Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV)

Sableye Movesets and Best Builds

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This is a guide to movesets and best builds for using Sableye in competitive play for the games Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV). Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, Tera Type, and Held Items to use with Sableye, as well as its strengths and weaknesses.

Sableye - Related Guides
Pokemon SV - Sableye Evolution and LearnsetEvolution and Learnset Pokemon SV - Sableye MovesetMoveset for Ranked Battle Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (SV) - Sableye Tera Raid Builds IconTera Raid Build

Sableye Base Stats, Type, Ability and Weakness

Paldea #297 Type
Sableye ImageSableye
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Dark Icon Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Ghost Icon
Abilities
Keen Eye
Stall
Prankster (Hidden)
Weak to:
(2x)
Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
Damaged Normally
By:
(1x)
Pokemon Fire Type Icon Pokemon Water Type Icon Pokemon Grass Type Icon Pokemon Electric Type Icon Pokemon Ice Type Icon Pokemon Ground Type Icon Pokemon Flying Type Icon Pokemon Bug Type Icon Pokemon Rock Type Icon Pokemon Ghost Type Icon Pokemon Dragon Type Icon Pokemon Dark Type Icon Pokemon Steel Type Icon
Resists: (0.5x)
Pokemon Poison Type Icon
Immune to: (0x)
Pokemon Normal Type Icon Pokemon Fighting Type Icon Pokemon Psychic Type Icon

What is Type Effectiveness?

Ability Name Description
Keen Eye The user ignores the opponent's Evasion boosts and opponents cannot lower the user's Accuracy.
Stall The user always attacks last.
Prankster
(Hidden)
Increases the Speed priority of status moves by 1. Moves affected by this ability are ineffective against Dark-type opponents.

Base Stats

Base Stats
Lv. 50 Stats
Stat Value Rank
HP
50
629
Atk
75
420
Def
75
339
SpAtk
65
415
SpDef
65
439
Speed
50
568
Total
380
558
Explanation of Pokemon Stats
Stat Max 0Nat 0EV -Nat Min
HP 157 157 125 125 110
Atk 139 127 95 85 72
Def 139 127 95 85 72
SpAtk 128 117 85 76 63
SpDef 128 117 85 76 63
Spd 112 102 70 63 49
  • Max: Max IVs & EVs and a stat-boosting Nature
  • 0Nat: Max IVs & EVs and a neutral Nature
  • 0EV: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a neutral Nature
  • -Nat: Max IVs, 0 EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
  • Min: 0 IVs & EVs, and a stat-reducing Nature
Introduction to EVs, IVs, and Natures

Best Nature for Sableye

Best Natures
Bold
(+Def, -Atk)
Careful
(+Sp. Def, -Atk)
Timid
(+Spe, -Atk)

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Sableye

Build Name Recommendation
Prankster Screens ★★★

Prankster Screens Moveset & Best Build

Nature Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV Spread HP 252 / Def 252 / Sp. Def 4
Final Stat Values HP 157 / Def 139 / Sp. Def 86 / Spe 70
Ability Prankster
Tera Type Pokemon Steel Type Icon
Held Item Light Clay
Moveset Reflect
Light Screen
Will-O-Wisp
Taunt

Summary

Pokeball Icon Ghost/Dark typing makes it difficult to deal with.

Pokeball Icon Do not Terastallize against opposing Prankster users or else Sableye will become susceptible to Taunt.

Ability and Held Item

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Sableye Image
Ability Held Item
Prankster Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Light Clay ImageLight Clay

The Ability chosen for this build is Prankster. This gives Sableyes status moves a +1 priority, allowing it to move before the opponent can act.

The item chosen for this build is Light Clay. With this item, Reflect and Light Screen will last eight turns instead of five.

Moves Breakdown

Reflect Light Screen
Will-O-Wisp Taunt

Reflect and Light Screen are the key moves for this build because they let Sableye support its team by reducing the amount of damage they take from physical and special attacks respectively.

Will-O-Wisp is used to burn the target, and reduce their Attack stat by half.

Taunt is used to shut down opposing supportive and setup leads.

Do note that Will-O-Wisp and Taunt will not work on opposing Dark-type Pokemon, since Dark-types are immune to any moves affected by Prankster.

Best Tera Type: Steel

Steel Tera Type Matchup
Weak to:
(2x)
Pokemon Fire Type Icon Pokemon Fighting Type Icon Pokemon Ground Type Icon
Damaged Normally
By:
(1x)
Pokemon Water Type Icon Pokemon Electric Type Icon Pokemon Ghost Type Icon Pokemon Dark Type Icon
Resists: (0.5x)
Pokemon Normal Type Icon Pokemon Grass Type Icon Pokemon Ice Type Icon Pokemon Flying Type Icon Pokemon Psychic Type Icon Pokemon Bug Type Icon Pokemon Rock Type Icon Pokemon Dragon Type Icon Pokemon Steel Type Icon Pokemon Fairy Type Icon
Immune to: (0x)
Pokemon Poison Type Icon

Steel is the best Tera Type for this build because Sableye's only weakness is Fairy, which Steel resists.

Alternatively, Sableye could use a Poison or Fire Tera to accomplish the same goal, however, Steel has the most amount of resistances in the game which makes it better than the other two types.
Best Steel Type Pokemon

EV Spread and Nature

A full 252 EVs are placed into Sableye's HP and Defense to make it as physically bulky as possible. The extra 4 EVs are put in its Sp. Def to help round out its bulk.

A Bold nature is preferred to maximize Sableye's defensive bulk.

Other Viable Moves

Thunder Wave Instead of burning with Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave is used to paralyze the target and reduce their speed.
Foul Play Gives Sableye a Dark-type STAB attack that uses the opponent's Attack stat instead of its own.

Key Damage Calculations

Defense Icon Pokemon SVDamage Received by Sableye
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Flutter Mane Image 135 Sp. Atk
Offensive EV Investment:
252 Sp. Atk (Timid)
Item: Booster Energy
Light Screen is Active
Moonblast
118 ~ 139 (75.1 ~ 88.5%)
Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Urshifu Single-Strike Style Image 130 Atk
Offensive EV Investment:
252 Atk (Adamant)
Item: Focus Sash
Wicked Blow
93 ~ 109 (59.2 ~ 69.4%)
Guaranteed 2-Hit KO
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet SV - Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) Image 120 Atk
Offensive EV Investment:
252 Atk (Jolly)
Item: Hearthflame Mask
Reflect is Active
Pokemon Fire Type Icon +1 Ivy Cudgel
85 ~ 100 (54.1 ~ 63.6%)
Guaranteed 2-hit KO
OHKOs if it Crits

Game8's Competitive Damage Calculator

How to Use Sableye Effectively

Use as a Consistent Supportive Lead

Besides Grimmsnarl and Murkrow, Sableye is one of the only Dark-type Prankster Pokemon in the game. This is important because Dark-types are immune to moves affected by Prankster meaning that it cannot be Taunted by faster Prankster Pokemon.

Do note that it can still get Taunted by other non-Prankster Pokemon which will completely shut it down unless it runs an attacking move like Foul Play.

Sableye vs Grimmsnarl Differences

While Grimmsnarl might function similarly to Sableye, they have vastly different move pools. Grimmsnarl has access to Parting Shot and Fake Tears, but it doesn't get Sableye's Will-O-Wisp or weather moves like Sunny Day or Rain Dance.

Depending on what your team needs, Grimmsnarl might be better than Sableye. However, in a physically heavy meta, the value of Sableye's Ghost-typing alongside Will-O-Wisp could be the difference maker between a win or a loss.

How to Build a Team with Sableye

Bring Pokemon that can use Sableye's screens to safely set up, allowing them to sweep the enemy team.

Sample Singles Team

Screens Lead Physical Attacker Physical Attacker
Sableye ImageSableye Garchomp ImageGarchomp Ogerpon (Hearthflame Mask) ImageOgerpon (Hearthflame Mask)

Sableye will setup screens to allow Garchomp and Hearthflame Ogerpon to safely setup their Dragon Dance or Swords Dance boosts once they switch in.

Sableye also has the option to run Sunny Day to further boost the damage of Hearthflame Ogerpon's Ivy Cudgel. The harsh sunlight will also halve the damage of Water-type moves that normally threaten Ogerpon.

Sample Team for the Trick Magic Halloween Competiton

Fake Lead Setup Sweeper Screens Support
Hisuian Zoroark ImageHisuian Zoroark Spectrier ImageSpectrier Sableye ImageSableye

This sample team is built for the Trick Magic Halloween Competition that is happening on November 3 - 5.

Hisuian Zoroark's Illusion is used to bait opposing Pokemon in to thinking that they're safe when they really aren't.

Once Zoroark has been KO'd, Sableye can then come in to set up screens for Spectrier. This will help Spectrier safely setup Nasy Plot boosts in order for it to sweep the enemy's team.

Do note that Illusion will disguise Zoroark as the last Pokemon selected in your team. Make sure to always select Sableye last so that Zoroark will disguise itself as Sableye.

Trick Magic Halloween Online Competition

Counters for Sableye

Use Pokemon That Ignore Screens

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon Description
Urshifu Single-Strike Style ImageUrshifu Single-Strike Style Ranking: ★★★★★
・Wicked Blow will always crit, ignoring the damage reduction from Reflect.
・Its Dark-typing lets it ignore any of Sableye's Prankster moves like Will-O-Wisp or Taunt, allowing it to freely set up Swords Dance boosts in its face.
▶️ Urshifu Single Strike Best Movesets
Dragapult ImageDragapult Ranking: ★★★★
・Its Ability Infiltrator lets Dragapult bypass screens and deal full damage.
・Dragon Darts Choice Band set can OHKO Sableye if it doesn't burn Dragapult or Terastallize defensively.
▶️ Dragapult Best Movesets
Chandelure ImageChandelure Ranking: ★★★★
・Its Ability Infiltrator lets Chandelure bypass screens and deal full damage.
・Fire Blast can OHKO Sableye if it doesn't have any Sp. Def investment.
▶️ Chandelure Best Movesets

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