Why isn't Blacephalon in OU?

It has one of the highest base special attack stats and outspeeds pretty much anything with a choice scarf. It’s also versatile: it can be used for trick, as a wallbreaker or as a sweeper. The only thing equivalent to it as a special sweeper/wallbreaker in OU is Regieleki, which doesn’t have the same offensive potential. Being an ultra beast, it has beast boost and so after 1 KO it’s special attack is almost 700. Why is it only in UUBL?

Pleaselog inorregisterto add a comment.

You mentioned all the positive, but not the negatives. One, it is a fire type, which means it’s weak to rocks, which is an issue. Second, all ghost types, not just Blacephalon, have to compete with Dragapult. Even though Pult lacks that much ghost power, it more than makes up for it with having great speed and access to U-Turn.

Aside from Dragapult, the metagame is very hostile to it. Rapid Urshifu, or Moistshifu as it is referred to, is one of the most common wallbreakers which with its priority aqua jet just deletes Blacephalon. Weavile, Tapu Koko, Tornadus and Zeraora all outspeed it and can revenge kill it. 107 speed just isn’t that impressive anymore. There’s also the fact that it takes 79% percent minimum from a resisted priority in banded grassy glide from Rillaboom.

This doesn’t just apply to Blacephalon but all Pokemon in general. Raw firepower alone does not dictate what tier you’ll end up. If that’s the case then Slaking and Regigigas would be the top tier ou mons.

In short, Dragapult, extreme frailty, stealth rock, the metagame as a whole