How to Counter Sableye in the Pokémon TCG Meta Decks

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Sableye card art from Guardians Rising (SM2-80) illustrated by Aya Kusube

Image courtesy of TCGdex.net

Countering Sableye: Strategies for the Expanded Meta

Sableye from the Guardians Rising expansion (SM2-80) is a small but sly presence on the table. This Basic Darkness-type Pokémon brings a deceptively simple toolkit: 60 HP, two concise attacks, and a tendency to disrupt the flow of your turn. Illustrated by Aya Kusube, this Uncommon card sits at the crossroads of tempo and patience. Its first attack, Limitation, costs Darkness and prevents your opponent from playing any Supporter cards from their hand on the next turn. That’s a powerful mental lever in a game that often hinges on supporter-driven draws and engine setups. The second attack, Scratch, is a straightforward 20 damage for a Colorless energy—adequate for chipping away at fragile bench targets, but the real tension comes from the strategic stall Sableye can attempt with that Limitation ability. In the expanded format, where a broader toolbox is legal, Sableye can become a pivot point in decks designed to out-resource or out-tempo the opponent.

Card snapshot: Sableye (Guardians Rising SM2-80)

  • Card name: Sableye
  • Set: Guardians Rising (SM2)
  • Rarity: Uncommon
  • HP: 60
  • Type: Darkness
  • Stage: Basic
  • Attacks: Limitation (Darkness) — Your opponent can’t play any Supporter cards from their hand during their next turn. Scratch (Colorless) — 20
  • Retreat: 1
  • Illustrator: Aya Kusube
  • Legal in Expanded: Yes; Standard is not legal for this print

With its low HP and a single-turn lockdown threat, Sableye rewards aggressive plan-building and cunning timing. The data behind the card—its Dark-type identity layered with a modest 60 HP and an unconventional two-attack profile—paints a clear picture: this is a card built to disrupt, not to overwhelm in sheer damage. For players studying the current meta, the presence of a Limitation attack means you’ll want to map out how you’ll manage your own crucial turns while resisting the urge to over-commit to heavy supporter-driven draws that your opponent can hobble next turn. The Expanded-legal status of Sableye also means there are countless older and newer tools you can leverage to counter or sidestep its stall game, depending on what your deck is trying to accomplish.

Strategic approaches to beat Sableye

  • Pressure with quick KO lines. Sableye’s 60 HP makes it an easy target for many basic or low-cost attackers. Prioritize strategies that can KO on the same turn you bench Sableye or on the turn after using Limitation. The faster you remove Sableye, the sooner the threat of the supporter-lock vanishes from the table.
  • Maximize bench tempo and board presence. Because Limitation only affects the next turn, maintaining a consistent barrage of threats on the bench can force your opponent into a reactive position. In Expanded formats, you’ll find a wider array of options to stall or overwhelm with multi-prize pressure—use that versatility to keep executing your plan even if one play is disrupted.
  • Seek non-Supporter draw and search options. With Sableye effectively denying a chunk of the opponent’s supporter draw on the next turn, you can time your own draw and search engines to stay ahead. Rely on items or alternative engine pieces that don’t hinge on supporters—this helps you maintain momentum when your opponent’s Limitation lingers in mind.
  • Selective targeting and resource management. In an Expanded environment, you’ll want to curate your own resource gains so that losing a single turn to a supporter lock doesn’t derail your plan. Focus on maintaining the threat level and ensuring you have the right tool to transition into your late game.

Collector insight: value and accessibility

As an Uncommon from a widely printed set, Sableye is a budget-friendly staple for many collectors and players alike. The card’s price history in recent markets shows distinct tiers between non-holo and holo variants. On Cardmarket, normal copies hover in the very low euro range (average around 0.06 EUR, with lows near 0.02 EUR), while holo versions sit higher, averaging around 0.21 EUR with a low near 0.08 EUR and a possible spike up to the double digits for rare printings. On TCGPlayer, the standard non-holo troughs around a few cents to a couple of dimes, with a market price near 0.34 USD for common market copies and higher values for reverse-holo copies (averaging about 0.35 USD, with highs approaching several dollars in rare cases). The holo print can command markedly higher premiums when sought after by collectors, particularly in complete-set or high-foil contexts. Being Expanded-legal, Sableye remains a practical, affordable option for those building playable decks and budget-minded collections alike. The characterful Aya Kusube illustration adds a touch of artistry that fans often appreciate—an extra incentive for collectors who chase holo and reverse-holo variants for Guardians Rising runs.

For players who value theme and lore, Sableye embodies a mischievous, gem-gleaming trickster vibe that fits neatly into Darkness-themed lines. The combination of a stall-oriented first attack and a modest offense invites creative deck-building explorations: how can you align your engine with the tempo you want to set, while still respecting the expanded legality and the ever-shifting meta? It’s this blend of strategy, collecting value, and storytelling that keeps Sableye a memorable fixture in guardians-rise era decks and beyond ⚡🔥💎.

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