Clefable Movesets & Competitive Sets

Set Details Clefable excels at providing a myriad of utility options to teams while acting as a solid defensive Pokemon due to its typing and bulk. Clefable is a great user of Stealth Rock, as it can take advantage of free turns versus passive Pokemon like Blissey, Toxapex, and Ferrothorn. Knock Off is the best option for the final slot to cripple Moonblast switch-ins such as Venomicon and Heatran, but Thunder Wave is an alternative choice to paralyze Pokemon less bothered by Knock Off like Venomicon-E, Toxapex, and Ferrothorn. The given EV spread allows Clefable to survive a +2 Earthquake from Garchomp, with the rest invested in Special Defense to better answer Dragapult. Alternatively, if Dragapult is already checked on a team, Clefable can run maximum investment in HP and Defense in order to check threats like Weavile and Pajantom better. Corviknight and Toxapex are excellent teammates for Clefable, as they can switch in on the physical wallbreakers that Clefable cannot handle such as Weavile, Melmetal, and Urshifu-R. Along those lines, Astrolotl, Venomicon, and Earthquake Galarian Slowking make great teammates, as they can consistently switch in on defensive Heatran and force it out, though Astrolotl must be wary of Toxic. Pokemon such as Equilibra and Venomicon-E can take advantage of Clefable's passivity, so teammates like Slowbro and Zapdos are appreciated for being able to check these Pokemon. Ground-types such as Landorus-T, Equilibra, and Garchomp are helpful for threatening Heatran, weakening opposing Equilibra, and for pressuring defensive Poison-types such as Toxapex and Galarian Slowking; moreover, the former two Ground-types form reliable hazard cores with Clefable by providing Defog and Rapid Spin, respectively. Finally, if Clefable is running Thunder Wave, Hex Dragapult is an excellent teammate, capable of punishing the special walls that otherwise answer Clefable such as Toxapex and Heatran.

Due to Clefable's excellent defensive typing and good natural bulk, Clefable's Calm Mind set can quickly turn into an issue for the enemy team, with very little being able to meaningfully pressure it once it starts setting up. The final moveslot depends on the team. Flamethrower is used for hitting Equilibra, Melmetal, and Ferrothorn super effectively, while Thunder is mainly for Toxapex, which can otherwise use Haze, and Heatran. Knock Off can be run over a coverage move to cripple Pokemon like Heatran, Equilibra, and Galarian Slowking for itself and its teammates, though this decreases Clefable's sweeping potential. Similarly, Trick in conjunction with Sticky Barb can be used to further maim one of Clefable's checks, though this lacks the consistency of Knock Off. Life Orb is the preferred item, as it enables Clefable to be a strong late-game sweeper, but Leftovers is an option that allows Clefable to be a more effective wall before it sets up. 60 Speed EVs let Clefable outspeed uninvested Corviknight and slower Pokemon like Venomicon and Equilibra; however, one can put those EVs into Defense instead to be a sturdier defensive pivot. Clefable appreciates teammates such as Astrolotl and Garchomp that can take care of Heatran, which otherwise hard walls sets running Flamethrower. It additionally needs teammates that can switch in on Venomicon-E's Gunk Shot and Melmetal's Double Iron Bash, which Ferrothorn and Zapdos do well. Clefable pairs nicely with Heatran, Equilibra, and Corviknight, which can come in on opposing Equilibra's Doom Desire. In return, Clefable is a solid answer to Zeraora. Heatran deserves special mention for being able to trap and KO Toxapex, which otherwise can Haze stall Clefable if it lacks Thunder. Furthermore, Heatran pairs well with Knock Off Clefable, as it will be able to remove Toxapex's Shed Shell. Finally, Clefable should be paired with a special wall like Assault Vest Tornadus-T or Colossoil to take on special attackers such as Tapu Lele and Blacephalon that threaten it before it sets up.

Running Stealth Rock on Clefable frees up a moveslot for Necrozma-DM, allowing it to run coverage options or a Dragon Dance set. Knock Off is very valuable in Ubers, as many Pokemon rely heavily on items such as Heavy-Duty Boots and Leftovers. Thunder Wave can be run instead so that Clefable can paralyze common switch-ins such as Necrozma-DM and Eternatus, as well as wallbreakers such as Calyrex-S and Ho-Oh. Heal Bell is another alternative that allows Clefable to remove pesky status from its teammates. Clefable is found mostly on bulkier teams where its passivity isn't as detrimental. Ferrothorn is a fantastic partner, checking Dragon Dance Necrozma-DM and Kyogre while Clefable can take on Marshadow in exchange. Ferrothorn also provides Spikes to pair with Clefable's Stealth Rock, making a decent entry hazard setting core. Yveltal can take on Calyrex-S, which threatens to OHKO Clefable. In return, Clefable can repeatedly switch into Knock Off for Yveltal, ensuring that Yveltal can keep its item. Eternatus also appreciates Clefable acting as a solid Knock Off switch-in. Defensive Zygarde is a fantastic partner that can help Clefable deal with strong physical wallbreakers such as Choice Band Marshadow, Swords Dance Groudon, and offensive Ho-Oh. Clefable running Heal Bell can heal Zygarde from stray status conditions, allowing it to use Rest more liberally.

Set Description Wish and Protect provide Clefable reliable recovery that can also allow it to sustain its teammates for longer games. Calm Mind turns Clefable into a dangerous cleaner, especially against weakened teams late-game; if it uses Unaware, then it will have the edge against other Calm Mind users whose boosts get ignored. With Thunder Wave, Clefable can paralyze Heatran on the switch, supporting slower threats like offensive Scizor and Breloom that may be stymied by it. Aromatherapy is useful to relieve its team from the effects of status, and it is especially useful if Clefable is using Unaware because these variants hate getting worn down and being forced to use Wish. If another Pokemon cannot run Stealth Rock, then Clefable can set the entry hazard up itself with its useful defensive profile. Clefable also tends to lure in Steel-types like Scizor, which hate getting blasted by Flamethrower. A physically defensive set with Unaware is the standard, ensuring that threats that can boost their attack like Dragonite, Garchomp, and Feraligatr cannot make their way through it. However, a specially defensive Magic Guard set is more useful against special attackers like Starmie, Alakazam, and Latias. Specially defensive Clefable is not completely safe against the uncommon Life Orb Psyshock from Alakazam, which threatens to break through it, but it is not OHKOed and can cripple it with paralysis, which is favorable for the Clefable. Additionally, Magic Guard Clefable absorbs status like Rotom-W's Will-O-Wisp very nicely, and it completely ignores Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Team Options While physically defensive Clefable can stuff boosting physical sweepers, it is not perfect against all physical attackers; Life Orb Garchomp and Crawdaunt as well as Choice Band Azumarill and Weavile can still break through it. Therefore, pairing it with other defensive Pokemon that can handle the other attacks that Clefable cannot take is good; Rotom-W is an example that can take many of these foes' attacks. Steel-type attackers like Scizor and Lucario threaten out Clefable well, so checks to them like Heatran for the former and Garchomp for the latter are appreciated. Gliscor is an especially reliable Lucario check and can even soft-check bulky Swords Dance variants of Scizor. These Pokemon are also able to set up Stealth Rock, freeing Clefable from having to do so. Defensive Pokemon that lack reliable recovery, such as Rotom-W and Heatran, appreciate Clefable being able to heal them with Wish. Fast offensive Pokemon like Weavile, Garchomp, and Latias appreciate the fact that they can fall back on Clefable when being forced out by a Fighting- or Dragon-type; in exchange, these offensive Pokemon can revenge kill wallbreakers like Nidoking that give Clefable trouble. Unaware Clefable also dislikes entry hazards that wear it down; Defoggers like Gliscor, Latias, and Scizor and Rapid Spin Starmie can help with this. All of the Defoggers, especially Gliscor, are particularly good against Roserade, which switches into Clefable, threatens it out with STAB Sludge Bomb, and lays down Spikes and Toxic Spikes that cut into Unaware Clefable's longevity. Specially defensive Magic Guard Clefable gives up its ability to handle physical attackers, so teammates like Tangrowth and Skarmory that can do so are mandatory. Tangrowth is a better option against Water-types such as Crawdaunt and Azumarill, while Skarmory is superior against Weavile and Dragonite; both handle Garchomp equally well. In exchange, they can fall back on Clefable to take on Starmie and Latias that would destroy them.

Clefable is an incredible specially defensive wall that can check a wide array of special attackers and setup threats, such as Volcarona and Tornadus-T, due to its nice bulk, ability in Unaware, and reliable recovery options. With Knock Off and Toxic, Clefable can cripple various opposing threats, and it utilizes an amazing defensive typing with only one weakness. Clefable can be used as a dedicated Stealth Rock setter, since it can annoy common Defog users such as Tornadus-T, Mew, and Salamence by statusing them and removing important items such as Heavy-Duty Boots via Knock Off. Seismic Toss is a more consistent damaging option that lets Clefable effectively wear down opposing threats that either resist Knock Off or are immune to Toxic such as Cresselia, Latias, and opposing Clefable. Aromatherapy is another option that enables Clefable to cure itself and its teammates from status, which can be crucial on more defensive teams. Black Sludge provides Clefable with passive recovery, which can enable it to better survive hits from stronger threats such as Fleur Cannon Magearna and Choice Specs Tapu Lele. Heavy-Duty Boots is an alternative item option that enables Clefable to switch in more proficiently without needing to take entry hazard damage. Clefable appreciates teammates that can handle physically offensive threats such as Landorus-T, Pheromosa, and Lycanroc-D. Thus, partners such as Mew, Slowbro, and Landorus-T all make great choices. Mew and Landorus-T in particular can provide Clefable with entry hazard support, enabling it to wear down targets more quickly in tandem with Knock Off + Toxic. Offensive teammates such as Tornadus-T, Garchomp, and Rillaboom also pair well with Clefable, as Clefable can help wear down their checks and enable them to break through the opposing team more easily. Entry hazard removal is also crucial for Clefable due to its susceptibility to both Stealth Rock and Spikes if it does not run Heavy-Duty Boots. Partners such as Latias, Defog Mew, and Avalugg all pair well with Clefable in this regard.

Offensive Clefable is geared to act as a wincon that can terrorize common defensive cores thanks to its incredible STAB coverage and ability to forego passive damage thanks to Magic Guard, which makes it difficult to stop once it begins to set up. Thunderbolt compliments Moonblast well by targeting threats that resist Fairy like Steel / Flying Mew, Water / Poison Latias, and Fire / Flying Tornadus-T. Flamethrower can be used as a secondary STAB option over Thunderbolt, enabling Clefable to target checks such as Ferrothorn and Steel / Ground Garchomp. Life Orb boosts Clefable's power without the drawback of recoil thanks to its ability. As Calm Mind already boosts Clefable's Special Defense, a Bold nature and investment in HP and Defense enable it to sponge as many physical moves as possible. Thunderbolt Clefable struggles against specially defensive walls like Ferrothorn, Steel / Ground Kommo-o, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking. Thus, partners such as Swords Dance Garchomp, Lycanroc-D, and Heracross all make amazing teammates. Flamethrower Clefable struggles with Steel / Ground Pokemon immune to Fire-type attacks such as Coalossal and Heatran; thus, partners that can threaten them out like Landorus, Pheromosa, and Water / Dragon Hydreigon are very valuable additions alongside it. Due to the more offensive nature of this set, backup defensive pivots such as Mew, Blissey, and Buzzwole are much appreciated to keep opposing wallbreakers such as Haxorus and Melmetal in check. Clefable also appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Ferrothorn, Kommo-o, and Landorus-T to help wear down switch-ins more easily.

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.

Calm Mind Clefable functions as a bulky setup sweeper for Fairy teams due to its good coverage in Flamethrower and Thunderbolt, which lets it deal with Celesteela and Toxapex. Its ability in Magic Guard stops entry hazards and status from wearing it down. Calm Mind, in conjunction with Soft-Boiled, allows Clefable to accrue several boosts against Pokemon that cannot significantly damage it such as Ferrothorn, SubToxic Aegislash, and SubRoost Kyurem. Thunderbolt deals with Water- and Flying-types such as Mantine, Celesteela, and Volcanion, and it also wears down Haze and Roar users such as Toxapex and Heatran. Flamethrower deals with Steel- and Grass-types such as Ferrothorn and Rillaboom. Moonblast can be used to help deal with Dark- and Dragon-types such as Hydreigon and Garchomp, and it also wears down Swampert, which can wall Clefable's coverage moves. Moonblast also allows Clefable to threaten Dragon teams, which do not mind Clefable's coverage moves. Life Orb turns Clefable into a fearsome threat, allowing it to consistently 2HKO Toxapex, Celesteela, and Drapion at +1. Magic Guard also nullifies its recoil. Alternatively, Leftovers makes Clefable harder for types such as Grass, Dark, and Water to handle due to its increased longevity. 16 Speed EVs let Clefable outspeed defensive variants of Celesteela, while the remaining EVs maximize its physical bulk to better deal with threats such as Choice Scarf Excadrill, Rillaboom, and Zeraora. Klefki's dual screens make it an ideal partner for Clefable, as these allow Clefable to set up more easily, as well as staying in to damage threats such as Choice Band Excadrill and Rillaboom. Klefki also provides a Poison immunity to come in against threats such as Nihilego, debilitates Clefable answers such as Gengar and Mantine with Thunder Wave and Toxic, and sets Spikes to wear down the opposing team. Tapu Bulu and Clefable both wear down their shared checks in Toxapex, Celesteela, and Melmetal. Tapu Bulu also sets Grassy Terrain to improve Clefable's longevity, deals with Swampert, Clear Smog Gastrodon, and Regieleki for it, and pressures Heatran for Clefable not running Thunderbolt. This allows Clefable to sweep Steel teams late-game. Tapu Lele checks Poison-types like Nidoking and Dragalge, allows Clefable to deal with Scizor by setting Psychic Terrain, and deals with Dragon-types such as Hydreigon and Kyurem, especially if Clefable doesn't have Moonblast. Clefable repays this by wearing down Steel-types such as Aegislash and Corviknight, which wall Tapu Lele. Tapu Koko pivots Clefable into passive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, is a fast teammate that deals with Urshifu-R, Weavile, and Cinderace, and can deal with Water-types such as Mantine, Slowking, and Toxapex for Clefable not running Thunderbolt. Azumarill appreciates its checks in Mantine, Volcanion, and Ferrothorn being worn down, as this allows it to clean types such as Flying, Fire, and Steel late-game. In return, Azumarill deals with Alolan Marowak, Galarian Slowking, and Nidoking, which Clefable struggles against. Alternatively, Calm Mind Tapu Fini forms a special wallbreaking core with Clefable and relieves it from having to use Moonblast, as Tapu Fini deals with Dragon-, Ground-, and Fire-types such as Dragonite, Landorus-T, and Heatran. Mimikyu is a Swords Dance sweeper that deals with Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Spectrier, Gengar, and Hatterene. Alolan Ninetales appreciates Clefable's ability to take out Celesteela and Toxapex, as this allows Alolan Ninetales to clean Flying and Water teams late-game, and can also provide support with Grudge.

Clefable's Fairy typing, respectable bulk, and immunity to residual damage like Toxic make it a solid choice for either a defensive spinner or a Stealth Rock setter, finding many opportunities to come onto the field and matching up particularly well against common entry hazard setters like Seismitoad, Mudsdale, and Hippowdon as a spinner. Glare spreads paralysis, warding off wallbreakers like Gengar and Melmetal and providing speed control for slower wallbreakers such as Tyranitar and Buzzwole. Alternatively, Clefable's deep movepool allows it to run a vast array of other utility options; Teleport can bring the aforementioned wallbreakers in with ease, for example, matching up better against slower threats like Galarian Slowking and Ferrothorn, which Glare is less effective against. Knock Off is also a good option, removing items such as Leftovers and Heavy-Duty Boots to drastically reduce the longevity of Pokemon like Heatran and Zeraora. Trick in conjunction with Sticky Barb can be used in a similar manner, albeit only one time. Clefable can use both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin on the same moveset for maximum role compression, although it loses any ability to deter aforementioned switch-ins like Gengar and Heatran in the process. The same holds true of both Aromatherapy and Wish, which are greatly appreciated by offensive tanks like Tornadus-T, Melmetal, and Heatran. VoltTurn cores with Pokemon such as Rotom-W and Aerodactyl greatly appreciate Rapid Spin Clefable only removing opposing hazards, while Spikes setters like Seismitoad can form a hazard-stacking core with Stealth Rock Clefable. Skarmory and Ferrothorn are also very notable hazard setters, as they can handle physical wallbreakers like Choice Band Tyranitar and Aerodactyl that punch through Clefable with ease. Similarly, Clefable struggles to take on strong special attackers like Keldeo and Rotom-H, so specially defensive teammates like Assault Vest Toxapex and Slowking are recommended.

Calm Mind Clefable takes advantage of passive switch-ins like Corviknight, Gastrodon, and Ferrothorn lacking Grav Apple to accumulate multiple boosts, making itself a capable sweeper that can be difficult to take down. Rapid Spin offers entry hazard removal and bolsters Clefable's Speed stat, notably letting it outpace Choice Band Tyranitar after one boost and positive-natured base 95s like Obstagoon and Kyurem after two. Rapid Spin also invites in many hazard setters Clefable can boost against like Mudsdale and the aforementioned Gastrodon; since it pressured hazard setters, Calm Mind also makes it easier to keep hazards off the field. Glare is used to hinder threats like Fire Lash Cinderace and Nidoking that Clefable may force in after garnering boosts. An additional coverage move such as Flamethrower, Stored Power, or Thunder can be used instead to more immediately pressure Fairy-resistant walls such as Ferrothorn, Corviknight, and non-Assault Vest Toxapex, making Clefable a more independent sweeper but reducing its utility. 12 Speed EVs are used to outpace uninvested Tyranitar. Clefable pairs well with bulky Pokemon like Skarmory and Toxapex that benefit from its offensive presence, and in turn they can set hazards to wear down foes and switch into strong wallbreakers like Choice Band Tyranitar and Urshifu-R, that force Clefable out. Clefable is hard stopped by Toxapex carrying Haze or Clear Smog, and without Flamethrower it can't meaningfully damage offensive Fairy-resistant Pokemon like Melmetal and Excadrill, so teammates that can remove or weaken these threats such as offensive Rotom-H and Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn are greatly appreciated.

Clefable's good utility movepool and insane defensive profile make it an excellent addition to almost any Godly Gift team. Magic Guard lets it ignore opposing entry hazards as well as absorb status moves for its teammates. Notably, it has an incredibly wide movepool featuring amazing utility moves like Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Aromatherapy. With a Defense donation and its fantastic defensive typing, it can switch into physical attackers like Zygarde-10%, Urshifu-R, and Zekrom. Thunder Wave cripples offensive threats like Galarian Slowking, Tapu Lele, and Mewtwo as they try to take advantage of Clefable and helps slow wallbreaking teammates get the jump on foes. Knock Off can displace items on the opposing team, notably on common switch-ins like Heatran, Necrozma-DM, and Ho-Oh. Aromatherapy can be run to remove status conditions from its team members. Leftovers is the preferred item to run to get more passive recovery; however, Rocky Helmet can be run to chip physical attackers like Urshifu-R, Weavile, and Yveltal. Clefable is an amazing defensive staple on any team that can give it the required Defense stat. It pairs extremely well with high Defense gods like Necrozma-DM and Groudon; it can still make use of a lesser Defense donation like from Yveltal or Kyurem-W as well. Clefable's ability to annoy opposing walls with status, chip damage, and item removal makes it a great asset for offensive teammates. Thunder Wave variants pair up excellently with slower wallbreakers like Kyurem-W and Rillaboom, helping them break through faster checks. Aromatherapy is appreciated by teammates that stand to benefit from longer games, like Ho-Oh and Gastrodon. Psychic- and Fairy-types like Tapu Lele, Mewtwo, and Galarian Slowking appreciate it removing Leftovers and Assault Vest from Steel-types. Steel- and Poison-type Pokemon like Heatran, Galarian Slowking, and Necrozma-DM can pivot into and force out Clefable, so running answers to these Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Garchomp, and Groudon is recommended. Special Walls like Assault Vest Tangrowth, Ho-Oh, and Slowbro are also good teammates to deal with special attackers.

Clefable can effectively function as a Magic Guard sweeper with Calm Mind and a Defense donation from gods such as Zamazenta-C, Necrozma-DM, Giratina, and Shuckle, making it incredibly difficult to take down after a boost. The effective immunity to Toxic and Leech Seed granted by Magic Guard gives Clefable a niche over its Unaware counterpart, enabling it to avoid significant chip damage from Pokemon such as Ferrothorn, Rotom-W, and Skarmory. Soft-Boiled gives Clefable a consistent form of recovery. Moonblast is a powerful STAB move that hits many targets for neutral and super effective damage, such as Rayquaza, Pheromosa, Landorus-T, Galarian Moltres, and Rotom-W. Encore can lock Pokemon such as Zamazenta-C, Galarian Moltres, and Ferrothorn into status moves, while Thunder Wave can effectively cripple the same targets. Aromatherapy fits better on stall teams that require a cleric to keep their teams healthy. Flamethrower is a final option that sacrifices extra utility for better offensive pressure against Steel-types like Necrozma-DM and Corviknight. The given EVs and nature are to maximize Clefable's physical bulk, but can be optimized depending on the god it is paired with. When paired with Shuckle, Clefable can go with maximum HP and Special Defense due to its already significantly high Defense stat. This set also works well in the Special Defense slot with Giratina and Shuckle as gods and maximum HP and Special Defense EVs to better take on Galarian Moltres and special Giratina-O. Magic Guard Calm Mind Clefable fits best on bulky offense and stall teams that appreciate its longevity and ability to pressure opposing teams with its setup moves. Zamazenta-C and Necrozma-DM are good pairings for bulky offense, as they appreciate Clefable's ability to spread paralysis with Thunder Wave and pressure otherwise annoying Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and opposing Clefable. Giratina and Shuckle are the best gods for stall teams, donating hefty defenses and benefiting from Clefable's cleric ability and its immunity to entry hazards. Clefable struggles versus potent physical attackers such as opposing Necrozma-DM, Kartana, and Pangoro. Skarmory and physically defensive Landorus-T are partners that can check both of those and force them out with Whirlwind and Earthquake, respectively. Clefable also struggles to handle opposing special setup sweepers such as Galarian Slowking, so a dedicated special wall such as Gastrodon should be paired with it to handle those attackers.

Thanks to Unaware, Clefable can effectively check setup sweepers such as Kartana, Rayquaza, and Garchomp. Calm Mind lets it act as a wincon and offensively pressure the opposing team, while also letting it set up alongside and deal with special attackers like Yveltal and Volcarona. Utility options like Stealth Rock and Knock Off are viable alternatives to Calm Mind. Aromatherapy can be run to cure it and its teammates from status conditions, helping it outlast checks like Gastrodon and Ho-Oh that rely on Toxic to beat it. Flamethrower can be run to improve its sweeping potential and gives it a way to hit Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Corviknight; however, this means cleric support elsewhere on the team is needed. Heavy-Duty Boots should be ran to fix its vulnerability to entry hazards while allowing it to bluff Magic Guard. Leftovers can be run instead to help Clefable's role as a wincon. A specially defense spread can be utilized instead if Clefable receives a Special Defense donation. Clefable is a natural fit on stall and bulkier teams, especially when being paired up with gods that have a high Defense stat like Giratina, Necrozma-DM, and Shuckle. Defoggers like Corviknight, Ho-Oh, and Tornadus-T makes for good teammates, as entry hazards annoy Clefable if it gets its Heavy-Duty Boots knocked off. Steel-types like Necrozma-DM and Kartana could prove troublesome for Clefable, so teammates to help against these like Corviknight, Ferrothorn, and Tornadus-T are greatly appreciated. Incredibly powerful special attackers like Mewtwo, Kyurem-W, and Galarian Moltres also prove troublesome for it, so specially defensive teammates like Gastrodon, Tyranitar, and Slowbro can help deal with these. Physical walls such as Buzzwole and Skarmory are mandatory alongside specially defensive variants. Cleric support from teammates like Vaporeon and Audino is appreciated to allow Clefable to drop Aromatherapy for a utility move.

Unaware Clefable is a very important part of stall teams, as its Fairy typing alongside its large movepool allows it to support its team in many ways, mainly comfortably checking prominent setup sweepers such as Garchomp, opposing Clefable, Mega Gyarados, Hydreigon, Hawlucha, and Volcarona. Calm Mind allows Clefable to be a potential wincon for stall teams. Flamethrower allows Clefable to hit Pokemon that resist Moonblast such as Mega Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Corviknight very hard. However, it can be replaced by Heal Bell, which makes Clefable very self sufficient and lets it support teammates such as Bulk Up Corviknight and Alomomola. Wish can also be considered, as Clefable's great defensive typing and decent bulk grant it opportunities to pass Wishes to another teammate. However, it's generally worse than Alomomola because its ability, bulk, and typing give it more opportunities to pass Wishes. Unaware Clefable fits exclusively on stall teams, as its ability to shut down sweepers is very valuable and prevents these teams from being overwhelmed as easily. Mega Sableye and Corviknight are very important partners, as Unaware Clefable is vulnerable to both entry hazards and especially Toxic, which Mega Sableye and Corviknight are able to deter. Bulk Up Corviknight in particular is notable, as it can PP stall Toxapex's Haze with Pressure, allowing Calm Mind Clefable to more easily break past it late-game. Chansey and Alomomola are great partners for Clefable because they can free up more important moves for it; for example, Chansey can run Heal Bell for it and Alomomola can run Wish.

Clefable is an outstanding utility Pokemon due to its amazing defensive typing, decent bulk, and ability in Magic Guard, allowing it to check dangerous Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Kommo-o, Hawlucha, Garchomp, and Kyurem while not fearing passive damage. Stealth Rock is a great option for Clefable because it can cripple entry hazard removers such as Zapdos and Corviknight with its utility moves and be relatively unaffected by them in return. Calm Mind makes Clefable a much bigger threat and potential wincon while also allowing it to threaten Defoggers such as Zapdos and Tapu Fini more effectively to keep Stealth Rock up. Knock Off allows Clefable to cripple a vast majority of Pokemon, such as Zapdos, Ferrothorn, opposing Clefable, and Heatran. Alternatively, Thunder Wave provides speed control and still lets Clefable cripple Pokemon that want to switch in, such as Mega Scizor and Heatran. A Bold nature allows Clefable to more easily check Mega Lopunny and Garchomp, which it would otherwise struggle with, but special investment can be useful in checking Kyurem. Clefable is a staple on balance teams due to its unrivalled utility and great role compression. Clefable can cripple Pokemon like Corviknight, Ferrothorn, Heatran, Toxapex, and Zapdos with Thunder Wave and Knock Off, supporting Pokemon like Volcarona, Rillaboom, Kartana, Mega Mawile, and Weavile. Although it has decent bulk, Clefable can be easily overwhelmed by Pokemon such as Heatran, Mega Mawile, and Mega Scizor, so checks such as Slowking, Heatran, and Zapdos are great teammates. Pokemon that heavily struggle versus Mega Lopunny and Garchomp such as Kyurem, Mega Mawile, and Heatran enjoy Clefable's ability to easily check them. Clefable appreciates Water-type checks such as Toxapex and Ferrothorn, as they allow it to more easily check Ash-Greninja, while Clefable's Dark-type resistance can be very helpful for the aforementioned Pokemon in keeping Ash-Greninja in check.

Calm Mind Clefable is one of the best wincons in National Dex due to its large movepool, great defensive typing, passable bulk, and especially amazing ability in Magic Guard, which allows Clefable to find many setup opportunities against some of the best Pokemon in the metagame, such as Slowbro, Corviknight, and Zapdos. Calm Mind makes it an extremely potent Pokemon against bulky teams that do not have a way of preventing it from setting up freely. Thunder is largely preferred over Thunderbolt because of its extremely high paralysis chance, letting Clefable cripple Pokemon such as Heatran, and its ability to easily 2HKO Toxapex without any Calm Mind boosts. Alternatively, Flamethrower hits Steel-types that annoy Clefable like Excadrill, Mega Mawile, Melmetal, and Mega Scizor, but Clefable's easily walled by Heatran and Toxapex without Thunder. A Bold nature is preferred so Clefable can more easily check Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny and Mega Latias. Calm Mind Clefable best fits on balance teams, as its defensive utility is very helpful there. Pokemon that struggle a lot with Kyurem and Mega Latias such as Heatran, Blissey, and Zapdos appreciate Clefable's ability to check them. Calm Mind Clefable can struggle quite a lot to beat Fire- and Steel-types such as Heatran, Volcarona, Mega Mawile, and Mega Scizor, and they can limit its opportunities to set up Calm Mind; as such, checks to them such as Toxapex, Heatran, Slowking, Landorus-T, and Garchomp work as excellent teammates. Spikes support from Ferrothorn is very important for Clefable, as it wears down Toxapex and Heatran, two of Clefable's most prominent answers.

Clefable when equipped with Flame Orb or Lagging Tail can cripple various attackers, making them easy setup fodder for teammates. Stealth Rock provides additional support, but can be sacrificed for Flamethrower coverage, in order to ensure Ferrothorn and Celesteela cannot switch in with impunity. Items Flame Orb allows Clefable to cripple physical attackers with Trick. Lagging Tail and Full Incense are an extremely effective form of Speed control with Trick, with even fast Pokemon, and Pokemon under Trick Room being impacted by it. Leftovers can also be opted for, and provides a decent all around Stealth Rock lead with two useful complementary attacks.

This Clefable aims to take advantage of opposing setup sweepers in order to augment its own stats and reverse sweep. Moonlight is chosen to guarantee quick healing and for getting boosted healing in sun, which can be set by Clefable's own Max Flare. Be wary of its low PP and other weathers before committing to sweeping and relying on it for healing. Kee Berry is used to grant Clefable a one-time boost of Defense and can be used in combination with Dynamax to ensure Clefable can survive hits such as Excadrill's Iron Head. The given EV spread gives near maximum physical bulk and is used to survive an initial physical hit as well as possible before getting the +1 Defense boost from Kee Berry.

Moves Magic Coat in conjunction with Psychium Z allows Clefable to boost its Special Defense by 2 stages at +4 priority, allowing it to beat special attackers such as non-Gunk Shot Greninja, Mega Charizard Y, and Choice Scarf Porygon-Z. Reflect in conjunction with Psychium Z allows Clefable to cut incoming damage by two-thirds, beating strong physical attackers such as Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, and Garchomp. Moonlight gives access to reliable recovery and can make the Mega Charizard Y matchup more reliable by allowing Clefable to recover 66% instead of 50% in sun. Moonblast provides Clefable with a solid STAB attack that hits surprisingly hard, taking out Mega Gyarados, Kommo-o, and Zygarde. Seismic Toss is an alternative that hits Fire-type targets like Mega Charizard Y, Heatran, and Volcarona, but can't hit Ghost-types like Mega Sableye. Charge Beam can be used in place of Moonblast to beat foes like Mega Slowbro and Magearna. Set Details 252 HP and 236 Defense EVs with a Bold nature allow Clefable to survive two Flare Blitzes from maximum Attack Adamant Mega Charizard X after a Z-Reflect. 20 Special Defense EVs give Clefable a better chance against Tapu Lele and Porygon-Z. Unaware allows Clefable to beat Pokemon that might try to boost up to overcome Clefable's defenses like Mega Charizard X, Greninja, Zygarde, Garchomp, and Landorus-T. Psychium Z turns Reflect and Magic Coat into their corresponding Z-Moves, making for massive Defense and Special Defense boosts, respectively. Usage Tips Against status users like Porygon2, Mega Gardevoir, and Chansey, Magic Coat can be used to let Clefable avoid taking debilitating effects such as Toxic and Taunt. Against mixed attackers such as Zeraora and Mega Diancie, use Reflect turn one followed by Z-Magic Coat, as this is the only way to boost both Special Defense and Defense. Team Options Fire-types like Mega Charizard X and Y, Victini, and Heatran make great partners for Clefable, dealing with the Steel- and Poison-types like Mega Metagross, Naganadel, and Magearna that Clefable struggles with while Clefable covers their common weaknesses to Mega Gyarados, Donphan, Landorus-T, and Primarina. FEAR Pokemon like Aron do well with Clefable, as they can typically deal with the linear attackers like Victini, Meloetta, and stall Necrozma that Clefable is weak to, while Clefable eliminates threats like Will-O-Wisp Mega Charizard, Mega Gyarados, and Garchomp. Specialized Taunt users like Whimsicott and Mega Gyarados make great teammates, covering opposing Taunt users like Deoxys-S that stall out Clefable, who offsets their weaknesses to attackers like Mega Charizard Y and Tapu Lele.

Set Description Calm Mind allows Clefable to improve its rather mediocre Special Attack stat and function better as a wallbreaker. Thunder Wave allows Clefable to cripple Pokemon like Starmie, Mega Alakazam, and Mega Aerodactyl. Fire Blast is a powerful coverage option that allows Clefable to potentially OHKO Melmetal at +1, but Flamethrower can be used in its place for consistency. Stealth Rock allows Clefable to wear down its checks such as Melmetal and Alolan Muk for it to handle them more easily, and its offensive presence allows it to be a reliable Stealth Rock setter on offensive teams. Thunder Wave can be used instead on teams with another Stealth Rock user. Usage Tips Since this particular set is focused on its role as a wallbreaker, it is best utilized early- or mid-game. Clefable should almost always set up on passive Pokemon such as defensive Mew or Pokemon it forces out like Alolan Exeggutor and Dragonite. If an opponent has Melmetal on their team and you predict that they’re going to switch into it, use Calm Mind and Fire Blast on to OHKO it after some minimal chip damage. Clefable’s main priority should be setting Stealth Rock early-game, particularly if the opponent has a Pokemon it really struggles to get through that happens to be weak to Stealth Rock, such as Moltres or Mega Charizard Y. Clefable can also take advantage of the lack of common Poison-type moves on Pokemon such as Alolan Muk and Nidoqueen and wallbreak them. Team Options Clefable fits on balance teams that have the capability to handle its checks. Chansey makes for a decent partner, since it can check Pokemon like Gengar and Mega Alakazam and safely pivot to bring Clefable in with Teleport; in return, Clefable can check Fighting-types like Poliwrath and switch into U-turn. Wallbreakers like Gengar, Melmetal, and Mega Gyarados appreciate Clefable setting Stealth Rock to help wear down their switch-ins. Similarly, late-game cleaners such as Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Alakazam, and Dragonite appreciate Stealth Rock wearing down foes for them to clean more easily, and they also really appreciate how good Clefable is at forcing damage on Melmetal. Since Clefable is walled by special walls such as Chansey and Snorlax, checks to them like Poliwrath and Melmetal are appreciated. Finally, since Melmetal beats Clefable one-on-one, checks to it like Mega Charizard X, Mew, and Sandslash are appreciated. Mega Charizard X can check Mega Venusaur for Clefable, Mew can handle Nidoqueen, and Sandslash is able to run Stealth Rock, allowing Clefable to run Thunder Wave alongside Calm Mind.

Moves Stealth Rock aids Clefable's teammates by weakening opposing threats through entry hazard chip damage. It is a valuable Stealth Rock setter due to its Fairy typing and Magic Guard ability scaring off common entry hazard removers and Magic Bounce users such as Mandibuzz, Latios, Armaldo, and Mega Sableye. Soft-Boiled is a reliable recovery move that increases Clefable's durability, making it more dependable as a defensive wall. Moonblast is Clefable's STAB move, allowing it to hit Fighting-, Dark-, and Dragon-types extremely hard and preventing it from being used as setup bait. It also has the added factor of having the chance of lowering the foe's Special Attack, helping Clefable wall special attackers much better. Fire Blast is used to target Steel-type threats such as Mega Scizor and Bisharp. Flamethrower can be used instead, as its perfect accuracy offers more consistency instead of greater power. Set Details Magic Guard allows Clefable to bypass any indirect damage, meaning that it can avoid being crippled by status conditions such as burn and poison. It also allows Clefable to come in more freely, since it can ignore the chip damage from entry hazards, meaning that it can escape the 2HKO from certain offensive threats such as Latios, Keldeo, and Terrakion. A Babiri Berry is equipped in order to lure certain Steel-types such as Mega Scizor and Excadrill by avoiding the OHKO or 2HKO from their STAB Steel-type attacks while Clefable can hit them hard with its Fire-type coverage in return. Leftovers can be used instead to enhance Clefable's sustainability, letting it check a wide array of threats more safely due to the passive recovery each turn. The EVs have been maximized in HP and Defense with a Bold nature in order to enhance Clefable's physical bulk, allowing it to check threats such as Mega Scizor, Landorus-T, and Mega Gyarados. However, a fully specially defensive spread with a Calm nature can be used instead in order for Clefable to act as a specially defensive tank that can check attackers like Meloetta, Volcanion, and Thundurus more reliably. Usage Tips Clefable should be setting up Stealth Rock early on in the match, since the chip damage helps its teammates break down walls much better. It can set up Stealth Rock frequently due to it high number of opportunities to switch in. Thanks to its ability, Clefable can be used as a sponge to status moves such as Toxic and Will-O-Wisp, meaning that it can pivot in against common users of such moves like Zapdos and Mew. However, Clefable must be wary of coming in against powerful attackers such as Landorus and Choice Band Victini. It should also avoid staying in versus certain wallbreakers that can 2HKO it such as Tapu Koko and Meloetta unless they have been severely weakened, since Clefable can use up all of its Soft-Boiled PP rather quickly, preventing it from sustaining itself later on in the match. Clefable should also be careful when conserving its Babiri Berry, since it can be necessary to check certain threats such as Mega Scizor and Excadrill. Therefore, avoiding Steel-type coverage from threats such as Celesteela and Magnezone is imperative. Team Options Teammates that can utilize the entry hazard support that Clefable provides is key, meaning that threats such as Tapu Koko, Tapu Bulu, and Gardevoir all stand out as great picks. Tapu Koko also acts as a great pivot that can aid Clefable in coming in safely, while Tapu Bulu offers additional passive recovery through Grassy Terrain, which can be useful if it decides to not run Leftovers. Mega Diancie appreciates Clefable using Stealth Rock, allowing it to use Psychic or another coverage move instead. Klefki is beneficial, since it can help Clefable check Poison- and other Steel-types much better, while Clefable can switch into Fighting-types in return. Klefki can also provide more entry hazard and screens support with Spikes, Reflect, and Light Screen. Setup sweepers such as Azumarill and Swords Dance Tapu Bulu can also be useful for wearing down opposing walls that can be difficult for Clefable to wear down like Mantine and Mew, while Clefable provides them with entry hazard support in return. Entry hazard removal through partners such as Togekiss and Tapu Fini can also be beneficial, since, although it does not get affected by them, Clefable's susceptibility to being used as entry hazard setup fodder can still necessitate it being placed on the team.

Moves Calm Mind transforms Clefable into a bulky yet powerful sweeper that can easily wreak havoc after a couple of boosts. Moonblast is Clefable's STAB move, which offers great offensive coverage and provides the chance to lower the enemy's Special Attack, making Clefable even more difficult to take down. Flamethrower is a remarkable coverage option that helps Clefable breaks through Steel-types such as Mega Scizor, Excadrill, and Celesteela. Soft-Boiled is an important recovery move that permits Clefable the chance to set up more frequently by increasing its sustainability overall. Thunder Wave is an alternative utility move that allows Clefable to cripple offensive threats such as Heatran, Mega Pidgeot, and Keldeo by reducing their Speed. It also can grant Clefable more setup opportunities if the opposing foe is afflicted with paralysis. However, it means that Clefable must pass up a coverage option, leaving it more susceptible versus certain threats. Set Details Magic Guard allows Clefable to ignore any indirect damage such as poison and burn, making it much more difficult to circumvent after it sets up a couple of boosts. Leftovers is the preferred item, since the passive recovery each turn aids Clefable in avoiding the 2HKO from certain offensive threats such as Thundurus and Garchomp. The EVs have been fully invested in HP and Defense with a Bold nature in order to maximize Clefable's physical bulk, making it almost impossible to OHKO after a few Calm Mind boosts. Usage Tips Clefable is best used as a late-game cleaner, since it can have a much easier time sweeping once its checks such as Nidoking and Toxapex have been severely weakened or KOed. Clefable should avoid setting up alongside other Calm Mind sweepers such as Mega Slowbro and Meloetta, since the aforementioned threats often carry Psyshock, which can threaten to OHKO Clefable regardless of the number of Calm Mind boosts it was able to accumulate. Physical wallbreakers such as Choice Band Victini and offensive Landorus-T can still threaten to 2HKO Clefable no matter how much it had invested in its physical bulk. Therefore, it is advised to pivot out against these threats in order to avoid Clefable being severely weakened. Clefable should also not be brought into the battlefield unnecessarily against stronger attacks, since it can risk getting weakened immensely, possibly preventing a sweep later on in the match. Team Options Klefki is a great partner for Clefable, since it can switch into Poison-type attacks and provide useful support through Reflect, Light Screen, and Spikes, letting Clefable sponge more attacks, set up more easily, and break through walls. Stealth Rock Mega Diancie is a must, as it provides the support that Clefable normally does. Other setup sweepers such as Belly Drum Azumarill and Swords Dance Tapu Bulu are also beneficial, since they can help apply more offensive pressure against the opposing team and help Clefable break through special walls such as Chansey and Alolan Muk. Wallbreakers like Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu benefit from Clefable's ability to break through defensive walls and can help check offensive threats in return. Tapu Koko can also provide momentum through Volt Switch, enabling Clefable to come in more frequently. Entry hazard removal from teammates such as Togekiss and Tapu Fini can also be useful because it remedies Clefable's susceptibility of being used as an entry hazard setup fodder.

This set simply aims to set up Minimize and Calm Mind in order to sweep the opposing team. Moonblast is more reliable due to there being no immunities to Fairy-type moves, however Stored Power reaches insane levels of power.

Moves Moonblast is a reliable STAB move to hit Pokemon such as Tomohawk and Colossoil hard. Wish allows Clefable to heal itself and its teammates. Protect ensures that Clefable will be able to heal itself with Wish reliably and also allows it to gain another turn of Leftovers recovery and scout the foe's moves. Soft-Boiled can be used instead of Wish and Protect for instant recovery, which frees up a moveslot, allowing Clefable to run an additional supporting or attacking move. However, keep in mind that Soft-Boiled is not compatible with Unaware. Thanks to Clefable's useful defensive abilities and the large number of Pokemon it can check, Clefable acts as an effective Stealth Rock setter. Heal Bell clears Clefable and its teammates of status. Flamethrower may be used to deal with Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Cawmodore. Finally, Thunder Wave is an option for crippling threats that Clefable can't OHKO outright, such as Aurumoth and Mega Gyarados. Set Details Unaware allows Clefable to check opposing setup sweepers, while Magic Guard prevents residual damage from the likes of poison and entry hazards, giving Clefable more opportunities to support its team throughout a match. Maximum EVs in HP and Defense and a Bold nature maximize Clefable's physical bulk. Leftovers provides Clefable with passive recovery. Usage Tips Clefable's defensive abilities allow it to play differently than similar Fairy-types such as Sylveon. Unaware Clefable is best switched in against setup sweepers that lack super effective moves or are threatened by Clefable's Fairy-type STAB moves, such as Mega Gallade and Mega Sableye, while Magic Guard Clefable can freely switch into walls with low offensive presence, such as Chansey. From there, Clefable can use the free turn generated by the opponent's switch to heal itself with Soft-Boiled or Wish followed by Protect, lay down Stealth Rock, use Wish to prepare to pass it onto an injured teammate, or cure a teammate's status with Heal Bell. However, when attempting to use Stealth Rock, one should take care to ensure that the move is not potentially reflected by the ability of an incoming foe, such as Magic Bounce from Mega Diancie and Mega Sableye or Rebound from Colossoil. Team Options Most setup sweepers hate being afflicted by status, so they are natural partners for Clefable. In particular, Belly Drum users such as Cawmodore and Azumarill appreciate burn removal and Wish support to allow more opportunities to switch in and set up, increasing their ability to sweep the opponent's team. Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, such as Aurumoth and Charizard, also particularly like Wish support to negate damage from switching in, allowing them to focus on laying waste to the opposing team. Clefable appreciates teammates that can defeat Fire-types such as Talonflame; Taunt Talonflame in particular can prove to be a problem. Electric-types such as Cyclohm, Zapdos, and Rotom-W pair well with Clefable in this regard. Strategem, Aurumoth, and other sweepers looking for a bit of extra damage also appreciate Clefable's Stealth Rock support. Colossoil can also support Clefable by removing the Steel- and Poison-types that threaten it.

Moves Calm Mind boosts Clefable's Special Attack and Special Defense, allowing it to simultaneously hit harder and take more special hits. Moonblast is a reliable STAB move that hits the likes of Tomohawk, Colossoil, and Cyclohm super effectively; the move also has great neutral coverage on a large portion of the metagame. The 30% chance of dropping the foe's Special Attack can be useful against dangerous attackers such as Mega Gardevoir. Soft-Boiled provides reliable recovery, greatly prolonging Clefable's lifespan. Moonlight should be used instead on Unaware sets if instant recovery is desired, as Soft-Boiled and Unaware are an illegal combination. Wish and Protect are usually preferred instead for the extra PP, and the combination provides more opportunities for Leftovers recovery and also allow Clefable to heal its teammates. Flamethrower provides great coverage with Moonblast, as it can OHKO or heavily damage many Steel-types. Thunder Wave is an option that cripples several of Clefable's switch-ins, such as Heatran, Talonflame, and Mollux. Heal Bell is also an option for Unaware sets to clear Clefable and its team of status, as it risks being worn down by Toxic without Magic Guard. Set Details The given EVs and a Bold nature maximize Clefable's physical bulk, as Clefable can boost its Special Defense with Calm Mind. Leftovers improves Clefable's longevity, allowing it to avoid 2HKOs from attacks such as Colossoil's Earthquake. Magic Guard prevents all forms of residual damage, preventing Clefable from being worn down by entry hazards and status ailments. If the ability to stop and set up on opposing setup sweepers is desired instead, then Unaware is an option over Magic Guard and Soft-Boiled. Usage Tips This set can be used as a win condition once opposing Pokemon that resist Moonblast and the chosen coverage move are removed. Walls with minimal offensive presence such as Chansey are optimal to switch Clefable into, as Clefable doesn't care about being burned, poisoned, or paralyzed and can easily heal off any damage with Soft-Boiled. From there, Clefable can accumulate boosts and heal itself as needed while launching boosted attacks against the opposing team. Team Options Clefable appreciates having teammates that can remove opposing Pokemon that could block a sweep. In particular, Excadrill and Colossoil can eliminate many of the Steel-, Poison-, and Fire-types that resist Clefable's selected coverage moves with their Ground-type STAB attacks. Entry hazard support is also appreciated, allowing Clefable to bring down bulkier targets with fewer boosts. Moreover, sweepers such as Cawmodore and Aurumoth appreciate having their checks worn down, allowing them to switch in and attempt to sweep.

Moves Wish allows Clefable to restore its teammates' HP and, in conjunction with Protect, also provides Clefable with a form of reliable recovery. Protect also functions as a way to gain extra recovery from Leftovers and stall out foes more easily with Toxic. Heal Bell allows Clefable to provide cleric support, clearing its team's status conditions as well as its own. Toxic deals passive damage to foes, working well with Clefable's ability to stall out threats with Wish and Protect. Calm Mind allows Clefable to set up on and check Calm Mind Arceus formes and Geomancy Xerneas more reliably. Moonblast is Clefable's best attack, as it bypasses Taunt while hitting Substitute Xerneas and Dark-types such as Yveltal. Moonlight is another recovery option for Clefable, condensing Protect and Wish to make room for another move; however, its low PP and weather dependency makes it less reliable than Wish and Protect. Set Details Unaware gives Clefable the ability to counter setup sweepers such as Geomancy Xerneas and Calm Mind Arceus. 12 Speed EVs allow Clefable to outspeed Tyranitar with no Speed investment. 248 HP and Special Defense EVs with a Calm nature maximize Clefable's special bulk so that it can best take on Xerneas and Arceus while keeping an odd HP value to reduce damage from entry hazards. Leftovers gives Clefable important passive recovery and works nicely with Protect to avoid certain 2HKOs after residual damage from entry hazards. Usage Tips Switch Clefable into Dark-types and other Pokemon that do not immediately threaten it to gain as many opportunities as possible to use Heal Bell and Wish. Strong special attackers such as Primal Kyogre will overpower Clefable, so they should be avoided. Protect should be used to gain extra recovery from Leftovers, but it should not be used unless necessary, because the free turn Protect gives opponents can easily be taken advantage of with a switch to threats such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, Klefki, and Mega Gengar to punish Clefable and its teammates. Try to clear entry hazards when possible, as Clefable will be worn down by these, allowing threats such as Xerneas to 2HKO it. Mega Gengar threatens to trap and KO Clefable, so it should be avoided by double switching if possible. Team Options Pursuit users such as Tyranitar and Aegislash can trap Mega Gengar, which otherwise threatens to trap and KO Clefable. Fire-types such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon support Clefable well because they can take advantage of the Steel-types that check it. Ho-Oh checks such as Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, Lugia, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Rock make for good teammates as well. Clefable also likes having teammates that can check Primal Groudon, such as Latias, Latios, Arceus-Ground, Lugia, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O. Latias, Latios, and Primal Groudon are also the best switch-ins to Primal Kyogre, the main special attacker that Clefable struggles to deal with. Entry hazard control is important because Clefable can be worn down easily, so Defog Arceus formes, Latias, Latios, Excadrill, and Mega Sableye make for good partners. Physical walls such as Lugia, Mega Salamence, and support Arceus formes can check the strong physical threats that specially defensive Clefable has difficulty with. Tyranitar and Primal Groudon are also good teammates for Clefable, because they lack reliable recovery and benefit greatly from the Wish and cleric support that Clefable provides.

Moves The Wish and Protect combination gives Clefable a form of reliable recovery; they also help stall out low PP moves such as Extreme Speed, while Wish allows Clefable to restore its teammates' HP. Heal Bell gives Clefable the ability to support its team by curing status conditions. Toxic can be used instead to deal passive damage to foes so that Clefable can stall them out with Wish and Protect more effectively. Moonblast allows Clefable to circumvent Taunt while also hitting Latias, Latios, and Dark-types for super effective damage. Set Details Physically defensive Clefable serves as a check to Swords Dance Arceus formes, Latias, Latios, and some Mega Mewtwo X variants while also providing support for its team through Wish and Heal Bell. Unaware enables Clefable to wall Swords Dance Arceus formes by ignoring their Attack boosts. 12 Speed EVs allow Clefable to outspeed Tyranitar with no Speed investment. 248 HP EVs give Clefable an odd HP value while also maximizing physical bulk alongside 248 Defense EVs and a Bold nature, something that is particularly important given Clefable's mediocre Defense stat. Leftovers gives Clefable passive recovery, synergizing well with Protect to avoid some 2HKOs, especially if Clefable has taken a bit of prior damage from entry hazards. Usage Tips Try to capitalize on the limited opportunities that physically defensive Clefable gets to pass Wishes and use Heal Bell. Protect should be used to gain extra Leftovers recovery if needed, but it should not be used mindlessly, as this can give the opponent an important free turn to take advantage of. It is important to clear entry hazards when the opportunity presents itself, as taking too much residual damage can leave Clefable unable to check the setup sweepers that it normally would be able to stop. Mega Gengar is a huge threat because it can trap and KO Clefable; double switching can be an effective strategy to avoid it. Team Options Tyranitar and Aegislash are good partners because they can trap Mega Gengar with Pursuit. Tyranitar also appreciates the Wish and cleric support Clefable provides. Primal Groudon also appreciates this support and can threaten Steel-types that check Clefable; Ho-Oh also threatens Steel-types effectively. Pokemon that can remove entry hazards make for good partners, because entry hazards easily wear Clefable down. Clefable tends to give Fire-types free switches, so checks to Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon support it well; Mega Diancie, Mega Salamence, Lugia, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Rock can all check Ho-Oh, while Latias, Latios, Arceus-Ground, Lugia, Mega Salamence, and Giratina-O can all check Primal Groudon. Clefable also struggles against strong special attackers, such as Primal Kyogre, so Latias, Latios, and Primal Groudon make for good teammates because they can check Primal Kyogre.

Moves Moonblast is a strong and consistent Fairy-type attack and is Clefable's best STAB option. Soft-Boiled allows Clefable to replenish its health. Stealth Rock applies a lot of pressure in certain match-ups such as against Flying, Bug, Fire, and Ice. Fire Blast lets Clefable hit Steel-types, which otherwise wall it. It's especially useful for Mega Scizor, which otherwise can set up for free against Clefable. Unlike Flamethrower, which requires it to switch in on Stealth Rock first, Fire Blast gets the OHKO on Mega Scizor at full HP. Thunder Wave is an alternative option that provides great support for the rest of the team by allowing it to handle faster Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Terrakion. Set Details Maximum HP is used to make Clefable as bulky as possible, as it needs to be able to take hits to fulfill its many roles. 84 Special Defense EVs with a Calm nature are used to check Kyurem-B, Mega Manectric, Mega Diancie, and Thundurus, while the rest of the EVs go in Defense so Clefable can take a Bullet Punch from Choice Band Scizor and take it out with Fire Blast if it's running it. Leftovers allows Clefable to check Pokemon better by restoring a bit of health each turn and increasing its longevity. Magic Guard is very helpful for absorbing crippling status such as burn and poison and avoiding damage from entry hazards, Leech Seed, and weather. Unaware lets Clefable check +2 Mega Scizor and take it out with Fire Blast. Usage Tips Clefable is a great defensive pivot, as it takes neutral hits pretty well, but it cannot switch in on very powerful wallbreakers such as Mega Gardevoir, Mega Charizard Y, and Volcanion, because it's going to get 2HKOed. The given EV spread allows it to switch in on most Electric-types and Kyurem-B, thus covering the lack of good Electric switch-ins on Fairy. It can pivot into Pokemon that want to spread crippling status if it's running Magic Guard. If Unaware is the chosen ability, Clefable can check +2 Mega Scizor, but it still needs to be kept healthy, as it's not able to switch in on a Bullet Punch. It has a good match-up against most Defog users, so Stealth Rock should go up as early as possible to support the rest of the team. Thunder Wave can be used on any foe to cripple them, but it's especially useful against setup sweepers if not running Unaware. Team Options Klefki's immunity to Poison and neutrality to Steel make it a great partner for Clefable. Steel-types that annoy Clefable such as Heatran and Empoleon are big threats to Fairy. Azumarill is a very strong physical wallbreaker that has the ability to deal with both of those two. Pokemon with Fire-type coverage such as Togekiss and Mega Diancie are good partners for dealing with Steel-types that threaten Clefable. Gardevoir checks Poison-type Pokemon that Clefable can't do much against. When it's equipped with a Choice Scarf, its Trace ability also allows it to be a check to Sand Rush Excadrill, which is a big threat while sand is up. Gardevoir can also use Trick to cripple Pokemon that Clefable doesn't like facing, such as Mew and Gliscor. Choice Specs Sylveon is a very strong wallbreaker that's able to 2HKO Gliscor.

Moves Moonblast is the strongest Fairy-type move Clefable gets. It gets STAB, it's consistent, and not many Pokemon resist Fairy. Calm Mind boosts Clefable's Special Attack and Special Defense, which makes it very dangerous because it can be very hard to take out. Depending on the match-up, the game could already be over if Clefable gets to set up a few Calm Minds. Soft-Boiled allows Clefable to restore its HP, which is very helpful when it's trying to set up. Fire Blast allows Clefable to hit Steel-types, which otherwise wall it. It's especially useful for Mega Scizor, which otherwise can set up for free against Clefable. Unlike Flamethrower, which requires it to come in on Stealth Rock first, Fire Blast gets the OHKO on Mega Scizor at full HP. Thunder Wave is an alternative option that provides great support for the rest of the team, allowing it to handle faster Pokemon like Mega Lopunny, Terrakion, Victini and Mega Pinsir, and also supports the Calm Mind sweep. Stealth Rock applies a lot of pressure in certain match-ups such as against Flying, Bug, Fire, and Ice, and Clefable is one of the only Fairy-type Pokemon to get access to it. Set Details Maximum HP EVs are used to make Clefable as bulky as possible, as it needs to be able to take hits to fulfill its many roles. Maximum Defense EVs allow Clefable to check physical attackers, which it's the go-to Fairy-type Pokemon to do, and it also helps it take both physical and special hits after setting up a Calm Mind. An alternative spread of 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD with a Calm nature gives Clefable a little more Special Defense and allows it to avoid getting 2HKOed by Mega Diancie's Moonblast and Mega Manectric's and Thundurus's Thunderbolt. However, if that spread is used, strong physical attackers such as Mega Swampert and Mega Garchomp become hard to check or switch into, as they'll all be able to 2HKO Clefable. Leftovers allows Clefable to check Pokemon better by restoring a bit of health each turn and increasing its longevity. Magic Guard is very helpful for absorbing crippling status such as burn and poison and avoiding damage from entry hazards, Leech Seed, and weather. Usage Tips Clefable can serve as a defensive pivot, as it takes neutral hits pretty easily for the most part, but it can't switch in on very powerful attackers such as Landorus, Choice Band Azumarill, and other strong wallbreakers, as they can all 2HKO it. It can also pivot into Pokemon that want to spread burns or poison due to Magic Guard, and those Pokemon are usually easy setup fodder. It can set set up with Calm Mind against Pokemon that aren't able to 2HKO it or aren't threats to it at all such as Rotom-W, Sableye, and non-Taunt Mew. It should not be used on physical attackers that 2HKO Clefable, as it's only able to boost its Special Defense. Before setting up a Calm Mind, though, Clefable is vulnerable to strong special attacks, as it's not able to tank them as well as it tanks physical attacks. Calm Mind doesn't always have to be used with the intention to sweep; it can be useful early-game for checking specially attacking threats and dealing with them more effectively. Although its Speed isn't high, Clefable should avoid getting paralyzed so it can be more reliable at fulfilling its roles. Clefable can survive a Bullet Punch from Choice Band Scizor and take it out with Fire Blast, but to do so its health has to be preserved. Thunder Wave can be used on any Pokemon whether it's faster than Clefable or not because the full paralysis chance is always nice, and it helps in beating Pokemon such as +1 Gyarados, which would otherwise beat Clefable one-on-one. Team Options Klefki's ability to set up Reflect and Light Screen helps support the Clefable sweep a ton. Dual screens combined with Clefable's bulk allow it to use Calm Mind as much as it wants as well as slow down the foe with Thunder Wave and potentially just win the game right there. Pokemon that resist Moonblast can stop the Clefable sweep, notably Ferrothorn, Heatran, and Empoleon, which are very bulky and can even beat a +6 Clefable. Azumarill, being a very strong physical wallbreaker, can take care of Heatran and Empoleon, while Ferrothorn can be weakened by any Fire move such as Hidden Power Fire on Mega Diancie and Sylveon or Fire Blast on Togekiss. Gardevoir's Psychic typing allows it to check Poison-type Pokemon for Clefable to have an easier time setting up. When equipped with a Choice Scarf, its Trace ability also allows it to be a check to Sand Rush Excadrill, which is a big threat while sand is up. Gardevoir may also use Trick to cripple Pokemon that Clefable doesn't like, such as Taunt Mew. Choice Specs Sylveon is another great partner to deal with Taunt Gliscor, which shuts down Clefable.

Moves Follow Me redirects attacks that Clefable's allies do not want to take, and Clefable functions well in this role due it its rather good bulk. Moonblast is used as the primary attacking option and allows Clefable to KO Dragon-types such as Hydreigon as opposed to just redirecting their attacks. Helping Hand is used to allow Clefable's partners to attain KOs that would normally be out of reach, though Thunder Wave is also an option as a means of providing speed control, crippling opposing sweepers that like to rely on their Speed advantage. Protect is used to stall out field effects, to scout for moves, and to allow Clefable's partner to take out a foe that threatens Clefable. Set Details The HP and Special Defense EVs let Clefable always survive a sun-boosted Overheat from Timid Mega Charizard Y with the remaining EVs put into Defense in order to survive attacks such as Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Double Edge or an Iron Head from Focus Sash Bisharp. Unaware is used to ignore the stat boosts of opposing setup Pokemon, and a Sitrus Berry is used to increase Clefable's overall longevity. Safety Goggles may be used in place of a Sitrus Berry to allow Clefable to redirect Sleep-inducing moves. Usage Tips When using Clefable, Follow Me is used primarily to prevent Clefable's partner from taking hits that would otherwise severely damage or KO it and to let it safely KO an opposing Pokemon or set up; however, Follow Me does not prevent the partner from taking damage from spread moves, such as Heat Wave and Earthquake. Helping Hand should be used cautiously, especially if the opposing Pokemon is able to use a guaranteed Protect, so as not to give your opponent a free turn. Helping Hand is best used as a means of picking up a surprise KO against foes that would otherwise survive an attack. Moonblast can be used both as a means of picking up KOs on certain threats and as a way of getting in chip damage to bring opposing Pokemon into KO range of Clefable's partner. It can also be used in situations where Follow Me and Helping Hand either are unhelpful or cannot be used but switching to a different Pokemon is too risky. Clefable can also be used as an emergency check to boosted Pokemon such as a +2 Mega Kangaskhan or a +6 Azumarill, especially if it has a partner that threatens them, as the combination of Follow Me and Unaware negates the stat boosts and prevents the opposing Pokemon from using a priority attacks to take out Clefable's partner. One thing to be aware of is that Unaware Clefable also ignores stat drops, such as ones caused by Intimidate, on the opposing Pokemon, so do not expect Clefable to take hits more easily with a partner's Intimidate. Team Options Setup sweepers such as Mega Kangaskhan and Azumarill like having Clefable as a partner, as it allows them to safely set up and also prevents opposing setup sweepers from threatening them. Kyurem-B also makes for a good partner, as Clefable can effortlessly redirect opposing Fighting- and Dragon-type moves to let Kyurem-B safely set up a Substitute, while Kyurem-B can beat threatening Steel-types with Earth Power, as well as Poison-types such as Venusaur and Amoonguss with Ice Beam. Hydreigon also appreciates how easily Clefable redirects Fighting- and Dragon-type moves, allowing it to attack the opposing team without much worry. Pokemon that are capable of beating Steel-types are especially welcome partners for Clefable, so Pokemon such as Mega Charizard Y, Keldeo, and Heatran all pair well with it. Mega Diancie is another good partner, as it's a frail Pokemon that enjoys redirection and can easily beat common Taunt users such as Thundurus, Keldeo, and Terrakion.

Moves Follow Me provides Clefable's team with redirection support. Ice Beam and Moonblast are both good in their own right and the choice between the two depends on what coverage the team needs. Heal Pulse allows Clefable to heal up bulkier Pokemon such as Aegislash and Mega Venusaur or keep its ally out of KO range. Helping Hand allows Clefable to boost the power of its ally's attack. Clefable has access to two forms of speed control: Icy Wind and Thunder Wave. Icy Wind can be used over Ice Beam or Moonblast, and Thunder Wave can replace Helping Hand or Heal Pulse. Finally, Protect shields Clefable from being double targeted and can give its team a free turn. Set Details The listed EVs allow Clefable to survive Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Double Edge and makes fully invested Modest Aegislash's Flash Cannon a 3HKO. The rest is invested into Special Attack with a point in speed leftover. With Unaware, Clefable can more easily handle a boosted Pokemon's hits, such as Defiant-boosted Bisharp and Power-Up Punch Mega Kangaskhan; but if you have more than one Intimidate or Snarl user, switching to Magic Guard is probably your best bet (note: Unaware does not ignore Icy Wind Speed debuffs). Alternate EVs include dropping some Defense for some Special Attack investment (36 Special Attack EVs allow Clefable to OHKO Scarf Landorus-T with Ice Beam). Depending on the team, more Special Defense can be used. On a Trick Room team, Clefable can run a Relaxed nature with 0 Speed IVs. Usage Tips Most often, Clefable should use Follow Me for redirecting attacks such as Close Combat and Draco Meteor. Clefable should also use Icy Wind, Helping Hand, and Thunder Wave often so that it can create safe plays for its partners. Team Options Boosting Pokemon and those that share a weakness with Togekiss work really well with Clefable. Pokemon such as Mega Salamence greatly benefit from the support provided by Clefable, which, unlike Togekiss, does not share a weakness with Mega Salamence. Mega Metagross and Mega Kangaskhan are both benefited by Clefable's support, as Clefable resists both Dark and Fighting. Trick Room setters such as Cresselia, Chandelure, and Jellicent are also great partners for Clefable. Common physical and special attackers pair well with Clefable. Physically attacking partners for Clefable include Terrakion and Conkeldurr, while specially attacking teammates can include Hydreigon, Latios, and Mega Camerupt.

Moves Moonblast is Clefable's best option for STAB. Thunder Wave cripples many threats such as Blaziken and Mega Salamence. With Unaware, Clefable can take a hit from set-up sweepers and retaliate with Thunder Wave. Moonlight is Clefable's best option for recovery and helps it stay around longer. Stealth Rock is nice to break Focus Sashes and get some chip damage, which is most useful with very offensive teammates. Encore can lock something into a status move, which is especially good against defensive Pokemon. Fire Blast offers good coverage against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Scizor. It can also be used to avoid being Toxic stalled. Healing Wish works very well with offensive teammates, bringing something back after being weakened or burned. This is especially nice with powerful threats such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Mawile. Set Details With 236 HP EVs, Clefable gains maximum recovery from Sitrus Berry. A Calm nature and 108 Special Defense EVs allow Clefable to live a Sludge Bomb from Mega Gengar so Clefable can cripple it with Thunder Wave, while the remaining EVs are put into Defense. Unaware allows Clefable to take on set-up sweepers. Sitrus Berry allows Clefable to take hits better, as it turns many 2HKOs into 3HKOs. It allows Clefable to switch into Pokemon such as Garchomp, Mamoswine, and Azumarill much more easily. Rocky Helmet can be used to help deal with physical attackers such as Blaziken, Mega Kangaskhan, and Talonflame. Many of these Pokemon use moves with recoil and when combined with damage from Rocky Helmet it quickly weakens them without Clefable even needing to attack. It is especially good against Mega Kangaskhan because of Parental Bond activating Rocky Helmet twice. Leftovers can be used if Sitrus Berry is taken, as the recovery each turn can be useful in some scenarios, especially against Garchomp without a boosting item, to avoid a 2HKO from Earthquake. Usage Tips This set aims to support the team and create opportunities for teammates to succeed. Setting up Stealth Rock early can make it easier for offensive teammates to pick up KOs, thanks to Focus Sashes being broken and the extra chip damage. Encore should be used to lock something into a useless move such as a defensive Pokemon using its recovery. This can give Clefable's teammates opportunities to come in and get free turns to set up. Thunder Wave should be used on fast threats such as Blaziken and Gengar, so they become much easier to revenge kill. Support from Healing Wish can allow you to play a bit more recklessly with Clefable's teammates, as you can sometimes afford to take a burn or paralysis or let a Pokemon get significantly weakened if you know you can heal it later. With Unaware, Clefable can be used as a check to most setup sweepers, using Thunder Wave on them as Clefable takes a hit. However, Clefable should be wary of switching directly in because most setup sweepers, such as Mega Blaziken and Mega Salamence, are powerful enough to 2HKO it if they opt to simply attack instead of setting up. Team Options This set should be used with more offensive teammates. If a team appears to be weak to many common setup sweepers and struggles to revenge kill very fast threats, then Clefable is a good option. Mega Gengar appreciates Clefable paralyzing Blaziken and other fast setup sweepers such as Mega Charizard X and Mega Salamence. It can also use the paralysis Clefable spreads to its advantage with Hex. Mega Kangaskhan appreciates Blaziken and Mega Gengar being paralyzed and greatly benefits from Healing Wish support as Double-Edge recoil can quickly wear down Mega Kangaskhan, a prime target for Rocky Helmet users. Many setup sweepers appreciate Clefable setting Stealth Rock and using Encore to buy them free turns to set up. Mega Salamence, Mega Charizard X, and Dragonite are all good examples of setup sweepers that work well with Clefable and form 2/3 of a Fairy / Dragon / Steel core. Blaziken appreciates Clefable's ability to deal with Mega Salamence. Clefable's Stealth Rock support also makes it much easier for Blaziken to sweep by breaking Focus Sashes and weakening Pokemon such as Charizard and Talonflame.

Moves Calm Mind allows Clefable to hit harder and makes it more difficult to take out. Moonblast doesn't need too many boosts to start dealing decent damage. It's also useful to hit common Pokemon such as Garchomp and Mega Salamence super effectively. Stored Power can be used over Moonblast for insane amounts of damage after a lot of boosts, but will leave Clefable walled by Dark-types. It is much less flexible than Moonblast as it requires Clefable to have a large amount of boosts before it can be useful, and because of this it is best used on Minimize sets. Minimize makes Clefable very hard for your opponent to beat after a few boosts. Thunder Wave can be used to cripple a lot of threats, such as Blaziken and Mega Salamence, and makes it easier for Clefable to keep setting up Calm Minds because it can safely outspeed and heal up when it needs to against the paralyzed foe. Fire Blast can be used for more coverage against Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Scizor. Flamethrower can also be used if you don't like missing but it is significantly weaker. Moonlight is usually the preferred choice for recovery as it gives the most flexibility possible and frees up Clefable's item slot. Rest is a decent recovery move when used with Chesto Berry. It's less flexible than Moonlight but helps deal with Toxic, and isn't hindered by sand like Moonlight is. Set Details Maximum HP and Defense investment is used to take on the large amount of physical attackers in the format, such as Blaziken, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Salamence. Since Clefable has Calm Mind to raise its Special Defense, investment in Defense is more important. Kee Berry is used so Pokemon such as Blaziken and Choice Band Garchomp can't 2HKO Clefable, and the boost makes it much easier for Clefable to set up on physical attackers. If running Rest, Chesto Berry should be used instead. Unaware makes Clefable tougher to take out because setup sweepers can't rely on getting an OHKO after setting up. This also makes Clefable a nice check to common setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence and Blaziken. Magic Guard can be used so Clefable is immune to Toxic and burn, which can be useful against stall teams and defensive Pokemon carrying Toxic such as Cresselia and Zapdos. Regardless, when running Minimize, Unaware is usually the preferred ability so Clefable can't be set up on and KOed in one turn. Usage Tips Clefable works best against paralyzed Pokemon because it will always have the upper hand when going for Calm Mind or Minimize. Getting free turns off full paralysis is also a huge advantage to quickly and safely get maximum evasion boosts. Sets with Minimize are best used late-game when the opposing team has been weakened, so try to take out Pokemon that might threaten Clefable early on. Using Clefable as the last Pokemon can also help to avoid it getting phazed. When Clefable is up against strong physical attackers make sure to recover off the first hit while Kee Berry activates before trying to set up. Before the Kee Berry boost many threats can 2HKO Clefable such as Blaziken, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Salamence. In most games, you should prioritize getting Minimize boosts, as this will give Clefable many free turns later on to set up Calm Minds. Don't get too greedy with Calm Mind; once you are at a comfortable position, start attacking. Two or three Calm Minds are usually enough to close out the game. Make sure you are wisely deciding when to recover and when to set up. It is best to set up Calm Minds on Pokemon that don't threaten Clefable, such as defensive Rotom-W, Suicune, and Cresselia. This is especially true when using Magic Guard or Rest so Toxic or burn isn't an issue from those Pokemon. If you are running Stored Power, make sure to prioritize taking out Dark-types, or consider benching Clefable at team preview if you see a Dark-type that you feel will be too difficult to play around. Fire Blast can be used when you expect Scizor or Ferrothorn to come in, taking them out as fast as possible. Clefable can usually afford to take some hits from Ferrothorn, but Scizor is still threatening and should be removed before attempting a sweep. When running Kee Berry, try to make good use of it if Clefable looks like it can sweep a team. It might be tempting to use Clefable early in some situations if you're using Thunder Wave or coverage moves, but if a sweep looks like a strong possibility, it might be better to save Clefable for later to keep the boost from Kee Berry. Team Options As mentioned earlier, paralysis gives Clefable a big advantage and makes setting up much easier. Teammates that can spread paralysis reliably are necessary on every team with Clefable. Thundurus makes for a great partner, utilizing Prankster Thunder Wave. It can also use Swagger to potentially get more free turns for Clefable with confusion hits, and thanks to Unaware, the Attack boosts from Swagger are not a problem for Clefable. Thundurus is usually the go-to user of Thunder Wave and Swagger because it can also deal with Talonflame, which is a big issue for Clefable when carrying Taunt. Klefki does a similar job to Thundurus with a generally stronger typing, but is much worse against Talonflame and doesn't have an offensive presence like Thundurus does. Klefki is often used as a backup teammate in matchups where Thundurus might be worse, against such Pokemon as Greninja and Porygon2. Serperior can also spread paralysis for Clefable. Glare is able to hit Ground-types which are normally immune to Thunder Wave. Serperior can use a set with Focus Sash and Swagger to give Clefable more potential free turns with confusion hits. With Focus Sash, it can also work as a lure to take out Gengar with Mirror Coat. It can also run a bulkier set with Reflect, which makes it easy to set up on physical attackers. Glalie and Ditto also benefit from some of Clefable's common teammates utilizing paralysis and Swagger. Glalie can set up Substitutes on paralyzed opponents, fishing for Moody boosts, while Ditto can copy Swagger boosts from physical attackers. Mega Gengar can trap and eliminate threats to Clefable such as Mega Venusaur and Cresselia with Toxic. It can use Will-O-Wisp on physical attackers, making it much easier for Clefable to set up on them. If Clefable is running Thunder Wave itself, Mega Gengar can take advantage of it with Hex. Garchomp is a nice teammate for Clefable as it can take on Steel-types such as Heatran and Aegislash. Rock Tomb might also come in handy in some situations before sending in Clefable to set up. Clefable can also switch into opposing Garchomp so your own doesn't have to risk dealing with the mirror match. Since Minimize can be a somewhat unreliable strategy at times, Mega Kangaskhan is a good partner because it is very consistent and can be a good backup win condition in matchups where Clefable might not shine. Clefable is also good at dealing with various offensive threats such as Garchomp and Blaziken and can set up on defensive Pokemon that wall Mega Kangaskhan such as Suicune and Cresselia, so Mega Kangaskhan can have an easier time. If Clefable is running Thunder Wave, Mega Kangaskhan appreciates the speed control on Pokemon such as Blaziken and Mega Salamence. Rotom-W can help deal with Talonflame and can switch into Mamoswine so Clefable doesn't have to risk Fissure hitting it. Rotom-W can also spread status such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave to aid Clefable in setting up. Clefable can work well with physical setup sweepers, such as Mega Salamence and Dragonite, as Clefable can easily switch into Will-O-Wisp without fear if it has Rest or Magic Guard and can set up on physical walls such as Suicune and Cresselia.

This set can catch the opponent off guard with its underrated power. With Magic Guard, Clefable can abuse a recoil-free Double-Edge and use Life Orb while still maintaining a great deal of bulk. Double-Edge is the main attraction of this set, 2HKOing many Pokemon in RU. To illustrate, almost all Pokemon that do not resist Double-Edge are OHKOed or 2HKOed. Grass Knot covers most Rock-types, such as Omastar and Kabutops, and even some heavy Steel-types, particularly Steelix and Aggron, while Flamethrower OHKOes or 2HKOes most Steel-types, namely Steelix, Ferroseed, and Klinklang. Stealth Rock should be chosen if you don't have any other Pokemon to set it up, and Wish can be used for extra healing support. In the last slot, Soft-Boiled pairs well with Stealth Rock to give Clefable instant recovery, while Protect matches well with Wish, allowing Clefable to heal reliably. The EVs and the nature maximize Clefable's Attack, which reaches respectable levels when backed by Life Orb in spite of its base 70 Attack. Combined with the high Base Power of Double-Edge, this makes sure that almost nothing is safe from Clefable. The rest of the EVs are then put into HP to maximize its bulk and Wish passing capabilities. A Brave nature is chosen so that neither Clefable's bulk nor its power is compromised. Magic Guard is chosen as usual to enhance its offensive and defensive potential, granting its immunity to both entry hazards and Life Orb recoil. In the last slot, Encore can be used to prevent opponents from setting up on Clefable; Heal Bell can be used if your team needs a cleric. Fire Blast is a viable choice in the second slot for the added power, but Flamethrower is preferred due to its greater PP and reliability. Toxic and Thunder Wave are both good options in the last slot to cripple defensive Pokemon such as Rotom, Dusknoir, and Spiritomb. Another option is to run Toxic Orb and Facade instead of Life Orb and Double-Edge. This gives Clefable pseudo-status immunity, but it loses quite a bit of power. Teammates that can switch into Pokemon that resist Clefable's attacks are useful. Good examples are Qwilfish and Moltres, who can switch into Dusknoir and Spiritomb, respectively. Teammates that can set up Spikes are also appreciated as this set's surprise factor, meaning its ability to hit very hard many of the support set's switch-ins, can cause many switches; Spikes also help Clefable gain some OHKOs and 2HKOs, such as on Gallade, Tangrowth, Lilligant, and Entei with Stealth Rock, and Hitmonchan without it. Qwilfish is the best option, as it has good synergy with Clefable and benefits from Wish greatly, having no reliable healing of its own. Lastly, Clefable can often lure in and eliminate certain walls so one of your Pokemon can sweep. Clefable that pack Grass Knot can lure out and KO Omastar and Kabutops, facilitating a sweep for Entei, while Klinklang appreciates Flamethrower-wielding Clefable's ability to remove Steelix and Ferroseed.

Boasting very nice HP and Special Defense stats, Clefable is capable of walling many strong special attackers in RU, such as Manectric, Rotom-C, and Galvantula. Magic Guard further enhances its walling capabilities, allowing it to avoid damage from entry hazards or damaging status, which trouble many other walls. With a good HP stat, it can pass big 197 HP Wishes, healing many offensive Pokemon almost completely, and most defensive Pokemon for at least half of their HP. Protect is used to scout Choice-locked moves from the likes of Entei, Sceptile, and Manectric, gives Clefable one free turn of Leftovers healing, and most importantly, makes sure that it can reliably heal with Wish. If you prefer having instant recovery and want to avoid giving free turns to your opponent, Soft-Boiled is always an option. Seismic Toss is the attacking move of choice due to its consistent power and Clefable's sub-par offensive stats. Lastly, a support move of your choice can be chosen. Heal Bell makes Clefable a reliable cleric, allowing its to heal its teammates of any troublesome status, Stealth Rock helps any team, and Encore is great for preventing sweepers from setting up against Clefable. The EVs are put into HP and Special Defense to maximize Clefable's special bulk. Leftovers is the best item, as it works very well with Protect and gives its constant passive healing. Magic Guard is by far the best ability, for the reasons mentioned above. If you need a status absorber, Toxic Orb is a viable item on Clefable, as it gives Clefable immunity to status. If you choose to run Toxic Orb, you should consider changing Seismic Toss to Facade, which is more powerful against almost all targets hit neutrally, even with Clefable's low Attack stat. Toxic and Thunder Wave are both viable alternatives for the fourth slot to make opposing Pokemon think twice about switching in. You can also run a special attack of your choice in the last slot to cover more threats, since Clefable has a decent Special Attack stat. The most useful of these moves are Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Grass Knot, Ice Beam, and Shadow Ball. Something important to note is that with one of these moves, except Grass Knot, Clefable is no longer completely helpless against offensive Ghost-types with Substitute, such as Rotom and Haunter. Finally, if you decide to use a special move, you might consider using Double-Edge over Seismic Toss, as it offers better coverage alongside said special move. Clefable loves teammates that can take physical hits for its, especially Fighting-type moves. For this reason, Qwilfish, Rotom, Dusknoir, and Spiritomb are very good partners; every one of these Pokemon appreciates the Wish support, since all of them lack reliable recovery. A Dark- or Steel-type Pokemon will also be very useful to take care of Ghost-types, such as Spiritomb and Golurk, who can set up on Clefable. Mandibuzz and Steelix are good choices, as they are immune or resistant to Ghost-type moves and can phaze away their boosts.

This set makes Clefable a formidable bulky sweeper that both hits hard and is difficult to take down thanks to Soft-Boiled and Magic Guard. Calm Mind is the most important move on this set, raising its Special Attack and Special Defense to high levels. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam take the second and third slots because of the almost-unresisted coverage they provide together in RU. The only Pokemon that resist this combination in RU are Magneton and Lanturn, both of which are setup fodder. Finally, Soft-Boiled goes in the last slot to make Clefable nearly impossible to bring down from the special side after a few boosts, prolonging its sweep. The EVs maximize Clefable's Special Attack and HP to provide maximum bulk and firepower, because this set wants to hit hard while at the same time being difficult to take down from the special side. Magic Guard is chosen mainly to prevent Clefable from being stalled out with Toxic; after a couple of boosts, Clefable only fears strong physical attacks. Life Orb is used for the free 30% boost in power to Clefable's attacks, but Leftovers is perfectly viable if you prefer more survivability. A spread of 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD with a Bold nature makes Clefable more difficult to bring down from the physical side, but it loses out on a great deal of power. Flamethrower can be used instead of Ice Beam to better deal with Roar Steelix and Steel-types in general. Fire + Electric also offers exceptional neutral coverage in RU, being walled only by Lanturn and Druddigon, the former being set-up bait for Clefable. As with most Clefable sets, this one fears strong physical attackers, especially Fighting-types such as Gallade, who can easily take any attack with its good special bulk and either KO Clefable outright or set up. As such, teammates that can take on the physical attackers that Clefable attracts, such as Qwilfish and Slowking, are once again appreciated. Calm Mind Psyshock Uxie is also a good counter to Clefable, as it can easily take Clefable's attacks, boost up alongside its, and comfortably 2HKO Clefable at +2, since Psyshock hits Clefable's unboosted Defense. Steelix and specially defensive Drapion counter Uxie by phazing its with Whirlwind, and also provide entry hazards to help Clefable gain the OHKOs and 2HKOs that it needs.

With surprisingly good power and coverage, this set can surprise anyone who thinks that Clefable is a harmless wall. Double-Edge is its nuke, OHKOing and 2HKOing many Pokemon. Additionally, Life Orb and Double-Edge recoil are canceled out by Magic Guard, which gives Clefable a distinct advantage over other wallbreakers. Grass Knot provides coverage against Rock-types that resist Double-Edge, Fire Blast roasts Steel-types, and Soft-Boiled gives Clefable a way to heal and continue to batter your opponent with powerful attacks. The EVs go into Attack and Special Attack to maximize Clefable's power output, while a Brave nature is chosen to improve the power of Double-Edge without jeopardizing Clefable's bulk. Shadow Ball can be used with a Quiet nature if you want Clefable to have a chance of 2HKOing Dusknoir, Uxie, and Qwilfish with the help of entry hazards. Thunderbolt can be used along with a Quiet nature; it maintains coverage against Archeops and Aerodactyl, OHKOes any Feraligatr after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes, and OHKOes Qwilfish unconditionally. A Toxic Orb can be used to prevent Clefable from getting burned, and generally lets its act as a status absorber. If you choose Toxic Orb, you should be sure to pick Facade instead of Double-Edge to hit harder. It should be noted, however, that without Life Orb, Clefable's special attacks are much weaker. As with most wallbreakers, entry hazards are very useful, as they help Clefable score many OHKOs and 2HKOs. Stealth Rock in particular helps Clefable's Double-Edge to OHKO many offensive Pokemon, such as Moltres and Scyther. Sandslash and Uxie are excellent partners for this reason, as they can set up Stealth Rock and take the Fighting-type attacks aimed at Clefable. Most bulky Ghost-types, particularly Dusknoir, trouble this set, as they can take anything but Shadow Ball and set up on Clefable. For this reason, teammates that can deal with bulky Ghost-types, such as Pursuit users and Moltres, are very useful.

Clefable is an excellent choice for providing support for the team. It has more balanced defenses than Alomomola, and it can support in ways they cannot with access to Knock Off and Magic Guard. It also has Heal Bell, which Alomomola would die for. Heal Bell and Wish turn Clefable into a cleric for the team, healing off status and passing 197 HP per Wish. Seismic Toss is Clefable's most reliable option to deal damage, allowing it to hit with consistency against most opponents. Knock Off rids opponents of their Leftovers or Eviolites, drastically diminishing their effectiveness and giving your team an advantage. Encore is there to lock an opponent into a move, providing an excellent opportunity to switch to a counter and set up, while Heal Bell lets Clefable rid its team of status. Considering the great support Clefable offers with this set, it fits into practically any team with ease. It is particularly useful for sweepers who lack a reliable source of recovery and who appreciate Wish support. Encore and Knock Off make it easier for teammates to switch in and set up with a boosting move or Substitute. Clefable works best when paired with Ghost-, Psychic-, or Flying-type teammates who can handle the Fighting-type attacks that are going to be aimed at it. Clefable can use Protect over Knock Off. A status move--either Toxic or Thunder Wave--could be used in the last slot to help support the team by weakening walls or crippling sweepers. Clefable has an extremely large arsenal of support options, any of which could replace the moves on the set, depending on the needs of the team. Be warned, though, that most other support options are either too situational to be reliable or are simply better utilized by other Pokemon.

A Life Orb set might seem odd on a Pokemon with 70 Atk / 85 SpA offense stats, but thanks to Magic Guard, good bulk, a wide offensive movepool, and no recoil from Life Orb, Clefable is capable of dishing out a respectable amount of damage. The first slot gives Clefable its best STAB option. Double-Edge is very dangerous and powerful, effectively reaching 234 base power with STAB and the Life Orb boost. A Fire-type move fills the second slot to give coverage against Steel types; Fire Blast is much more powerful, but Flamethrower is an option if one fears low accuracy. The third slot provides Clefable with well-rounded coverage and should be chosen depending on the needs of the team. Soft-Boiled is an obvious choice in the final slot for reliable recovery. The most notable optional change would be putting Thunderbolt in the third moveslot, allowing Clefable to hit lighter defensive Water-types such as Alomomola and Slowbro for more damage. Clefable could run a pure physical or special Life Orb set, but it becomes much easier to wall, and pure sets are easily outclassed by Pokemon who specialize in one stat or the other. Facade would be a terrific option if Clefable could count on acquiring a status impairment, reaching the equivalent of 273 Base Power with STAB and a Life Orb. Clefable could use a Naughty or Lonely nature if the loss of Speed with a Brave nature is undesirable; however, Clefable is already relatively slow, even in UU, and typically prefers to maintain some bulk over gaining a little bit of speed.

This is a sample set. We aren't working on BW Monotype analyses at the moment, but check out BW Monotype resources for more information about the metagame.

Clefable is unarguably one of the best stallers in the UU metagame. This stems from her immunity to all kinds of passive damage, including entry hazards and damaging statuses such as burn and Toxic which usually cripple other walls. In addition to this, Clefable packs great overall defenses, pseudo-instant recovery in the form of Wish and Protect, and Seismic Toss to deal consistent damage against foes that can otherwise shut Clefable down with Taunt. Aside from stalling, Clefable can also provide some valuable team support via Wish and Toxic or Heal Bell. Toxic is always useful to cripple opposing walls that are difficult to beat otherwise, such as Milotic, whereas Heal Bell's ability to cure your team of status can easily prove useful against opponents who possess Pokemon that like to abuse status-inducing moves. Clefable's EVs are geared towards her Special Defense, as special attacking threats are easier for Clefable to deal with than physical ones. This is partially due to the fact that all the Fighting-types in UU use physical attacks and Clefable has little hope of sponging physical hits from the likes of Hitmonlee or Hariyama, whereas she is perfectly capable of taking on special attacks from the likes of Venusaur. However, a more physically defensive spread is still usable, since Clefable still has enough Defense to take on foes such as Rhyperior and Donphan, though she does a worse job than a Pokemon such as Leafeon, who boasts considerably more Defense and a super effective STAB move to take on these physical attackers with. There are numerous changes that can be made to this set. Cosmic Power can give Clefable more stalling power, and thanks to her immunity to dangerous statuses such as Toxic, Clefable is one of the best user of the move in the game. However, it leaves Clefable susceptible to being pseudo-hazed, and using Cosmic Power will force Clefable to drop either Seismic Toss or Toxic; losing either is not particularly desirable, as it leaves Clefable a veritable sitting duck against many foes. Without Toxic, Clefable can't stall without major support, and without Seismic Toss, she is walled by every Pokemon who is immune to Toxic, most of whom can simply take the opportunity to set up. Ice Beam is an option over Seismic Toss to hit Ghost-types, who would otherwise be able to switch into Clefable with ease and shut her down with either Substitute or Taunt, but aside from that, Seismic Toss is superior. Soft-Boiled is an option if you find that Clefable needs a less time-consuming form of recovery, or if you want both Heal Bell and Toxic on the same set, though Wish and Protect are easily superior for stalling purposes. Residual damage is the greatest companion to this set, bar none. Toxic Spikes in particular are a great asset, since they are the easiest way of causing poison status without wasting a moveslot. Drapion and Cloyster are both great Toxic Spikes users, though the former may be the better choice because he does not share a Fighting-type weakness with Clefable. Toxic Spikes can be absorbed by Poison-type Pokemon, so having a counter to common Poison-types such as Venusaur, Drapion, and Toxicroak is a good idea. Donphan is able to handle the latter two reliably with his STAB Earthquake and great bulk, while Arcanine or Moltres are able to defeat the ubiquitous Venusaur. Due to how much Clefable appreciates entry hazards, Ghost-types are useful to block Rapid Spin. Mismagius, Rotom, and Spiritomb are ideal Pokemon for this job; they can even use Will-O-Wisp to burn Pokemon who are immune to Toxic. Ironically, Clefable herself is walled by the former two Pokemon if they possess Taunt or Substitute, but Spiritomb makes a magnificent counter to them due to his ability to trap and KO them with Pursuit. Stat-boosting Pokemon tend to give Clefable trouble as well; due to her poor offensive prowess (Seismic Toss just doesn't cut it against many foes), many Pokemon can set up with ease. RestTalk Calm Mind Uxie, for example, will take little damage from Seismic Toss and will be able to set up several Calm Minds before Resting away Toxic and any accumulated damage. To deal with such foes, pseudo-hazers and Haze Milotic are the best options, the latter possessing monstrous defenses and a great typing for taking on most stat-boosting threats. Defensive Venusaur is a fantastic phazer, as he can check a multitude of different threats depending on whether he is physically defensive or specially defensive. Specially defensive Venusaur can take on Mismagius and Rotom, not really minding burns thanks to Heal Bell support from Clefable, while physically defensive Venusaur can check Rhyperior and Feraligatr. In addition to this, phazers can also take advantage of the entry hazards that Clefable enjoys, since they can shuffle the opposing team around to rack up residual damage.

Though she may be looked at as a poor man's Chansey, Clefable has two big notable advantages over the pink pudgy egg blob: a usable Special Attack stat and access to Encore. Unfortunately, due to the way Clefable is played, she can only take advantage of one of these perks at a time. Ice Beam is the recommended choice because it allows Clefable to break Rotom's Substitutes, as well as provide a nice hit on Torterra and Venusaur. Encore was extremely useful in the past when Ghost-types were running sets with both Substitute + Taunt, but they have now fallen out of favor and been replaced by straight-up Taunt + 3 attacks sets, making Encore somewhat useless against them. Still, Encore is an amazing tool in Clefable's arsenal that allows her to beat multiple Pokemon in UU who rely on Substitute, such as SubPerior and Substitute + Charge Beam Lanturn. Depending on how team-oriented you'd like Clefable to be, Soft-Boiled and Wish are both great recovery options. However, a downside to using Wish without Protect is that Clefable is unable to survive attacks that would otherwise only 3HKO it. Seismic Toss provides consistent damage to everything (excluding Ghost-types) and is the best attack Clefable has against walls like Registeel. Thunder Wave spreads paralysis and helps Clefable's Encore cripple Pokemon later in the match much more easily. Heal Bell makes Clefable more of a team supporter by ridding your sweepers of all status effects. The EV spread given maximizes Clefable's special walling prowess. While this may seem like a futile attempt at making Clefable as bulky as Chansey, it actually allows Clefable to handily wall various special threats, such as Life Orb Venusaur and Milotic, and eventually defeat them. A more physically defensive EV spread of 252 HP / 152 Def / 100 SpD / 4 Spe allows Clefable to more easily defeat Donphan and Rhyperior, but Clefable is much more adept at walling special threats. Since Clefable's main goal with this set is to wall various special threats, teammates who can capitalize on this are the best choices. Slowbro is a phenomenal Pokemon to pair with Clefable, as it patches up Clefable's sole weakness, and in return, Clefable can switch into just about any special Electric-, Ghost-, Dark-, or Grass-type attack. Many sweepers also enjoy having Clefable as a backup when the going gets rough. Feraligatr and Rhyperior both love Clefable's ability to switch into special attacks and essentially give them a second life (through Heal Bell and Wish) should their first attempt at a sweep fail. Since Clefable (especially with 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. Donphan may be the best choice overall, since both of the Steel-type choices share a Fighting-type weakness with Clefable, and with Rapid Spin Hitmontop on the loose, Close Combat isn't something you want to have a weakness to. Good Spikes users include 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 Clefable's moveset, so it's best to omit it from your team when using this set. Rapid Spin users, especially Foresight Hitmontop, pretty much wreck this set. Ghost-types such as Mismagius and Spiritomb are great candidates to block Rapid Spin, 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 will likely switch in on, sweepers like Espeon and bulky walls like Weezing are both good choices; just be sure your counters can take a Mach Punch and stay standing, as it's a featured move on nearly every Hitmontop.

It seems ridiculous to think that Clefable could pull off a wallbreaker set when there are offensive behemoths available like Blaziken, who sports 120/110 attacking stats in comparison to Clefable's rather meager 70/85. However, with Magic Guard negating the recoil from Life Orb and Double-Edge, and Soft-Boiled to heal off any damage that Clefable sustains, Clefable is an almost perfect wallbreaker. Double-Edge plows through special walls like Chansey, managing a guaranteed 2HKO even without entry hazards. Fire Blast roasts Grass- and Steel-types like Venusaur and Registeel, while Grass Knot trips up Rhyperior and Slowbro. Soft-Boiled keeps Clefable in tip-top shape so she can continue to break down the opposing team. The EVs offer maximum Attack and Special Attack, while the Quiet nature preserves Clefable's good bulk. A Toxic Orb can be used in place of Life Orb, and Facade in place of Double-Edge, to obtain immunity to status, but this means that there will be a significant drop in power. Psychic is usable if you need the ability to lure in and pummel Fighting-types, but the loss of coverage means Clefable will be walled by far more Pokemon than Psychic will cover. As with every other set, Clefable enjoys entry hazard support to help her garner 2HKOs on the majority of UU's walls. The two best choices for teammates to set up Stealth Rock are Claydol and Donphan, both of whom can also remove any entry hazards with Rapid Spin. Donphan can strike opponents back with a powerful STAB Earthquake, revenge threats with Ice Shard, and Roar to abuse entry hazards. Claydol, on the other hand, offers Levitate, ensuring that it won't be worn down as easily, a valuable resistance to Fighting-type attacks, and much better Special Defense. Spikes can be set up by either Omastar or Cloyster; both are weak to Fighting-type attacks, however, so having something to take these assaults will help. Either Uxie or Spiritomb will work excellently here; Uxie can set up Stealth Rock if you don't want the extra Grass weakness that Claydol and Donphan bring, while Spiritomb can easily switch in on Fighting-types and burn them with Will-O-Wisp. Although Clefable has the reputation of slicing through stall like a hot knife through butter, there are still some Pokemon commonly used on stall teams that give it trouble. Hitmontop is the greatest threat to Clefable, with Intimidate to help it weather Double-Edge and the ability to outspeed and obliterate Clefable with Close Combat. Hariyama is another check, but he runs the risk of being 2HKOed by Double-Edge with Spikes support. Spiritomb is also a huge problem for Clefable, as Fire Blast is only a 3HKO, and Pressure will stall out Fire Blast's PP with ease. Spiritomb can even Will-O-Wisp to ruin Clefable's Attack if she isn't using Toxic Orb. Specially defensive Milotic can stall Grass Knot with Recover, although a timely critical hit will destroy it. An easy way of handling these counters is to run Toxic Spikes. This will allow Clefable to defeat Milotic without a critical hit, force Spiritomb to eventually Rest, and limit the amount of times Hitmontop and Hariyama can switch in. Drapion works quite well in this regard, as he can abosrb Toxic Spikes and lay down his own. Drapion can also take on Mismagius, another Ghost-type who can give Clefable some trouble.

Clefable, due to her immense special bulk and amazing ability, has many chances to come in and set up dual screens. What separates Clefable from other dual screen users is her access to Wish and a wide variety of support moves, which most dual screen users lack. While Soft-Boiled is the more reliable healing move, Wish can help your other teammates immensely by restoring 50% of their health as they switch in. If keeping Clefable fully functional isn't a concern to you, then Encore can be used to ruin opposing Pokemon trying to set up on her. Seismic Toss is there so that Clefable isn't complete Taunt bait, and it's your best option to deal a respectable amount of damage to a wide variety of foes. Ice Beam is also an option to get a good hit on Ghost-types, but since Clefable's main focus with this set is to support a sweeper on your team, this isn't a large concern. The EV spread is designed to give Clefable as much special bulk as possible. Light Clay is the recommended item as it gives the dual screens eight turns in play instead of five, thus giving Clefable's teammates more time to wreak havoc. Because Clefable is more specially defensive, setting up Reflect first is generally the best move to make. However, it ultimately comes down to whichever Pokemon the opponent has in play at the time Clefable is ready to start setting up the dual screens. The best teammates to pair with Clefable are those who can capitalize the most from having dual screens in play. Normally frail sweepers, such as Charizard and Belly Drum Linoone, suddenly become difficult to take down when behind the appropriate screen, which can easily turn the tide of battle. Another strategy to use is to pair Clefable with already bulky Pokemon who take a couple of turns to get completely set-up in order to sweep. An example of this is Tangrowth, who, if not on a team based around Sunny Day, needs to set up both Sunny Day and Swords Dance in order to sweep. The added bulk from dual screens can give Tangrowth the extra time he needs to fully set up and rip the opposing team to shreds. Clefable will generally have trouble against Pokemon that have access to powerful 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 dual screens are in play. Opposing Ghost-types can walk right into Seismic Toss and start boosting their stats, but Clefable is able to Encore them if they do so, which gives you a good chance of setting up screens.

This set is infamous for dismantling stall teams because of its powerful boosting move, Calm Mind, coupled with immunities to entry hazards and Toxic. Since stall teams rely primarily on residual damage to defeat opposing Pokemon, their attacking moves are almost always backed by zero EV investment and are consequently most efficient at chipping down frail Pokemon that lack recovery. However, Clefable is neither frail, nor does she lack a reliable recovery move. By alternating Calm Mind with Soft-Boiled, Clefable is able to insolently set up right in the face of common defensive Pokemon like Milotic, Chansey, Weezing, and Donphan. Once she reaches +6/+6, she can use the almost-perfect coverage granted by Ice Beam and Thunderbolt to calmly pick apart the opposing team. Although the offensive and defensive Calm Mind sets appear very similar, their playstyles are assuredly distinct from each other. Most notably, the defensive EV spread and presence of Leftovers (instead of a Life Orb) make this set much more resilient, allowing it to shrug off weak attacks more easily. This makes Clefable more suited for taking on heavy stall teams, since she won't have to use Soft-Boiled as often, making it much harder to PP stall. It also means that the set fits better on a defensively-minded team itself, because the additional bulk means Clefable can provide some defensive support without losing too much HP (which would compromise her ability to successfully set up later). For example, the HP investment and Leftovers allows defensive Calm Mind Clefable to take on Charge Beam users, such as Lanturn and Rotom, with greater ease. Of course, there is a tradeoff to going defensive. The lack of Speed EVs means Clefable cannot hope to beat slow heavy-hitters like Azumarill or Rhyperior, who can finish off a slightly weakened Clefable with powerful Choice Band-boosted attacks. Without Special Attack EVs or a Life Orb, Clefable's non-STAB attacks are mere trifles until she is able to boost up with Calm Mind. As a result, she doesn't perform as well against bulky defensive teams, which usually carry a few checks who must be worn down with repeated Thunderbolt or Ice Beam on the switch. It takes much longer to wear down these checks without any Special Attack investment or a Life Orb. The EV spread on this set is self-explanatory. HP and Defense are maximized with a Bold nature so Clefable can take as many hits as possible, while the last 4 EVs are put in Special Defense. Since Clefable has Calm Mind to boost her Special Defense, Defense is prioritized. However, investing in Special Defense makes Clefable a much better answer to threats like Charge Beam Rotom and special attacking Venusaur. A few EVs can be put into Speed to allow Clefable to outspeed Donphan and Azumarill who invest just enough to outpace 0 Speed Clefable, but this isn't reliable, and it's not a guarantee that Clefable will actually be faster. Clefable can't set up against Roar/Whirlwind users like Steelix and Hariyama, especially if they have Wish support from Chansey or opposing Clefable. In a last Pokemon situation, Clefable doesn't fear being phazed out, but Perish Song from Mismagius or Altaria will spell doom. Stall Hitmontop gives Clefable a hard time due to his high Special Defense and STAB Close Combat or Revenge. Milotic can use Haze to erase Clefable's Calm Minds, but it's worth noting that the chance of a Thunderbolt paralysis followed by Milotic being fully paralyzed makes this specific match-up particularly favorable for Clefable. The best way to weaken specific stall Pokemon is heavily battle- and team-dependent, but a generally good idea is to use lures and trappers. Swords Dance Brick Break Scyther significantly dents Steelix, Pursuit Houndoom takes out Stall Mismagius, and Nasty Plot Passho Berry Houndoom weakens or KOes Milotic. Although these lures are nifty tricks, thinking about the team match-up in a battle and forcing the opponent to use specific Pokemon to defend against your other threats is the best way to weaken a defensive pillar.

Calm Mind Clefable is one of the most dangerous and overlooked threats for defensive teams in UU. Unlike most Calm Mind sweepers, Clefable has solid physical bulk and lacks easily exploitable weaknesses. In addition, Magic Guard grants Clefable an immunity to entry hazard and poison damage, rendering the majority of a stall team's strategy ineffective. To top it all off, an instant recovery move in Soft-Boiled means that even whittling down Clefable's health through repeated weak attacks is not an option. Calm Mind and Soft-Boiled form the core of the set, allowing Clefable to set up on weaker attackers while recovering lost health. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam are the preferred attacking moves, since together they hit every Pokemon in UU with the exception of Lanturn, Magneton, and Shedinja for at least neutral damage. Lanturn and Magneton are setup bait for Clefable anyway, while Shedinja is rarely seen and easily disposed of with Stealth Rock. In addition, Thunderbolt and Ice Beam provide vital super effective coverage against key threats. Thunderbolt zaps Milotic and its fellow Water-types, while Ice Beam nails Ground- and Grass-types, such as Donphan, Rhyperior, and Venusaur. A Modest nature and 252 Special Attack EVs maximize Clefable's offensive potential. 96 Speed EVs put it at 180 Speed, allowing it to outpace Adamant Rhyperior. The remaining EVs are dumped into HP to capitalize on Clefable's natural bulk. If you're concerned about outpacing Milotic, using 172 Speed EVs beats minimum Speed variants, but adding a few additional EVs may be a good idea since Milotic tend to invest slightly in Speed. Unfortunately, Clefable does not have a STAB special attack that it can use. However, there are a few alternatives to the moves suggested. Using Psychic instead of Ice Beam allows Clefable to hit Hitmontop super effectively while retaining power against Venusaur. Alternatively, Toxic can replace Thunderbolt to defeat Haze Milotic; in this case, Ice Beam is preferred as the sole attacking option because no Pokemon is immune to it. There aren't many Pokemon who can reliably stop Calm Mind Clefable, especially on defensive teams, which means luring and weakening the few checks that exist can result in an easy sweep. Haze Milotic will erase Clefable's boosts before Clefable can hit it with Thunderbolt. However, Milotic usually loses in the long run, as the eventuality of paralysis or critical hit will put the odds heavily in Clefable's favor. Stall teams can pair Milotic with Aromatherapy Chansey to PP stall Clefable. To avoid this, it's best to weaken Milotic to 50% HP to prevent it from countering Clefable; if it tries to Haze at that health, Thunderbolt will KO, while if it tries to Recover, +1 Thunderbolt will deal far more damage than it can heal. Many Pokemon, including physical Blaziken, Passho Berry Houndoom, and Choice Band Azumarill, can adequately weaken Milotic. However, a cleaner way to get rid of it is with a lure packing Explosion, such as Steelix or Curse Registeel. Keep in mind that using these recklessly may not be successful since they also lure in Omastar and Cloyster seeking to set up Spikes. Explosion lures are also a good way to eliminate Rapid Spin Hitmontop; Regirock is the best such lure due to its high Attack stat, Clear Body, and its ability to outpace defensive Hitmontop. Pokemon with Choice items and Trick can cripple Clefable, but simply predicting and switching Clefable out for another Pokemon will neutralize the threat. Additionally, since most Trick users are Ghost- or Psychic-type, a Pursuit user such as Houndoom or Drapion can eliminate them with ease. Beyond using Pokemon with super effective Fighting-type attacks, the easiest way for offensive teams to deal with Clefable is to have one Pokemon batter Clefable so that it cannot set up and have a second finish it off. Since these attackers rely on their high Speed to hit Clefable first, paralysis support helps Clefable a lot, particularly against special attackers. When Clefable can use Calm Mind before it is hit with a special attack, it can set up against a much larger range of Pokemon.

Generally, FEAR sets are shunned as being nothing but gimmicks due to the wide use of Stealth Rock. Clefable, however, manages to break the mold with Magic Guard. The idea behind this set is simple: switch Clefable in on a non-damaging move or after something on your team has been KOed, survive a hit with Focus Sash, and then Endeavor. This set is meant to be used with sandstorm, hail, or Toxic Spikes, which will finish off the opponent at the end of the turn. Even if the opposing Pokemon happens to be immune to your weather of choice, entry hazards will ensure that the fatally crippled Pokemon won't be able to do much of anything for the rest of the match. Every move other than Endeavor is really filler at best, but can prove marginally useful. Protect can scout Fake Out and sleep inducing moves, while Encore can be useful if the opponent is spamming a recovery move. Thunder Wave can hit any Mismagius who think they can get a free switch in, while Toxic will heavily cripple any Spiritomb who tries to come in. If you want to achieve maximum rage from your opponent, using Trick Room with weather will ensure two KOs, and it's also possible to run Cleffa and Clefairy alongside Clefable to get 3 KOs at worst. Clefable's biggest problem is Ghost-types who are immune to Endeavor, so having partners to handle them is the most important thing to consider. Pursuit users are valuable to help get rid of Mismagius and Rotom. Spiritomb is the best option due to his solid defenses and the ability to play mind games with Sucker Punch and Pursuit. Absol and Houndoom are also viable if you want more power, but their lower defenses make them less reliable. Opposing Spiritomb is a bit harder to eliminate, but powerful attackers such as Blaziken can handily deal with it.