Choice Scarf grants won't be necessary. Explosion allows Blacephalon to revenge kill a boosted Volcarona or worst case scenario force it out, since Blacephalon can only use this move once in a game. Hidden Power Ice can be used to surprise Landorus-T and Zygarde and hit them for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment gives Blacephalon's attacks as much power as possible while ensuring that Beast Boost boosts its Special Attack. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Blacephalon to outpace the whole unboosted metagame and even some Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Heatran when equipped with a Choice Scarf. Beast Boost is Blacephalon's only available ability and an amazing ability for a late-game cleaner, since it boosts its Special Attack after a KO.
Usage Tips
========
Remove or weaken Blacephalon's answers like Tyranitar, Mantine, and Gastrodon before sending it into the field to attempt a late-game sweep. Tyranitar in particular is annoying due to Pursuit, so make sure it's either gone or weakened to the point where Blacephalon can pick it up. Blacephalon is frail, so avoid letting it take too much residual damage or else it'll be put in range of neutral priority moves or weak attacks from defensive threats too soon, which would let your opponent stop its sweep very easily. If the opponent has a Chansey, cripple it by removing its Eviolite with Trick as it switches in. If possible, keep entry hazards off the field, since Blacephalon is vulnerable to all entry hazards, though this set is meant for late-game cleaning and revenge killing, so it won't be switching onto the field as often and thus doesn't require heavy entry hazard control.
Team Options
========
Tyranitar lures like Earthquake Mega Latios, Surf Latios, and non-Choice item Hoopa-U bait Tyranitar early-game and either remove it entirely or weaken it enough for Blacephalon to KO it. Wallbreakers that can punch holes into more defensive teams Blacephalon struggles against, like Swords Dance Landorus-T, Choice Specs Tapu Lele, and Swords Dance Tapu Bulu, make for great partners and can ease a late-game sweep with the amount of offensive pressure they provide. Entry hazards weaken the opposing team for a late-game sweep, so Pokemon that can reliably set them up like Landorus-T and Heatran for Stealth Rock and Ferrothorn and Greninja for Spikes make for great teammates. Defoggers like Kartana, Latios, and Landorus-T take care of entry hazards in case Blacephalon needs to switch in repeatedly in a game.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Overheat
move 4: Trick / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Specs
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball is Blacephalon's most spammable move due to its great neutral coverage and reliable accuracy. Fire Blast is a high-Base Power Fire-type STAB move with decent accuracy that can dish out a lot of damage even on targets that resist it like Greninja and Keldeo. Flamethrower is a weaker, more reliable Fire-type STAB move that can be used instead of Fire Blast if the extra Base Power from the former isn't needed. Overheat is a stronger Fire-type STAB move that guarantees an OHKO on some Pokemon like defensive Landorus-T and Clefable, but it drops Blacephalon's Special Attack by two stages when used, which means that Blacephalon will be usually forced out after using it. Trick is meant to cripple Chansey on the switch in the stall matchup, which makes it easier for Blacephalon's teammates to break through it. Hidden Power Grass 2HKOes Choice Band Tyranitar after some prior damage, OHKOes Greninja on the switch, and deals with Gastrodon.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature puts Blacephalon at a nice Speed tier for a wallbreaker, outspeeding base 100s like Mega Medicham and Mega Charizard X as well as everything slower. Maximum Special Attack investment maximizes Blacephalon's power and makes Beast Boost increase Special Attack. Beast Boost is Blacephalon's only ability and isn't as useful for a Choice Specs set, since Blacephalon is usually forced out by a revenge killer after KOing a foe, but it still can be helpful.
Usage Tips
========
Unlike the Choice Scarf set, Choice Specs Blacephalon will be switching in several times during a game, so keeping entry hazards off the field is a priority. Blacephalon is very frail, so it's going to need to be brought into the field with the aid of VoltTurn users to start punching holes in the opposing team. Shadow Ball has few Pokemon that resist it in the tier, so it's a pretty safe move to use most of the time when facing a foe that Blacephalon forces out, though you have to watch out for Pursuit users like Weavile that could take advantage of Shadow Ball and trap it. Finally, don't throw out attacks recklessly if there's a Tyranitar on the opponent's team; play smart until you manage to weaken it for Blacephalon.
Team Options
========
Defog users like Kartana, Latios, and Landorus-T take care of any entry hazards that would otherwise limit Blacephalon's switching opportunities. Pokemon with access to VoltTurn like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, and Rotom-W are great teammates because they can bring Blacephalon safely onto the field. Defensive pivots to fall back on when forced out by an offensive threat, like defensive Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna, also make for great partners, especially if they are VoltTurn users that can get Blacephalon back onto the field easily. Teammates that pressure Tyranitar like Earthquake Mega Latios, Surf Latios, and Corkscrew Crash Heatran improve Blacephalon's matchup against Tyranitar teams by weakening or removing it from the game for Blacephalon to use its attacks safely. Finally, late-game cleaners that can capitalize on the holes Blacephalon punches, like Choice Scarf Kartana and Ash-Greninja, form a potent offensive core with it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set consisting of Calm Mind / Flamethrower / Shadow Ball / Substitute and Ghostium Z can pose a big threat to bulky and stall teams, although Choice Specs Blacephalon does a pretty good job at annoying defensive builds already. Knock Off on Choice Specs Blacephalon lets it get rid of items like Chansey's Eviolite and Mantine's Leftovers without losing the breaking power of Choice Specs, which allows it to even 2HKO Chansey on the switch with Fire Blast. Mind Blown can also be used for an even stronger Fire-type move, but the extra power rarely makes a difference and losing half of Blacephalon's HP is a pretty big downside.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Dark-types with access to Putrsuit like Tyranitar and Weavile are a big nuisance for any Blacephalon set, since locking itself into a move they resist like Shadow Ball, or Flamethrower in Tyranitar's case, allows them to remove it from the game. Tyranitar in particular is quite troublesome because Blacephalon has no way to 2HKO it on the switch without prior damage.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster offensive Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Kartana all outspeed and OHKO Choice Specs Blacephalon, while faster Choice Scarf users like Greninja and Latios can deal with Choice Scarf variants
**Priority**: Common priority moves like Water Shuriken from Ash-Greninja, Sucker Punch from Mega Mawile and Bisharp, and Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu force out Blacephalon pretty reliably, since it's not bulky enough to take any of those hits.
**Bulky Water-types**: Water-types like Toxapex, Mantine, and Gastrodon resist Blacephalon's Fire STAB moves and aren't 2HKOed by Shadow Ball without prior damage.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from entry hazards, weather, and poison all stack up pretty quickly and can severely cripple Blacephalon, especially Stealth Rock, since it loses 25% of its HP every time it switches in.
Blacephalon is blessed with an outstanding Special Attack stat, which, coupled with its great offensive typing in Fire / Ghost, turns it into a deadly wallbreaker. Blacephalon sets itself apart from other special wallbreakers thanks to its high Speed stat, which lets it act as a late-game cleaner and revenge killer when equipped with a Choice Scarf and outspeed a fair amount of the metagame without a boosting item. On top of that, Blacephalon's Beast Boost ability boosts its Special Attack by one stage after each KO, further bolstering its late-game cleaning capabilities. However, Blacephalon has a fair amount of issues that hold it back in the metagame, such as an annoying vulnerability to every entry hazard and a weakness to Stealth Rock. Additionally, Blacephalon is weak to common priority moves like Ash-Greninja's Water Shuriken and Mega Mawile's Sucker Punch, which allows these Pokemon to stop a late-game sweep from it and gain momentum by forcing it out. Finally, the presence of Tyranitar as a top-tier threat in the metagame hurts Blacephalon's viability, since it's unable to 2HKO Tyranitar on the switch without prior damage and falls prey to Pursuit.
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Trick / Explosion
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball, albeit weak due to its low Base Power, is Blacephalon's most reliable Ghost-type STAB move that hits a wide amount of the tier for neutral damage. Similarly, Flamethrower boasts decent power alongside 100% accuracy, which makes for a reliable Fire-type STAB move, although it doesn't have the same neutral coverage Shadow Ball provides due to the abundance of Water-types in the tier that can switch into it easily. Fire Blast is a significantly stronger option that can be useful in a pinch where Blacephalon needs the damage to get a KO, though it's usually not the best move for Blacephalon to lock itself into in a late-game scenario because of Fire Blast's unreliable accuracy. Trick is a useful utility move that lets Blacephalon cripple defensive Pokemon like Chansey in matchups where the Speed Choice Scarf grants won't be necessary. Explosion allows Blacephalon to revenge kill a boosted Volcarona or worst case scenario force it out, since Blacephalon can only use this move once in a game. Hidden Power Ice can be used to surprise Landorus-T and Zygarde and hit them for super effective damage.
Set Details
========
Maximum Special Attack investment gives Blacephalon's attacks as much power as possible while ensuring that Beast Boost boosts its Special Attack. Maximum Speed investment with a Timid nature allows Blacephalon to outpace the whole unboosted metagame and even some Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Heatran when equipped with a Choice Scarf. Beast Boost is Blacephalon's only available ability and an amazing ability for a late-game cleaner, since it boosts its Special Attack after a KO.
Usage Tips
========
Remove or weaken Blacephalon's answers like Tyranitar, Mantine, and Gastrodon before sending it into the field to attempt a late-game sweep. Tyranitar in particular is annoying due to Pursuit, so make sure it's either gone or weakened to the point where Blacephalon can pick it up. Blacephalon is frail, so avoid letting it take too much residual damage or else it'll be put in range of neutral priority moves or weak attacks from defensive threats too soon, which would let your opponent stop its sweep very easily. If the opponent has a Chansey, cripple it by removing its Eviolite with Trick as it switches in. If possible, keep entry hazards off the field, since Blacephalon is vulnerable to all entry hazards, though this set is meant for late-game cleaning and revenge killing, so it won't be switching onto the field as often and thus doesn't require heavy entry hazard control.
Team Options
========
Tyranitar lures like Earthquake Mega Latios, Surf Latios, and non-Choice item Hoopa-U bait Tyranitar early-game and either remove it entirely or weaken it enough for Blacephalon to KO it. Wallbreakers that can punch holes into more defensive teams Blacephalon struggles against, like Swords Dance Landorus-T, Choice Specs Tapu Lele, and Swords Dance Tapu Bulu, make for great partners and can ease a late-game sweep with the amount of offensive pressure they provide. Entry hazards weaken the opposing team for a late-game sweep, so Pokemon that can reliably set them up like Landorus-T and Heatran for Stealth Rock and Ferrothorn and Greninja for Spikes make for great teammates. Defoggers like Kartana, Latios, and Landorus-T take care of entry hazards in case Blacephalon needs to switch in repeatedly in a game.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 3: Overheat
move 4: Trick / Hidden Power Grass
item: Choice Specs
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Shadow Ball is Blacephalon's most spammable move due to its great neutral coverage and reliable accuracy. Fire Blast is a high-Base Power Fire-type STAB move with decent accuracy that can dish out a lot of damage even on targets that resist it like Greninja and Keldeo. Flamethrower is a weaker, more reliable Fire-type STAB move that can be used instead of Fire Blast if the extra Base Power from the former isn't needed. Overheat is a stronger Fire-type STAB move that guarantees an OHKO on some Pokemon like defensive Landorus-T and Clefable, but it drops Blacephalon's Special Attack by two stages when used, which means that Blacephalon will be usually forced out after using it. Trick is meant to cripple Chansey on the switch in the stall matchup, which makes it easier for Blacephalon's teammates to break through it. Hidden Power Grass 2HKOes Choice Band Tyranitar after some prior damage, OHKOes Greninja on the switch, and deals with Gastrodon.
Set Details
========
Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature puts Blacephalon at a nice Speed tier for a wallbreaker, outspeeding base 100s like Mega Medicham and Mega Charizard X as well as everything slower. Maximum Special Attack investment maximizes Blacephalon's power and makes Beast Boost increase Special Attack. Beast Boost is Blacephalon's only ability and isn't as useful for a Choice Specs set, since Blacephalon is usually forced out by a revenge killer after KOing a foe, but it still can be helpful.
Usage Tips
========
Unlike the Choice Scarf set, Choice Specs Blacephalon will be switching in several times during a game, so keeping entry hazards off the field is a priority. Blacephalon is very frail, so it's going to need to be brought into the field with the aid of VoltTurn users to start punching holes in the opposing team. Shadow Ball has few Pokemon that resist it in the tier, so it's a pretty safe move to use most of the time when facing a foe that Blacephalon forces out, though you have to watch out for Pursuit users like Weavile that could take advantage of Shadow Ball and trap it. Finally, don't throw out attacks recklessly if there's a Tyranitar on the opponent's team; play smart until you manage to weaken it for Blacephalon.
Team Options
========
Defog users like Kartana, Latios, and Landorus-T take care of any entry hazards that would otherwise limit Blacephalon's switching opportunities. Pokemon with access to VoltTurn like Landorus-T, Tapu Koko, and Rotom-W are great teammates because they can bring Blacephalon safely onto the field. Defensive pivots to fall back on when forced out by an offensive threat, like defensive Landorus-T and Assault Vest Magearna, also make for great partners, especially if they are VoltTurn users that can get Blacephalon back onto the field easily. Teammates that pressure Tyranitar like Earthquake Mega Latios, Surf Latios, and Corkscrew Crash Heatran improve Blacephalon's matchup against Tyranitar teams by weakening or removing it from the game for Blacephalon to use its attacks safely. Finally, late-game cleaners that can capitalize on the holes Blacephalon punches, like Choice Scarf Kartana and Ash-Greninja, form a potent offensive core with it.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A set consisting of Calm Mind / Flamethrower / Shadow Ball / Substitute and Ghostium Z can pose a big threat to bulky and stall teams, although Choice Specs Blacephalon does a pretty good job at annoying defensive builds already. Knock Off on Choice Specs Blacephalon lets it get rid of items like Chansey's Eviolite and Mantine's Leftovers without losing the breaking power of Choice Specs, which allows it to even 2HKO Chansey on the switch with Fire Blast. Mind Blown can also be used for an even stronger Fire-type move, but the extra power rarely makes a difference and losing half of Blacephalon's HP is a pretty big downside.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pursuit**: Dark-types with access to Putrsuit like Tyranitar and Weavile are a big nuisance for any Blacephalon set, since locking itself into a move they resist like Shadow Ball, or Flamethrower in Tyranitar's case, allows them to remove it from the game. Tyranitar in particular is quite troublesome because Blacephalon has no way to 2HKO it on the switch without prior damage.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster offensive Pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Tapu Koko, and Kartana all outspeed and OHKO Choice Specs Blacephalon, while faster Choice Scarf users like Greninja and Latios can deal with Choice Scarf variants
**Priority**: Common priority moves like Water Shuriken from Ash-Greninja, Sucker Punch from Mega Mawile and Bisharp, and Shadow Sneak from Mimikyu force out Blacephalon pretty reliably, since it's not bulky enough to take any of those hits.
**Bulky Water-types**: Water-types like Toxapex, Mantine, and Gastrodon resist Blacephalon's Fire STAB moves and aren't 2HKOed by Shadow Ball without prior damage.
**Residual Damage**: Residual damage from entry hazards, weather, and poison all stack up pretty quickly and can severely cripple Blacephalon, especially Stealth Rock, since it loses 25% of its HP every time it switches in.
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