I don't consider Life Orb a common set, even though it's definitely viable. Problem is that it has a lot of trouble setting up on a bunch of things without being fully committed to bulk investment and Leftovers. As for the rest of the nitpicks:
Landorus-I: 252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Landorus Sludge Wave vs. +1 252 HP / 96+ SpD Clefable: 192-229 (48.7 - 58.1%)
Assuming Clefable picks its best option in this situation by running a SpDef-leaning set and using CM on the switch to Landorus, Clefable is immediately forced to spam Softboiled for days. It also cannot further set up or even attempt anything if it has taken even a little bit of prior damage. If Clefable is at 80%, it cannot safely accumulate Calm Minds without getting KO'd.
Manaphy: RD Manaphy gives Unaware Clefable a LOT of trouble. It absolutely hates Scald burns even if it can heal itself with Aromatherapy, and Moonlight recovery is reduced to 25% in the rain. Non-RD sets usually beat MG Clefable in the boosting game.
+1 0 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 80 HP / 0 SpD Manaphy: 147-174 (40.7 - 48.1%)
Also...Moonblast doesn't inflict SpDef drops dude.
Amoonguss: Yes, Amoonguss has Clear Smog. This allows its teammates to put in work if Amoonguss isn't carrying Sludge Bomb. Also, Spore.
Tentacruel: You should know that almost every OU Tentacruel has Acid Spray and thus beats Clefable 1v1 pretty easily.
Gothitelle: You should also be aware that the majority of Gothitelle are Trick Scarf. Clefable obviously hates this and cannot do a single thing about it. Heck, Gothitelle is used to eliminate stuff like Clefable to allow sweepers and hard-hitters like Mega Lopunny to put in work.
Magnezone: You won't see Clefable trying to set up on a Scarf Magnezone. Even if you're running the SpDef-invested boosting set, you're going to have a lot of trouble trying to KO Magnezone while still having enough HP to continue a sweep.
252 SpA Magnezone Flash Cannon vs. +1 252 HP / 96+ SpD Clefable: 156-186 (39.5 - 47.2%)
Once again, this is the absolute best-case scenario for Clefable. It would be silly not to consider Magnezone a solid check.
Jirachi: Good luck trying to 1v1 Jirachi with Clefable. Unless its scarfed, Jirachi can easily afford to switch in on fire coverage numerous times. The only thing you can hope for is a 10% chance to burn. This is assuming you have fire coverage and you catch Jirachi on the switch. Jirachi is a counter.
Venusaur: Even if Venusaur hasn't mega-evolved, it doesn't care at all about switching into anything as long as it has Synthesis. If you're going to factor in Clefable's chance to inflict Flamethrower burns, you must also consider that you're begging for a critical hit by staying in and trying to get to +6.
What prompted you to pick apart my second list of checks/counters anyway?
First, let me preface it by saying that I find the majority to be reliable checks, but I was trying to demonstrate my point that Clefable has so few counters.
It wasn't meant to pick it apart, I just didn't necessarily agree with when you said "all capable of dealing with any common Clefable set".
I think I acknowledged that all are checks, but maybe I didn't.
Landorus-I does run Sludge Wave 38.7% of the time and Tentacruel does run Acid Spray about the same clip in the 1825 suspect ladder test from last month, so I do think they are options. Hardly 100% run chances, probably due to the Spikes/Spin/Knock Off set on Cruel, which can definitely hamper any pokemon. The Acid Spray set is a reliable counter to any Clefable not running Thunderbolt(which should be almost all of them) and can force a switch as long as it gets in at just +1/+1.
Even so, Landorus-I will completely cripple its ability to use non-special moves and knock off utility by taking a +1 Clefables Moonblast if she switches out after the first one.
As far as Gothitelle goes, I was fully aware of Trick. It was more about Clefable can already 2HKO at +1 in certain scenarios and could be going for Moonblast predicting the trick.
+1 4 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Gothitelle: 72-85 (49.6 - 58.6%) -- 99.6% chance to 2HKO
Although this is the most common spread in usage, the Gothitelle ones are all over the place. If it is Modest, Clefable will outspeed after the exchange and proceed to kill before Gothitelle can get a CM off. If she has at least 196 speed EVs and is timid, which allows her to outspeed uninvested Clefable by 1, she can get a CM off before she is forced to rest. This results in the following calculation:
+1 4 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. +1 60 HP / 0 SpD Gothitelle: 49-58 (32 - 37.9%) -- 91.2% chance to 3HKO
Still a good chance Clefable wins during the rest. So the primary spread, albeit uncommon, is 252HP/196(or more) Spd investment as timid allows it to beat Clefable. I'm not sure if that costs Gothitelle against other trapped Pokemon, but it can definitely force only a 4HKO on Moonblast, but still would be scared of criticals. Either way, yes, it is possible, but only with certain spreads.
I also don't necessarily know if non RD Manaphy beats it in the boosting game, at least not the Life Orb Variants due to the earlier turn power, but I do believe it has a better chance to beat the lefties version. You have to be able to 2-shot Manaphy to make any progression against Rest/Hydration:
+1 4 SpA Life Orb Clefable Moonblast vs. 80 HP / 0 SpD Manaphy: 101-121 (54.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 4 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 80 HP / 0 SpD Manaphy: 103-123 (55.6 - 66.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
You'd have to go to +2 in on the turn the rain started, meaning he would tail glow. You'd take at least one Scald, but you should be able to win, as +3 Scald doesn't KO +2 Clefable in rain. Either way, I apologize about the special defense thing, I meant that special attack can create some complications, but it was 4 in the morning and I clearly wasn't paying enough attention to my typing, then went along with what I was writing in a stupid way after rereading. I do agree that it neuters Unaware Clefable pretty effectively due to it being required to use moonlight. Or is it required to use moonlight? I cannot remember because I think it is legal to due some weird flashforwarding + ability capsule combinations along the way. That is neither here nor there. Manaphy is probably a little more wary of the CM set.
I still don't get using Amoongus at +1/+1, if you come in, you are outsped, take a large hit from Flamethrower in an effort to clear smog/spore and pray you don't get burned. Spore is obviously the best choice, because you risk the 2HKO otherwise at +1, even from leftovers variants...although I suppose it depends on the spread. The spreads for Amoongus, like Gothitelle in usage are all over the place and likely designed based on what you want to counter. 90% plus run spore, clear smog, and giga drain. Only 10% run bomb. While spore is 100% accurate, waking up from sleep is a bit RNG.
As for the last three, they are the ones I seperated because they are the ones Clefable would be most wary about facing, even at +1. The odds are least in your favor there(at least in my opinion). While Clefable has a chance in some scenarios, it isn't likely that you'd be willing to test that and see.
I didn't mean for the first post to be an attack if it came off that way, and perhaps it was the connotation of "dealing with" that means something different to you and me.
