[OVERVIEW]
Clefable provides good utility for teams thanks to its good movepool, giving it a multitude of options such as Calm Mind, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock. Furthermore, its typing allows it to check many prominent Pokemon in the tier such as Mega Gyarados and Dragonite. Thanks to Calm Mind and its access to coverage options like Fire Blast and Thunderbolt, it can also serve as a niche wallbreaker. However, its typing may backfire on itself, since it leaves Clefable vulnerable to other prominent Pokemon such as the omnipresent Melmetal, Mega Beedrill, Gengar, and Mega Venusaur. Finally, its mediocre Special Attack stat leaves it unable to break through special walls such as Snorlax and defensive Mew.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind / Thunder Wave
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Stealth Rock / Thunder Wave
item: No Item
nature: Modest
[SET COMMENTS]
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.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic is an option to cripple switch-ins such as Mew and Chansey. However, due to the prominence of Toxic-immune Pokemon like Mega Venusaur, Melmetal, and Nidoqueen, it is not recommended. Clefable can also set up dual screens on hyper offense teams; however, Electrode and Jolteon make for better dual screens setters due to their higher Speed, and Clefable’s middling Speed means it is hardly able to set dual screens itself. A Calm nature allows Clefable to be more of a special wall, but it isn't recommended due to the prominence of physical attackers in the tier that Clefable is aiming to check. A Bold nature may solve this problem, but Clefable’s Defense is too low to warrant it and the loss of the extra power provided by the Modest nature is significant. Teleport is another option for Clefable to escape an incoming check and bring in a teammate, but it is not recommended because of how hard it is to fit into the set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Walls**: Specially defensive walls such as Chansey and Snorlax wall Clefable thanks to their high Special Defense and HP stats.
**Melmetal**: Melmetal can always come in to take Clefable’s Moonblast and force it out or OHKO it, but it has to watch out for Fire Blast 2HKOing it or even potentially OHKOing it if boosted. This damage may also leave Melmetal unable to properly handle Clefable's teammates.
**Poison-types**: Mega Beedrill, Mega Venusaur, and Gengar can all outspeed Clefable and OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage; however, all three are risky switch-ins. Mega Beedrill cannot take any move safely, Mega Venusaur has to watch out for Fire Blast, and Gengar must be wary of Thunder Wave.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Mega Charizard X and Moltres resist Fire Blast and Moonblast, respectively, but they hate getting worn down by Stealth Rock. They're also susceptible to Thunder Wave and can struggle to break through a boosted Clefable.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ImperialGamer517, 506687]]
- Quality checked by: [[Vengeance417, 198446], [Lilburr, 481709], [Eve, 375272]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [Milak, 262594]]
Clefable provides good utility for teams thanks to its good movepool, giving it a multitude of options such as Calm Mind, Thunder Wave, and Stealth Rock. Furthermore, its typing allows it to check many prominent Pokemon in the tier such as Mega Gyarados and Dragonite. Thanks to Calm Mind and its access to coverage options like Fire Blast and Thunderbolt, it can also serve as a niche wallbreaker. However, its typing may backfire on itself, since it leaves Clefable vulnerable to other prominent Pokemon such as the omnipresent Melmetal, Mega Beedrill, Gengar, and Mega Venusaur. Finally, its mediocre Special Attack stat leaves it unable to break through special walls such as Snorlax and defensive Mew.
[SET]
name: Calm Mind
move 1: Calm Mind / Thunder Wave
move 2: Moonblast
move 3: Fire Blast / Flamethrower
move 4: Stealth Rock / Thunder Wave
item: No Item
nature: Modest
[SET COMMENTS]
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.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Toxic is an option to cripple switch-ins such as Mew and Chansey. However, due to the prominence of Toxic-immune Pokemon like Mega Venusaur, Melmetal, and Nidoqueen, it is not recommended. Clefable can also set up dual screens on hyper offense teams; however, Electrode and Jolteon make for better dual screens setters due to their higher Speed, and Clefable’s middling Speed means it is hardly able to set dual screens itself. A Calm nature allows Clefable to be more of a special wall, but it isn't recommended due to the prominence of physical attackers in the tier that Clefable is aiming to check. A Bold nature may solve this problem, but Clefable’s Defense is too low to warrant it and the loss of the extra power provided by the Modest nature is significant. Teleport is another option for Clefable to escape an incoming check and bring in a teammate, but it is not recommended because of how hard it is to fit into the set.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Walls**: Specially defensive walls such as Chansey and Snorlax wall Clefable thanks to their high Special Defense and HP stats.
**Melmetal**: Melmetal can always come in to take Clefable’s Moonblast and force it out or OHKO it, but it has to watch out for Fire Blast 2HKOing it or even potentially OHKOing it if boosted. This damage may also leave Melmetal unable to properly handle Clefable's teammates.
**Poison-types**: Mega Beedrill, Mega Venusaur, and Gengar can all outspeed Clefable and OHKO it after Stealth Rock damage; however, all three are risky switch-ins. Mega Beedrill cannot take any move safely, Mega Venusaur has to watch out for Fire Blast, and Gengar must be wary of Thunder Wave.
**Fire-types**: Fire-types such as Mega Charizard X and Moltres resist Fire Blast and Moonblast, respectively, but they hate getting worn down by Stealth Rock. They're also susceptible to Thunder Wave and can struggle to break through a boosted Clefable.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ImperialGamer517, 506687]]
- Quality checked by: [[Vengeance417, 198446], [Lilburr, 481709], [Eve, 375272]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [Milak, 262594]]
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