Probopass (LV 2 Sturdy Abuse)

[Farewell]

Just saw this quote regarding Magic Coat in the move's thread:

I first saw here that "Magic Coat will now work on: Whirlwind, Roar, Disable, Spite, Spikes, Foresight, Encore, Torment, Taunt, Odor Sleuth, Miracle Eye, Embargo, Heal Block, Toxic Spikes, Defog, and Stealth Rock." People at Veekun told me it was tested, so the source should be pretty reliable.

So Magic Coat can stop Taunt, Torment, Disable, and Encore; which was previously doubted. I think the worries about Taunt can be removed if a smart player uses this Probopass with good prediction.

Additionally, on the previous page, OmegaDonut has confirmed through testing that Probopass does indeed learn Magic Coat.

 

[Epic Cherubi]

This set is horrifying. But Taunt can beat it with prediction. Attack it when it Magic Coats, it can't actually kill you on its own. Try to Taunt when it Pain Splits.

 

[Farewell]

Probopass can kill foes, since Pain Split essentially cuts the foes HP by 50% each turn, from full HP at 100% to 50%, to 25%, etc. With Toxic Spikes and/or Sandstorm, it can add up over time and put the foe into KO range.

Heck, if you have a Leech Seed Pokemon and switch Probopass in (i.e. Baton pass a Substitute with Leafeon or switch Probopass in on say a Swords Dance or Toxic) it doesn't even need Pain Split, or Taunt, it can just sit there and heal each turn. Magic Coat and Toxic can be used to stall out the foe, forcing a switch.

 

[Charlemagne]

Pain split would cut a hell of a lot more than 50%. It would cut their HP down to around 1%. It's like an Endeavor that heals. Leech seed would work, if the opponent couldn't switch.

From what I understand, this set gets stopped by multi-hit moves and Lum Berry Shedinja, as well as burns as side effects of damaging moves.

I wonder if Pain Split hits through Magic Guard.

Edit: Oops. Probopass can't be poisoned.

 

[RBG]

Pain split would cut a hell of a lot more than 50%. It would cut their HP down to around 1%. It's like an Endeavor that heals. Leech seed would work, if the opponent couldn't switch.

From what I understand, this set gets stopped by multi-hit moves and Lum Berry Shedinja, as well as burns as side effects of damaging moves.

I wonder if Pain Split hits through Magic Guard.

Edit: Oops. Probopass can't be poisoned.

let's say 404 is a pokemon's max HP and Probopass is 12

(404+12)/2=208 which is a little more than 50%

 

[Charlemagne]

let's say 404 is a pokemon's max HP and Probopass is 12

(404+12)/2=208 which is a little more than 50%

I don't remember Pain Split working like that. Doesn't it make both HP stats equal?

If it doesn't take away 99% of your opponents HP, this set is much less potent than I thought.

 

[DDRMaster]

I don't remember Pain Split working like that. Doesn't it make both HP stats equal?

If it doesn't take away 99% of your opponents HP, this set is much less potent than I thought.

It averages both HP stats and makes both of the Pokemon have that new HP. Since a Pokemon can only have an HP equal to its maximum HP, Probopass is simply healed back to 100% health.

This set can work with Sandstorm and/or Toxic Spikes but I'm not sure how well.

 

[Chameleon]

This set looks pretty good, and should be potent in the lower tiers where players are more comfortable throwing poison moves around. It's too bad you can't fit Protect on a set, though, because unless SR becomes much less popular (or you can spin first) you can't switch in after a revenge KO, and predicting a poison move or double switch is risky. Maybe Protect could go over Taunt, but it's just a trade-off.

You can say that having to Protect gives a substitute user a free switch-in if you do so, but Taunt also means that if you mispredict a switch and are attacked you're dead. Either way it boils down to prediction.

Unfortunately for Probopass though, scarf Ditto may make substitute sweepers become more popular, which are it's greatest bane. But if Ditto becomes OU, in UU that won't be an issue.

 

[Annhialator Zero]

Despite Sub destroying this set, wtih residual damage it becomes hard to do.
For example, if you're using this set you will almost certainly have SR and Sandstorm, hopefully Toxic Spikes as well.
So opponent switches in, takes 25% from SS+SR+TS (More if they're SR weak). Next turn they set up Sub, that+SS+TS = 44%. They attack you next turn, only to lose 25%. So they'll be left on 6%. Even with Leftovers they're on 25%, and Toxic Spikes will kill them next turn, which they'll be using taking out your Probopass (Although you'd switch out Probo after the Sub went up).
Obviously something with a typing like Flygon is OK, as it's immune to T Spikes and SS, but other Sub users would be hard pressed to beat this thing.
Of course it can be beaten with prediction but it could stall pretty well if played smartly.

 

[Charlemagne]

It averages both HP stats and makes both of the Pokemon have that new HP. Since a Pokemon can only have an HP equal to its maximum HP, Probopass is simply healed back to 100% health.

This set can work with Sandstorm and/or Toxic Spikes but I'm not sure how well.

So it's more like a Super Fang that heals. That sucks compared to what I initially thought.

I just realized that Fake Out, or any flinching, (hello Jirachi, Togekiss) ruins this set too.

 

[Deck Knight]

This gimmick is possibly worse than FEAR. Not only does it have the same weaknesses, its method of "stalling" is laughable. Ghosts still walk all over it (Gengar in particular), Rapid Spin Starmie easily removes its hazards and rids itself of any poison when it switches out.

If I'm facing this thing I'm just going to set up my own hazards than phaze it out. Dragon Tail and Overhead Throw both take care of this admirably. It can't actually KO anything, so it is at worst a nuisance.

There's also Trick Room :D

 

[Farewell]

The example you provided with Flygon assumes Probopass doesn't use Toxic on the switch-in. Even if it doesn't, it can Taunt on Flygon's Substitute turn, allowing you to send in a counter (like Bronzong, Skarmary, etc) and forcing Flygon to attack.

Magic Coat outpaces Fake-out, which proves it can avoid a flinch (not that it matters), Pain Split works on Ghosts...

If Probopass mispredicts and is hit with a move, like say it Taunts on an Earthquake, it will still survive the attack, heal with Leftovers, and it can once again switch back into Stealth Rocks. Why? Well if Leftovers heals the same as a Stealth Rock damages (since Steel typing resists Stealth Rock), and Probopass already has 1 HP remaining, then Probopass will be able to switch into Stealth Rocks again, the health recovered will be canceled out Probopass and be at 1 HP, at the end of the turn Probopass will heal with Leftovers once more, allowing it to switch into Stealth Rocks indefinetely (as long as it doesn't switch into an attack move, or also switch into Spikes). This could work nicely on a Trick Room team so that Probopass can Pain Split before the foe the following turn.

Speaking of Trick Room, the Trick Room you mentioned actually helps Probopass ease prediction... Why? It can Taunt or Toxic first, and then Pain Split before its foe goes the next turn (essentially disabling or poisoning the foe, only to heal back to full health first next turn). Priority Moves are not an issue, since it just means Probopass plays like it would without Trick Room, Pain Split second to heal back off damage.

 

[Bynine]

Given this incredibly offensive metagame, this set has more merit than everyone else is giving it.. If any taunt users are aniliated, well, then..

 

[HeathenHeatran]

I saw this, and then came up with a similar poke. It doesn't have the HP regeneration of Probopass, but it can be pulled off with slightly less prediction.

CLEFABLE LV 1 @ Focus Sash
Magic Guard
~Endevour
~Return
~Filler
~Filler

This is a set for a sandstorm/hail team. Switch in on a guaranteed stat up move, then use endeavor. The hail/sandstorm will finish the opposing pokemon off. The nice thing about Clefable is that it has Magic Guard, so it won't take damage from entry hazards, poison, burn, etc. However, this is a one-trick pony, but prediction is heavily lessened. Pick your downside. Endeavor is also a 4th gen tutor move exclusively, if I recall.

 

[Charlemagne]

Magic Coat outpaces Fake-out, which proves it can avoid a flinch (not that it matters)...

If Probopass gets Faked Out, whether it Magic Coats or not, it's rendered useless. Who cares if it can switch into Stealth Rock again? Sturdy cannot activate again unless you slow Baton Pass it a Wish.

As I said, Jirachi and Togekiss absolutely murder this Probopass.

Too much support for too little payoff IMO.

 

[Stallion]

I've seen a variant of this set on PO that has worked amazingly! I'm going to test it and see how much damage I can do with it ^_^.

 

[Farewell]

Post back so i can see how well it does!

 

[Focus]

I get the feeling that for this set to work, you must have 100% flawless prediction skills. Otherwise, Probopass will not last long. Sad, really. It looks great on paper...

Edit: On second thought, perfect prediction is quite possible when facing an offensive team. Overhyped sweepers beware!

 

[Farewell]

Just FYI, as I previously stated, this set works great after using Leech Seed, if Stealth Rocks/Spikes are not on on your field.

Say you lead with Priority Leech Seeder Erufuun, and Leech Seed, say ANYTHING (besides Grass or Magic Guard, or Magic Mirror foes), and then switch into Probopass, taking a hit then surviving with Sturdy at 1 HP, healing back up due to Leech Seed, as your foe takes 12% damage from Leech Seed. You wont even need Pain Split or prediction, just Taunting, and Magic Coating or staying alive after using Toxic. Magic Coat also means you can not only prevent the foe from Stealth Rocking/Spikes, but set it on their field.

Honestly, Leech Seed can REMOVE the need to predict, as Probopass will always survive the hit since Leech Seed heals. You won't even need Leftovers (but it is good to have after the switch out of Leech Seed). The only threat would be Taunt.

 

[deluge]

This set is ingenius!

Sure, as it's been presented here in detail you can figure out how to beat it.
But if you see that in a battle you'll be "lol probopass, I choose you earthquake" only to have your HP halved while probopass survives the turn at full health.
After you catch on, some disruptive moves status can be called on (if you have them on your team!) but Taunt/Magic Coat has the potential to screw up a number of those.
The only thing this set has no chance to counter is Dragon Tail and esp. Overhead Throw.
That's quite an accomplishment for something this quirky.

 

[Pluvia]

I just faced a Probo and it destroyed me. My sub was dead so there was nothing I could do.

 

[Raikaria]

Pineco and Forretress could also abuse this, especially as they too have low base HP, just pointing out.

 

[Nanoswine]

Forretress doesn't work nearly as well, you miss out on Magic Coat and Taunt, which are pretty important to the set.

 

[DDRMaster]

Pineco and Forretress could also abuse this, especially as they too have low base HP, just pointing out.

Pineco isn't immune to Sandstorm or Toxic/Toxic Spikes and you can't get a Forretress below Lv. 31. I'm not sure how the Pomeg Glitch works, but it still wouldn't allow you to get a Forretress below Lv. 5. Also, Forretress isn't resistant to SR, so you can't switch it in and have it heal back to full health with Leftovers.

Edit: Leftovers always heals 1 HP, right? If so, you should run this EV/IV spread and Nature:

EVs: 252 Def/4 SpAtk/252 SpDef
IVs: 0 HP/0 Atk/0 Spe
Nature: Relaxed
Stats: 14 HP/7 Atk/13 Def/8 SpAtk/12 SpDef/5 Spe

(Ok, I just did some damage calcs and it turns out that none of this really matters besides the HP and Speed. I thought that maybe with max Def and min Atk Probopass would only hit itself 1 HP with Confusion and heal it off with Leftovers but it hits itself 3 HP. I also thought that if you Baton Passed a high HP Substitute to it, it could take a Rapid Spin without the Sub being broken. However, even Furuijio's Rapid Spin will break any Sub you could possibly give it.)

So anyway, giving it absolutely minimum HP allows it to only get hit 1 damage from 1 layer of Spikes (2 layers will hit it 2 and 3 will hit it three). This allows it to switch in on one layer of Spikes and heal off the damage with Leftovers, instead of taking twice the damage since Spikes hits it 1/8 of a Pokemon's HP and Leftovers will only heal it 1/16 of its HP. Absolute minimum Speed allows it to atleast Speed tie with everything with a Base Speed of 10, absolute minimum Speed, and is Paralyzed when Trick Room is up. In fact, the only two things that will always outspeed it in Trick Room are Shuckle and Munchlax and the only things that will Speed tie it are Trapinch, Bonsly, and Tesshido, and all of them must be Paralyzed to do it.

 

[Farewell]

Thanks for the Info, I updated the original post, so it explains the 0 Ev/Iv HP and Speed.