Pok�mon of the Week

Clamperl, The Bivalve Pok�mon. It makes a single pearl during its lifetime. The pearl is said to amplify psychic power.When it evolves, it makes a mysterious pearl that amplifies psychic powers when it's held. It is protected by a sturdy shell. Once in a lifetime, it makes a magnificent pearl. It slams its shell closed on prey to prevent escape. The pearl it creates upon evolution is said to be infused with a mysterious energy.

Clamperl has always been that weak little clam that people used on gimmick Trick Room teams that didn't actually work. Sure it has as much Special Attack as Deoxys Attack, but its defenses are about as good as Dugtrio's. But as with pretty much every Pokemon to get this move, Clamperl gained a HUGE boost when it was given Shell Smash. The concept of Clamperl shedding its shell and going on a rampage is also hilarious in its own right.

Shell Armor: Great ability on something with defenses THAT bad. Helps avoid untimely crits from Scizor Bullet Punches and random other moves.
Rattled: Boosting your speed is nice in theory but in reality the major dark / ghost / bug moves used in standard will KO you anyway.

- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Item Attached: DeepSeaTooth
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

Here it is, the sun crushing beast known as Clamperl. Find something to set up on (good luck finding something that weak) and wreck havok. After a Shell Smash your speed boosts so high you speed tie with Jolteon. Your offenses are so great that even Blissey will feel stress against your mighty Surfs. Latias, the queen of dragons is slain in one shot. Even Gastrodon is salted by your incredible power. Of course its not all sunshine and Armageddon for the little clam. Setting a Shell Smash safely is darn near impossible. Even if you do you will probably not last long as a -1 defense Clamperl will immediately drop against any priority move or Choice Scarfed Pokemon.

- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Brine
Item Attached: DeepSeaTooth
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)

This set takes advantage of Clamperl's incredible bulk.. no just kidding. Use this in Trick Room to slice through offensive teams. HP EVs guarantee survival against all common priority moves while Trick Room support gives you a chance at not being immediately wiped out. Clamperl's movepool is so tragically small its only viable 4th move is Brine, though in Rain you will take out Blissey and Gyarados in one shot with it.

- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Item Attached: DeepSeaTooth
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs and Nature:
EVs: 76 HP / 248 SAtk / 180 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

Clamperl is of course usable in Little Cup. It boosts itself to almost unheard of levels of speed and Special Attack. Unlike in most other tiers Clamperl's defenses aren't THAT bad meaning it can usually take one or two weak hits before falling. Little Cup is unfortunate for Clamperl, LOADED with priority moves. Then again its hard to ignore 26 speed and 68 Special Attack in a tier where few Pokemon can surpass 19 in any given stat.

Clamperl
Max speed and HP with Timid nature on the Shell Smash set. You need as much speed as you can to outrun non-scarfed Pokemon. Any set without Shell Smash just want max HP and Special Attack. The EVs in the Little Cup set max Speed and Special Attack, and get a boost in HP.

Toxic. Nothing else.
Toxic can help bring down.. Gyarados I guess. You're probably better off just pounding it with Surfs.

You can try to Shell Smash sweep with Follow Me and Fake Out support. +2 Surf is pretty scary and with Drizzle potentially boosting your Special Attack you will ravage pretty much anything you hit. Too bad Doubles is priority intensive so you probably won't last long.

Politoed is the major one. Boosting your incredible Special Attack higher with Rain is invaluable. Light Screen / Reflect also helps you set up a Shell Smash and protects against Extremespeed and Mach Punches.

Ferrothorn is THE counter. Survives any boosted hit and easily destroys Clamperl. Few things can survive it's boosted Surfs for long so generally its better just to use Scarfed Pokemon like Rotom Wash or even Landorus to just counter it as it Shell Smashes. Its defense is also terrible, you shouldn't have much trouble just attacking it as it tries to set up. In Trick Room Clampert is a litle more difficult to counter, but generic Special Walls like Blissey, Chansey, Jellicent and Latias can usually outlast it.

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Underwater Routes 124 & 126 .

FireRed/LeafGreen:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald.

Colosseum/XD:
Trade from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald.

Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Routes 219 & 221(Diamond/Pearl)
Trade from Diamond/Pearl/HeartGold/SoulSilver (Platinum)

HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Route 19

Black/White:
Route 4