It's been said before, but with the survey coming up, I just want to reiterate some points from a few pages back regarding sleep. For most of the player base, discussion about sleep moves/sleep clause in Gen 9 OU did not start until Darkrai started running the move. And it's clear to see why. Just to break down why Darkrai, particularly the lead Focus Sash set, is the issue and not Sleep:
- The most meta status absorbers (Gliscor, Gholdengo) have losing matchups into Darkrai. Gholdengo in particular has strong matchups into Ninetales-Alola and Iron Valiant, the other strong users of Hypnosis.
- Lead Darkrai's speed tier + Focus Sash guarantees it is able to roll the Hypnosis lottery at least once. Iron Valiant must use Booster, removing a layer of security for missing Hypnosis.
- Darkrai has Nasty Plot. This means that it can boost its power at double the rate of CM Iron Valiant, the other offensive user of Hypnosis. (I have yet to see SD Hypnosis Valiant.)
- No other sleep move user is particularly strong at this time. Iron Valiant is the weakest it's ever been, and would rather have Encore or coverage in its last moveslot. Ninetales-Alola is similarly at an all-time low, and has opportunity cost in using Hypnosis (either allowing opposing weather to be set, not clicking Veil immediately, or wasting a Veil turn to roll for sleep). Amoonguss struggles to find targets for Spore in a Gliscor meta, and even if it does vs. Offense, Amoonguss cannot itself generate offensive pressure after landing its sleep move. Gholdengo is less popular than it used to be, but is nonetheless a huge hurdle for Valiant, A-Ninetales, and Amoonguss alike.
I have no issue with Sleep Clause not being perfectly replicable on cartridge. PS is a simulator, after all. Removing a status mechanic from the game because Sleep Clause is "unfaithful" to the cartridge experience is silly; Smogon's ban list is not even replicable on cartridge. Sleep is no more uncompetitive than paralysis, imo, but when used to exert offensive pressure, it elevates an otherwise balanced mon to uncompetitive levels. I see a Darkrai suspect as the correct move at this time, not a Sleep ban.