Pokémon Blacephalon

[Lily]

Blacephalon

Base Stats - 53 HP / 127 Atk / 53 Def / 151 SpA / 79 SpD / 107 Spe

Ability: Beast Boost
This Pokemon's highest stat is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and knocks out another Pokemon.

Learnset:

List of all moves

Level Up Moves:
- [01] Astonish
- [01] Fire Spin
- [05] Light Screen
- [10] Ember
- [15] Night Shade
- [20] Confuse Ray
- [25] Magic Coat
- [30] Incinerate
- [35] Hypnosis
- [40] Mystical Fire
- [45] Shadow Ball
- [50] Calm Mind
- [55] Will-O-Wisp
- [60] Trick
- [65] Fire Blast
- [70] Mind Blown

TMs:
- [TM03] Fire Punch
- [TM08] Hyper Beam
- [TM11] Solar Beam
- [TM13] Fire Spin
- [TM17] Light Screen
- [TM20] Self-Destruct
- [TM21] Rest
- [TM23] Thief
- [TM24] Snore
- [TM25] Protect
- [TM34] Sunny Day
- [TM38] Will-O-Wisp
- [TM39] Facade
- [TM54] Rock Blast
- [TM57] Payback
- [TM59] Fling
- [TM65] Shadow Claw
- [TM76] Round
- [TM92] Mystical Fire

TRs:
- [TR02] Flamethrower
- [TR11] Psychic
- [TR15] Fire Blast
- [TR20] Substitute
- [TR25] Psyshock
- [TR26] Endure
- [TR27] Sleep Talk
- [TR30] Encore
- [TR33] Shadow Ball
- [TR35] Uproar
- [TR36] Heat Wave
- [TR37] Taunt
- [TR38] Trick
- [TR43] Overheat
- [TR49] Calm Mind
- [TR58] Dark Pulse
- [TR69] Zen Headbutt
- [TR81] Foul Play
- [TR82] Stored Power

Armor Tutors:
- Expanding Force

Transfer-only Moves:
- Toxic
- Smack Down
- Double Team
- Torment
- Flame Charge
- Quash
- Explosion
- Swagger
- Confide
- Last Resort
- Knock Off
- Pain Split
- Spite
- After You
- Recycle

Newly Obtainable Moves - Fire Punch, Solar Beam, Fire Spin, Self-Destruct, Rock Blast, Mystical Fire, Endure, Encore, Zen Headbutt, Expanding Force

Notable Moves - Shadow Ball, Calm Mind, Will-O-Wisp, Trick, Fire Blast, Mind Blown, Solar Beam, Sunny Day, Flamethrower, Psychic, Substitute, Psyshock, Encore, Taunt, Overheat, Expanding Force

Blacephalon got some new toys this generation, though some of them were less direct. Chief among these is the addition of Heavy-Duty Boots and the removal of Pursuit, which allows Blacephalon to act as a phenomenal hit-and-run attacker thanks to its dizzying offensive stats and inability to be worn down by chip from entry hazards. Its speed tier is surprisingly good this gen, putting it above the likes of Zygarde, Excadril, Landorus, and Genesect. Its good utility movepool can also shine now that it lasts more than 4 turns.

Unfortunate negatives come from its terrible bulk, poor coverage options, and a general inability to nuke its counters, but it has ways to get around all of this as shown below.

Calm Mind
Blacephalon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Will-O-Wisp / Knock Off / Psychic

Will-O-Wisp gives Blacephalon a neat method of crippling Pokemon that typically try to switch into it like Tyranitar, and it can get away with this unlike last gen because it can't be trapped by Pursuit. Knock Off similarly cripples these Pokemon, while Psychic can give it a more immediate way to pressure Pokemon like specially defensive Toxapex if that becomes a thing, though it's pretty redundant otherwise. Other options like Taunt and Substitute can work here too, making Blacephalon pretty solid against fat teams that use something like Blissey to answer it. This set can also use the classic 236 HP / 20 SpA / 252 Spe spread in order to get Speed boosts upon netting KOs, though the lower immediate power kinda sucks, especially without Z-Moves to help with getting that initial KO.

Choice Specs
Blacephalon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Toxic / Trick

Nothing really wants to take this on other than Blissey and Tyranitar. Its main flaw is honestly Stealth Rock, which is admittedly pretty painful to deal with, but not unmanageable. It's just generally really hard to wall because the few Pokemon that resist its STABs aren't particularly bulky other than Tyranitar and Hydreigon, the latter of which is cleanly 2HKOed by Fire Blast anyway. Toxic lets you cripple Tyranitar on the switch, while Trick is better for Blissey and still hampers Tyranitar a bit.

Other sets like Choice Scarf and Eject Pack can probably work but I felt like they were a bit worse in general so I didn't want to explain them here, but I'll put any concepts I can come up with into a spoiler.

Niche sets

Choice Scarf
Blacephalon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Toxic / Trick

All-out Attacker
Blacephalon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Explosion

Sun Wallbreaker
Blacephalon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Solar Beam

I think Blacephalon will suck for a while but it should end up picking up once all the broken mons have been banned. Until then, who knows - it might even drop to UU :sob:. Here's hoping it can be as powerful as it once was all the way back at the start of USUM.

 

[Chemical_Jackfruit]

I can't believe you forgot to include this in niche sets
Speed moxie
Best Blace (Blacephalon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 232 HP / 20 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Psyshock
- Flamethrower

All-out Attacker
Blacephalon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Explosion

I feel like knock would be better then explosion

 

[fleurgeist]

I want this so bad!!! Can't find one for the like of me. If anyone would like to trade, please let me know!

 

[Nix_Hex]

I want this so bad!!! Can't find one for the like of me. If anyone would like to trade, please let me know!

This forum is for the OU metagame which is almost exclusively played on Pokemon Showdown. For actual mons, I suggest the wifi forum or reddit.