Clefable (Update)

Xia said:

[Overview]
<p>Clefable's massive movepool and unique ability make it hard to classify [deleted]. Most trainers focus on making Clefable a team supporter, whether it be through the use of Encore, status moves like Toxic and Thunder Wave, Wish support, dual screens, or Heal Bell/Aromatherapy. Some of Clefable's lesser-seen roles are as a physical sweeper, Tricker, and mixed wall breaker. Most of the time, though, it's safe to assume Clefable won't be using any attacks other than Seismic Toss.</p>

[SET]

name: Encore
move 1: Encore
move 2: Softboiled / Wish
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Thunder Wave / Aromatherapy
item: Flame Orb / Leftovers
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 100 SpD / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Clefable uses Encore to stop many Pokemon cold, such as stat boosters and entry hazard users. The secondary options in the second and fourth moveslots provide more team support than the primary options, and can be used quite effectively should your team be in need of a cleric. Taunt [deleted] stops this set cold, as does bad prediction; hitting a switch-in with Encore instead of Thunder Wave could spell doom for Clefable.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Clefable may be looked at as a poor man's Chansey, but this set works completely differently from the pink blob thanks to one move: Encore. Encore completely cripples stat boosters like Nasty Plot Mismagius, status inducers like Will-O-Wisp Spiritomb, and layers of entry hazards [deleted ,] like Steelix and Registeel.</p>

<p>Depending on how team-oriented you'd like Clefable to be, Softboiled and Wish are both great recovery options available to it. Seismic Toss provides consistent damage to everything (excluding Ghost-types) and is the best attack it has against walls, like Registeel. Thunder Wave spreads around status and lets Clefable's Encore cripple Pokemon later in the match much more easily. Aromatherapy lets Clefable be more of a team supporter, ridding your sweepers of all status effects. Flame Orb allows Clefable to evade status itself (most notably paralysis), while Leftovers provides extra gradual recovery [deleted].</p>

<p>An alternate spread of 252 HP / 252 Special Defense with a Calm nature will allow Clefable to tank some of the heaviest special attacks in the game.</p>

<p>Since Encore causes a lot of switches, entry hazards are a great way of racking up some free damage. Helpful Stealth Rock users include Donphan, Registeel, and Steelix (Clefable, too, if you can find a spot in its moveset). Donphan may be the best choice overall, since both of the Steel choices share a Fighting-type weakness with Clefable, and with Rapid Spinning Hitmontop on the loose, Close Combat isn't something you want to have a weakness to. Spikers include Froslass, Cloyster, and Omastar; again, be wary of stacking Fighting-type weaknesses. Toxic Spikes, though helpful in most other situations, isn't really welcome when Thunder Wave is part of the moveset, so it's best to omit it from your team strategy if this is the Clefable for your team.</p>

<p>Rapid Spinners, especially Foresight Hitmontop pretty much wreck this set. Ghost-types like Mismagius and Spiritomb are great candidates to block Spins, though Foresight can cause problems. For this reason, it may be in your best interest to carry a speedy Pokemon with access to a Flying- or Psychic-type attack to remove Hitmontop from the equation altogether. Since Foresight will be the move you switch in on, sweepers like Honchkrow and Espeon are fairly good decisions, although your counters should be able to take a Mach Punch and stay standing, as it's a featured move on nearly every Hitmontop.</p>

[SET]

name: Wishful Stalling
move 1: Wish
move 2: Protect / Cosmic Power
move 3: Seismic Toss
move 4: Toxic / Aromatherapy
item: Leftovers
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Toxic and the combination of Wish and Protect is very effective against just about any non-Steel-type wall. Cosmic Power is a much lesser option, but boosting both of your defenses can be useful on this set as well. If you already have Toxic Spikes support, Aromatherapy can be used instead of Toxic to keep Clefable healthy. Hail and sandstorm support can make Clefable's job much easier; OU is where this set realy shines, thanks to the many auto-weather inducers that reside there.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Stalling is one of the big reasons to use Clefable over Chansey and Blissey. Immunity to entry hazards, immunity to status effects like poison and burn, and a reliable recovery move make Clefable one of the sturdiest walls in the game. Wish + Protect wastes two turns instead of the one Softboiled does, while Toxic slowly chips away at your opponent's HP. Cosmic Power increases both of Clefable's defenses, though it puts you at risk against pseudo-Hazers. Seismic Toss provides a reliable attack on all Pokemon except Ghost-types. Aromatherapy is very useful, especially when your team is up against the likes of double status Rotom or a Toxic abuser.</p>

<p>Residual damage is the greatest addition to this set, bar none. Toxic Spikes, in particular, is a great asset, since they are the easiest way of causing Toxic-esque poison without wasting a moveslot. Drapion and the previously mentioned Cloyster both are great Toxic Spikers, though Drapion may be the better choice because it lacks a Fighting-type weakness. Toxic Spikes can also be absorbed by Poison-type Pokemon, so having a counter to the most common Poison-types (Drapion, and Toxicroak) is a good idea. Donphan is able to handle these Pokemon reliably, bashing Toxicroak and Drapion with STAB Earthquake.</p>

<p>This set really shines in OU, where fully evolved weather inducers like Abomasnow, Hippowdon, and Tyranitar reside. Hail is by far the best weather to start up in this tier, due in part to the vast number of Ground-, Steel-, and Rock-types that would otherwise receive stat boosts. Be wary of Fighting-types, though, if you decide to use a hail team, because Clefable will be sharing this weakness with every Ice-type Pokemon you include on your team.</p>

[SET]

name: Toxic Orb Abuse
move 1: Protect
move 2: Facade
move 3: Meteor Mash / Fire Blast
move 4: Softboiled / Wish
item: Toxic Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Toxic Orb provides status with no drawbacks, enabling Clefbale to fire off full-powered Facades with no ill side effects. During the first turn Clefable is in, it won't be poisoned, so use Protect to stay at full health. Fire Blast enables Clefable to hit Steel-types who may try to wall you, although an alternate spread of 196 HP / 216 Atk / 96 SpA / 4 Spe with a Mild nature is necessary [why?]. This set works fairly well in the lead slot, although Ghost-type leads and defensive leads like Uxie can survive long enough to pull off their strategies.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This is one of the best options if you plan on leading with Clefable. On the first turn always Protect; it allows Toxic Orb to activate, keeps you from taking damage, and can help scout your opponent’s lead. Facade then becomes a 140 Base Power STAB attack, capable of OHKOing a vast majority of the most common leads in UU. The choice between Meteor Mash and Fire Blast is really a pick-your-poison decision. Meteor Mash takes care of Regirock, in addition to possibly adding an Attack boost, but opens you up to Steel-types like Registeel and Steelix. Fire Blast resolves this problem, but has less PP and lower accuracy, which really becomes a problem against Pressure users like Moltres and Spiritomb. If you do choose Fire Blast, adopt a new EV spread of 196 HP / 216 Atk / 96 SpA / 4 Spe with a Mild nature to guarantee a 2HKO on 252/252 Sassy Steelix with Stealth Rock damage.</p>

<p>For a [deleted] good list of Pokemon this Clefable will be facing, take a look at the statistics; being prepared for certain leads will help you in the long run. Common leads in today’s UU metagame include Froslass, Ambipom, and Uxie.</p>

<p>Froslass leads are intent on doing two things: setting up Spikes and Taunting their foe so they cannot set up themselves. Thankfully, either of Clefable's secondary attacks hits for super effective damage, taking down Froslass before it has time to set up more than two layer of Spikes.</p>

<p>Ambipom carries Fake Out for the first turn, though it’s really a wasted moveslot against Clefable if Ambipom decides to stay in, thanks to the immunity provided by Protect. Payback does little damage since you’re not switching out or moving first, and Low Kick can be absorbed if you predict well and use Softboiled on that turn or Wish the turn before. Again, without Focus Sash, Ambipom will be OHKOed by Facade.</p>

<p>Uxie will most likely start the battle by setting up Stealth Rock, followed by U-turn or Psychic [deleted]. Since few Uxie actually run Focus Sash, Clefable does get a chance to score some big hits on the defensive pixie. The problem, though, is that Uxie tends to be a very bulky lead and has no problem setting up on Clefable [deleted].</p>

<p>Ghost-types are typical switch-ins to Facade Clefable, so having something to counter Spiritomb, Rotom, and Froslass is a very good idea. Absol and Drapion are good choices, as both have access to Pursuit. Absol also has Sucker Punch which can really screw with anything your opponent may switch in, though Drapion doesn’t share a Fighting-type weakness with Clefable like Absol does. Other Pokemon that pair well with this set are Ghost-types, Flying-types, and dedicated walls like Chansey and Registeel.</p>

[SET]

name: Wall Breaker
move 1: Double-Edge
move 2: Fire Blast
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Softboiled
item: Life Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Quiet
evs: 216 Atk / 216 SpA / 76 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Wall breaking Clefable may seem unreliable at first, but the surprise value it provides can oftentimes let it take down a wall before the opponent knows what hit them. The lack of recoil from both Life Orb and Double-Edge is a breath of fresh air no other wall breaker can enjoy, and when coupled with Softboiled, allows Clefable to last longer than many other wall breakers. The problem with using Clefable as an offensive member of your team is its fairly low offensive stats; entry hazards are almost mandatory when using this set.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Life Orb wall breaker may not seem like a role Clefable is designed for, but when you factor in the fact that Magic Guard nullifies Life Orb's damage and Double-Edge's recoil, you have quite a monster on your hands! Double-Edge will decimate foes like Chansey, 2HKOing the standard 0/252 Calm variants 92% of the time with Stealth Rock damage factored in. Fire Blast takes care of Registeel, while Grass Knot trips up Regirock and Slowbro. Softboiled is your main form of recovery; use it when your HP is low or on a predicted switch.</p>

<p>Although there isn't one wall that can counter this set, adding entry hazards to your team's list of support options will greatly help Clefable in taking down some of the biggest walls of UU. Stealth Rock is by far the most commonly seen entry hazard. The two greatest Stealth Rock users to pair with Clefable are Donphan and Claydol. Donphan has the ability to counter some of the most powerful sweepers in the tier, including Drapion, in addition to possessing support options like Roar, Rapid Spin, and Stealth Rock. Claydol, on the other hand, acts as a great switch-in to the Fighting-types, like Hitmontop, sponging their attacks with his part-Psychic-typing and hitting back with STAB Psychic. He also adds a Ground-type immunity to your team (thanks to Levitate), and can provide the same Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock support as Donphan. Toxic Spikes provides [deleted] residual damage in the form of regular [deleted] or worsening poison, depending on how many layers of Toxic Spikes there are on the field. Cloyster and Drapion deserve mention as two of the best Toxic Spikers in UU, thanks to their superb tanking capabilities. Drapion also provides support options in the form of Whirlwind. Spikes can also be added to your arsenal by Omastar, Cloyster, or Froslass.</p>

<p>Clefable also opens itself up to status effects, the most crippling being paralysis and burn. A paralyzed Clefable not only has a 30% chance of not being able to attack (only on ShoddyBattle 1 due to a programming glitch), but also runs the risk of being 2HKOed due to bad prediction. Burn causes problems for Clefable as well [deleted ,] because of the 50% Attack reduction. Therefore, adding a status absorber like RestTalking Spiritomb or Milotic is encouraged, since they have nothing to fear from the effects of burn or paralysis.</p>

[SET]

name: Dual Screen
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Wish / Softboiled / Encore
move 4: Seismic Toss
item: Light Clay
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Clefable goes full team support with this set. It is able to repeatedly come in to set up dual screens with impunity, giving frail [deleted] stat boosting sweepers the turns they need to set up. Wish can be used to help heal Clefable's teammates, and can also be used in the absence of Protect since all attacks will be doing half their normal damage after Reflect and Light Screen are set up. Softboiled and Encore are other options that can be utilized; the former helps if Clefable finds itself being hit too hard before setting up dual screens [deleted ,] while the latter provides a free turn to set up the screens.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Clefable has many chances to come in and set up because of its decent overall bulk and amazing ability. It is an excellent supporter and team player because it almost always successfully sets up the screens. What separates Clefable from other dual screeners is its access to Wish and wide variety of support moves [deleted].</p>

<p>Softboiled is the more reliable healing move, although Wish can help your other teammates immensely by restoring 50% of their health on the switch-in. Encore can be used to ruin Pokémon trying to set up on you. On the offensive side, Seismic Toss is your best option to deal a respectable amount of damage since Clefable doesn't have any other viable moves to utilize with this set. Clefable can also make use of Gravity instead of the three moves mentioned so that teammates such as Nidoking, Rhydon, and Torterra can hit Flying-type or Levitating foes with STAB Earthquake. Nidoking's Fire Blast also receives an accuracy boost, allowing it to deal considerable damage to Tangrowth and Torterra without fear of missing.</p>

<p>Clefable will generally have trouble against Pokémon that have access to Fighting-type moves. Hitmonlee and Hariyama can threaten Clefable with Close Combat and Force Palm respectively, making Mismagius and Spiritomb excellent partners. They are both immune to Fighting-type attacks and have access to Calm Mind, making it much easier to boost their stats when the screens set up by Clefable are in play. When it comes to dealing damage, Ghost-types can walk right into Seismic Toss and start something nasty, such as boosting their stats, but Clefable is able to Encore them if they do so, which gives you a good chance at setting up screens.</p>

[SET]

name: Trickster
move 1: Trick
move 2: Seismic Toss
move 3: Reflect / Light Screen
move 4: Softboiled
item: Flame Orb
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>This set helps Clefable and the rest of your team overcome physical threats. Since Magic Guard blocks burn damage, Clefable has no problems tricking Fire Orb onto physical sweepers. Be sure you scout your opponent and not Trick blindly [deleted ,] since Tricking your Flame Orb onto a special sweeper or wall is next to useless.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>This set really messes with the many physical sweepers found in the UU metagame. Thanks to Magic Guard, Clefable has no problem Tricking Flame Orb into incoming switch-ins like Drapion or Kanghaskan [deleted ,] while healing off any damage done to it with Softboiled. Seismic Toss, as always, is Clefable's best attacking option, dealing quite a bit of damage to dedicated walls, as well as the sweepers it'll be crippling. The third moveslot comes down to personal preference; either Reflect or Light Screen can be used to reinforce one of Clefable's defenses, though a secondary attack will give Clefable an option against Ghost-types.</p>

<p>This set can also utilize Choice Specs as the Tricked item, although this tends to change the moveset. Should you choose to keep the Specs, carrying two or three attacking moves in place of Seismic Toss, Reflect / Light Screen, or Softboiled is ideal, as well as transferring the EVs invested in Special Defense to Special Attack to provide Clefable with some firepower. The problem with this is opponents may be able to out-predict your Trick and send out a Pokemon who wouldn't mind acquiring Choice Specs, like Rotom or Milotic, and abuse their new held item. Flame Orb hurts all Pokemon [deleted ,] while gaining an additional side-effect against physical attackers, meaning it's a win-win situation, unlike Specs. The only counters to Flame Orb's success are Fire-types and other Clefable.</p>

<p>Clefable only gets to Trick its item onto one of your opponent's Pokemon, so try to lure out your opponent's most lethal physical attacker before passing off your Flame Orb or Choice Specs. To accomplish this, pair Clefable up with a Pokemon who is capable of scouting or shuffling through your opponent's team. U-turn Ambipom, Whirlwind users like Hariyama or Drapion, and Pokemon packing Roar are all great choices.</p>

[SET]

name: Belly-Edge
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Softboiled
move 4: Meteor Mash / Fire Punch
item: Life Orb / Leftovers
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Clefable abuses Magic Guard with this set, slamming opponents with STAB, recoil-less Double-Edge. Meteor Mash helps take down Registeel and the like, although Fire Punch will provide better type coverage with Double-Edge. This set can also be used on Trick Room teams with a Rash [Brave?] Nature and no Speed investment, although the turns needed to set up Belly Drum and Trick Room wastes a lot of valuable time.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>Using Clefable as a physical attacker may not seem very appealing at first--after all, it's Attack stat isn't tremendous--but what really sets it apart from other Belly Drummers are two things: Softboiled and Double-Edge. Having access to a base 120 attack with no side-effects isn't something to clown around with, as any old bozo could tell you.</p>

<p>Clefable's Belly Drum strategy is a bit different from others of its kind. Instead of enduring the 50% HP loss from Belly Drum, Clefable is able to recover the lost damage, effectively putting it at +6 Attack and 100% HP after two turns. From there, it can start tearing apart teams with recoil-less Double Edge [deleted].</p>

<p>For brute strength, look no further than Meteor Mash as a second attack. If, however, you find yourself wishing for more accuracy and type coverage, Clefable has access to the elemental punches. Fire Punch tears through even the most solid defenses, 2HKOing +2 Defense Registeel like nothing. ThunderPunch and Ice Punch see more use in the upper tiers, where extremely defensive threats lurk.</p>

<p>Life Orb is the preferred item, giving Double-Edge as much bite as possible. Leftovers is another good choice if you fear having Clefable's HP chipped away by faster threats. To combat status (especially burn), Clefable can also carry Toxic Orb. Be sure you do not use Flame Orb, though, as the 50% Attack reduction still applies.</p>

<p>The choice of nature is dependent on your team. Jolly is the best choice for a stand-alone sweeper, allowing Clefable to outspeed everything up to base 70 with a neutral nature. If you choose to run Clefable with an Adamant nature (paralysis support is almost mandatory), a spread of 176 HP / 252 Atk / 76 SpD / 6 Spe is much more appropriate. Brave natured Clefable is mostly seen on Trick Room teams running a spread of 200 HP / 252 Atk / 56 SpD and a 0 Speed IV to stay slow and bulky.</p>

<p>Belly-Edge Clefable's teammates vary, depending on whether you're utilizing a Brave-natured variant or Jolly / Adamant variant. Since it's meant to be on a Trick Room team, Brave Clefable will enjoy having Trick Room support. Slowbro is able to consistently provide this environment in UU, thanks to its considerable bulk and Slack Off. Slow Ghost-types, like Spiritomb, are also great partners, coming in on a Fighting-type immunity and outspeeding threats with ease in Trick Room. If Clefable has either of the other two natures, speedier Ghosts are great partners, as well as something to scout your opponent's team; one Pokemon unaccounted for can lead to Clefable's demise, especially if it switches in before Clefable can use Softboiled.</p>

[Optional Changes]
<p>Clefable's huge movepool means the possible move combinations are nearly endless. Clefable has access to Stealth Rock, which is plausible if your team tends to shuffle your opponent's active Pokémon quite a bit. Other support options available to Clefable include Psych Up, Snatch, and Gravity. Beware of the fact that your opponent also gets the advantages Gravity grants, though, because attacks like Hydro Pump, Fire Blast, and Thunder all become much more accurate.</p>

<p>Clefable also has a lot of other attacks that are more useful in the higher tiers. If you decide to use Clefable in OU, adding Focus Blast to your moveset will help take down the powerful Tyranitar and Weavile. Likewise, adding Grass Knot will trip up the likes of Swampert and other heavy walls. Ice Beam is the best choice to take down the Dragon-types in OU. Thunderbolt scares off Gyarados, but other than that it isn't very useful. Counter, too, is a viable choice, since Clefable will be dealing with many stronger Pokémon in OU, [deleted] such as Salamence and Machamp.</p>

<p>Clefable doesn't have quite as many EV spread options as it does movesets. If your defensive Clefable tends to get stalled down to Struggle status, changing your nature to Careful [?] will allow it to deal more damage, and extra Special Defense EVs is also an option if you want a more dedicated wall. Other than that, all of Clefable's optimal EV spreads are already mentioned.</p>

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