[OVERVIEW]
With the 21st-lowest BST, Cleffa appears totally useless. However its borderline viability is derived only from its access to Magic Guard and Counter. With Magic Guard, Cleffa can switch into entry hazards without impairment, preserving its Focus Sash. Cleffa's absurdly low BST can somewhat work to its advantage due to Counter; Cleffa's paper-mache defenses normally would be an extreme detriment, as even weak neutral attacks can 2HKO, but instead Cleffa is able to make great use of them with a guaranteed Focus Sash and Counter. Since even resisted attacks are extremely punishing for Cleffa, Counter allows it to inflict a massive retaliation. Access to Endeavor complements Cleffa's pitiful stats, allowing it to cripple slower Pokemon after it has been heavily damaged. Thunder Wave furthers how annoying Cleffa is, allowing only Electric-immune Pokemon to reliably switch in without detriment. Cleffa has notably larger downsides than the two premier catch-all stops--—Abra and Magnemite— such as being completely shut down by the common Ghost-types Gastly and Drifloon, having a very minimal offensive presence, and the simple fact that Cleffa needs to be brutally attacked to be an effective member of the team.
[SET]
name: Counter
move 1: Counter
move 2: Endeavor
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Encore
item: Focus Sash
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Hasty Nature
evs: 196 HP / 76 SpA / 236 Spe
ivs: 3 Def / 9 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Endeavor and Counter are what barely make this set more than a gimmick, allowing Cleffa to completely incapacitate a wall after it has taken a strong attack. Endeavor also allows Cleffa to remove all non-Ghost-types or Substitute-using special sweepers when paired with Thunder Wave. Thunder Wave is useful for punishing switch-ins and allowing Cleffa to rely less on prediction when choosing to use Endeavor or Encore. Encore is extremely useful for crippling the few sweepers that set up on Cleffa, notably users of Substitute that otherwise completely shut down the set. Encore also allows bulkier sweepers, such as Bulk Up Timburr, to be managed as well as serving to give Cleffa something proactive to do against these Pokemon, and allows Cleffa to not lose all momentum.
Set Details
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Magic Guard prevents Cleffa from prematurely breaking its Focus Sash—all but guaranteeing a retaliation from Cleffa. The HP investment allows Cleffa to absorb the largest amount of damage possible in order to double it back with Counter. The lowered Defense IVs and a Hasty nature means that even resisted attacks do considerable amount, perfect for powering up Counter, while the lowered Special Defense IVs allow Cleffa to lose more HP for Endeavor. The Speed EVs allow Cleffa to hit 12 Speed, outspeeding Download Porygon, Snubbull, and all slower walls, allowing it to get off an Endeavor or Encore on these targets.
Usage Tips
========
The set revolves around taking advantage of Counter and Endeavor to effectively cripple or outright KO a majority of the tier. Little Cup is composed predominantly by physical attackers, allowing Cleffa to match up comfortably versus a large percentage of the tier. When using Cleffa, be sure to preserve its Focus Sash by never switching into any attacks with it. Know what your targets are, and if these Pokemon are mixed attackers. In the case of either an either special or mixed attacker, Thunder Wave is the safest option to click, and should be followed up with Endeavor. Encore should be used to manage bulkier sweepers, such as Bulk Up Timburr, and help maintain momentum versus Pokemon setting up Substitute. However, Cleffa does need to be wary when dealing with the likes of Shellder, Rock Blast Omanyte, Calm Mind Drifloon, Honedge, and Snivy running Substitute, as all of these sweepers are largely indifferent to Cleffa's presence.
Team Options
========
Cleffa has the best synergy with Pokemon that are powerful attackers but can be setup bait for intimidating sweepers, especially those that would require a backup plan, such as Choice Scarf Bunnelby, Stunky, and Archen. Teddiursa, Mienfoo, and Snover also pair well with Cleffa due to how often these give up free turns or are just too weak to prevent opposing Pokemon from settin up, and thus give Cleffa reason to be on the team. Additionally, Cleffa can completely cripple otherwise solid answers to these Pokemon with Endeavor. Drifloon counters--—such as Chinchou, Amaura, Munchlax, Ponyta, and Porygon&mdash are musts when Cleffa is being used, as these help to counteract Cleffa's inability to harm Drifloon and prevents your team from being overwhelmed by it. Stunky, Munchlax, and other Pursuit trappers trap and remove Gastly, producing a reduced opportunity cost for using Cleffa and again offset Cleffa's inability to handle Ghost-types. Pokemon with pivoting moves—Mienfoo, Elekid, and Deerling in particular--—can help lure in slower walls for Cleffa to take advantage of after its Focus Sash is broken. Fletchling has a tendency to give Pawniard and most Shell Smash users free turns to set up, meaning Cleffa is rather helpful for subduing these opponents and potentially Endeavoring down a wall for Fletchling; Fletchling also can pivot Cleffa into slower bulkier walls while also revenge killing the strongest Cleffa counters. Cleffa's Endeavor has notably great synergy with Snover, Amaura, and Hippopotas, KOing the foe in tandem with the weather effects while Cleffa avoids damage. In certain cases a powerful attacker--—such as Fletchling, Corphish, Gastly, and Ponyta—might be required to follow up Cleffa to remove a particularly troublesome setup sweeper, though generally these Pokemon have greater synergy with Cleffa outside of just this use.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Cleffa does not have many alternative options other than this set; of the two Cleffa has, neither are really great. Icy Wind can be used in the last slot to further harass switch-ins, allowing Elekid, Gastly, Drifloon, and setup Pokemon to be more easily revenge killed and prevents their setup but is almost always less useful than Encore or Thunder Wave. Hidden Power Fighting can also be run semi-effectively in order to catch Pawniard and Magnemite on the switch in for a large sum of damage; however, it fails to outright OHKO either and very infrequently would this be handy. If you do choose to run Hidden Power Fighting the IVs need to be adjusted to 2 Def / 30 SpA / 2 SpD / 30 Spe for the set to still maintain functionality.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Faster Pokemon**: Due to the functions of this set, Cleffa will usually be picked off or forced out after it has achieved its purpose. Once a sweeper or threatening wallbreaker has been crippled or KOed, anything reaching 13 Speed or higher will check Cleffa.
**Ghost-types with Substitute**: Gastly will always be particularly threatening to Cleffa, as it is unaffected by both Counter and Endeavor while being indifferent to Cleffa's common attacks. Substitute can get around Thunder Wave as well, meaning all Cleffa can do is Encore, though Gastly can outright attack Cleffa and beat it. Drifloon performs similarly, though being weak to the extremely rare Icy Wind. Both of the Ghost-types do have to avoid Thunder Wave as they come in, however.
**Electric-types**: Electric-types are irksome to Cleffa, as they can viably run Berry Juice to be largely unaffected by Endeavor, are immune to Thunder Wave, and are typically special attackers. Chinchou and Magnemite can pivot around Cleffa's attacks and are unaffected by Counter and Thunder Wave and unfazed by Encore.
**Unpredictability**: The honest most reliable way to beat Cleffa is to have anything with an unexpected move. For example, a random Substitute can be threatening to Cleffa, as can unexpected special coverage on a physical attacker. Most unordinary sets or unpredictable pokemon will threaten and beat Cleffa if they avoid Thunder Wave.
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