Overview[]
Sabrina is the Gym Leader of the Saffron Gym. She uses Psychic types.
In Pokemon Red and Blue, her team is composed by Kadabra, Venomoth, Mr.Mime and Alakazam. Kadabra is level 38 and knows Disable, Psybeam, Recover and Psychic, Venomoth is level 37 and knows PoisonPowder, Leech Life, Stun Spore and Psybeam, Mr.Mime is level 38 and knows Confusion, Barrier, Light Screen and DoubleSlap, while Alakazam is level 43 and knows Psybeam, Recover, Psywave and Reflect. In Yellow, she has a team composed by Abra, Kadabra and Alakazam, all at level 50. Abra knows Teleport and Flash, Kadabra knows Psychic, Recover, Kinesis and Psywave, while Alakazam knows Psychic, Psywave, Reflect and Recover.
Upon being defeated, Sabrina hands the Marsh Badge, TM46 Psywave and 4257 (Red and Blue)/4950 (Yellow) Poké Dollars.
Tips for beating Sabrina[]
- Know your enemy: Her ace is one of the best Psychic types, sporting a scary Base 135 Special and Base 120 Speed stats, meaning that you'll have to be very careful when dealing with it (and it will outspeed most Pokemon available at that point of the game). Thankfully, it also possesses a scarce physical bulk, due to a Base 45 Defense and Base 55 Hp stats.
- Venomoth is a wildcard (Red and Blue only): Do not underestimate Venomoth, it knows Leech Life (despite its low base power) to counter eventual Psychic types you'll bring in, Psybeam to fit with the team and PoisonPowder/Stun Spore to dispense some status, potentially leaving you in trouble for the time Alakazam enters the field if you aren't equipped with Antidotes/Paralyz Heals.
- Powder moves are useful for support: It is likely you'll have acquired a Pokemon capable to learn status inducing moves: Thunder Wave/Stun Spore will cripple the opponents' speed, with every turn a 30% chance of paralysis to kick in and leave them unable to attack; Hypnosis/Sleep Powder allows you to attack safely (since it's Generation 1, waking up will waste a turn as well); Poison Powder will be helpful to inflict some extra damage or to stall the opponent to KO, provided you can allow yourself to stall.
- X items are useful, don't be afraid to resort to them: Despite being rarely used, X items can help a lot if you lack proper counters to Sabrina's team: X Speed can allow to outspeed the fast and powerful Abra liners; X Attack boosts your Pokemon's physical attack, thus raising the chances to potentially OHKO Alakazam; X Special is also helpful to withstand Psychic attacks, but do remember Crits ignore the target's defensive boosts. This strategy is notably effective in Yellow, where Abra knows no offensive moves and therefore can be used to set up for a sweep.
- Play smart, her team is physically frail: Psychic types are weak to Bug moves, but they're either pretty weak (Leech Life) or limited in their distribution (Twineedle, Pin Missile) to the point where strong physical moves like Body Slam and Earthquake outdamage them by a wide margin, and Sabrina's team is weaker on the physical side. Don't be afraid of the TM investment, embrace it!
- X Accuracies can save your life (Yellow only): A single X Accuracy allows a Pokemon to hit its target, regardless of Accuracy and Evasion modifiers; a really useful tip, since Abra and Kadabra can and will resort to use Flash/Kinesis!
- Be careful, confusion status may pop in! (Red and Blue only): Remember that every one of her Pokemon carries a move with a chance to cause confusion (Psybeam/Confusion), so be ready to switch out or heal in case a self hit is a bit too much.
- Don't underestimate Psywave!: Despite not being very useful to a nuzlocker due to its damage variance, Psywave can be either lethal or annoying to deal with: its damage is equal to a number between 0,5 and 1,5, multiplied for the user's level. That means that at maximum damage, it inflicts 64/75 (Red and Blue/Yellow) Hp!
- Watch out for Reflect!: Alakazam may use Reflect, which will double its Defense, bringing it from poor to decent levels, thus making it harder to defeat if you're using physical moves. Yet, critical hits will ignore every defensive buff, Reflect included.
Good Pokémon to Use[]
- Charizard: A good Attack stat, the permacrit Slash and Flamethrower to roast Venomoth with. Go ahead and have fun, but watch out for crits, since Alakazam won't go down to a single Slash (unless it spams Recover, it's a 2HKO), it will likely outspeed, and its Special makes even a crit Psybeam a certain OHKO.
- Kadabra/Alakazam:Typing and that wonderful Special stat, combined with TM support in the form of Thunder Wave and Seismic Toss for a bit of support and reliable damage.
- Parasect: Decent Special and a good Attack stat, coupled with STAB Leech Life for a bit of recovery, Spore (which is a must-have and a must-use) and powerful physical TMs. Still, watch out for crits and status, since this Pokemon isn't fast.
- Clefable/Wigglytuff: Bulky, with access to a good number of STAB moves (Body Slam, Mega Punch, Take Down/Double Edge...), Sing by level and Thunder Wave by TM.
- Hypno : Typing, high Special, Hypnosis and a decent Attack stat make it a very good counter to this matchup, but it's very likely it will be outsped.
- Gyarados:A high Attack and Special stats, all coupled with a good number of physical TMs, so have fun destroying the Gym, even if you'll be outsped.
- Dodrio: STAB Drill Peck/Take Down is enough to KO the opponents. Just be careful of Alakazam, since it will outspeed and this bird is a sweeper and not a tank; consider overlevelling if you want to be sure to outspeed it.
- Pidgeot It may be risky, but Pidgeot is still a viable candidate for this matchup, mainly thanks to powerful STAB in the form of Fly/Take Down and the priority Quick Attack. Yet, be always at high health and remember crits exist.
- Flareon: High Special and even higher Attack stats are the tickets to your victory, coupled with a bit of TM coverage (Dig, Body Slam, Take Down/Double Edge...). You won't outspeed, so always keep an eye on your health and watch out for crits tho, even if a crit Psybeam won't be able to OHKO from full health.
- Arcanine: High Attack and a good Special allow it to dish out high damage, thanks to its STAB and a bit of TM investment. Depending on IVs and damage deviation, you might be even able to withstand a crit from Alakazam.
- Ninetales: High Special and a good Attack allow it to dish out high damage, thanks to STAB Flamethrower and a bit of TM investment in the form of a strong physical attack. Yet, depending on IVs and damage deviation, Alakazam's Psybeam can spell doom if it crits.
- Rapidash: Fast and with an high Attack, add a bit of physical TMs and you can make it easily, plus, a crit Psybeam from Alakazam won't be enough to OHKO you from full health.
- Snorlax: Let's see, it's got the bulk and an high attack, the G1 broken Amnesia (just remember its boosts will be ignored in the case of a critical hit), STAB Body Slam and access to powerful physical TMs... Yes, this is another ideal Pokemon to deal with Sabrina's team.
- Slowbro: Typing, Stats and the broken Amnesia (in Red and Blue, Slowbro learns it at level 44). You're pretty much set, but don't forget that a crit still hurts.
- Lapras: High bulk and access to Body Slam and STAB Ice Beam (plus Psychic by TM if you're playing Red/Blue) allow it to tank a few hits and dish some damage back, even Freezehaxxing your opponents if RNG feels benevolent.
- Exeggutor: Typing, bulk and access to supporting moves in the form of Hypnosis/Sleep Powder and Leech Seed, all together with a nice TM movepool (Psychic, Mega Drain, Body Slam...). In Red and Blue, watch out for Venomoth's STAB 4x SE Leech Life though, since it will outspeed.
- Dugtrio: A fast physical sweeper, with STAB Dig/Earthquake and permacrit Slash allow it to inflict high damage, likely 2HKOing the opponents; yet, remember it is also a frail Pokemon, so don't hesitate to overlevel or use a X item to outspeed the ace, since a crit Psybeam from it is a 100% OHKO and Slash will 2HKO at most.
- Tauros: Another fast physical sweeper, sporting a decent special bulk and a wide STAB accessibility via TM. Once again, be careful of Alakazam, a crit coming from it has an high chance to spell your doom.
- Scyther: High Attack and Speed stats, 100% critrate Slash (which is a 2HKO on Venomoth and Alakazam), Quick Attack for the outspeeding Alakazam and further boosting power via Swords Dance and Agility. Be careful of crits all the time though, a crit Psybeam from Alakazam is a OHKO even from full health.
- Kangaskhan: High Hp stat, decent attack and speed, plus wide coverage and STAB availability via TM, but always be aware of Alakazam's crits, since your special isn't high at all.
- Chansey: Extremely high special bulk, courtesy of its high Special and monstrous Hp stats, allow it to tank everything, even if Psychic scores a Special drop or two. Chansey is the best candidate to stall everything to death (bar Venomoth, which should be taken on by another teammate) via a combination of Toxic+Double Team/Softboiled or to just simply dish back damage via STAB moves.
- Starmie: Typing, stats and access to Recover allow you to take on everything thanks to its STAB Surf (which will 2HKO everything bar Alakazam, a 3HKO instead) and even spread some support via Toxic/Thunder Wave's TM (or Ice Beam's freezehax).