So, let's talk about Sleep.
"I assume they have all the usual vices, besides those they've invented for themselves."
When we think about Sleep, what do we think about? A volatile status. An incapacitated foe. STABmons has many sleep abusers - any Grass-type must be assumed to be carrying Spore, any Normal can whip out a Lovely Kiss (and she probably won't even offer to buy you dinner, first!). Then there are the edge cases: No Guard Sing Mega Pidgeot, all the Rotoms having access to Spore via their lawnmower form, and all the Eeveelutions earning Lovely Kiss via their predecessor.
So how is it utilized? And what can you do to stop it?
"My, my, my! Such a lot of guns around town and so few brains! You know, you're the second guy I've met today that seems to think a gat in the hand means the world by the tail."
Grass Pokemon, by virtue of being Grass, are immune to Spore. A pair of Safety Goggles can mimic this, as can Overcoat. Soundproof blocks Sing. Magic Bounce stops it all. Sleep Talk can be used by anything, but takes the game of chance and turns it into a roulette of uncertainty. Guts can block it - if the Guts user is already suffering. A faster Taunt diffuses the gun before they can even pull the trigger. And there's the Sleep Clause, Sleep's worst enemy.
But what do
you think? How would you rank the biggest Sleepers and biggest Sleep counters? Is the nightmare really as bad as they say, or is it just a case of restlessness? Is it a metagame defining force, or just another element to the game you have to be aware of? Share your thoughts and use examples.
"You've forgotten one thing - me."
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing you can't fix."
top kek image there my friend
First, gotta say, good post. Keep forgetting half of these stuff exist, keep it up.
"I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll do a shitty attempt at mimicking what you did!"
First, users.
Tangrowth, Rotom-Wash, and Venusaur-Mega are some of the stronger users of Spore, although Silvally (without Ghost) and Tapu Bulu, as well as other grasses, can use it effectively. The first three tend to be bulky enough to either wall a specific threat, force them out, then Spore either a sacked switchin or the answer to them, either in the form of a strong Flying-type or a Special wallbreaker (In Rotom's case, due to burns). Venusaur-Mega will slow the game down once whatever specifically threatens it is asleep, stalling with Strength Sap and Clear Smog until either the sleep turns are up or until something else switches in. Rotom-Wash appeciates a mon being asleep as it is a free pivot out, and Tangrowth does similarly but with a hard switch. Silvally, on the other hand, uses Spore as a method to set up Quiver Dances, Dragon Dances, Double Dance sets, et cetera. Bulu just uses it akin to how Lopunny uses Lovely Kiss; to put to sleep the answer to it.
Speaking of Lopunny, Lovely Kiss and Sing are almost exclusively used by Lopunny-Mega and Pidgeot-Mega, although I at least have had some fun using it on Diggersby. Sing is a less accurate version of Lovely Kiss that bypasses Subs, is less accurate, and is stopped by Soundproof, and is primarily used by Pidgeot-Mega. Lopunny is mainly where Lovely Kiss breaks, as almost any answer to it, be it strong physical walls or Intimidate offensive Pokemon, can be put to sleep and incapacitated for likely the rest of the match. Diggersby also can be used like Lopunny; spore a switchin to Fakespeed + EQ.
Grass pokemon, Safety Goggles, and Overcoat are the three things that really stop Spore from being a nuisance. With Koko around, and the fact I've found Tang/Venusaur/Bulu to be a trio of good mons I want on nearly on every team, it's not too hard to have at least something that stops Spore. Safety Goggles feels like I'm burning an item slot just to block one thing, instead of using far nicer items such as Life Orbs, Leftovers. Overcoat is a rarely seen commodity, and few mons that get it are extremely popular or notably gain any powerful moves besides (and this is arguable) Forretress with Webs and Mandibuzz with a myraid of supporting Dark-type status moves, but Forretress won't be doing much in return while Mandibuzz does form an alright answer.
Now for Sing and Lovely Kiss. The only notable difference I can really see is that Sing is blocked by Soundproof. And while Eevee General brought up Bouffalant as a decent Soundproof mon, it feels like its forced to be there solely to stop one status. Soundproof also only blocks Sing, which is only used by one Pokemon that isn't too frequently seen, with other better Megas being available. Lovely Kiss is, like Spore, blocked by Magic Bounce, Pokemon already Statused, and the several abilities of Insomnia/Vital Spirit. Magic Bounce isn't frequently seen, but Mega Sableye runs it (stall only, you're gonna see me repeating a bunch of stuff other people have said because I'm slow), and Espeon is alright but it has to fight competition with faster or stronger threats (but Psystrike+Sball+Judgment coverage is cool). Just about nothing worthwhile or not fully outclassed by a stronger, better typed, and/or better movepool'd Pokemon gets these abilities. Espeon and Mega-Sableye also struggle to take even one hit from Lopunny-Mega, and if they misread what the Lop player is going for, they could lose their so-called 'answer' to the opponent's Sleep.
One unspoken answer (and our hero in... awkward green skin) is the
Lum Berry, which I find very useful on just about any physical attacker, but especially Dual Dance mons such as Lando and SD+Espeed Normal types. Not only does it temporarily stop Spore, Sing, AND Lovely Kiss, it is usable on most Pokemon, most notably physical sweepers, as well as it blocks Steam Eruption's Burn chance from all of the common Water Types, Searing Shot from Fire types, Toxic Spikes poison (once), and every way to inflict Paralysis such as Discharge, Thunder Wave, and all. If I wanted to make another counterargument here, it'd be for Lum Berry (although still losing your Leftovers or Life Orb is sad.)
Taunt doesn't feel like 'enough' of an answer, as most Grass types that carry Spore will click Seed Flare (Venusaur-Mega, Tangrowth) or Wood Hammer/Power Whip (Tapu Bulu) if necessary, being one of the strongest options for them hitting other mons. It also doesn't help that most of the Taunt users up the higher ranks in viability and for usage (for what you'll see on the ladder) don't resist Grass, or if they do, they tend to not resist the other possible STAB option or Ground, notably on Venusaur and Tangrowth as Earthquake. Rotom-Wash also doesn't really mind being Taunted, as it is a possible turn for it to Steam Eruption or pivot out into a stronger threat. Silvally can just click whatever STAB option it is carrying, and may not even have Spore. For Lovely Kiss, Lopunny just outspeeds nearly every viable mon as is, and taunting it won't be doing much. Prankster Taunt on, say, Sableye, is possible, but you're asking to get High Jump Kicked and are better off clicking Will-O. Pidgeot-Mega also is faster than most mons, although the taunters that are faster, notably Koko, are either able to OHKO Pidgeot, or in Koko's case can just negate sleep altogether.
And I guess sleep clause 'hinders' it? I mean, it doesn't stop Spore in places such as Sketchmons and even standard formats from being a real nuisance, and although its spread isn't as wide as in Sketchmons, it still is possible to held on nearly every team, especially with how strong the Silvally forms can be if played right.
Maybe I'll change my views on it later... Idk. Now I'm kinda iffy on it all.
cant wait to see all the innovative sets people make while this all goes through, though. stuff to steal cuz i'm lazy
if you see any errors call me out on it