[OVERVIEW]
While Clefable faces considerable competition for the role of a non lead sleep user by proven OU Pokémon like Exeggutor, Chansey, and Gengar. It can leverage it’s normal typing, strong movepool, and just good enough stats to fill the role effectively.
Clefable does have the ability to out speed Exeggutor and Chansey but more importantly it can enter the game vs a Snorlax body slam without fear of paralysis, and the bulk to live 3 non crit hits 58% of the time, allowing multiple sleep attempts.
Unlike Gengar who is more able to come in against body slam, with a similar sleep threat. Clefables advantage is offering stronger follow ups more akin to Exeggutor with access to paralysis, stab attacks, and coverage options, with the added benefit of having no relevant weaknesses making it able to threaten blablabla
[SET]
name: non-lead sleep
Move 1: Sing
Move 2: Thunder wave/body slam
Move 3: Mega kick/hyper beam
Move 4: Blizzard
[SET COMMENTS]
Sing is Clefables biggest threat, and without it Clefable becomes an okay but largely outclassed mixed attacker with the benefit of Thunder wave. Not bad not great.
-Thunder wave is a fantastic follow up to slp possibly catching an incoming Pokémon, giving you advantage, or to simply hinder the opponent setting up an RKO before falling.
-body slam can function as an alternate way to achieve paralysis, sacrificing 2hkos for 3hkos with the benefit of being 100% accurate.
-Mega kick is a way to compensate for Clefables lack luster base physical attack, putting out enough damage for two shots on alakazam, jynx, and jolteon independently, opening up an extra move slot.
-hyper beam can be played along side body slam to reclaim two shots on soft Pokémon, but does cost an in demand move slot.
-Blizzard is the best available (imo) coverage option to pair with a normal type attack, allowing a two shot on rhydon, and 3hkos vs Exeggutor and Zapdos.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Because clefable wants to throw sleep, I don’t recommend sleep leads. Instead try an anti sleep lead that itself can bait para, think Tauros, Jolteon or a Starmie. The reason it is beneficial for these Pokémon to bait twave is because it’s the perfect opportunity to bring in a bolt beam Chansey that itself often sets up a clefable switch in. If the twave is caught try to hang out until the opponent brings in Snorlax, and if twave is not caught act preemptively and switch back to your lead or straight to Clefable trying to cover sing Chansey or Exeggutor, both common switches from that position. Take caution when throwing thunder wave before sleep, as this acts as an out to your slp and may prove detrimental.
[Other Options]
- Rest offers a way to heal but without a resistance or support move like reflect or light screen clefable lacks the ability to take multiple hits.
- Thunder gives you a way to two shot Cloyster at “100%”, Starmie “~94%”, and Slowbro “57.5%”.
Obviously accuracy becomes an issue, and you will fare worse against Eggs, Rhydon, and Zapdos With a move 20% less accurate, and without the ability to freeze So user beware.
-Thunderbolt is more accurate, but in terms of damage not much better than mega Kick vs Starmie and Lapras. It does improve your odds vs Cloyster (~27% 4 shot to ~36% two shot) and Slowbro (4 shot to 3 shot) but electric support is available and it may be better to just keep blizzards positive matches.
-Psychic gives Clefable a way to better hit Gengar but unlike almost everything else in ou that threatens gengar it is not a two shot.
-Counter may seem appealing due to Clefable wanting to take body slams but due to its bulk will not actually put out kos like chancey would.
[Checks and Counters]
-Water types (Starmie, Cloyster, slowbro, and Lapras) all hold resistance to blizzard, and enough bulk to take two mega kicks with recovery options that allow them simply to outlast your low pp count and can prove to be a difficulty.
-Gengar being a ghost type gives it a free switch in vs mega kick/body slam and if you do not have a way to play around sleep is not a good spot to be in.
[Credits]
- Hipmonlee for his input on Body slam and hyper beam
- Leaderoftherockets for his input on reflect and rest
While Clefable faces considerable competition for the role of a non lead sleep user by proven OU Pokémon like Exeggutor, Chansey, and Gengar. It can leverage it’s normal typing, strong movepool, and just good enough stats to fill the role effectively.
Clefable does have the ability to out speed Exeggutor and Chansey but more importantly it can enter the game vs a Snorlax body slam without fear of paralysis, and the bulk to live 3 non crit hits 58% of the time, allowing multiple sleep attempts.
Unlike Gengar who is more able to come in against body slam, with a similar sleep threat. Clefables advantage is offering stronger follow ups more akin to Exeggutor with access to paralysis, stab attacks, and coverage options, with the added benefit of having no relevant weaknesses making it able to threaten blablabla
[SET]
name: non-lead sleep
Move 1: Sing
Move 2: Thunder wave/body slam
Move 3: Mega kick/hyper beam
Move 4: Blizzard
[SET COMMENTS]
Sing is Clefables biggest threat, and without it Clefable becomes an okay but largely outclassed mixed attacker with the benefit of Thunder wave. Not bad not great.
-Thunder wave is a fantastic follow up to slp possibly catching an incoming Pokémon, giving you advantage, or to simply hinder the opponent setting up an RKO before falling.
-body slam can function as an alternate way to achieve paralysis, sacrificing 2hkos for 3hkos with the benefit of being 100% accurate.
-Mega kick is a way to compensate for Clefables lack luster base physical attack, putting out enough damage for two shots on alakazam, jynx, and jolteon independently, opening up an extra move slot.
-hyper beam can be played along side body slam to reclaim two shots on soft Pokémon, but does cost an in demand move slot.
-Blizzard is the best available (imo) coverage option to pair with a normal type attack, allowing a two shot on rhydon, and 3hkos vs Exeggutor and Zapdos.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Because clefable wants to throw sleep, I don’t recommend sleep leads. Instead try an anti sleep lead that itself can bait para, think Tauros, Jolteon or a Starmie. The reason it is beneficial for these Pokémon to bait twave is because it’s the perfect opportunity to bring in a bolt beam Chansey that itself often sets up a clefable switch in. If the twave is caught try to hang out until the opponent brings in Snorlax, and if twave is not caught act preemptively and switch back to your lead or straight to Clefable trying to cover sing Chansey or Exeggutor, both common switches from that position. Take caution when throwing thunder wave before sleep, as this acts as an out to your slp and may prove detrimental.
[Other Options]
- Rest offers a way to heal but without a resistance or support move like reflect or light screen clefable lacks the ability to take multiple hits.
- Thunder gives you a way to two shot Cloyster at “100%”, Starmie “~94%”, and Slowbro “57.5%”.
Obviously accuracy becomes an issue, and you will fare worse against Eggs, Rhydon, and Zapdos With a move 20% less accurate, and without the ability to freeze So user beware.
-Thunderbolt is more accurate, but in terms of damage not much better than mega Kick vs Starmie and Lapras. It does improve your odds vs Cloyster (~27% 4 shot to ~36% two shot) and Slowbro (4 shot to 3 shot) but electric support is available and it may be better to just keep blizzards positive matches.
-Psychic gives Clefable a way to better hit Gengar but unlike almost everything else in ou that threatens gengar it is not a two shot.
-Counter may seem appealing due to Clefable wanting to take body slams but due to its bulk will not actually put out kos like chancey would.
[Checks and Counters]
-Water types (Starmie, Cloyster, slowbro, and Lapras) all hold resistance to blizzard, and enough bulk to take two mega kicks with recovery options that allow them simply to outlast your low pp count and can prove to be a difficulty.
-Gengar being a ghost type gives it a free switch in vs mega kick/body slam and if you do not have a way to play around sleep is not a good spot to be in.
[Credits]
- Hipmonlee for his input on Body slam and hyper beam
- Leaderoftherockets for his input on reflect and rest
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