[SET]
Physical Wall (Sableye) @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Tera Type: Poison
Impish Nature
- Encore
- Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
- Recover
- Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Prankster-boosted status moves and an excellent matchup into top tiers like Mesprit make Sableye well-suited to be a physical wall in ZU. Encore allows Sableye to shut down opposing offensive Pokemon, stifling setup attempts from Minior, Toxicroak, and more. Will-O-Wisp neuters physical attackers, while Thunder Wave slows down foes and deters special attackers like Whimsicott from switching into Sableye. Knock Off removes crucial items like Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots, giving Sableye an easily spammable move that ensures progress. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Sableye switch in and out of battle without fearing entry hazard chip damage, while Rocky Helmet further punishes physical attackers and deters U-turn from the likes of Perrserker and Mesprit. Tera Poison gives Sableye a Fairy resistance while retaining a good matchup into opposing Fighting-types and giving it a Toxic immunity.
Sableye's ability to deny opposing setup paired with its excellent defensive typing makes it a great glue piece to round out a balance or bulky offense team. Its myriad immunities deter Fighting-types like Hitmontop and Psychic-types like Mesprit from using their STAB attacks. Special walls like Lanturn and Muk enjoy having Sableye to fall back on against physical threats, while Sableye appreciates their ability to handle special wallbreakers like Jolteon and Whimsicott. Dark-types like Spiritomb, Brute Bonnet, and Skunktank, as well as Tera Dark users like Hisuian Sneasel and Toxicroak are immune to Sableye's Prankster moves, easily using it as an entry point. As such, checks to these special threats like Whimsicott and Hitmontop are crucial teammates for Sableye. Entry hazard setters like Regirock, Orthworm, and Whiscash have great synergy with Sableye, as it naturally blocks Rapid Spin and can remove Heavy-Duty Boots with Knock Off. Sableye is also a good Knock Off absorber itself, which helps these Leftovers-reliant Pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Foul Play can be run over Knock Off to further punish setup, especially against Dark-types that would otherwise freely set up on Sableye such as Sneasel and Tera Dark Toxicroak. Taunt can ruin opposing defensive Pokemon like Lanturn and Venusaur, as well as deny entry hazards from being set, but Encore is better at handling offensive threats. Calm Mind sets may seem tempting with priority recovery, but Sableye's poor overall stats leaves it outclassed in this role by Spiritomb.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types are immune to Prankster and resist Sableye's attacks, meaning they can easily switch into it. Spiritomb, Skunktank and Sneasel turns Sableye into setup fodder, Brute Bonnet with Booster Energy doesn't care about Knock Off, and Houndoom can grab a Flash Fire boost from Will-O-Wisp. Hisuian Sneasel and Toxicroak can flip around their poor matchup to Sableye with Terastallization.
**Special Attackers**: Special wallbreakers like Jolteon, Arboliva, and Clawitzer don't mind Will-O-Wisp and can capitalize on Sableye's poor special bulk. Whimsicott in particular can OHKO Sableye with its STAB Moonblast.
**Priority Blocking**: While rare, priority blocking from Indeedee-F's Psychic Surge and Farigaraf's Armor Tail completely shut down Sableye's status moves.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sinnabyss.626095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Physical Wall (Sableye) @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Tera Type: Poison
Impish Nature
- Encore
- Will-O-Wisp / Thunder Wave
- Recover
- Knock Off
[SET COMMENTS]
Prankster-boosted status moves and an excellent matchup into top tiers like Mesprit make Sableye well-suited to be a physical wall in ZU. Encore allows Sableye to shut down opposing offensive Pokemon, stifling setup attempts from Minior, Toxicroak, and more. Will-O-Wisp neuters physical attackers, while Thunder Wave slows down foes and deters special attackers like Whimsicott from switching into Sableye. Knock Off removes crucial items like Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots, giving Sableye an easily spammable move that ensures progress. Heavy-Duty Boots lets Sableye switch in and out of battle without fearing entry hazard chip damage, while Rocky Helmet further punishes physical attackers and deters U-turn from the likes of Perrserker and Mesprit. Tera Poison gives Sableye a Fairy resistance while retaining a good matchup into opposing Fighting-types and giving it a Toxic immunity.
Sableye's ability to deny opposing setup paired with its excellent defensive typing makes it a great glue piece to round out a balance or bulky offense team. Its myriad immunities deter Fighting-types like Hitmontop and Psychic-types like Mesprit from using their STAB attacks. Special walls like Lanturn and Muk enjoy having Sableye to fall back on against physical threats, while Sableye appreciates their ability to handle special wallbreakers like Jolteon and Whimsicott. Dark-types like Spiritomb, Brute Bonnet, and Skunktank, as well as Tera Dark users like Hisuian Sneasel and Toxicroak are immune to Sableye's Prankster moves, easily using it as an entry point. As such, checks to these special threats like Whimsicott and Hitmontop are crucial teammates for Sableye. Entry hazard setters like Regirock, Orthworm, and Whiscash have great synergy with Sableye, as it naturally blocks Rapid Spin and can remove Heavy-Duty Boots with Knock Off. Sableye is also a good Knock Off absorber itself, which helps these Leftovers-reliant Pokemon.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Foul Play can be run over Knock Off to further punish setup, especially against Dark-types that would otherwise freely set up on Sableye such as Sneasel and Tera Dark Toxicroak. Taunt can ruin opposing defensive Pokemon like Lanturn and Venusaur, as well as deny entry hazards from being set, but Encore is better at handling offensive threats. Calm Mind sets may seem tempting with priority recovery, but Sableye's poor overall stats leaves it outclassed in this role by Spiritomb.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Dark-types**: Dark-types are immune to Prankster and resist Sableye's attacks, meaning they can easily switch into it. Spiritomb, Skunktank and Sneasel turns Sableye into setup fodder, Brute Bonnet with Booster Energy doesn't care about Knock Off, and Houndoom can grab a Flash Fire boost from Will-O-Wisp. Hisuian Sneasel and Toxicroak can flip around their poor matchup to Sableye with Terastallization.
**Special Attackers**: Special wallbreakers like Jolteon, Arboliva, and Clawitzer don't mind Will-O-Wisp and can capitalize on Sableye's poor special bulk. Whimsicott in particular can OHKO Sableye with its STAB Moonblast.
**Priority Blocking**: While rare, priority blocking from Indeedee-F's Psychic Surge and Farigaraf's Armor Tail completely shut down Sableye's status moves.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sinnabyss.626095/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sleid.601970/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/5dots.543866/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tbolt.555379/
Last edited by a moderator:
