[SET]
name: Magic Guard
move 1: Mind Blown
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Knock Off / Calm Mind
move 4: Psyshock / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Blacephalon stands out as a fast, strong wallbreaker mainly due to Mind Blown, letting it fire off a powerful attack for free thanks to Magic Guard. Blacephalon is incredibly difficult to wall due to its high Special Attack and powerful STAB combination that is nearly unresisted, and it often requires a RegenVest, Flash Fire, or Primordial Sea user to check properly. Knock Off cripples Pokemon such as Chansey, Assault Vest Silvally-Dragon, and Assault Vest Swampert, while Substitute allows Blacephalon to take advantage of Chansey, Blissey, and Brave Bird-less Corviknight or a predicted switch, which can be especially deadly in combination with Calm Mind. Psyshock allows Blacephalon to OHKO Nihilego, which otherwise walls it.
Teammates such as Azelf, Tinted Lens Genesect, Togekiss, and Zarude appreciate Blacephalon's ability to check walls such as Blissey, Chansey, Cobalion, Corviknight, and Heatran. Due to Blacephalon's poor bulk, it is often OHKOed by neutral, especially physical attacks, so it appreciates pivot support from Pokemon such as Blissey, Corviknight, and Swampert. Teammates such as Zarude, which can threaten defensive walls to Blacephalon such as specially defensive Flash Fire Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Swampert, Blissey and Chansey are appreciated. Teammates such as Tapu Fini and Cobalion can check offensive threats such as Barraskewda and Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs makes it easier for Blacephalon to break through special walls such as Blissey; a Choice Specs Adaptability set can 2HKO non- Assault Vest specially defensive Swampert and Garchomp but is vulnerable to being worn down due to the lack of Magic Guard. Choice Scarf turns Blacephalon into a better revenge killer. Trick can be used with either Choice item to cripple switch-ins such as specially defensive Silvally-Dragon, Swampert, and Garchomp. Desolate Land + Solar Beam lets Blacephalon OHKO Assault Vest Swampert and Tapu Fini after Stealth Rock with Life Orb, but running Life Orb means Blacephalon gets worn down quickly. Heavy-Duty Boots makes Blacephalon less vulnerable to entry hazards, but it lacks power. Sheer Force allows Blacephalon to 2HKO Tapu Fini as well as non-Assault Vest specially defensive Swampert and Garchomp. Flame Charge provides utility against teams that rely on having faster Pokemon to check Blacephalon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**RegenVest Users**: Most RegenVest users are able to switch into Blacephalon and pivot into a revenge killer to OHKO it, although they must be wary of Knock Off. Swampert is especially an issue for Blacephalon, as Flip Turn OHKOes Blacephalon.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon such as Barraskewda, Talonflame, and Scarf users like Landorus-T and Zapdos-G outspeed Blacephalon and OHKO it, though they can usually only take a resisted hit.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Kinetic1000, 552227]]
- Quality checked by: [[Think, 375662], [Atha, 450411]]
- Grammar checked by: [[DC, 449990]]
name: Magic Guard
move 1: Mind Blown
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Knock Off / Calm Mind
move 4: Psyshock / Substitute
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Timid
evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Blacephalon stands out as a fast, strong wallbreaker mainly due to Mind Blown, letting it fire off a powerful attack for free thanks to Magic Guard. Blacephalon is incredibly difficult to wall due to its high Special Attack and powerful STAB combination that is nearly unresisted, and it often requires a RegenVest, Flash Fire, or Primordial Sea user to check properly. Knock Off cripples Pokemon such as Chansey, Assault Vest Silvally-Dragon, and Assault Vest Swampert, while Substitute allows Blacephalon to take advantage of Chansey, Blissey, and Brave Bird-less Corviknight or a predicted switch, which can be especially deadly in combination with Calm Mind. Psyshock allows Blacephalon to OHKO Nihilego, which otherwise walls it.
Teammates such as Azelf, Tinted Lens Genesect, Togekiss, and Zarude appreciate Blacephalon's ability to check walls such as Blissey, Chansey, Cobalion, Corviknight, and Heatran. Due to Blacephalon's poor bulk, it is often OHKOed by neutral, especially physical attacks, so it appreciates pivot support from Pokemon such as Blissey, Corviknight, and Swampert. Teammates such as Zarude, which can threaten defensive walls to Blacephalon such as specially defensive Flash Fire Ferrothorn, Assault Vest Swampert, Blissey and Chansey are appreciated. Teammates such as Tapu Fini and Cobalion can check offensive threats such as Barraskewda and Choice Scarf Landorus-T.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Choice Specs makes it easier for Blacephalon to break through special walls such as Blissey; a Choice Specs Adaptability set can 2HKO non- Assault Vest specially defensive Swampert and Garchomp but is vulnerable to being worn down due to the lack of Magic Guard. Choice Scarf turns Blacephalon into a better revenge killer. Trick can be used with either Choice item to cripple switch-ins such as specially defensive Silvally-Dragon, Swampert, and Garchomp. Desolate Land + Solar Beam lets Blacephalon OHKO Assault Vest Swampert and Tapu Fini after Stealth Rock with Life Orb, but running Life Orb means Blacephalon gets worn down quickly. Heavy-Duty Boots makes Blacephalon less vulnerable to entry hazards, but it lacks power. Sheer Force allows Blacephalon to 2HKO Tapu Fini as well as non-Assault Vest specially defensive Swampert and Garchomp. Flame Charge provides utility against teams that rely on having faster Pokemon to check Blacephalon.
Checks and Counters
===================
**RegenVest Users**: Most RegenVest users are able to switch into Blacephalon and pivot into a revenge killer to OHKO it, although they must be wary of Knock Off. Swampert is especially an issue for Blacephalon, as Flip Turn OHKOes Blacephalon.
**Faster Pokemon**: Faster Pokemon such as Barraskewda, Talonflame, and Scarf users like Landorus-T and Zapdos-G outspeed Blacephalon and OHKO it, though they can usually only take a resisted hit.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Kinetic1000, 552227]]
- Quality checked by: [[Think, 375662], [Atha, 450411]]
- Grammar checked by: [[DC, 449990]]
Last edited: