I'm going to be updating all my analysis in bits and pieces, I lack the time to update them as one giant piece so please bear with me.
[Overview]
<p>The magnetic floating rock that is also a giant compass has found great attention in BW NU. He 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 Jynx, 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.</p>
[SET]
name: Floating Utility Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Earth Power / Power Gem
move 4: Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Calm / Bold
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>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 Careful 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 both Nasty Plot Jynx's Psychic and 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.</p>
<p>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 Absol.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>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.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>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. Quagsire completely walls Probopass lacking Toxic, and can set up Curse or Amnesia. Despite its poor Special Defense, Tangela counters Probopass by resisting all three of its attacks, and can even outspeed and put Probopass to sleep. Absol can easily set up Substitute and Swords Dance on Probopass, and only fears Thunder Wave if lacking a Substitute.<p>
[Overview]
<p>The magnetic floating rock that is also a giant compass has found great attention in BW NU. He 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 Jynx, 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.</p>
[SET]
name: Floating Utility Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Earth Power / Power Gem
move 4: Volt Switch
item: Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Calm / Bold
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>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, Absol, 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 Magmortar 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, Magmortar, and Absol.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>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 Careful 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 both Nasty Plot Jynx's Psychic and 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.</p>
<p>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 Absol.</p>
<p>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 and Cryogonal 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, Jynx and 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, Mesprit, and Pinsir, all benefit greatly from Probopass easily switching in and forcing Swellow to rack up Toxic damage.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>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.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>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. Quagsire completely walls Probopass lacking Toxic, and can set up Curse or Amnesia. Despite its poor Special Defense, Tangela counters Probopass by resisting all three of its attacks, and can even outspeed and put Probopass to sleep. Absol can easily set up Substitute and Swords Dance on Probopass, and only fears Thunder Wave if lacking a Substitute.<p>
