Clefable - Moveset & Best Build for Ranked Battle

This is a strategy guide for using Clefable in competitive play for the games Pokemon Sword and Shield. Read on for tips on the best Nature, EV spreads, Movesets, and Held Items to use with Clefable, as well as its strengths and weak points.

Clefable - Related Guides
Evolution and Learnset	Build for Ranked Battle

Basic Information for Clefable

Types and Abilities

Pokemon	Type 1	Type 2
Clefable
Abilities
Magic Guard	Protects the Pokemon from indirect damage.
Cute Charm	Contact with the Pokemon may cause infatuation.
Unaware (Hidden)	Ignores any stat changes in the Pokemon.

Clefable Weaknesses and Resistances

	Type
Takes 4x damage	-
Takes 2x damage
Takes 0.5x damage
Takes 1/4x damage	-
Takes 0x damage

What is Type Effectiveness?

Base Stats

Best Nature for Clefable

What are Natures?

Singles Movesets for Clefable

Unaware Stat-Boost Moveset & Best Build

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

The main strategy with this build is to raise your stats with Calm Mind while recovering HP with Moonlight. Clefable's Unaware ability will let you ignore your opponent's stat changes, allowing it to weather hits from an opponent which relies on stat-boosting moves, while boosting its own stats and fighting back.

The Kee Berry and the maxed out EVs in HP and Defense should protect you from physical attackers as well.

Alternate Move Choices

Unaware Physical/Special Defense Moveset & Best Build

These values are from base stats and ideal EVs, excluding external factors.

This build focuses on building up your defenses with Cosmic Power while maintaining your HP with Moonlight. Once you feel protected enough, you can then switch to raising your special attack with Calm Mind. EVs are placed in HP and Defense to better protect Clefable against physical attackers.

Similar to the previous build, this build also takes advantage of Clefable's Unaware ability, allowing it to power up against an opponent that relies on boosting its own stats, building up its own defensive stats to create a wall. This set is best used against attackers reliant on stat-boosting and Pokemon which are disadvantaged against Clefairy.

Alternate Move Choices

Life Orb Attacker Moveset & Best Build

This build maximizes Clefable's damage by having it hold a Life Orb. Clefable is also protected against damage from Life Orb due to its Magic Guard ability, allowing it to boost its damage with no repercussions.

Thanks to Magic Guard, Clefable does not take any damage from statuses like Poison, making it highly effective against defensive wall Pokemon who rely on these techniques. Use Clefable against one of these Pokemon and use them as an opportunity to set up.

We adjusted the Speed and HP EVs so that Clefable can outspeed Corviknights with 4 EVs in Speed.

Other Viable Moves

Trick Moveset & Best Build

By swapping Flame Orb to an opponent with Trick, the opponent will be burned and will have reduced Attack. Stealth Rock will also put pressure on Flying- and Fire-types.

About Clefable's Held Item

You can also use Lagging Tail with Trick to slow down quick attackers, especially those relying on Speed.

How to Use Clefable Effectively

Special Attacker Capable of Setting Up

Clefable is a special attacker that makes use of support moves like Calm Mind and Moonlight. Its Unaware and Magic Guard abilities pair well with it and allow it to set up more easily.

Unaware: Improves Setup Potential

The Unaware ability allows Clefable to ignore changes to the opponent's stats, which lets you set up with Calm Mind without worry.

Magic Guard: Stay in the Battle for Longer

Magic Guard prevents Clefable from taking damage from anything other than the moves of its opponent. For example, Clefable won't take any damage from Poison and even from Curse. This moveset allows Clefairy to easily set up against other defensive Pokemon who rely on these status moves.

Clefable Has Wide Coverage

While Clefable's type doesn't have much chance to get STAB, its movepool allows it to target other weaknesses using moves like Flamethrower and Thunderbolt.

It also has a lot of good support moves like Calm Mind, allowing to set up, and Stealth Rock, allowing it to provide support for its teammates.

Counters for Clefable

Weakness

Target its weaknesses with fast Pokemon

Take advantage of Clefable's weaknesses using Pokemon that can outspeed it. We also recommend that you use physical attackers since Clefable doesn't have many options for raising its Defense stat.

If Clefable hasn't raised its Special Defense yet, you can one-shot it with Steel Beam, which is a Special move.

When using Steel-type Pokemon, be careful, as Clefable can use Fire-type moves.

Best Pokemon to Use

Pokemon	Description
Metagross	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Use Steel-type moves to exploit Clefable’s weakness. ・Use Bullet Punch to attack first. Moveset & Best Build for Metagross
Celesteela	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Can stand against a Clefable that did not use Calm Mind. ・Can learn Steel Beam. Moveset & Best Build for Celesteela
Excadrill	Ranking: ★★★★ ・STAB Iron Head is strong ・Can handle any Fairy Pokemon, including those that are Dynamaxed. Moveset & Best Build for Excadrill
Lucario	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Ensure victory by giving it a Focus Sash. ・Can one-shot Clefable using Steel Beam. Moveset & Best Build for Lucario
Bisharp	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Ensure victory by giving it a Focus Sash. ・Can be easy to read, but counterattack with Metal Burst. Moveset & Best Build for Bisharp
Gengar	Ranking: ★★★★ ・Good type compatibility with Clefable. ・It's a special attacker, so be careful when Clefable sets up. Moveset & Best Build for Gengar

Related Links

All Competitive Builds for Ranked Battle

Competitive Guides for Pokemon Sword and Shield

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Tier List		Best Builds		Series 10 List of Contenders
Doubles Tier List		Team Building		Rental Teams

Best Builds for Returning Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Mimikyu	Wash Rotom	Gyarados
Ferrothorn	Aegislash	Excadrill
Tyranitar	Hydreigon	Heat Rotom
Arcanine	Mamoswine	Toxapex
Togekiss	Cloyster	Durant
Snorlax	Charizard	Sylveon
Lucario	Hippowdon	Umbreon
Conkeldurr	Quagsire	Gastrodon
Lapras	Whimsicott	Rhyperior
Goodra	Haxorus	Glaceon
Mow Rotom	Type: Null	Gengar
Milotic	Gardevoir	Flygon
Chandelure	Lanturn	Torkoal
Bisharp	Seismitoad	Silvally
Butterfree	Primarina	Incineroar
Blastoise	Decidueye	Venusaur
Darmanitan	Alolan Ninetales	Gothitelle
Crawdaunt	Clefable	Reuniclus
Kommo-o	Terrakion	Cobalion
Virizion	Noivern	Fan Rotom
Toxicroak	Pelipper	Jellicent
Celebi	Clefairy	Hitmontop
Diggersby	Ditto	Raichu
Hawlucha	Shiftry	Tsareena
Ludicolo