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-
Sturdy
- If the wielder is at full HP, it will survive any attack. OHKO moves will fail.
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Magnet Pull
- Prevents Steel-type Pokemon from switching. Increases the chance of encountering a Steel-type Pokemon in the wild.
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Sand Force
- Increases power of Ground-, Rock-, and Steel-type attacks by 30% in a sandstorm.
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Level 100 Statistics (see level 5, 50, 100)
|
Min- |
Min |
Max |
Max+ |
| HP |
60
|
- |
261 |
324 |
- |
| Atk |
55
|
131 |
146 |
209 |
229 |
| Def |
145
|
293 |
326 |
389 |
427 |
| SpA |
75
|
167 |
186 |
249 |
273 |
| SpD |
150
|
302 |
336 |
399 |
438 |
| Spe |
40
|
104 |
116 |
179 |
196 |
Overview
The magnetic floating rock that is also a giant compass has found great attention in BW NU. It is slower than molasses but makes up for it with defensive stats just slightly lower than Deoxys-D, making it quite an effective bulky pivot that can provide many forms of team support. Probopass also has a respectable support movepool, which includes Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Toxic. Sadly, Probopass lacks respectable attacking stats and its defensive typing leaves it with quite a few common weaknesses to Water-, Fighting-, and Ground-type moves. Overall, it can be useful for teams that need checks to Psychic-types, such as Exeggutor, and Grass-types, such as Cacturne, while also providing an excellent check to Swellow. All in all, Probopass provides great support along with key resistances that allow it to mesh well with many teams.
Probopass faces problems as an attacker, failing to 2HKO the majority of the tier even with super effective attacks. It does have the support movepool, however, to run an effective utility set, with the ability to switch in multiple times and support the team via Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave. Stealth Rock is a standard hazard that provides important assistance in chipping away the opponent's health every time they switch in. Thunder Wave is vital too, as it allows Probopass's teammates to more easily check top threats such as Braviary, Sawk, Tauros, and Gorebyss, after they are paralyzed on the switch-in. Earth Power takes care of Rock- and Steel-types that could wall Probopass's teammates, particularly Lairon, Regirock, Bastiodon, and opposing Probopass, while also denting Rapidash and other Fire-type switch-ins. Power Gem could be used instead to hit Bug- and Flying-types, namely Butterfree, Mothim and Masquerain, while also checking the aforementioned Fire-types. Volt Switch lets Probopass function as a nice pivot, and also does decent damage to its typical switch-ins, such as Sawk, Throh, Gorebyss, and Gurdurr.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
This set has maximum EV investment in HP and Special Defense in order to wall as many hits as possible; the remaining EVs are placed in Defense in order to physically bulk up Probopass. A Calm nature is used for maximum special bulk while a Bold nature can be used in order to balance Probopass's defenses; the investment in Probopass's Special Defense can also be moved over to Defense depending on what Probopass needs to wall. Special Defense investment lets it better stand up against the likes of Duosion and Kadabra, both failing to OHKO with Life Orb boosted Hidden Power Fighting even after Spikes. Probopass also fails to be 3HKOed by Choice Scarf Rotom-S's Thunderbolt, making it the perfect pivot to keep teammates like Gorebyss and Huntail alive for later in battle. With full investment in Defense, Probopass fails to be 2HKOed by Floatzel's Choice Band boosted Waterfall, while also avoiding OHKOes from Gurrdurr's Drain Punch, Regirock's Earthquake, and unboosted Waterfalls from Huntail and Samurott.
Probopass sadly cannot wall forever, as it takes damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock upon switching in, and also has to rely on Leftovers for recovery. This lack of recovery can be remedied by Pain Split, which also lets Probopass chip away at opponents such as Alomomola and Lickilicky, but it is unreliable, particularly towards the late-game. Toxic can be used over Thunder Wave in order to cripple walls such as the aforementioned Alomomola, Lickilicky, and even troublesome walls such as Harvest Exeggutor and Meganium, but this makes Probopass total setup bait for sweepers such as Gorebyss and Ludicolo.
Indeed, Probopass has its drawbacks, but it shines with proper support. Probopass takes damage from both Spikes and Stealth Rock, limiting the amount of times it can switch in during battle. Rapid Spin support from the likes of Armaldo is helpful, as it allows Probopass to switch in freely without losing health. Probopass also lacks a reliable form of recovery, which can be remedied by Wish support from Lickilicky or Alomomola. Probopass performs well as a general wall for Gorebyss's most prominent checks, Rotom-S, able to take multiple hits from both without worry. Likewise, the Pokemon it checks are also the ones that help when it comes to Gorebyss. Pokemon who are weak to Swellow or who are able to be picked off by it, like Exeggutor, Torterra, and Pinsir, all benefit greatly from Probopass easily switching in and forcing Swellow to rack up Toxic damage.
While an offensive set may seem weird on a Pokemon with a base 75 Special Attack stat, this set makes Probopass a competent attacker. Offensive teams need a pivot or two, and Probopass is an excellent one. Probopass has a good set of resistances, allowing it to easily switch in on a multitude of offensive threats, such as Swellow, set up Stealth Rock, and safely switch in a powerful sweeper with Volt Switch. As for the other moves, Earth Power hits a lot of common Pokemon hard such as Rapidash and opposing Probopass. Power Gem has better coverage, although Flash Cannon is also usable, as it is Probopass's most powerful STAB. When running Magnet Pull, Probopass also has the niche of trapping Steel-types. While there aren't that many Steel-types in NU, being able to trap Klang, Lairon, Mawile, and opposing Probopass is useful.
Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Max Special Attack EVs and a Modest nature are used to maximize Probopass's offensive prowess. 96 Speed EVs are used for outspeeding unboosted Shell Smash Torkoal, as well as minimum Speed Regirock and standard Golem, while the rest of the EVs are dumped into HP. If you don't need Stealth Rock, it can be replaced with an attacking move or Thunder Wave. Rocky Helmet is an interesting item choice because Probopass can switch in on a lot of physical contact moves, but Air Balloon and Leftovers are usually more useful.
Magnet Pull should be used if Steel-types are particularly troubling to your team. Sturdy allows Probopass to survive a powerful attack that would otherwise knock it out, provided it has full HP. The item choice should reflect the ability choice: Air Balloon is better with Magnet Pull because it allows you to trap other Earth Power Probopass, and gives you an immunity to the very common Ground-type moves; Leftovers goes better with Sturdy because with it Stealth Rock won't break Sturdy anymore.
Probopass is a fantastic teammate for a lot of offensive threats. Swoobat can set up on, and force out, the Fighting- and Ground-types that threaten Probopass. Probopass helps Swoobat by beating Swellow, setting up Stealth Rock, and providing a safe switch in with Volt Switch. Articuno beats most of Probopass's checks pretty easily, while Probopass can trap the Steel-types that counter Hidden Power Ground-less Articuno. Dragon- and Flying-types, such as Dragon Dance Shelgon and Swellow, also appreciate Probopass's ability to get rid of Steel-types. For defensive partners, Misdreavus prevents Pokemon from spinning away Probopass's hazards, and is immune to both the Ground- and Fighting-type attacks that Probopass is 4x weak to. Musharna, while lacking an immunity to Ground—and only being resistant to—Fighting-type attacks, still has the bulk to set up on them, even when backed with STAB.
Other Options
Probopass has a variety of other moves it can use—albeit to varying degrees of effectiveness. It has access to Rock Polish, but its mediocre Speed and average offenses mean it won't be muscling through much of the tier. Magnet Rise can be used in order to gain immunity to Ground-type moves, but it really does nothing more than avoid dying for 5 turns and takes up a moveslot that Probopass needs otherwise. Probopass can also set up sun and rain via Sunny Day and Rain Dance respectively, but falls victim to opposing sun and rain abusers, such as Exeggutor and Gorebyss, and Probopass fails to do much damage to either while allowing them to set up in its face. Discharge can be used to damage opponents and hopefully paralyze them at the same time, but its 30% chance of paralysis makes it very unreliable compared to Thunder Wave. Probopass can also run an offensive Steel-trapping set with Magnet Pull as its ability, and although this is effective, Steel-type Pokemon are not common enough at the moment to justify its use.
Checks and Counters
Probopass falls victim to many Pokemon in NU, and is commonly used as setup bait. Fighting-types such as Sawk and Throh easily force Probopass out with their threatening STAB attacks: Sawk's Close Combat easily OHKOes Probopass, while Throh can Bulk Up in Probopass's face and Rest off any damage. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Pinsir can easily OHKO Probopass through Sturdy with a 4x super effective Close Combat or Earthquake. Despite its poor Special Defense, Tangela counters Probopass by resisting all three of its attacks, and can even outspeed and put Probopass to sleep.
