Tuthur
Haha CEO
[SET]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Soft-Boiled / Moonlight
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Knock Off / Teleport
move 4: Toxic / Stealth Rock
item: Eviolite
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Clefairy is an excellent special wall in ZU due to its awesome Eviolite-boosted bulk, coveted Fairy typing, and its wonderful ability in Magic Guard. Magic Guard makes it hard to weaken Clefairy through normal means like entry hazards and Toxic. Knock Off lets it cripple its switch-ins that rely on their item to check Clefairy in the long run like Klinklang, Skuntank, and Rapidash. Toxic is Clefairy's best way to wear down opposing walls, as its Moonblast is really weak but most opposing walls are heavily threatened by Toxic and cannot threaten Clefairy back. Teleport is an option to let Clefairy act as a defensive pivot and bring a partner on the field, however it is incompatible with Knock Off and Soft-Boiled, meaning Clefairy has to rely on the Moonlight, which has more limited PP and prevents Clefairy from checking Choice Specs Abomasnow. Clefairy can also run Stealth Rock if one of its partner isn't running it.
Clefairy works best on the more defensive teams like stall and balance. Ground-types like Alolan Dugtrio, Stunfisk, and Galarian Stunfisk make for amazing partners for Clefairy; they can check Steel- and Poison-types like Klinklang and Silvally-Poison for it, run Stealth Rock which frees up one of Clefairy's moveslot for Toxic, and also bring an Electric-immunity that prevents the likes of Rotom and Manectric from freely using Volt Switch on Clefairy. In return, Clefairy can check attackers like Jynx, Thievul, and Exeggutor. Physical walls such as Tangela and Miltank help Clefairy dealing with physical attackers like Silvally, Thwackey, and Kangaskhan; Knock Off absorbers like Alcremie, Sableye, and Poliwrath are also invaluable. Fast but frail attackers like Froslass, Liepard, and Accelgor appreciate Clefairy's ability to use Teleport to bring them safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Clefairy has access to a lot of other utility options including Thunder Wave, Healing Wish, Wish, and Aromatherapy. However, they are often hard to justify running due to how good the moves listed on the main set are. Clefairy can try to run a Calm Mind set, but it is usually outclassed by Alcremie, Spiritomb, and Galarian Rapidash. Physically defensive sets are also outclassed by Alcremie due to the latter's ability to absorb Knock Off and thus check more physical attackers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Poison- and Steel-types**: Attackers like Silvally-Poison, Swords Dance Qwilfish, Klinklang, and Alolan Dugtrio can easily switch into Moonblast and Toxic and threaten Clefairy with their super effective STAB moves. However, most of them hate losing their item to Knock Off.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Swords Dance users like Thwackey, Silvally-Dark, and Rapidash can easily break Clefairy after a boost, whereas Choice Band users like Silvally, Gourgeist-S and Lycanroc-N can outright 2HKO Clefairy.
**Item Disruption**: Clefairy relies on its Eviolite to switch into strong hits from wallbreakers like Thievul, Exeggutor, and Jynx, thus it should avoid losing its item to Knock Off users like Tangela, Sawk, Gurdurr, and Liepard. Similarly, Trick users like Rotom and Jynx lure Clefairy in and can cripple it with their Choice items.
**Stallbreakers**: Due to Moonblast's abysmal damage output, Clefairy can struggle against stallbreakers with a way to circumvent Toxic like Galarian Rapidash, Taunt Froslass, and Substitute + Nasty Plot Rotom.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Tuthur, 369076]]
- Earlier versions by: [[DC, 449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jett, 226429], [Corthius, 484079]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
name: Specially Defensive
move 1: Soft-Boiled / Moonlight
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Knock Off / Teleport
move 4: Toxic / Stealth Rock
item: Eviolite
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Clefairy is an excellent special wall in ZU due to its awesome Eviolite-boosted bulk, coveted Fairy typing, and its wonderful ability in Magic Guard. Magic Guard makes it hard to weaken Clefairy through normal means like entry hazards and Toxic. Knock Off lets it cripple its switch-ins that rely on their item to check Clefairy in the long run like Klinklang, Skuntank, and Rapidash. Toxic is Clefairy's best way to wear down opposing walls, as its Moonblast is really weak but most opposing walls are heavily threatened by Toxic and cannot threaten Clefairy back. Teleport is an option to let Clefairy act as a defensive pivot and bring a partner on the field, however it is incompatible with Knock Off and Soft-Boiled, meaning Clefairy has to rely on the Moonlight, which has more limited PP and prevents Clefairy from checking Choice Specs Abomasnow. Clefairy can also run Stealth Rock if one of its partner isn't running it.
Clefairy works best on the more defensive teams like stall and balance. Ground-types like Alolan Dugtrio, Stunfisk, and Galarian Stunfisk make for amazing partners for Clefairy; they can check Steel- and Poison-types like Klinklang and Silvally-Poison for it, run Stealth Rock which frees up one of Clefairy's moveslot for Toxic, and also bring an Electric-immunity that prevents the likes of Rotom and Manectric from freely using Volt Switch on Clefairy. In return, Clefairy can check attackers like Jynx, Thievul, and Exeggutor. Physical walls such as Tangela and Miltank help Clefairy dealing with physical attackers like Silvally, Thwackey, and Kangaskhan; Knock Off absorbers like Alcremie, Sableye, and Poliwrath are also invaluable. Fast but frail attackers like Froslass, Liepard, and Accelgor appreciate Clefairy's ability to use Teleport to bring them safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Clefairy has access to a lot of other utility options including Thunder Wave, Healing Wish, Wish, and Aromatherapy. However, they are often hard to justify running due to how good the moves listed on the main set are. Clefairy can try to run a Calm Mind set, but it is usually outclassed by Alcremie, Spiritomb, and Galarian Rapidash. Physically defensive sets are also outclassed by Alcremie due to the latter's ability to absorb Knock Off and thus check more physical attackers.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Poison- and Steel-types**: Attackers like Silvally-Poison, Swords Dance Qwilfish, Klinklang, and Alolan Dugtrio can easily switch into Moonblast and Toxic and threaten Clefairy with their super effective STAB moves. However, most of them hate losing their item to Knock Off.
**Physical Wallbreakers**: Swords Dance users like Thwackey, Silvally-Dark, and Rapidash can easily break Clefairy after a boost, whereas Choice Band users like Silvally, Gourgeist-S and Lycanroc-N can outright 2HKO Clefairy.
**Item Disruption**: Clefairy relies on its Eviolite to switch into strong hits from wallbreakers like Thievul, Exeggutor, and Jynx, thus it should avoid losing its item to Knock Off users like Tangela, Sawk, Gurdurr, and Liepard. Similarly, Trick users like Rotom and Jynx lure Clefairy in and can cripple it with their Choice items.
**Stallbreakers**: Due to Moonblast's abysmal damage output, Clefairy can struggle against stallbreakers with a way to circumvent Toxic like Galarian Rapidash, Taunt Froslass, and Substitute + Nasty Plot Rotom.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Tuthur, 369076]]
- Earlier versions by: [[DC, 449990]]
- Quality checked by: [[Jett, 226429], [Corthius, 484079]]
- Grammar checked by: [[UT, 523866]]
Last edited: