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

Sableye lead quiet lives deep inside caverns. They are feared, however, because these Pokémon are thought to steal the spirits of people when their eyes burn with a sinister glow in the darkness.

Omega Ruby

Sableye digs the ground with sharpened claws to find rocks that it eats. Substances in the eaten rocks crystallize and rise up to the Pokémon’s body surface.

Alpha Sapphire

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. It's got 11 egg moves worth looking into.

How to Evolve

No Evolution
Sableye
#302Sableye
Does not evolve
Breeding
Easy

Breed Sableye easily from the Humanshape egg group. Pass egg moves like Captivate, Feint, Flatter and 8 more to offspring.

Egg Groups
Humanshape
Gender
50.0%50.0%
Hatch Time
25 cycles·6,425 steps
Moderate~6 min with Flame Body
Egg Moves
11moves

max HP and Sp. Def EVs and Calm nature turn Sableye into a wall that doesn't fold easily. Mental Herb brings one-time Taunt or Encore immunity for the long game, and the moveset handles sustain. Prankster fills in the gaps.

Best Build

Wall
Ability
Prankster
Item
Mental Herb
Nature
Calm+SPD
EVs

Best Sableye Moveset

  • Will O Wisp
  • TauntUtility
  • Confuse RaySTAB
  • ToxicUtility

Recommended Teammates

Stall teams hate this. Sableye can spread damage across 14 types, with Normal and Psychic punishing common defensive pivots. STAB from Foul Play and Shadow Ball keeps the pressure honest on everything else.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
10030Normal
Lv 1
Scratch
4010035Normal
Lv 4
Foresight
40Normal
Lv 6
Night Shade
10015Ghost
Lv 9
Astonish
3010015Ghost
Lv 11
Fury Swipes
188015Normal
Lv 14
Detect+4
5Fighting
Lv 16
Shadow Sneak+1
4010030Ghost
Lv 19
Feint Attack
6020Dark
Lv 21
Fake Out+3
4010010Normal
Lv 24
Punishment
1005Dark
Lv 26
Knock Off
6510020Dark
Lv 29
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
Lv 31
Confuse Ray
10010Ghost
Lv 34
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic
Lv 36
Power Gem
8010020Rock
Lv 39
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
Lv 41
Foul Play
9510015Dark
Lv 44
Quash
10015Dark
Lv 46
Mean Look
5Normal

TM Moves

Src
TM40
Aerial Ace
6020Flying
TM45
Attract
10015Normal
TM31
Brick Break
7510015Fighting
TM04
Calm Mind
20Psychic
TM100
Confide
20Normal
HM01
Cut
509530Normal
TM97
Dark Pulse
8010015Dark
TM99
Dazzling Gleam
8010010Fairy
TM28
Dig
8010010Ground
TM32
Double Team
15Normal
TM85
Dream Eater
10010015Psychic
TM63
Embargo
10015Dark
TM42
Facade
7010020Normal
TM70
Flash
10020Normal
TM56
Fling
10010Dark
TM21
Frustration
10020Normal
TM10
Hidden Power
6010015Normal
TM01
Hone Claws
15Dark
TM59
Incinerate
6010015Fire
TM47
Low Sweep
6510020Fighting
TM66
Payback
5010010Dark
TM84
Poison Jab
8010020Poison
TM98
Power-Up Punch
4010020Fighting
TM17
Protect+4
10Normal
TM77
Psych Up
10Normal
TM29
Psychic
9010010Psychic
TM60
Quash
10015Dark
TM18
Rain Dance
5Water
TM44
Rest
10Psychic
TM67
Retaliate
701005Normal
TM27
Return
10020Normal
HM06
Rock Smash
4010015Fighting
TM39
Rock Tomb
609515Rock
TM48
Round
6010015Normal
TM94
Secret Power
7010020Normal
TM30
Shadow Ball
8010015Ghost
TM65
Shadow Claw
7010015Ghost
TM88
Sleep Talk
10Normal
TM95
Snarl
559515Dark
TM90
Substitute
10Normal
TM11
Sunny Day
5Fire
TM87
Swagger
9015Normal
TM12
Taunt
10020Dark
TM46
Thief
6010025Dark
TM41
Torment
10015Dark
TM06
Toxic
9010Poison
TM61
Will-O-Wisp
8515Fire

Egg Moves

Src
Egg
Captivate
10020Normal
Egg
Feint+2
3010010Normal
Egg
Flatter
10015Dark
Egg
Imprison
10Psychic
Egg
Mean Look
5Normal
Egg
Metal Burst
10010Steel
Egg
Moonlight
5Fairy
Egg
Nasty Plot
20Dark
Egg
Recover
10Normal
Egg
Sucker Punch+1
801005Dark
Egg
Trick
10010Psychic

Tutor Moves

Src
Tutor
Fire Punch
7510015Fire
Tutor
Focus Punch-3
15010020Fighting
Tutor
Foul Play
9510015Dark
Tutor
Gravity
5Psychic
Tutor
Ice Punch
7510015Ice
Tutor
Icy Wind
559515Ice
Tutor
Knock Off
6510020Dark
Tutor
Low Kick
10020Fighting
Tutor
Magic Coat+4
15Psychic
Tutor
Pain Split
20Normal
Tutor
Role Play
10Psychic
Tutor
Shock Wave
6020Electric
Tutor
Signal Beam
7510015Bug
Tutor
Snatch+4
10Dark
Tutor
Snore
5010015Normal
Tutor
Spite
10010Ghost
Tutor
Thunder Punch
7510015Electric
Tutor
Trick
10010Psychic
Tutor
Water Pulse
6010020Water
Tutor
Wonder Room
10Psychic
Tutor
Zen Headbutt
809015Psychic

Transfer Moves

Src
Gen 3
Body Slam
8510015Normal
Gen 3
Counter-5
10020Fighting
Gen 3
Double-Edge
12010015Normal
Gen 3
Dynamic Punch
100505Fighting
Gen 4
Endure+4
10Normal
Gen 4
Fury Cutter
409520Bug
Gen 4
Headbutt
7010015Normal
Gen 3
Mega Kick
120755Normal
Gen 3
Mega Punch
808520Normal
Gen 3
Metronome
10Normal
Gen 3
Mimic
10Normal
Gen 4
Mud-Slap
2010010Ground
Gen 4
Natural Gift
10015Normal
Gen 4
Ominous Wind
601005Ghost
Gen 3
Seismic Toss
10020Fighting
Gen 5
Telekinesis
15Psychic

Sableye's scattered across 7 spots in early-game routes with high spawn rates. Check the list below for the closest location to wherever you are in the game. This one's quick.

Best Locations

You can find Sableye through 7 walking encounters at Lv. 6-46. The list is sorted by game progression, so the earliest accessible spots show up first.

Granite Cave - Area 3
GrassLv.10-1210%EarlyCave
MODERATE
Granite Cave - Area 3
GrassLv.65%EarlyCaveHorde battle
CHALLENGING
Cave of Origin - Inside
GrassLv.33-3636%LateCave
EFFORTLESS
Victory Road - Area 1
GrassLv.4010%LateCave
MODERATE
Victory Road - Area 2
GrassLv.4010%LateCave
MODERATE
Victory Road - Area 3
GrassLv.4010%LateCave
MODERATE
Sky Pillar - 1F-5F
GrassLv.44-466%LateBuilding
CHALLENGING
  • 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.