Competitive Information for Sableye [Sword/Shield]
Dark / Ghost
Abilities:
Movesets for Singles
What is a good competitive moveset for Sableye? These builds have been optimized for Pokemon competing in Sword/Shield Single Battles. The movesets and EVs have been specifically calibrated to deal the most amount of damage to the largest group of potentially common opponents and typing threats for the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
UrshifuRillaboomFerrothornTapu FiniRegielekiCelesteelaMetagrossDragapultLaprasPorygon-Z
Sableye is a remarkable Dark and Ghost-typed Pokemon. It's pretty regular to find yourself dealing with Sableye when battling in the 8th generation meta. Sableye's only type-related weakness is Fairy.
Item: Focus Sash / Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Moveset:
- Fake Out
- Shadow Sneak
- Quash / Foul Play
- Will-O-Wisp
Special Wall Sableye (Popular/Trending)
Sableye is a spectacular Special Wall for single battles. It is primarily designed to take a decent amount of hits from special attacks while dealing some decent damage. The Sitrus Berry will restore 1/4th of Sableye's max HP when it reaches below half health and gets consumed. Focus Sash helps protect Sableye from being one-shotted and allowing it to atleast use a crucial move when brought out. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune.
◆ Shadow Sneak is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 40-base power Ghost-type move (usually goes first).
◆ Quash is a status move (forces the target to move last this turn).
◆ Foul Play is a physical STAB-boosted 95-base power Dark-type move (uses target's attack stat in damage calculation).
◆ Will-O-Wisp is a status move (burns the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is10a12e
Item: Shell Bell / Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Foul Play / Knock Off
- Poltergeist / Shadow Claw
- Double-Edge / Body Slam
- Poison Jab
Physical Sweeper Sableye (Prankster)
Sableye is pretty popular Physical Sweeper for single battles. It's purpose is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Sableye's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. The Shell Bell item option is to help Sableye recover from the recoil damage it may take from Double-Edge. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune.
◆ Knock Off is a physical STAB-boosted 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
◆ Poltergeist is a physical STAB-boosted 110-base power Ghost-type move (fails if the target has no held item).
◆ Shadow Claw is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Poison Jab is a physical 80-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is11a12e
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Foul Play / Dark Pulse
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Psychic
- Power Gem
Special Sweeper Sableye (Prankster)
Sableye is a pretty decent Special Sweeper for single battles. It attempts to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Sableye's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Sableye's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune.
◆ Dark Pulse is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Dark-type move (20% chance to make the target flinch).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Hex is a special STAB-boosted 65-base power Ghost-type move (power doubles if the target has a status ailment).
◆ Psychic is a special 90-base power Psychic-type move (10% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Power Gem is a special 80-base power Rock-type move that deals a decent amount of damage.
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/is12a12e
Movesets for Doubles
What is a good doubles moveset for Sableye? These builds have been optimized for Sword/Shield Double Battles. They have movesets and EVs specifically calibrated to generally work best versus multiple Pokemon at once as well as helping to support other team members and allys in the Sword/Shield generation metagame.
UrshifuRillaboomFerrothornTapu FiniRegielekiCelesteelaMetagrossDragapultLaprasPorygon-Z
Item: Black Glasses
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 228 Hp / 164 Def / 116 SpD
Moveset:
- Foul Play
- Quash
- Sucker Punch
- Will-O-Wisp
Doubles Double Wall Sableye (Popular VGC)
Sableye is a decent Double Wall for double battles. This particular build was popular during previous competitions. It's designed to have enough defenses and bulk to take both physical and special hits. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune. With a Black Glasses equipped to it, Sableye's dark-type attacks have 1.2x power.
◆ Quash is a status move (forces the target to move last this turn).
◆ Sucker Punch is a physical STAB-boosted priority-increased 70-base power Dark-type move (usually goes first. Fails if target is not attacking).
◆ Will-O-Wisp is a status move (burns the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id10a12e
Item: Shell Bell / Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Moveset:
- Foul Play / Knock Off
- Poltergeist / Shadow Claw
- Double-Edge / Body Slam
- Poison Jab
Doubles Physical Sweeper Sableye (Prankster)
Sableye is an astounding Physical Sweeper for double battles. The purpose of this moveset is to take down the opponent's team with brute physical power. Life Orb boosts the power of Sableye's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. The Shell Bell item option is to help Sableye recover from the recoil damage it may take from Double-Edge. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune.
◆ Knock Off is a physical STAB-boosted 65-base power Dark-type move (1.5x damage if foe holds an item; Note: This will also remove that item).
◆ Poltergeist is a physical STAB-boosted 110-base power Ghost-type move (fails if the target has no held item).
◆ Shadow Claw is a physical STAB-boosted 70-base power Ghost-type move (high critical hit ratio).
◆ Double-Edge is a physical 120-base power Normal-type move (has 33% recoil).
◆ Body Slam is a physical 85-base power Normal-type move (30% chance to paralyze the target).
◆ Poison Jab is a physical 80-base power Poison-type move (30% chance to poison the target).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id11a12e
Item: Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
IVs: 0 Atk
Moveset:
- Foul Play / Snarl
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Incinerate
Doubles Special Sweeper Sableye (Prankster)
Sableye is an astounding Special Sweeper for double battles. This moveset is designed to take down the opponent's team with high-damaging special attacks. Choice Specs will increase the damage of Sableye's special moves by 1.5x but will lock you into the first move you pick. Life Orb boosts the power of Sableye's damaging moves by 1.3x but it then loses 1/10 its max HP immediately after the attack. With Prankster, Sableye's status moves have priority raised by 1 but dark types are immune.
◆ Snarl is a special STAB-boosted 55-base power Dark-type move (100% chance to lower the foes special attack by 1 stage).
◆ Dazzling Gleam is a special 80-base power Fairy-type move (no additional effect. Hits adjacent foes).
◆ Shadow Ball is a special STAB-boosted 80-base power Ghost-type move (20% chance to lower the target's special defense by 1 stage).
◆ Hex is a special STAB-boosted 65-base power Ghost-type move (power doubles if the target has a status ailment).
◆ Incinerate is a special 60-base power Fire-type move (destroys the foes berry/gem).
Link (click to copy):
https://hohoushome.com/b/id12a12e
Movepool
Wondering what moves can Sableye learn? Here is the list of moves this Pokemon can learn in this selected generation.
Sort and organize the learnset by move type, category, accuracy, and power. Bolded moves will gain the same-type attack bonus (STAB) if this Pokemon uses them.
Damage Modifiers:
Combo List
These are a list of several common move combinations Sableye can perform in Sword/Shield. Not every combo going to be game-changing, but some can be pretty fun to play with. Sometimes these can be easily overlooked or forgotten, hence why we find and list them here. Discover what items, abilities, and moves this Pokemon can use in combination with each other to gain a strategic advantage in competitive battles.
Competitive SS Move and Ability Combos for Sableye
- Moves: Mimic + Imprison
- Moves: Swagger + Flatter
- Moves: Swagger + Foul play
- Moves: Swagger + Psych up
- Moves: Flatter + Psych up
- Moves: Rest + Sleep talk
- Moves: Rest + Snore
- Moves: Substitute + Drain punch
- Moves: Pain split + Toxic
- Moves: Pain split + Will-o-wisp
- Ability: Prankster + Move: Quash
- Ability: Prankster + Move: Recover
- Move: Swagger + Item: Mirror Herb
- Move: Fling + Item: King's Rock
- Move: Facade + Item: Flame Orb
- Move: Facade + Item: Toxic Orb
- Item: Blunder Policy + Move: Dynamic Punch
- Moves with Priority: Detect, Endure, Protect, Fake Out, Magic Coat, Helping Hand, Feint, Sucker Punch, Shadow Sneak, Ally Switch
- Moves that Break Screens: Brick Break
- Moves that inflict status (and combo with the move Hex): Toxic, Will-O-Wisp
Moves that boost Sableye's stats
- Calm Mind
- Hone Claws
- Nasty Plot
- Power-Up Punch
Most notable and possible best moves for Sableye
- Ally Switch
- Fake Out
- Foul Play
- Helping Hand
- Knock Off
- Protect
- Quash
- Rain Dance
- Rest
- Shadow Sneak
- Snarl
- Substitute
- Sunny Day
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Trick
- Will-O-Wisp
Common Effort Values for Sableye in Sword and Shield
- Careful Nature ( 252/0/4/0/252/0 )
- Impish Nature ( 252/0/196/0/60/0 )
- Optimize Sableye's EV spread for Pokemon Sword and Shield
Related Videos
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Here are the best movesets for Sableye. Top rated Sableye Sword/Shield movesets. You can find Sableye builds Sword/Shield. Sableye movesets Sword/Shield are listed here. VGC Sableye Competitive Movesets can be found here. Find various EV spreads, find the best nature for Sableye in Sword/Shield along with competitive movesets. Basic info and Movesets for evolution