[OVERVIEW]
Fairy
========
Clefable is a great utility Pokemon, having access to decent bulk paired with Magic Guard as well as a good movepool that provides it with reliable recovery and the ability to set Stealth Rock. Magic Guard is especially useful, as it allows Clefable to serve as a status sponge for the rest of the team against Pokemon such as SubToxic Aegislash and Toxapex. It also means Clefable can come in freely against Spikes when going against types like Grass and Steel. Both these traits are very valuable due to Fairy teams commonly lacking entry hazard removal, making traditional teams susceptible to hazards like the aforementioned Spikes and Toxic Spikes. However, Clefable's bulk is not good enough to prevent it from being blown away by stronger wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Kyurem, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Band Zeraora. Clefable suffers from passivity, which means setup sweepers like Corviknight, Thundurus-T, and Hatterene can easily take advantage of it.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Soft-boiled
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Clefable is a great Stealth Rock setter due to its good bulk, recovery, and Magic Guard, allowing it to set it on offensive threats like Choice Scarf Landorus-T or passive walls such as Toxapex and Ferrothorn. Moonblast is important for threatening Substitute Kyurem, Dragonite, Galarian Moltres, and Hydreigon in particular, keeping them from using Clefable as setup fodder. Knock Off cancels out passive recovery from various Pokemon like Celesteela, Dragalge, Toxapex, Aegislash, and Tyranitar by removing Leftovers, softening them up for later on in the game, as well as Heavy-Duty Boots users like Mandibuzz and Mantine so that they take damage from Clefable's Stealth Rock. It's also useful for removing Choice items like Excadrill's and Thundurus-T's Choice Scarf, allowing Pokemon like Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu to revenge kill them. Rocky Helmet in conjunction with Soft-boiled chips down Celesteela, as it is forced to use Heavy Slam on Clefable in order to beat it. 16 Speed EVs let Clefable outspeed neutral-natured Celesteela so that Clefable can wear it down by using Soft-boiled first and relying on Rocky Helmet recoil.
All offensive Pokemon on Fairy generally appreciate Clefable's ability to serve as a status sponge. Tapu Bulu and Tapu Koko are offensive teammates that Clefable can support by removing items like Thundurus-T's and Landorus-T's Choice Scarf, allowing them to revenge kill them. Stealth Rock is also great in the Electric matchup in particular, as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu can OHKO Choice Specs Zapdos with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage, and it helps Tapu Koko pressure Flying more easily by chipping down faster checks like the aforementioned Choice Scarf users that try to switch in. In return, Tapu Bulu can provide Clefable with passive recovery with Grassy Terrain, and Tapu Koko can threaten Defoggers like Mantine and Corviknight that may try to remove Clefable's Stealth Rock with Thunderbolt, as Clefable usually cannot threaten them itself. Klefki forms a good hazard stacking core with Clefable and can support its subpar bulk with its dual screens. Mimikyu can check Pokemon such as Hatterene, Aegislash, and Thundurus-T that set up on Clefable due to its passiveness with Disguise. Tapu Lele can beat Poison-type Pokemon such as Toxapex and Dragalge for Clefable. Azumarill appreciates Stealth Rock, as it allows it to OHKO Celesteela with more ease after Belly Drum.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fairy
--------
Leftovers can be used over Rocky Helmet, but that sacrifices Clefable's ability to threaten Celesteela outside of removing its recovery. Thunder Wave can be used over Knock Off to cripple various Pokemon, namely faster Pokemon and defensive walls such as Tapu Lele and Corviknight. Healing Wish can also be used over Knock Off in order to support an offensive teammate later on in the game. However, Knock Off's utility is generally a lot more valuable. Calm Mind transforms Clefable into a defensive setup sweeper, but Fairy teams already have access to a great variety of offensive Pokemon so that Clefable is better off supporting them.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fairy
--------
**Wallbreakers** Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Rillaboom, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Specs Tapu Lele easily beat Clefable due to its middling bulk.
**Setup Sweepers** Setup sweepers such as Hatterene, Tapu Fini, and Spectrier can use Clefable as setup fodder and beat it due to its passivity.
**Corviknight** Defog Corviknight is problematic for Clefable to handle, as it can use its Pressure to PP stall Stealth Rock while it doesn't mind Moonblast or Knock Off due to its access to reliable recovery.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers such as Tapu Fini and Tornadus-T can break through Clefable by preventing it from using its utility moves or recovering with Soft-boiled.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Fairy analysis by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Previous version by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maple, 473171], [maroon, 305839]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
Fairy
========
Clefable is a great utility Pokemon, having access to decent bulk paired with Magic Guard as well as a good movepool that provides it with reliable recovery and the ability to set Stealth Rock. Magic Guard is especially useful, as it allows Clefable to serve as a status sponge for the rest of the team against Pokemon such as SubToxic Aegislash and Toxapex. It also means Clefable can come in freely against Spikes when going against types like Grass and Steel. Both these traits are very valuable due to Fairy teams commonly lacking entry hazard removal, making traditional teams susceptible to hazards like the aforementioned Spikes and Toxic Spikes. However, Clefable's bulk is not good enough to prevent it from being blown away by stronger wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Kyurem, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Band Zeraora. Clefable suffers from passivity, which means setup sweepers like Corviknight, Thundurus-T, and Hatterene can easily take advantage of it.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Knock Off
move 4: Soft-boiled
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Clefable is a great Stealth Rock setter due to its good bulk, recovery, and Magic Guard, allowing it to set it on offensive threats like Choice Scarf Landorus-T or passive walls such as Toxapex and Ferrothorn. Moonblast is important for threatening Substitute Kyurem, Dragonite, Galarian Moltres, and Hydreigon in particular, keeping them from using Clefable as setup fodder. Knock Off cancels out passive recovery from various Pokemon like Celesteela, Dragalge, Toxapex, Aegislash, and Tyranitar by removing Leftovers, softening them up for later on in the game, as well as Heavy-Duty Boots users like Mandibuzz and Mantine so that they take damage from Clefable's Stealth Rock. It's also useful for removing Choice items like Excadrill's and Thundurus-T's Choice Scarf, allowing Pokemon like Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu to revenge kill them. Rocky Helmet in conjunction with Soft-boiled chips down Celesteela, as it is forced to use Heavy Slam on Clefable in order to beat it. 16 Speed EVs let Clefable outspeed neutral-natured Celesteela so that Clefable can wear it down by using Soft-boiled first and relying on Rocky Helmet recoil.
All offensive Pokemon on Fairy generally appreciate Clefable's ability to serve as a status sponge. Tapu Bulu and Tapu Koko are offensive teammates that Clefable can support by removing items like Thundurus-T's and Landorus-T's Choice Scarf, allowing them to revenge kill them. Stealth Rock is also great in the Electric matchup in particular, as Choice Scarf Tapu Bulu can OHKO Choice Specs Zapdos with Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage, and it helps Tapu Koko pressure Flying more easily by chipping down faster checks like the aforementioned Choice Scarf users that try to switch in. In return, Tapu Bulu can provide Clefable with passive recovery with Grassy Terrain, and Tapu Koko can threaten Defoggers like Mantine and Corviknight that may try to remove Clefable's Stealth Rock with Thunderbolt, as Clefable usually cannot threaten them itself. Klefki forms a good hazard stacking core with Clefable and can support its subpar bulk with its dual screens. Mimikyu can check Pokemon such as Hatterene, Aegislash, and Thundurus-T that set up on Clefable due to its passiveness with Disguise. Tapu Lele can beat Poison-type Pokemon such as Toxapex and Dragalge for Clefable. Azumarill appreciates Stealth Rock, as it allows it to OHKO Celesteela with more ease after Belly Drum.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fairy
--------
Leftovers can be used over Rocky Helmet, but that sacrifices Clefable's ability to threaten Celesteela outside of removing its recovery. Thunder Wave can be used over Knock Off to cripple various Pokemon, namely faster Pokemon and defensive walls such as Tapu Lele and Corviknight. Healing Wish can also be used over Knock Off in order to support an offensive teammate later on in the game. However, Knock Off's utility is generally a lot more valuable. Calm Mind transforms Clefable into a defensive setup sweeper, but Fairy teams already have access to a great variety of offensive Pokemon so that Clefable is better off supporting them.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fairy
--------
**Wallbreakers** Wallbreakers such as Choice Band Rillaboom, Choice Specs Zapdos, and Choice Specs Tapu Lele easily beat Clefable due to its middling bulk.
**Setup Sweepers** Setup sweepers such as Hatterene, Tapu Fini, and Spectrier can use Clefable as setup fodder and beat it due to its passivity.
**Corviknight** Defog Corviknight is problematic for Clefable to handle, as it can use its Pressure to PP stall Stealth Rock while it doesn't mind Moonblast or Knock Off due to its access to reliable recovery.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers such as Tapu Fini and Tornadus-T can break through Clefable by preventing it from using its utility moves or recovering with Soft-boiled.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Fairy analysis by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Previous version by: [[mushamu, 362454]]
- Quality checked by: [[Maple, 473171], [maroon, 305839]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732]]
Last edited by a moderator:
