PREFACE: I AM SO SORRY!
So I took a good look at BDSP meta trends and a few things became clear while looking at what's popular:
Azelf Screens HO
Stall
Hazard stacking
Few viable dark types, namely Tyranitar and Weavile (and sometimes Honchkrow and Drapion)
Unaware Clefable
Gengar
Breloom
Gliscor
Heatran
Defensive Scizor
With all that in mind I whipped up a team that utilized not one but TWO sleeper threats I felt the BDSP meta was totally and utterly unprepared for, Espeon and Sableye. While I won't post the actual team as I feel it can still be vastly improved, it hit high 1500s, so there is some definite merit with these two, either together or seperately.
The Espeon set I came up with is this meta's equivalent of SS OU's Demon Mew. Here's Demon Espeon... Demonpeon?
Espeon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Curse
- Morning Sun
I thought to myself, with so few dark types around, a mono-Stored Power sweeper could absolutely tear shit apart, and I was right. I tried Reflect Type Latias for a sec, but it was clear it was very inconsistent, as Latias can't raise its defense and needs to invest in speed to use Reflect Type well, which means its less bulky over all. Latias also couldn't sweep worth a damn as it was prone to status and Taunt and phazing. However, Espeon here has Magic Bounce, and it doesn't give a damn about any of that. Taunt? Toxic? Thunder Wave? Whirlwind? Roar? Spore? Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
Espeon takes absolutely advantage of any passive mon on your foe's team and becomes an utter wrecking ball after a turn or two of set up and can 6-0 Shedninjaless stall, as many of them rely on Blissey and Unaware Clefable. I had a replay it didn't save I guess :/
Look at the list of passive things Espeon can set up in front of:
Blissey
Gliscor
Skarmory
Heatran
Tangrowth
Quagsire
Slowbro/Slowking
Empoleon
Defensive Defog Scizor (no Swords Dance)
Rundown: So as I'm sure you're aware, Stored Power is a Psychic type move that accumulates 20 BP for every boost you've accumulated. Calm Mind raises Special Attack and Special Defense, that's a given, but the real secret to making Espeon pull off sweeps is actually Curse of all things! With full defensive bulk investment, and naturally decent special bulk, and Curse and Calm Mind raising raising its defenses, Espeon quickly becomes unbreakable (besides crits, gl). After a boost or two, the lowered speed becomes a nonissue as it is traded for pure bulk. The other genius thing about Curse is that the Attack and Defense boosts STILL continuously add to Stored Power's strength but 40 BP with every use. Wowie.
With a double dance set, Espeon has the ability to select which of its defenses it needs to raise first depending on what's in front of it, or the threats waiting in the back. For instance, use of Curse in front of a Gliscor or Skarmory, or when the foe has a Breloom or Garchomp in the back, or use Calm Mind in front of Heatran or if the foe has a Gengar or Latios waiting in the back. Espeon quickly becomes absolutely overwhelming. It can beat Gengar if it's accumulated some Calm Mind boosts, but as I said earlier, Espeon needs to stay totally clear of dark types, as it cannot touch them. Since many Scizors are running defensive Defog sets, and U-Turn exits on use, Curse Espeon often beats Scizor too. Burning it with Sableye (as I did) or Flame Body Heatran would also help Espeon's odds of success against Scizor.
Espeon is also not just an endgame sweeper. Midgame, Espeon is absolutely useful too, switching into hazard setting things like Skarmory or Gliscor or Heatran or Empoleon to yeet back hazards.
I didn't run screen support with this thing, as I opted to run a stall build with it, but theoretically, Espeon could absolutely be run on HO with screens to great effect. Its manner of boosting is a little slow for HO's style but Magic Bounce does have some nice utility as it helps control hazards, and even more impressively, MAGIC BOUNCE PREVENTS DEFOG FROM REMOVING SCREENS.
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Professor Chaos
Sableye (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Recover
Math time!
No Heavy Duty Boots = hazards stack good again = Rapid Spin Starmie and Donphan good again = Sableye spinblocker good
No Heavy Duty Boots = hazards stack good again = Defog good = Taunt Sableye good
Screens HO Explosion Azelf good = Taunt Sableye good
Final Gambit leads good = Sableye good
Stall good = Taunt Sableye Stallbreaker good
Few Fairy types = Sableye good
Few Dark types = Will o' Wisp Sableye good
Gengar + Alakazam good = Sp Def Sableye good
Mach Punch Breloom and Extreme Speed Dragonite / Lucario good = Sableye good
Limited Knock Off = Sableye good
Sableye is just insanely good at disruption in this meta. Prankster gives it priority on Taunt, Will o' and Recover. It excels on hazard stack builds, which is why I chose to run it along with Spikes Skarmory, as it beats Starmie, Donphan, Forretress (anyone use that?) and with Taunt Defog Scizor and Empoleon and Latias. It beats Gengar. It drives stall crazy, walling Blissey, Skarmory, Knocking Off Leftovers on Clefable and Tangrowth, preventing recover and Taunt with hazards, burning everything. Gliscor and Heatran hate losing their items. Offense hates it too, as it prevents screen set up on Azelf, hazard set up, burns things that have already set up. I don't know what else to say. It's Sableye. He's chaos incarnate.
Just remember Prankster does not work on dark types like Tyranitar and Weavile, and it cant do much to Infernape, so when using Sableye, be sure to cover those weaknesses. I did not cover Infernape so well on my team, which is a big reason of why it still needed improvement.
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LET'S POST SOME EXAMPLES OF ESPEON AND SABLEYE BEING A FRIGGIN NIGHTMARE AGAIN I'M SO SORRY:
The Espeon fun starts turn 12. Look at that damage on Bronzong. I'd quit too:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469917943-rb2j6cbyis3ug2mlgeuvdqz6470724opw
Espeon beats Def Scizor 1v1, it was a crit, but I don't think it mattered:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469976114
Sableye just harassing this whole team really. I felt bad :(
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469890733
Sableye doing more Sableye shit, whittling down Rotom, preventing offensive Starmie from spinning rocks showing its use on hazard stack builds. Otherwise, taunting, burning, Knock Off. Also a nice double with Espeon on Jirachi to keep Stealth Rock off the field.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1470014822
My favorite game with Espeon and Sableye against a very solid balance team. Manfuba gets a little sassy, so I start sassing back. He totally mocks Curse Espeon and proceeds to be wrecked by it, karma. Plus Sable messing up Gliscor and Scizor. Also illustrates how Sableye burning Defog Scizor helps Clefable break it, clearing an Espeon sweep.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1470072474-ekf1w82zojqvimgeiic0bdnv2e01vibpw
So I took a good look at BDSP meta trends and a few things became clear while looking at what's popular:
Azelf Screens HO
Stall
Hazard stacking
Few viable dark types, namely Tyranitar and Weavile (and sometimes Honchkrow and Drapion)
Unaware Clefable
Gengar
Breloom
Gliscor
Heatran
Defensive Scizor
With all that in mind I whipped up a team that utilized not one but TWO sleeper threats I felt the BDSP meta was totally and utterly unprepared for, Espeon and Sableye. While I won't post the actual team as I feel it can still be vastly improved, it hit high 1500s, so there is some definite merit with these two, either together or seperately.
The Espeon set I came up with is this meta's equivalent of SS OU's Demon Mew. Here's Demon Espeon... Demonpeon?
Espeon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Curse
- Morning Sun
I thought to myself, with so few dark types around, a mono-Stored Power sweeper could absolutely tear shit apart, and I was right. I tried Reflect Type Latias for a sec, but it was clear it was very inconsistent, as Latias can't raise its defense and needs to invest in speed to use Reflect Type well, which means its less bulky over all. Latias also couldn't sweep worth a damn as it was prone to status and Taunt and phazing. However, Espeon here has Magic Bounce, and it doesn't give a damn about any of that. Taunt? Toxic? Thunder Wave? Whirlwind? Roar? Spore? Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
Espeon takes absolutely advantage of any passive mon on your foe's team and becomes an utter wrecking ball after a turn or two of set up and can 6-0 Shedninjaless stall, as many of them rely on Blissey and Unaware Clefable. I had a replay it didn't save I guess :/
Look at the list of passive things Espeon can set up in front of:
Blissey
Gliscor
Skarmory
Heatran
Tangrowth
Quagsire
Slowbro/Slowking
Empoleon
Defensive Defog Scizor (no Swords Dance)
Rundown: So as I'm sure you're aware, Stored Power is a Psychic type move that accumulates 20 BP for every boost you've accumulated. Calm Mind raises Special Attack and Special Defense, that's a given, but the real secret to making Espeon pull off sweeps is actually Curse of all things! With full defensive bulk investment, and naturally decent special bulk, and Curse and Calm Mind raising raising its defenses, Espeon quickly becomes unbreakable (besides crits, gl). After a boost or two, the lowered speed becomes a nonissue as it is traded for pure bulk. The other genius thing about Curse is that the Attack and Defense boosts STILL continuously add to Stored Power's strength but 40 BP with every use. Wowie.
With a double dance set, Espeon has the ability to select which of its defenses it needs to raise first depending on what's in front of it, or the threats waiting in the back. For instance, use of Curse in front of a Gliscor or Skarmory, or when the foe has a Breloom or Garchomp in the back, or use Calm Mind in front of Heatran or if the foe has a Gengar or Latios waiting in the back. Espeon quickly becomes absolutely overwhelming. It can beat Gengar if it's accumulated some Calm Mind boosts, but as I said earlier, Espeon needs to stay totally clear of dark types, as it cannot touch them. Since many Scizors are running defensive Defog sets, and U-Turn exits on use, Curse Espeon often beats Scizor too. Burning it with Sableye (as I did) or Flame Body Heatran would also help Espeon's odds of success against Scizor.
Espeon is also not just an endgame sweeper. Midgame, Espeon is absolutely useful too, switching into hazard setting things like Skarmory or Gliscor or Heatran or Empoleon to yeet back hazards.
I didn't run screen support with this thing, as I opted to run a stall build with it, but theoretically, Espeon could absolutely be run on HO with screens to great effect. Its manner of boosting is a little slow for HO's style but Magic Bounce does have some nice utility as it helps control hazards, and even more impressively, MAGIC BOUNCE PREVENTS DEFOG FROM REMOVING SCREENS.
---------------------------------------------------------
Professor Chaos
Sableye (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Recover
Math time!
No Heavy Duty Boots = hazards stack good again = Rapid Spin Starmie and Donphan good again = Sableye spinblocker good
No Heavy Duty Boots = hazards stack good again = Defog good = Taunt Sableye good
Screens HO Explosion Azelf good = Taunt Sableye good
Final Gambit leads good = Sableye good
Stall good = Taunt Sableye Stallbreaker good
Few Fairy types = Sableye good
Few Dark types = Will o' Wisp Sableye good
Gengar + Alakazam good = Sp Def Sableye good
Mach Punch Breloom and Extreme Speed Dragonite / Lucario good = Sableye good
Limited Knock Off = Sableye good
Sableye is just insanely good at disruption in this meta. Prankster gives it priority on Taunt, Will o' and Recover. It excels on hazard stack builds, which is why I chose to run it along with Spikes Skarmory, as it beats Starmie, Donphan, Forretress (anyone use that?) and with Taunt Defog Scizor and Empoleon and Latias. It beats Gengar. It drives stall crazy, walling Blissey, Skarmory, Knocking Off Leftovers on Clefable and Tangrowth, preventing recover and Taunt with hazards, burning everything. Gliscor and Heatran hate losing their items. Offense hates it too, as it prevents screen set up on Azelf, hazard set up, burns things that have already set up. I don't know what else to say. It's Sableye. He's chaos incarnate.
Just remember Prankster does not work on dark types like Tyranitar and Weavile, and it cant do much to Infernape, so when using Sableye, be sure to cover those weaknesses. I did not cover Infernape so well on my team, which is a big reason of why it still needed improvement.
-------------------------
LET'S POST SOME EXAMPLES OF ESPEON AND SABLEYE BEING A FRIGGIN NIGHTMARE AGAIN I'M SO SORRY:
The Espeon fun starts turn 12. Look at that damage on Bronzong. I'd quit too:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469917943-rb2j6cbyis3ug2mlgeuvdqz6470724opw
Espeon beats Def Scizor 1v1, it was a crit, but I don't think it mattered:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469976114
Sableye just harassing this whole team really. I felt bad :(
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1469890733
Sableye doing more Sableye shit, whittling down Rotom, preventing offensive Starmie from spinning rocks showing its use on hazard stack builds. Otherwise, taunting, burning, Knock Off. Also a nice double with Espeon on Jirachi to keep Stealth Rock off the field.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1470014822
My favorite game with Espeon and Sableye against a very solid balance team. Manfuba gets a little sassy, so I start sassing back. He totally mocks Curse Espeon and proceeds to be wrecked by it, karma. Plus Sable messing up Gliscor and Scizor. Also illustrates how Sableye burning Defog Scizor helps Clefable break it, clearing an Espeon sweep.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8bdspou-1470072474-ekf1w82zojqvimgeiic0bdnv2e01vibpw
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