PDA

View Full Version : Sableye Analysis



Milos
08-01-2009, 12:21 AM
Sableye


http://www.gtsplus.net/files/images/art/sugimori/302.png



Summary:



Most Used Sableye Set:

Sableye is usually seen running a support set, thanks to its three immunities and good support movepool. Sableye has access to Knock Off, Toxic, Will-o-wisp, Taunt and Recover. Since Sableye has no weaknesses, most players will attempt to send out strong choiced attackers against Sableye. Knock Off is one of Sableye's selling points; being able to rid Pokemon like Rampardos of their Choice Scarf or tanks like Shuckle of their Leftovers will almost always prove beneficiary.


Usual Counters:

Any Pokemon with strong STABed attacks can eliminate Sableye, but physical attackers must be wary of Will-o-wisp. Pokemon with the Scrappy Ability suck as Miltank or Kangaskhan can get right past Sableye's Ghost typing and hit it with a super effective Fighting-type attack.

If Sableye is using Toxic instead of Will-o-wisp, Poison-types such as Muk make ideal counters, taking little from Sableye's Shadow Claw and being able to attack Sableye's weaker Special Defense. Gastrodon's Sticky Hold Ability makes it immune to Knock Off and can either phaze out Sableye with Yawn or cripple it with Toxic right away.

Pokemon faster than Sableye with the move Taunt can shut down any version of the support set. Purugly and Persian get special mention as not only can they stop Sableye from using any support moves; they are also immune to Shadow Claw.


Types of Teams Sableye Is Used On:

Sableye is almost always welcome on a Never Used team because of its lack of weaknesses and its ability to support the team. Sableye's immunities to Normal, Psychic, and Fighting mean that stall teams is where Sableye will usually be found. Having three immunities as well as a load of resistances mean that switches will be almost inevitable when faced against Sableye. Entry hazards become ideal to be used alongside Sableye for this reason alone. It can defeat opposing stall teams by using Knock Off to get rid of their Leftovers recovery as well as being able to poison and burn the opposing Pokemon.


In Depth:


http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_sableye.gifSupport@ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/ 120 Def/ 136 SpD
Nature: Careful (+SpD,-SpA)

-Knock Off
-Will-o-wisp/ Toxic
-Recover
-Seismic Toss/ Shadow Claw

This set makes Sableye a very helpful team member. Bearing immunities to three very common types makes switching in for Sableye a walk in the park.

Sableye's selling point is that it can combine its great typing to cause switches and remove any Pokemon's Item (unless it has the Ability Sticky Hold). Will-o-wisp and Toxic both make fine choices for the first slot. Will-o-wisp will cripple any physical attacker foolish enough to switch in on Sableye and leaves that Pokemon with 12% less HP each turn. Toxic doesn't have any additional side effects, but the damage from poison will be much greater than that of a burn. Recover offers Sableye instant recovery which will help it stall out any poison damage as well as being a great healing move. Taunt can be used over Recover to prevent Pokemon that are switching in from setting up. Sableye's abysmal Speed stat means that it won't usually be able to prevent set up with Taunt otherwise. Seismic Toss gives Sableye consistent damage provided the opponent isn't a Ghost-type, but Shadow Claw offers STAB and a reliable way to kill other Ghosts.

The EVs allow Sableye to switch into special attacks much easier while providing some needed physical bulk.


http://www.pokesho.com/img_icon_us/i_sableye.gifSpecial Sweeper@ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 SpA/ 4 Spe
Nature: Modest (+SpA,-Atk)

-Nasty Plot/ Calm Mind
-Dark Pulse/ Shadow Ball
-Psychic/ Recover
-Hidden Power Fighting/ Hidden Power Fire

This set aims to take advantage of two stat upping moves that Sableye was graced with. Although Sableye isn't the greatest of special attackers, it can still pose a threat after a Nasty Plot/ Calm Mind boost nonetheless.

Nasty Plot will boost Sableye's moderate Special Attack to make it a formidable sweeper. Since most opponents expect the standard support Sableye, this set can make for a "nasty" surprise. Dark Pulse will hit opposing Ghosts and Psychic-type Pokemon, as well as having that nice flinch rate. Shadow Ball is also an option but leaves Sableye more easily walled by Normal-types. Psychic grants superb type coverage along Dark Pulse/ Shadow Ball, but leaves Sableye walled by Steel-types. Hidden Power Fighting can remedy this, however, and can also rid Sableye of opposing Dark-types. Hidden Power Fire will hit those same Steels as well as Grass, Ice, and Bug-type Pokemon.

Calm Mind doesn't grant the same immediate boost of power that Nasty Plot offers, but it can make Sableye a lot tougher to take down. While the Nasty Plot version of this set is more offensively minded, this version of the set utilizes a more defensive approach by taking advantage of Sableye's typing and immunities. Dark Pulse and Shadow Ball are once again usable options, and the choice of Hidden Power is up to you. Recover is used over Psychic on this set to help Sableye become a special wall of sorts, and provides reliable healing.


Other Options:

A set that uses Counter is fully viable, but the lifespan of Sableye is usually extremely low. Sableye gets Fake Out and Trick, but they are usually better suited to other Pokemon.


Opinion:

Sableye was blessed with extremely good typing as well a great support movepool. Unfortunately, Spiritomb was invented. Sableye does, however, have Recover as well as Knock Off, two moves that separate it distinctly from Spiritomb. Sadly, the positives don't outweigh the negatives in Sableye's case.

PLDH-MajeSan
08-01-2009, 01:26 AM
You didn't make much mention of the fact that it gets Dual STAB Priority moves. Considering its typing, it might have merit as a good Psychic or Ghost Killer. It gets massive physical coverage in its movepool, so it might have merit as a Choice Bander, thanks to Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak, the elemental punches, and several other moves. Because it gets Snatch and is immune to Seismic Toss, it can make a brutal Blissey Killer. All its sets are kind of gimmicky, but those are just a few ideas that could add to the analysis. I might come up with EVs and natures for some of the ideas with a little more promise.

Milos
08-01-2009, 02:01 AM
You didn't make much mention of the fact that it gets Dual STAB Priority moves. Considering its typing, it might have merit as a good Psychic or Ghost Killer. It gets massive physical coverage in its movepool, so it might have merit as a Choice Bander, thanks to Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak, the elemental punches, and several other moves. Because it gets Snatch and is immune to Seismic Toss, it can make a brutal Blissey Killer. All its sets are kind of gimmicky, but those are just a few ideas that could add to the analysis. I might come up with EVs and natures for some of the ideas with a little more promise.

75 Base Attack still isn't doing much with CB Sucker Punch....if anything i'll put it in Other Options.


And having the merit of being a "Blissey killer" doesn't make it viable enough to be a set. First of all, who has the balls of using Sableye in OU when there's a perfectly fine Spiritomb? Second, focusing a set on killing one Pokemon isn't a smart idea imo...

Oh and mostly all of Sableye's sets are situational (except for the support set, of course).

Statigar
08-01-2009, 06:02 PM
This is an awesome analysis. I like how you mentioned the movesets in detail, which is why you're an expert analyser =D.