[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Choice Scarf makes use of Blacephalon's useful Speed tier, naturally high Special Attack, and the snowballing potential of Beast Boost, letting it serve as a late-game cleaner and revenge killer while still possessing enough firepower to threaten KOs on targets like Slowbro and Ferrothorn. Timid is the best option so that Blacephalon is able to outrun other Choice Scarf users, namely Tapu Lele and Urshifu-R, and to revenge kill Pokemon with boosted Speed such as Scale Shot Garchomp.
Blacephalon enjoys pairing with strong wallbreakers or setup attackers, as they can weaken Blacephalon's checks while in return benefit from Blacephalon's ability to force out offensive answers or sweep weakened teams. Weavile is a strong partner that can use Blacephalon's common answers as setup fodder, such as Choice Specs Dragapult or Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, with the added benefit of a strong Knock Off that helps wear down the opposing team. Urshifu-R invites in targets like Buzzwole or Slowbro and can use U-Turn on them, providing Blacephalon a way onto the field with significant advantage. Due to the limited number of strong Ghost resists in the CAP Metagame, Choice Scarf Blacephalon is a good partner for other Ghost-types attackers, namely Choice Specs Dragapult and Choice Band Pajantom, as the dual pressure exerted is often enough to overwhelm the opponent's defenses. Certain hyper offensive teams also appreciate Choice Scarf Blacephalon's ability to run through the opponent after the setup sweepers and wallbreakers have done their job: a good teammate is Moltres-Galar, who can come in on expected Ghost-type attacks or Pokemon crippled by Trick, and start setting up in their face, while also capable of wearing down the opponent's walls into KO range of a Blacephalon sweep.
Strong hazard removal support is extremely helpful to ensure Blacephalon can come onto the field and scare out fast offensive Pokemon throughout the match, so sturdy Defog users like Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, and Corviknight are prime teammates. Rapid Spin support from Saharaja and Equilibra allows Blacephalon to better take advantage of hazards, significantly improving its ability to break and potentially hiding its item if it scores an otherwise unobtainable OHKO. Depending on the move its locked into, Blacephalon can fail to deal with slower offensive Pokemon like Dragapult and Weavile, so it wants teammates that can come in to tank their attacks or wear them down over time: Toxapex is a strong option that is capable of helping with a myriad of threats thanks to its immense bulk and Regenerator, while Ferrothorn is able to chip away at offensive checks and the opposing team through Iron Barbs, Leech Seed, and Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Blacephalon's fantastic offensive typing and Beast Boost ability lets it serve as a dangerous wallbreaker with Choice Specs. Fire Blast is less reliable, but much stronger than Flamethrower and is best used to nab KOs when Flamethower would otherwise fail. Overheat is a secondary option for its greater initial power and accuracy versus Fire Blast, but is much less sustainable. Trick gives Blacephalon extra utility versus bulkier checks or teams if being locked into a move is disadvantageous.
Blacephalon's poor bulk and awkward typing can make it hard to bring in, so bringing multiple teammates that can safely switch Blacephalon onto the field help enable its destructive prowess. Hazard control pivots like Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Assault Vest Colossoil, and Corviknight allow for safe and controllable entry onto the field, while offensive pivots like Dragapult or Tapu Koko are better at preserving momentum. Weavile is a massive pain for Blacephalon to deal with, given its offensive capabilities, so having answers to it is invaluable. Tapu Fini can check Weavile, as well as Dragapult and Astrolotl all while providing Defog support. Arghonaut is the premier Weavile counter of the metagame and additionally checks incoming Water- and Rock-type moves that scare Blacephalon out, while its Spikes and Knock Off help Blacephalon's breaking capabilities. Melmetal is another option that can handle strong Physical attackers like Venomicon-Epilogue and the aforementioned Weavile, forces out Blissey and bulky Tyranitar with ease, and in return appreciates Blacephalon's ability to KO Pokemon that resist its Double Iron Bash, like Zapdos, Corviknight, and opposing Melmetal. Teammates that can absorb or otherwise punish Knock Off from its abundant users, such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, Garchomp, and Zapdos, help alleviate Blacephalon's horrible weakness to the move. Frailer offensive partners like Kartana and Tapu Lele can form powerful breaking cores that either blast through each others checks or overload the opponent's defensive backbone. Blacephalon also enjoys the support of Healing Wish users like Astrolotl and Jumbao, specifically from their Choice Scarf variants, helping to alleviate its significant weakness to chip damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Blacephalon can run Heavy-Duty Boots and Calm Mind to alleviate its weakness to entry hazards while threatening to sweep with free control over its moves, but this set is revealed to the opponent when hazards are up, removing much of the immediate pressure Blacephalon exerts upon entering the field. Mind Blown can be run situationally on the Choice Specs set to always OHKO Assault Vest Tornadus-T switching into Stealth Rock; however, this severely limits Blacephalon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon and Priority Users**: Choice Scarf variants of Kartana and Astrolotl can outspeed and KO both Blacephalon sets. Without Choice Scarf, Blacephalon is threatened by practically any Pokemon that outspeeds it, including Choice Scarf users like Tapu Lele, or naturally fast attackers such as Weavile, Zeraora, Dragapult, and Venomicon-E. Priority attacks such as Urshifu's Aqua Jet and Colossoil's Sucker Punch threaten to KO Blacephalon from full
**Specially bulky Pokemon**: Assault Vest Tornadus-T, specially defensive Landorus-T, Venomicon, and Pyroak are all bulky enough to eat a hit after Stealth Rock and force Blacephalon out, though they are not always able to come in safely on the Choice Specs set. Blissey is a strong check to Blacephalon as it is immune to Shadow Ball and can stall out its Fire STAB easily: Trick can be a useful way to cripple it, but comes at the cost of either Special Attack or Speed, making it less effective versus Blissey's teammates in the long run. Tyranitar is capable of checking Blacephalon thanks to its typing, stats, and Sand Stream, but it lacks longevity.
**Bulky Water-types**: Tapu Fini is capable of blanket checking Blacephalon through its typing, stats, and extra security provided by Misty Terrain, though it must be careful of Shadow Ball from the Choice Specs set. Arghonaut is a good answer to the Choice Scarf set and ignores any Beast Boost raises Blacephalon may have acquired, letting it stop a potential sweep, though it also has to be wary of Shadow Ball. Toxapex can scout Blacephalon's intentions and swap to an appropriate teammate in response, or simply elect to stay in. Gastrodon's high Special Defense, access to Recover, and Sticky Hold ability make it difficult for Blacephalon to deal with, as it fails to 2HKO with Shadow Ball and has to switch out of Earthquake.
**Entry Hazards**: Being weak to Stealth Rock and vulnerable to all other hazards deserves special mention, as they can quickly bring Blacephalon into range of weaker hits or cause it to faint entirely.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[shnowshner, 514220]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Choice Scarf makes use of Blacephalon's useful Speed tier, naturally high Special Attack, and the snowballing potential of Beast Boost, letting it serve as a late-game cleaner and revenge killer while still possessing enough firepower to threaten KOs on targets like Slowbro and Ferrothorn. Timid is the best option so that Blacephalon is able to outrun other Choice Scarf users, namely Tapu Lele and Urshifu-R, and to revenge kill Pokemon with boosted Speed such as Scale Shot Garchomp.
Blacephalon enjoys pairing with strong wallbreakers or setup attackers, as they can weaken Blacephalon's checks while in return benefit from Blacephalon's ability to force out offensive answers or sweep weakened teams. Weavile is a strong partner that can use Blacephalon's common answers as setup fodder, such as Choice Specs Dragapult or Choice Scarf Tapu Lele, with the added benefit of a strong Knock Off that helps wear down the opposing team. Urshifu-R invites in targets like Buzzwole or Slowbro and can use U-Turn on them, providing Blacephalon a way onto the field with significant advantage. Due to the limited number of strong Ghost resists in the CAP Metagame, Choice Scarf Blacephalon is a good partner for other Ghost-types attackers, namely Choice Specs Dragapult and Choice Band Pajantom, as the dual pressure exerted is often enough to overwhelm the opponent's defenses. Certain hyper offensive teams also appreciate Choice Scarf Blacephalon's ability to run through the opponent after the setup sweepers and wallbreakers have done their job: a good teammate is Moltres-Galar, who can come in on expected Ghost-type attacks or Pokemon crippled by Trick, and start setting up in their face, while also capable of wearing down the opponent's walls into KO range of a Blacephalon sweep.
Strong hazard removal support is extremely helpful to ensure Blacephalon can come onto the field and scare out fast offensive Pokemon throughout the match, so sturdy Defog users like Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, and Corviknight are prime teammates. Rapid Spin support from Saharaja and Equilibra allows Blacephalon to better take advantage of hazards, significantly improving its ability to break and potentially hiding its item if it scores an otherwise unobtainable OHKO. Depending on the move its locked into, Blacephalon can fail to deal with slower offensive Pokemon like Dragapult and Weavile, so it wants teammates that can come in to tank their attacks or wear them down over time: Toxapex is a strong option that is capable of helping with a myriad of threats thanks to its immense bulk and Regenerator, while Ferrothorn is able to chip away at offensive checks and the opposing team through Iron Barbs, Leech Seed, and Spikes.
[SET]
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Shadow Ball
move 2: Flamethrower
move 3: Fire Blast / Overheat
move 4: Trick
item: Choice Specs
ability: Beast Boost
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
===================
Blacephalon's fantastic offensive typing and Beast Boost ability lets it serve as a dangerous wallbreaker with Choice Specs. Fire Blast is less reliable, but much stronger than Flamethrower and is best used to nab KOs when Flamethower would otherwise fail. Overheat is a secondary option for its greater initial power and accuracy versus Fire Blast, but is much less sustainable. Trick gives Blacephalon extra utility versus bulkier checks or teams if being locked into a move is disadvantageous.
Blacephalon's poor bulk and awkward typing can make it hard to bring in, so bringing multiple teammates that can safely switch Blacephalon onto the field help enable its destructive prowess. Hazard control pivots like Landorus-T, Tornadus-T, Assault Vest Colossoil, and Corviknight allow for safe and controllable entry onto the field, while offensive pivots like Dragapult or Tapu Koko are better at preserving momentum. Weavile is a massive pain for Blacephalon to deal with, given its offensive capabilities, so having answers to it is invaluable. Tapu Fini can check Weavile, as well as Dragapult and Astrolotl all while providing Defog support. Arghonaut is the premier Weavile counter of the metagame and additionally checks incoming Water- and Rock-type moves that scare Blacephalon out, while its Spikes and Knock Off help Blacephalon's breaking capabilities. Melmetal is another option that can handle strong Physical attackers like Venomicon-Epilogue and the aforementioned Weavile, forces out Blissey and bulky Tyranitar with ease, and in return appreciates Blacephalon's ability to KO Pokemon that resist its Double Iron Bash, like Zapdos, Corviknight, and opposing Melmetal. Teammates that can absorb or otherwise punish Knock Off from its abundant users, such as Clefable, Ferrothorn, Garchomp, and Zapdos, help alleviate Blacephalon's horrible weakness to the move. Frailer offensive partners like Kartana and Tapu Lele can form powerful breaking cores that either blast through each others checks or overload the opponent's defensive backbone. Blacephalon also enjoys the support of Healing Wish users like Astrolotl and Jumbao, specifically from their Choice Scarf variants, helping to alleviate its significant weakness to chip damage.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
===================
Blacephalon can run Heavy-Duty Boots and Calm Mind to alleviate its weakness to entry hazards while threatening to sweep with free control over its moves, but this set is revealed to the opponent when hazards are up, removing much of the immediate pressure Blacephalon exerts upon entering the field. Mind Blown can be run situationally on the Choice Specs set to always OHKO Assault Vest Tornadus-T switching into Stealth Rock; however, this severely limits Blacephalon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon and Priority Users**: Choice Scarf variants of Kartana and Astrolotl can outspeed and KO both Blacephalon sets. Without Choice Scarf, Blacephalon is threatened by practically any Pokemon that outspeeds it, including Choice Scarf users like Tapu Lele, or naturally fast attackers such as Weavile, Zeraora, Dragapult, and Venomicon-E. Priority attacks such as Urshifu's Aqua Jet and Colossoil's Sucker Punch threaten to KO Blacephalon from full
**Specially bulky Pokemon**: Assault Vest Tornadus-T, specially defensive Landorus-T, Venomicon, and Pyroak are all bulky enough to eat a hit after Stealth Rock and force Blacephalon out, though they are not always able to come in safely on the Choice Specs set. Blissey is a strong check to Blacephalon as it is immune to Shadow Ball and can stall out its Fire STAB easily: Trick can be a useful way to cripple it, but comes at the cost of either Special Attack or Speed, making it less effective versus Blissey's teammates in the long run. Tyranitar is capable of checking Blacephalon thanks to its typing, stats, and Sand Stream, but it lacks longevity.
**Bulky Water-types**: Tapu Fini is capable of blanket checking Blacephalon through its typing, stats, and extra security provided by Misty Terrain, though it must be careful of Shadow Ball from the Choice Specs set. Arghonaut is a good answer to the Choice Scarf set and ignores any Beast Boost raises Blacephalon may have acquired, letting it stop a potential sweep, though it also has to be wary of Shadow Ball. Toxapex can scout Blacephalon's intentions and swap to an appropriate teammate in response, or simply elect to stay in. Gastrodon's high Special Defense, access to Recover, and Sticky Hold ability make it difficult for Blacephalon to deal with, as it fails to 2HKO with Shadow Ball and has to switch out of Earthquake.
**Entry Hazards**: Being weak to Stealth Rock and vulnerable to all other hazards deserves special mention, as they can quickly bring Blacephalon into range of weaker hits or cause it to faint entirely.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[shnowshner, 514220]]
- Quality checked by: [[Lasen, 273339], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1]]
Last edited:
