This isn't some sort of master plan or anything, but I want to know what people think. The strategy goes as follows: predict something using a sleep move, and send in something that knows only sleep talk and explosion. Azelf would probably be good at this, especially with a choice band, due to its nice speed and attack. Of course, if the sleeper happens to be any ghost, this plan won't work very well, but if your playing with sleep clause, you can switch in a counter to that pokemon, and send in Azelf later to make them eat a pretty strong explosion. I know it might be kind of a waste of a pokemon, but then again it could ruin their status inducing pokemon very easily.

Yeah, this is a well-known tactic. They aren't absurdly common or anything though. That's because one Pokemon is going to have to waste a moveslot for Sleep Talk. With that said, this strategy isn't for every Pokemon, especially frail ones. Mainly cuz frail Pokemon are generally very good sweepers. Your Azelf idea sounds nice, since it's exploding, so it's not like it's going to live very long anyway, but it's just that you kinda waste it. In a way, you made Hypnosis become an instant KO move. Btw, one of the most common sleepers just happen to be a ghost type (Gengar).

Also, the likelihood that Azelf will pick explosion is rather slim. If Sleep Talk and Explosion are the only moves, then you wasted a team member, since its ONLY role would be to absorb sleep and/or explode. If you give it other moves, then making it become a sleep absorber wouldn't be the wisest idea, because then you can't choose the move you want. This is the reason why frail pokemon aren't used as sweepers, because then it'll be easier to slaughter. Ex with Azelf: 1) Nasty Plotting when you don't want to 2) Using Grass Knot on Heatran ( ), etc.

Now, I'm not against exploding Azelf or any Pokemon for that matter (I'm all for it, actually), but when you think of your team, there really isn't a reason why you'd give it Sleep Talk AND Explosion. It just leaves everything up to chance; Explosion as the only move? I don't think so. Moves alongside Explosion? No, because what if you explode when you don't want to? Or don't explode when you needed to?

Now, there ARE some good sleep absorbers, like Machamp, Milotic, Zapdos, and pretty much any Pokemon that uses either Sleep Talk and/or Rest. This is because 1. They're bulky 2. They use rest and sleep talk. 3. They have no better moves. 4. Has an ability that benefits from being asleep/statused. It could be a combination of any of these. A Pokemon with an activated Toxic or Flame Orb could absorb status as well.

All-in-all, it's a good strategy, especially since sleep is one of the most crippling statuses.

What if you also gave Azelf Uproar and U-turn?

U-Turn is a good move, but what does that have to do with Sleep Talk and Rest? The thing with Uproar is that it's in the same boat along with Explosion (minus the great damage potential); the chances of you waking up are rather slim if you choose to use more than 2 moves (sleep talk and uproar), but if you use 2 moves, it's just stupid.

Also, remember that Uproar is really weak, compared to his other options, and Azelf is really frail as well, so even if you do wake up using Uproar, you might not deal enough damage to accomplish anything, then you're going to have to take a hit, which will most likely kill you. As far as I can tell, the only advantage of waking up due to Uproar is for NEXT turn, since only then can you attack with a move of your choice.

If you MUST use Sleep Talk, I'd avoid Uproar.

Or, just use a pokemon like lucario that has moves to counter dark,psychic, and ghost pokemon, since they are the most common wtih sleep inducing moves.

I run into alot of lead hypnosis gengar....what works well vs them and pretty much any lead sleeper that is not faster. Lum Berry Alakazam, he can take the sleep move wake up and psychic gengar to death, and he is good enough to cause some trouble for any incoming poke barring weavile.

Catcuar, why do you necro so many threads? I thought cactuars are supposed to bring threads to page 10