Overview
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At first glance, Sableye has extremely underwhelming stats for a Pokemon viable OU;its strength is comparable to that of a marshmallow. As a matter of fact, one of the only reasons it’s useable in this tier is because of its ability Prankster, which gives non-attacking moves +1 priority. Prankster, in tandem with moves such as Will-o-Wisp, Recover, and Taunt, lets the little phantom become a force to be reckoned with. Because of the Knock Off buff this generation, Sableye can further fulfill its role as a utility Pokemon. The new move, Confide, was also added to Sableye’s arsenal, allowing for interesting possibilities. A Dark / Ghost typing not only leaves the purple monster with one weakness, but also gives it the capability of spinblocking. All in all, Sableye has a couple of tricks hidden under its gemstones that make it a stellar Pokemon to pick in the teambuilding process.
Standard
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Name: Standard
Move 1: Will-O-Wisp
Move 2: Taunt
Move 3: Recover
Move 4: Foul Play / Knock Off
Ability: Prankster
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Nature: Calm / Careful
Moves
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This is Sableye’s one and only trademark set. Will-o-Wisp, priority boosted by Prankster, causes residual damage by inflicting burn, which, in turn, halves the Attack stat of the opposing Pokemon. Will-o-Wisp not only disables Physical Attackers, but also takes its toll on defensive Pokemon by negating their Leftovers’ recovery. Taunt prevents pesky Hazard Leads, such as Ferrothorn or Deoxys-D, from spewing spikes and rocks all over the field, Phazers, notably Skarmory and Hippowdon, from using Whirlwind or Roar, and Defensive Pokemon that need to boost their attacking stat to make a dent in anything that isn’t Magikarp or Sunkern, such as CM Reunicleus and CM Latias. Taunt can also prevent other Taunts, giving Sableye a way to protect itself from becoming switch bait. Recover lets Sableye stick around longer is a reliable way of regaining HP. Foul play uses the the opposing Pokemons Attack and Defense stats when calculating damage, so more often than not, it can slice a hefty chunk of HP from a frail, Physical Attacker. Players trying to getting in Attack boosts in hope of hitting through burn are punished especially hard. Conveniently, some Special attackers, such as Alakazam and Gengar, are OHKO’d by this move. With the addition of STAB, Foul Play can lead to some clean 2HKOs or 3HKOs. Knock Off can be opted for over Foul Play becauses of the added utility. Almost every Pokemon sent into bettle has a held item that they depend on. For example, Sweepers love their Life Orbs while Walls eat their Leftovers;Knock Off can dispose of such objects and also gets a 50% power boost. Afterwards though, the move has a pitiful base power that leaves holes in Sableye’s attacking capabilities. Though it’s not listed, Confide can be used in the last slot as a way to with Special Attackers, but Sableye shouldn’t be in against them anyways.
Set Details
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The given EVs help Sableye to tank hits to the best of its ability. The Defense EVs, along with the side-effect from a burn, allows Sableye to fare well in the midst of battle. A Calm nature is used to buffer Sableye’s Special Defense stat. keep in mind that the nature should be changed to Careful when using Knock Off. Leftovers is the most obvious choice for a defensive Pokemon, letting it get a stable amount of recovery each turn. The EV spread can also be changed so that Sableye can rest easier against Special Attacks.
Usage Tips
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Sableye should be sent out near the beginning of the match so it has the ability to taunt common entry hazard leads, like Forretress and Ferrothorn, from spewing Spikes all over the place. Sableye can be used at the end to cripple Late-Game Sweepers such as Terrakion. When running Knock-Off, be careful not to spam it just to make the opposing Pokemon lose out on its item, such as Leftovers or Life Orb, when it is capable of boosting; use Taunt instead. Many fire-types anticipating Will-o-Wisp may switch in to soak up the burn; be prepared if you see one on the opposing team in team preview. Be aware of the opposing team's play style. Taunt can deal with Stall and Baton Pass, Will-O-Wisp with Physical HO, and Foul Play on Defensive attack boosters. The prime time for recover is after Will-o-Wisp / Taunt has been used. If a Foul Play / Knock Off can squeeze in a KO, be wary, as Sableye may get KO'd before attacking.
Team Options
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Sableye fits well with teams that like to inflict status, for instance, stall. Unlike most Pokemon, Sableye has the ability to have priority burn, which gives it a rather large niche in OU. Blissey can help take Special Defense hits for Sableye, while Sableye can easily come in on a Fighting-Type attack aimed at Blissey. Blissey also gives Heal-Bell Support, allowing Sableye to go head-to-head with other Sableye or status inflictors with no worries about burns or poisons. Ferrothorn can be a great aid because it can set up Rocks and Spikes, which can make some 2HKOs with burn damage. It can also wall Latios, while Sableye can burn physical Dragons. Tyrantar can also lay down rocks and nail some KOs by pursuit trapping, while sponging special hits that Sableye can't akin to Blissey. Sableye can spinblock and and taunt a defogger to sustain the entry hazards on the field. Because of this, Sabeley fits nicely onto HO teams that employ entry hazards with suicide leads.
Other Options
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If you're having trouble with Special Attackers, Snarl is always an option, though it's usually inferior to the Knock-Off in terms of utility. It should be noted that Confide does the same with priority, but without the pitiful damage. Priority Swagger can induce extreme rage in tandem with Foul Play, though other Prankster Pokemon do a better job, such as Klefki and Liepard, as they have access to Thunder-wave. Priority weather inducing moves can fit onto weather teams, especially after the weather nerf, and the Prankster Genies can take more of an advantage due to perfect accuracy Hurricane and Thunder. Toxic is usable to get Fire-Types that are immune to Will-o-Wisp, but Sableye suffers from major 4 move slot syndrome. Trick + Lagging Tail / Iron Ball can be used alongside WoW to not only cripple the target's attack, but also speed, though it's usually inferior to the set above. Calm Mind works pretty much the same as Confide, but affects the user instead.
Checks & Counters
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**Taunt**: Taunt can be deterred by Sableye's own Taunt, but it requires prediction that may end up with Sableye ending up as a sitting duck.
**Fire-Types**:Heatran can easily switch in on WoW and get itself a free Flash Fire boost while also allowing Talonflame and Infernape to enter the battle unscathed.
**Magic-Bounce**:Magic-Bouncer users can switch in and bounce back a Will-o-Wisp or Taunt. Xatu, is the only one that takes more than 2 hits to KO, though. Mega-Absol can Threaten a OHKO if carrying Play Rough. Espeon can't hit Sableye for much unless it is carrying Dazzling Gleam though.
**Special Attackers**: Strong Special Attackers, like Keldeo, Magnezone, Thundurus-T, Hydreigon, Latios, Latias, Starmie, and Special Aegislash can send our little phantom cowering into the shadows.
**Fairies**: Fairies resist Foul Play / Knock Off and can hit back super effectively.
**Status Curing**: Pokemon with Natural cure or a Lum Berry can set up with no fret as Will-o-Wisp is rendered useless.
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