[OVERVIEW]
Mega Sableye is a great Pokemon due to a great pre-Mega Evolution ability in Prankster and a great post-Mega Evolution ability in Magic Bounce. Prankster Will-O-Wisp allows it to burn physical attackers easily, and Magic Bounce allows Mega Sableye to counter Klefki, a major threat in the metagame, as well as pivot into other entry hazard setters and status users such as Fairy Arceus, making Mega Sableye extremely good on stall archetypes. Its dual typing grants it three immunities, including an immunity to Arceus's and Mega Rayquaza's Extreme Speed, and only one weakness. It is also one of the best defensive Deoxys-A and Mewtwo checks there is, Pokemon that otherwise decimate stall. Unfortunately, Sableye is very slow and loses Prankster after it Mega Evolves, making it easy to take advantage of. Due to the prevalence of Klefki and Darkrai in Anything Goes, there are a ton of status absorbers, which hurts Mega Sableye a lot. Mega Sableye is also often overwhelmed by the sheer power of the attackers of the metagame, and even the Pokemon it is supposed to check can often annoy it with some sets, such as Magic Coat Arceus and special Mega Rayquaza. Even defensive Pokemon such as Water Arceus and Lava Plume Primal Groudon can KO Mega Sableye, and Fairy-type Pokemon put a ton of pressure on it. Mega Sableye is also a complete momentum suck and only really fits on full stall and occasionally on balance teams.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Foul Play
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp
item: Sablenite
ability: Prankster
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fake Out allows Mega Sableye to safely Mega Evolve and to stall for burn damage later in the battle. Foul Play is important because Mega Sableye would otherwise be extremely passive and setup bait for lots of threats, and it allows Mega Sableye to do decent damage to most physical attackers and do something to Primal Groudon. It also wards away Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza and Arceus from attempting to boost past the burn drop to break through Mega Sableye. Recover gives Mega Sableye a form of recovery so that it doesn't get worn down throughout the match and can keep checking physical attackers and entry hazard setters. Will-O-Wisp cripples most physical attackers and is also nice for passive damage throughout the match on special attackers.
Set Details
========
An Impish nature, 248 HP EVs, and 252 Defense EVs maximize Mega Sableye's physical bulk while hitting a Stealth Rock number, with the remaining EVs being placed in Special Defense. Prankster allows Sableye to fire off a priority Will-O-Wisp on the turn it Mega Evolves, crippling almost every physical attacker because Sableye is immune to Extreme Speed.
Usage Tips
========
Fake Out should be used to Mega Evolve even if the foe threatens Sableye, as Mega Evolving and gaining Magic Bounce as quickly as possible is crucial. Make sure to not use Fake Out while Mega Evolving if a Prankster Will-O-Wisp would be optimal later in the game. Spreading burns is very nice, but if your opponent has Primal Groudon or Ho-Oh, be wary of using Will-O-Wisp too freely or you'll just end up giving them free switches in. Switch Sableye into physical attackers such as Arceus quickly, because if they start setting up and Sableye isn't in, it can fail to check them and get overwhelmed. Additionally, Foul Play does not OHKO +2 Arceus or unboosted Mega Rayquaza either, so it is imperative to keep Sableye healthy enough to take a hit from both of them if they are still in play. Pivot Mega Sableye into Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon and support Ground Arceus. Don't let Mega Sableye get weakened too much because it is too slow to use Recover on many Pokemon, so it can often just be picked off even by Pokemon it usually counters. That said, if Mega Sableye is too weakened to heal on anything else for the battle, it can often be beneficial to keep it around, as just the threat of Mega Sableye deters opponents from deploying entry hazards and status moves. It is almost always wise to lead with Sableye to allow it to Mega Evolve immediately, offering the threat of Magic Bounce for the entire battle, as well as pivot Mega Sableye into entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon. However, be wary of getting burned by Primal Groudon's Lava Plume, which can cripple Mega Sableye for the rest of the match.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye pairs extremely well with Lugia, as it requires Stealth Rock off the field to function, and it can help defend against physical attackers as well so that Mega Sableye doesn't get overwhelmed. Lugia also acts as another check to Mega Rayquaza, which Mega Sableye cannot fully check due to its sheer power. Ho-Oh also appreciates Stealth Rock off the field and has phenomenal special bulk to complement Mega Sableye's physical bulk. It also sponges Fairy-type moves extremely well for Mega Sableye. Ferrothorn has great defensive synergy with Mega Sableye, as it can tank all of the Fairy-type attacks that might be thrown at Mega Sableye as well as counter Primal Kyogre, and in turn, Mega Sableye can deal with Fighting-type attacks efficiently as well as wear down physical attackers further with Will-O-Wisp. Ferrothorn can also set entry hazards, which benefit Mega Sableye greatly due to all of the switches it forces. Primal Groudon pressures non-Foul Play Mega Sableye sets immensely and even takes on Foul Play variants somewhat well, so having Primal Groudon switch-ins such as Water Arceus and Giratina-O is beneficial. Primal Groudon on Mega Sableye's own team is also helpful, as it can check Fairy-types. Pairing Mega Sableye with a Defog user such as Water Arceus or Fairy Arceus lets you control hazards extremely reliably, which also opens up the door for Ho-Oh as well as Lugia.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic is a viable option on Mega Sableye to nail conventional Fire-type switch-ins, and it puts walls on a timer unlike Will-O-Wisp, making them far more hesitant to switch in on Mega Sableye. A regular Sableye set with Leftovers and Swagger is usable, as even though Liepard and Klefki often outclass it, Recover gives Sableye a niche. Metal Burst is sometimes handy for hitting a few that wants to hit Sableye hard, but it is hard to justify a moveslot and creates even more annoying mind games for the user to predict. Alternatively, Counter is a decent option because Metal Burst doesn't pick up that many KOs due to Sableye's low HP, but it is incompatible with Prankster, so it is often not worth it. Knock Off can annoy some common switch-ins to Mega Sableye, especially Xerneas; however, a large number of Pokemon have items that can't be removed, namely Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Arceus formes, and most Mega Evolutions, so it is generally a mediocre option that leaves Mega Sableye too passive. Taunt allows Mega Sableye to counter-lead even Skill Swap variants of Deoxys-S reliably, and it makes predicting against Darkrai and Xerneas much easier.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Fairy Arceus and Xerneas both don't really mind anything Mega Sableye can do, and they can easily OHKO it with their STAB moves or simply set up on it. Mega Diancie can bounce Will-O-Wisp and Toxic back to Mega Sableye while taking very little damage from its attacks and threatening it with STAB Moonblast.
**Special Setup Sweepers**: Special setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Arceus formes and Nasty Plot Darkrai take very little damage from anything Mega Sableye has to throw at them and can simply use it as setup bait.
**Kyogre**: Both Primal Kyogre and Choice Scarf Kyogre have no problem KOing Mega Sableye, and it fails to even 2HKO them in return with Foul Play. RestTalk Primal Kyogre in particular is one of Mega Sableye's best counters, as it can heal off status problems with Rest and remain threatening with Sleep Talk.
**Yveltal**: Offensive Yveltal takes extremely little damage from everything Mega Sableye has in its arsenal, and it easily 2HKOes back.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon are immune to Mega Sableye's main way of wearing down its foes, so they are very effective checks to it. Primal Groudon is a Stealth Rock setter that beats Mega Sableye one-on-one, so Mega Sableye should only be used as a pivot to it and not stay in.
**Clerics**: Blissey and Clefable take next to nothing from Foul Play and don't care about a burn, and they can easily heal up their team because Mega Sableye can't apply anywhere near enough offensive pressure to stop them. However, it is important to note that Blissey can't touch Sableye either, so they both just end up in a stalemate.
Mega Sableye is a great Pokemon due to a great pre-Mega Evolution ability in Prankster and a great post-Mega Evolution ability in Magic Bounce. Prankster Will-O-Wisp allows it to burn physical attackers easily, and Magic Bounce allows Mega Sableye to counter Klefki, a major threat in the metagame, as well as pivot into other entry hazard setters and status users such as Fairy Arceus, making Mega Sableye extremely good on stall archetypes. Its dual typing grants it three immunities, including an immunity to Arceus's and Mega Rayquaza's Extreme Speed, and only one weakness. It is also one of the best defensive Deoxys-A and Mewtwo checks there is, Pokemon that otherwise decimate stall. Unfortunately, Sableye is very slow and loses Prankster after it Mega Evolves, making it easy to take advantage of. Due to the prevalence of Klefki and Darkrai in Anything Goes, there are a ton of status absorbers, which hurts Mega Sableye a lot. Mega Sableye is also often overwhelmed by the sheer power of the attackers of the metagame, and even the Pokemon it is supposed to check can often annoy it with some sets, such as Magic Coat Arceus and special Mega Rayquaza. Even defensive Pokemon such as Water Arceus and Lava Plume Primal Groudon can KO Mega Sableye, and Fairy-type Pokemon put a ton of pressure on it. Mega Sableye is also a complete momentum suck and only really fits on full stall and occasionally on balance teams.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Fake Out
move 2: Foul Play
move 3: Recover
move 4: Will-O-Wisp
item: Sablenite
ability: Prankster
nature: Impish
evs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Fake Out allows Mega Sableye to safely Mega Evolve and to stall for burn damage later in the battle. Foul Play is important because Mega Sableye would otherwise be extremely passive and setup bait for lots of threats, and it allows Mega Sableye to do decent damage to most physical attackers and do something to Primal Groudon. It also wards away Pokemon like Mega Rayquaza and Arceus from attempting to boost past the burn drop to break through Mega Sableye. Recover gives Mega Sableye a form of recovery so that it doesn't get worn down throughout the match and can keep checking physical attackers and entry hazard setters. Will-O-Wisp cripples most physical attackers and is also nice for passive damage throughout the match on special attackers.
Set Details
========
An Impish nature, 248 HP EVs, and 252 Defense EVs maximize Mega Sableye's physical bulk while hitting a Stealth Rock number, with the remaining EVs being placed in Special Defense. Prankster allows Sableye to fire off a priority Will-O-Wisp on the turn it Mega Evolves, crippling almost every physical attacker because Sableye is immune to Extreme Speed.
Usage Tips
========
Fake Out should be used to Mega Evolve even if the foe threatens Sableye, as Mega Evolving and gaining Magic Bounce as quickly as possible is crucial. Make sure to not use Fake Out while Mega Evolving if a Prankster Will-O-Wisp would be optimal later in the game. Spreading burns is very nice, but if your opponent has Primal Groudon or Ho-Oh, be wary of using Will-O-Wisp too freely or you'll just end up giving them free switches in. Switch Sableye into physical attackers such as Arceus quickly, because if they start setting up and Sableye isn't in, it can fail to check them and get overwhelmed. Additionally, Foul Play does not OHKO +2 Arceus or unboosted Mega Rayquaza either, so it is imperative to keep Sableye healthy enough to take a hit from both of them if they are still in play. Pivot Mega Sableye into Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon and support Ground Arceus. Don't let Mega Sableye get weakened too much because it is too slow to use Recover on many Pokemon, so it can often just be picked off even by Pokemon it usually counters. That said, if Mega Sableye is too weakened to heal on anything else for the battle, it can often be beneficial to keep it around, as just the threat of Mega Sableye deters opponents from deploying entry hazards and status moves. It is almost always wise to lead with Sableye to allow it to Mega Evolve immediately, offering the threat of Magic Bounce for the entire battle, as well as pivot Mega Sableye into entry hazard setters such as Primal Groudon. However, be wary of getting burned by Primal Groudon's Lava Plume, which can cripple Mega Sableye for the rest of the match.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye pairs extremely well with Lugia, as it requires Stealth Rock off the field to function, and it can help defend against physical attackers as well so that Mega Sableye doesn't get overwhelmed. Lugia also acts as another check to Mega Rayquaza, which Mega Sableye cannot fully check due to its sheer power. Ho-Oh also appreciates Stealth Rock off the field and has phenomenal special bulk to complement Mega Sableye's physical bulk. It also sponges Fairy-type moves extremely well for Mega Sableye. Ferrothorn has great defensive synergy with Mega Sableye, as it can tank all of the Fairy-type attacks that might be thrown at Mega Sableye as well as counter Primal Kyogre, and in turn, Mega Sableye can deal with Fighting-type attacks efficiently as well as wear down physical attackers further with Will-O-Wisp. Ferrothorn can also set entry hazards, which benefit Mega Sableye greatly due to all of the switches it forces. Primal Groudon pressures non-Foul Play Mega Sableye sets immensely and even takes on Foul Play variants somewhat well, so having Primal Groudon switch-ins such as Water Arceus and Giratina-O is beneficial. Primal Groudon on Mega Sableye's own team is also helpful, as it can check Fairy-types. Pairing Mega Sableye with a Defog user such as Water Arceus or Fairy Arceus lets you control hazards extremely reliably, which also opens up the door for Ho-Oh as well as Lugia.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic is a viable option on Mega Sableye to nail conventional Fire-type switch-ins, and it puts walls on a timer unlike Will-O-Wisp, making them far more hesitant to switch in on Mega Sableye. A regular Sableye set with Leftovers and Swagger is usable, as even though Liepard and Klefki often outclass it, Recover gives Sableye a niche. Metal Burst is sometimes handy for hitting a few that wants to hit Sableye hard, but it is hard to justify a moveslot and creates even more annoying mind games for the user to predict. Alternatively, Counter is a decent option because Metal Burst doesn't pick up that many KOs due to Sableye's low HP, but it is incompatible with Prankster, so it is often not worth it. Knock Off can annoy some common switch-ins to Mega Sableye, especially Xerneas; however, a large number of Pokemon have items that can't be removed, namely Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, Arceus formes, and most Mega Evolutions, so it is generally a mediocre option that leaves Mega Sableye too passive. Taunt allows Mega Sableye to counter-lead even Skill Swap variants of Deoxys-S reliably, and it makes predicting against Darkrai and Xerneas much easier.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Fairy-types**: Fairy Arceus and Xerneas both don't really mind anything Mega Sableye can do, and they can easily OHKO it with their STAB moves or simply set up on it. Mega Diancie can bounce Will-O-Wisp and Toxic back to Mega Sableye while taking very little damage from its attacks and threatening it with STAB Moonblast.
**Special Setup Sweepers**: Special setup sweepers such as Calm Mind Arceus formes and Nasty Plot Darkrai take very little damage from anything Mega Sableye has to throw at them and can simply use it as setup bait.
**Kyogre**: Both Primal Kyogre and Choice Scarf Kyogre have no problem KOing Mega Sableye, and it fails to even 2HKO them in return with Foul Play. RestTalk Primal Kyogre in particular is one of Mega Sableye's best counters, as it can heal off status problems with Rest and remain threatening with Sleep Talk.
**Yveltal**: Offensive Yveltal takes extremely little damage from everything Mega Sableye has in its arsenal, and it easily 2HKOes back.
**Fire-types**: Fire-type Pokemon such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon are immune to Mega Sableye's main way of wearing down its foes, so they are very effective checks to it. Primal Groudon is a Stealth Rock setter that beats Mega Sableye one-on-one, so Mega Sableye should only be used as a pivot to it and not stay in.
**Clerics**: Blissey and Clefable take next to nothing from Foul Play and don't care about a burn, and they can easily heal up their team because Mega Sableye can't apply anywhere near enough offensive pressure to stop them. However, it is important to note that Blissey can't touch Sableye either, so they both just end up in a stalemate.
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