[SET]
name: Defensive Magic Bounce
move 1: Knock Off
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Recover
move 4: Protect
item: Sablenite
ability: Prankster
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Mega Sableye is a staple on stall teams due to its good bulk, great movepool,and fantastic ability in Magic Bounce, which lets it deny entry hazards from various common hazard setters like Ferrothorn, defensive Landorus-T, Kommo-o, Toxapex, and Skarmory. Its typing and bulk also lets it check several dangerous threats, such as Mega Medicham and variants of Reuniclus and Mega Latias that use only Psychic- and Fighting-type coverage. Knock Off is used to remove Leftovers from key threats like specially defensive Heatran, Tapu Fini, and Corviknight. Will-O-Wisp burns physical attackers that may try to advantage of Mega Sableye, like Mega Mawile, Kartana, and Mega Garchomp, along with crippling Stealth Rock setters like Garchomp and Landorus-T, letting Mega Sableye keep Stealth Rock off the field. Protect lets Sableye safely Mega Evolve at any point in time while also scouting the intentions of Choice-locked threats like Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Ash-Greninja, and Kyurem. Prankster grants Sableye priority Will-O-Wisp and Recover before Mega Evolving, which can be used to burn and neutralize threats like Garchomp, Kartana, and offensive Landorus-T.
Mega Sableye only fits on stall teams due to its immense passivity. All of Mega Sableye's teammates on stall appreciate it keeping entry hazards off the field against common hazard setters like Ferrothorn, Kommo-o, and defensive Landorus-T. However, Mega Sableye struggles to keep hazards off against some setters like Heatran, Mega Diancie, and Clefable, so good checks to these such as Gastrodon, Gliscor, and Unaware Clefable make for good partners for it. Specifically, Defoggers that can beat these such as Gliscor for Heatran, and Corviknight and Zapdos for Clefable, are excellent. Mega Sableye is very weak to Fairy-type Pokemon like Clefable, Tapu Lele, Mega Diancie, and Mega Mawile, so checks to those like Toxapex, Shedinja, Corviknight, Skarmory, and Unaware Clefable are great partners . Despite having good bulk, Mega Sableye is easily broken through by powerful wallbreakers such as Heatran, Kyurem, and Mega Charizard Y: good checks to these include Gliscor, Gastrodon, and Chansey. Finally, Mega Sableye appreciates hazard support from the likes of Chansey, Skarmory, and Toxapex to wear down the opposing team faster in conjunction with its own Knock Off and Will-O-Wisp. Magic Bounce lets its team stack hazards without worrying about opposing hazards, which could force a Defog that removes the team's own hazards.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
More specially defensive spreads can be used for a better matchup against threats like Heatran and Ash-Greninja, but they are not particularly good against these Pokemon anyway, can be broken through by Mega Medicham in Electric Terrain, and have a worse matchup against offensive Stealth Rock setters like Garchomp and Landorus-T, and so are not advised. Snarl weakens special attackers such as Mega Charizard Y, Heatran, and Hydreigon that may try to take advantage of its passivity, but it is difficult to fit in its moveset and justify due to Knock Off's higher utility, particularly because Mega Sableye is commonly paired up with teammates that can deal with these special attackers like Gastrodon, Clefable, and Chansey. Calm Mind may seem appealing, but Mega Sableye is pitifully slow and very weak without boosts, and thus it gives many free turns to the opponent while setting up, so it's outclassed in this role by other Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Latias, and Reuniclus. It also has to give up most of its utility to be a sweeper. Toxic can also be used to punish switch-inslike Mega Charizard Y and Hydreigon, but it is very difficult to fit, as its other moves offer much more utility.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Fairy-types like Tapu Lele, Tapu Koko, Mega Mawile, and Mega Diancie easily break through Mega Sableye, although Will-O-Wisp and Knock Off can cripple them and deter them from switching in directly, with Mega Mawile especially fearing Will-O-Wisp. Clefable and Mega Diancie are especially dangerous, as they are not affected by Will-O-Wisp, can shrug off Knock Off, and threaten Mega Sableye out with Moonblast.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Heatran, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcarona are immune to Will-O-Wisp and can overwhelm Mega Sableye with their powerful attacks. Mega Charizard Y and Z-Move variants of Heatran and Volcarona in particular do not fear Knock Off, though Heavy-Duty Boots Volcarona and specially defensive Heatran lose a lot of longevity upon losing their items.
**Powerful Wallbreakers**: Despite Mega Sableye having good bulk, powerful wallbreakers such as Kyurem, Mega Charizard Y, and Ash-Greninja can easily break through it.
**Substitute**. Due to how weak its Knock Off is, Mega Sableye cannot do anything to Pokemon behind a Substitute such as Kyurem, Corviknight, and Mega Gyarados, and it will only serve as setup fodder for them.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[The Dragon Master, 521275]]
- Quality checked by: [[adem, 529732], [ Aurodian, 483087]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429]]
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