Gen 5 - Clefable [QC 2/2] [GP 1/1] (2024)

[OVERVIEW]
Blessed with the ability Magic Guard, Clefable is a serviceable support Pokemon in BW OU with immunities to the widespread residual damage in the tier. In a metagame defined by permanent Sandstorm and Rain-boosted Scald, Clefable differentiates itself from other special walls through its passive longevity and - importantly in a tier with Spikes Skarmory and Ferrothorn - little reliance on Rapid Spin support. Utilising these traits, Clefable easily finds entry points on many passive Pokemon in the tier and disrupts opposing teams with tools such as Knock Off and Thunder Wave.

That said, Clefable's lack of resistances and middling stat spread is exploitable in a generation also renowned for offensive power creep. Compared with other dedicated special walls such as Blissey, Clefable's bulk doesn't hold up in the face of the tier's more powerful wallbreakers such as Thundurus-T, Specs Latios, or boosted Volcarona. A reliance on Thunder Wave to drive progress also makes Clefable explotable by the wide range of offensive Ground-types in BW OU. A sole weakness to Fighting-type attacks, similarly, is a limitation for Clefable considering the introduction of Keldeo, Terrakion, and widespread use of Focus Blast and Superpower as coverage. All this considered, Clefable is a rewarding yet challenging Pokemon to utilise in BW OU.

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Thunder Wave
move 2: Knock Off
move 3: Seismic Toss / Ice Beam
move 4: Softboiled
item: Leftovers
ability: Magic Guard
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 184 SpD / 12 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Clefable's standard role in BW OU is that of disruptor, utilising its easy entry points on passive walls and causing chaos with a combination of moves that lack good switch-ins - Thunder Wave and Knock Off. Thunder Wave stops Clefable being exploited by opposing offense, deterring switch-ins of powerful breakers such as Keldeo, Terrakion, and Kyurem-B, and therefore forcing the opponent to pivot indirectly to avoid their best offensive tools being crippled. Thunder Wave has wider utility, too - even against defensive Pokemon such as Skarmory or slower set-up threats such as Reuniclus, paralysis is a huge limiter that reduces the likelihood of successive recoveries and makes them more easily broken by teammates. Thunder Wave also de-risks many of Clefable's 1v1 match-ups including vs Tyranitar, Magnezone, and Heatran, where a fast Softboiled and waiting for a 25% full paralysis drive the odds in Clefable's favour. Knock Off partners well with Thunder Wave by being a particularly good punish to Ground-types that try to pivot through their paralysis immunity, especially Excadrill which struggles to consistently Rapid Spin away hazards without its Leftovers. Knock Off is also strong into other defensive Pokemon that glean their longevity from Leftovers, particularly Politoed and Jirachi.

The main decision to be made when crafting teams with support Clefable is in the selection of its lone attacking move. Seismic Toss is broadly more consistent, hitting an even 100 damage with 32 PP making it a reliable way of depleting the 16PP recovery moves on opposing defensive Pokemon. However, in choosing Seismic Toss the set is fully exploitable by Gliscor, which already switches into both Thunder Wave and Knock Off, and just as worringly, makes Clefable a set-up opportunity for Lum Berry Dragonite. Would include that many offensive ground types, Chomp esp, ignore Twave and can chew Stosses and threaten clef and its team. Word however you want. The solution for both of these issues is Ice Beam, though this comes at less consistent damage output against into Steel-types, Tyranitar, as well as reduced PP.

Set Details
========
The EV spread leans towards Clefable's Special Defense, in line with its role as a Scald absorber and abuser of bulky Water-types. 252 HP and 184 SDef ensures Clefable is never 2HKOd by Modest Heatran Magma Storm after Leftovers, and almost never OHKOd by Latios' +1 Dragon Fang Draco Meteor, the strongest single move Latios is ever likely to fire. With these benchmarks met, the remaining EVs aim to improve Clefable's consistency into some of its more marginal match-ups - 12 Speed EVs puts Clefable faster than 0 Speed Tyranitar, therefore allowing it to get a faster Thunder Wave or Softboiled and avoid the 2HKO from Superpower. 60 Def EVs ensures Clefable will always live an unboosted Keldeo Secret Sword, as well as improving Clefable's odds into defensive Ground-types, including giving support Landorus-T only a 0.4% chance to 2HKO with Earthquake.

Team Options
========
Clefable's strongest differentiation over other similar special walls lies in its residual damage immunity, including Spikes - as a result, Clefable is best utilised on teams that minimise their Spikes weaknesses and therefore avoid requiring a Rapid Spin user. If the team is taken in a direction that requires Rapid Spin support, it is likely that Clefable becomes a less favourable option compared to the likes of Blissey or Chansey. With this in mind, Clefable's main partners in crime are themselves Spike immune.

Physically defensive Skarmory forms a strong 2-pokemon defensive core with Clefable, helping to cover off its weakness to strong Ground-types such as Landorus-T and Garchomp. Clefable compliments Skarmory by luring and crippling Excadrill with Knock Off, helping Skarmory to win the hazard game in the longer term. Bronzong is a similar option, lacking Spikes but gaining an Ice-type resistance that helps cover off Mamoswine.

Clefable also pairs well with Pokemon that take advantage of its Knock Off and Thunder Wave spreading, as well as the recovery PP draining it can facilitate. Among the best win conditions for Clefable teams is Calm Mind Reuniclus, which appreciates moving first and finding set-up opportunities against paralysed opponents, and takes advantage of Knock-ed Off Steel-types like Jirachi and Excadrill. Reuniclus also supports Clefable by being one of the sturdiest physical Fighting-type resistances in the tier, making it a good pivot into the likes of Terrakion.

Whilst Clefable can learn Stealth Rock, it is generally best used with other dedicated Rockers due to its poor 1v1 match-up vs Rapid Spin Excadrill and against HO Stealth Rock leads like Garchomp, Terrakion, and Landorus-T. Ground-type Stealth Rockers make great partners - Landorus-T and Gliscor are efficient at trading Stealth Rock in the lead slot and themselves synergise well with Spikes-immune strategies, whilst Hippowdon is grounded but supplies Sand Stream to synergise with Clefable's Knock Off as well as reliable recovery in spite of its Spikes vulnerability.

Latias and Latios have great defensive synergy with Clefable, serving as strong defensive switch-ins into the offensive rain threats such as Keldeo and Thundurus-T whilst Clefable nullifies Rain's defensive core of Politoed, Ferrothorn, and Tentacruel. Clefable's paralysis spreading also helps Latios and Latias break some of their defensive counterplay, such as specially defensive Skarmory. Would include a mention of how a Scald and Toxic absorber lets Lati@s stay healthy in the face of Rain teams that try to break it down.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Clefable has access to Stealth Rock, and this is sometimes an option to free up a slot on otherwise dedicated Stealth Rockers such as Landorus-T and Gliscor, which can instead go more offensive. Indeeed, Clefable has strong match-ups as a Rocker into Starmie and Tentacruel, which can be enticing. However, this trade often comes at huge expense no matter which moveslot is dropped to facilitate Stealth Rock, as any Clefable lacking Knock Off is fodder for Excadrill, whilst any Clefable lacking Thunder Wave is exploitable by every wallbreaker in the tier. These same issues apply for all of Clefable's other moveset options.

Encore is a niche support move that more directly inhibits Calm Mind Reuniclus than Thunder Wave, as well as helping Clefable more easily 1v1 some defensive Pokemon, locking them into the status move they used on switch-in. Clefable also has access to Wish and Heal Bell to support partners, but these are stymied by Clefable's middling HP stat and anti-synergy with the status absorption of Magic Guard, respectively. Trick + Choice Scarf, and Trick + Sticky Barb sets both have potential at lead and protect Clefable from being Tricked itself a afterwards, but again suffer from losing one of Knock Off or Thunder Wave.

As a Gen 1 Normal-type, Clefable has access to a deep attacking movepool that contains the likes of Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Charge Beam, Grass Knot, and Focus Blast, as well as access to boosting moves including Calm Mind and Cosmic Power. It may be tempting to craft Clefable as a late-game boosting sweeper with combinations of these tools, but by-and-large they are outclassed by other options, mostly notably Reuniclus which boasts a better STAB, defensive typing, and stat spread.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Fighting-types** With a middling defensive stat spread, Clefable can't stand up to many of the tier's stronger wallbreakers, especially those that hit Clefable's singular Fighting-type weakness. Although they are deterred from switching-in directly by threat of Thunder Wave, Terrakion and Keldeo are particularly good punishers of Clefable that threaten OHKOs with Choice-boosted Fighting-type attacks, whilst also having Substitute + set-up sets that can take advantage of Thunder Wave. Special mentions also go to Breloom and Conkeldurr, which fear less the risk of Thunder Wave with Poison Heal and Guts, respectively.

**Thunder Wave immunities** - The best pivots into Clefable are often Thunder Wave immune, and there's no shortage of strong Ground-types in the tier. Landorus-T, Garchomp switch safely into any sets lacking Ice Beam, assuming they are happy to lose their item. With access to reliable recovery, Hippowdon can tolerate losing Leftovers and can enter PP draining stalemates with Clefable. Notably, Mamoswine is resistant to even Ice Beam with Thick Fat and threatens Clefable with both of its STABs and the power of Choice Band Superpower. Excadrill fears Knock Off more than most other options in this category, but supported by Rotom-W for safe entry off a Volt Switch, it is a thorn in the side of Clefable. Gliscor, particularly Swords Dance sets, are the biggest existential threat for Clefable as it is completely safe against any non-Ice Beam sets as well as threatening to sweep against many of the compositions Clefable finds itself on. Thundurus-T's electric immunity through Volt Absorb makes it a good pivot into Clefable, which it can threaten with Focus Blast or Nasty Plot-boosted Thunder.

I think Gastro is similar vein as Hippo, able to ignore TWave and reliably pp stall clef. I'll let you decide whether to include our

**Taunt** - Taunt blocks Clefable from spreading paralysis and recovering, therefore making it far more exploitable. Taunt Jellicent can allow safe entry for teammates free from the risk of Thunder Wave, though most sets are unable to damage Clefable directly. Magma Storm + Taunt Heatran turns the Clefable match-up on its head and can handily trap and remove Clefable for teammates.

**Substitute** - With a strong reliance on Thunder Wave and Knock Off, Clefable is naturally checked by the move Substitute. Substitute Terrakion and Keldeo find set up opportunities in forcing out Clefable, whilst also de-risking the threat of Thunder Wave. Pokemon with access to 101 HP Substitutes are particularly strong into Clefable due to its high usage of Seismic Toss - Substitute Excadrill and Kyurem-B both take advantage of Clefable in this way, whilst Substitute + Baton Pass Celebi is less directly threatening but can provide safe passage for a teammate.

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