Utility
Support
380Low
50Slow
CTier

Without Prankster, Sableye wouldn't see any competitive play. With it? It gives priority to its status moves, turning modest base stats into a real offensive threat. Dark/Ghost is solid coverage on top of that. Normal, Fighting, and Psychic moves can't touch it, and only a single type hits it super-effectively.

You won't find a real weakness in Sableye's stat line. It's well-rounded for the Darkness Pokemon, and what it does with that depends on moveset and items. Yields 2 Attack and Defense EVs, on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve.

Base Stats
380Avg
HP50
D
Attack75
C
Defense75
C
Sp. Atk65
C
Sp. Def65
C
Speed50
D
Total380
Low <60
Avg 60-89
High 90-149
Top 150+
EV YieldDefeating Sableye yields +1 Atk, +1 Def
HPAtk+1Def+1SpASpDSpe
Details
Catch45ChallengingMedium Slow1.06M XP0.5m / 1'08"11kg / 24.3 lbs133Base XP
Pokedex Entries

It dwells in the darkness of caves. It uses its sharp claws to dig up gems to nourish itself.

Scarlet

Materials from gems it has eaten float to the surface of its body and can form an infinite number of patterns among individuals.

Violet

Sableye Weakness

Fortress

Type-wise, Sableye takes extra damage from Fairy. Normal, Fighting, and Psychic moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. Sableye's Dark/Ghost typing only leaves 1 gap to cover.

4xCriticali
None
2xWeaki
½xResisti
¼xResisti
None
STAB (2)i
1Weak
1Resist
3Immune
Scorei+8
SpikesGrounded — up to 25%
Toxic SpikesVulnerable
Abilities
Keen EyePrevents accuracy from being lowered.
StallMakes the Pokémon move last within its move's priority bracket.
PranksterHARaises non-damaging moves' priority by one stage.

Sableye is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with no compatible partners. Hatching is average hatch time.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Sableye
#302Sableye
Does not evolve
Breeding
Easy

Breed Sableye easily from the Humanshape egg group.

Egg Groups
Humanshape
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
25 cycles·6,425 steps
Moderate~6 min with Flame Body

max HP and Defense EVs and Impish nature turn Sableye into a wall that doesn't fold easily. Heavy-Duty Boots brings hazard immunity on every switch-in for the long game, and Recover handles sustain. Prankster fills in the gaps.

Best Build

Wall
Ability
Prankster
Item
Heavy-Duty BootsANTI-HAZARD
Nature
Impish+DEF
EVs

Best Sableye Moveset

  • EncoreUtility
  • Knock OffSTAB
  • Will O Wisp
  • RecoverRecovery

Recommended Teammates

Stall teams hate this. Sableye can spread damage across 13 types, with Normal and Psychic punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Phantom Force and Shadow Ball keeps the pressure honest on everything else.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
10030Normal
Lv 1
Tackle
4010035Normal
Lv 9
Shadow Sneak+1
4010030Ghost
Lv 15
Take Down
908520Normal
Lv 18
Detect+4
5Fighting
Lv 20
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
Lv 22
Confuse Ray
10010Ghost
Lv 25
Knock Off
6510020Dark
Lv 28
Psybeam
6510020Psychic
Lv 33
Night Slash
7010015Dark
Lv 39
Power Gem
8010020Rock
Lv 42
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic
Lv 45
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
Lv 50
Recover
5Normal
Lv 53
Parting Shot
10020Dark
Lv 56
Phantom Force
9010010Ghost

TM Moves

Src
TM22
Aerial Ace
6020Flying
TM33
Body Slam
8510015Normal
TM10
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
TM11
Bulk Up
20Fighting
TM06
Calm Mind
20Psychic
TM90
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark
TM92
Dazzling Gleam
8010010Fairy
TM28
Dig
8010010Ground
TM131
Drain Punch
7510010Fighting
TM35
Endure+4
10Normal
TM26
Energy Ball
9010010Grass
TM109
Facade
7010020Normal
TM141
Fake Out+3
4010010Normal
TM29
Fire Punch
7510015Fire
TM42
Giga Drain
7510010Grass
TM55
Giga Impact
150905Normal
TM97
Heal Block
10015Psychic
TM44
Hyper Beam
150905Normal
TM24
Ice Punch
7510015Ice
TM45
Knock Off
6510020Dark
TM16
Light Screen
30Psychic
TM113
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
TM99
Metronome
10Normal
TM46
Mud Shot
559515Ground
TM83
Nasty Plot
20Dark
TM34
Night Slash
7010015Dark
TM119
Ominous Wind
601005Ghost
TM77
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM19
Power Gem
8010020Rock
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM63
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TM31
Reflect
20Psychic
TM36
Rock Tomb
609515Rock
TM51
Safeguard
25Normal
TM74
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TM61
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
TM118
Shadow Punch
6020Ghost
TM85
Substitute
10Normal
TM139
Swagger
8515Normal
TM95
Taunt
10020Dark
TM23
Thunder Punch
7510015Electric
TM08
Thunder Wave
9020Electric
TM121
Torment
10015Dark
TM57
Will-O-Wisp
8515Fire
TM81
X-Scissor
8010015Bug
TM59
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic

Egg Moves

Sableye doesn't have any Egg moves

Tutor Moves

Sableye can't learn any Tutor moves

No wild encounters for Sableye in Legends: Z-A. It's available in Sapphire, Emerald, or Alpha Sapphire and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.

Sableye is not available as a wild encounter in this game.

Also found in:

  • Sableye looks average on paper at 380 BST. But Prankster is why it sees play — build around that and it pulls its weight. C-Tier support on our tier list.

  • Sableye's biggest threats include Clefable (Fairy), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Only 1 weakness means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.

  • Sableye doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Dark/Ghost-type Pokemon with a 380 base stat total.

  • Sableye gets Prankster, Keen Eye, and Stall. But Prankster is the one that matters — it's the centerpiece of every viable set. Build around that.

  • Sableye is leaning toward the physical side (base 75 Attack). But the speed tells the real story — base 50 Speed is low. Priority moves or Trick Room are the way to go. Fits the support role.

  • Sableye appears in 16 games, including Ruby & Sapphire, FireRed & LeafGreen, and Emerald.

Available since Ruby & Sapphire, Sableye appears in 16 games spanning 7 generations. Beyond its original form, it gained a Mega form in Generation 7.