Battle Moveset

A Good Moveset for Clefable would have to be this:

Attacks:

Thunderbolt
Ice Beam
Thunder Wave
Softboiled

Items Attached:

Leftovers

Preferred Nature:

Calm

Strategy Using Clefable

Good defences, great HP and a fantastic move pool make Clefable a staple Pokémon of UU teams. While it is definitely geared towards defensive play it's move pool allows it to be above average at offence and this set is only a sample of what it can do.

It general falls under a UU Blissey style of play. Sponge special attacks, cripple sweepers with Thunder Wave and generally do damage via Ice Beam or Thunderbolt, giving it plenty of type coverage. Softboiled combined with it's natural sponge abilities give it plenty of survivability and Normal typing leaves it with a single weakness to prey on.

EV Corner:

EVs: 164 HP / 72 Def / 44 SAtk / 228 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

While Clefable's physical defence is passable it isn't a physical wall and if you need one you should look elsewhere. By the same token it isn't an offensive Pokémon and it'll only need a handful of EVs distributed to special attack. As with all Pokémon moderate amounts of Speed can make game-breaking differences and if you feel the need to a handful of EVs may be allocated to Speed as you see fit.

Other Optional Sets

Clefable @ Leftovers
Trait: Cute Charm
EVs: 164 HP / 232 Def / 64 SAtk / 48 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Calm Mind
- Softboiled

Special-tank variant of the standard. With a lot more focus aimed at staying in play for an extended period of time more defence is used at the sacrifice of initial special defence which is compensated by Calm Mind. With time this variant can sweep a team in a similar manner to Curse-Lax and Calm-Cune.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Trait: Cute Charm
EVs: 164 HP / 232 Def / 64 SAtk / 48 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Counter
- Ice Beam
- Softboiled
- Thunderbolt

Most opponents will attempt to counter Clefable with physical attackers due to it's naturally high special defence and with high HP Clefable makes effective use of Counter. This comes at the sacrifice of lost EVs spent maintaining a reasonable defence to prevent being KOed by the strongest physical attacks. Treat it as you would the standard but rather than crippling sweepers with Thunder Wave you beat them with Counter.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Trait: Cute Charm
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 72 Def / 20 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Shadow Ball / Meteor Mash
- Belly Drum
- Softboiled

The most usable novelty set out there. With Softboiled to quickly recover the lost HP from Belly Drum the set has potential, especially with adequate Thunder Wave support. Shadow Ball gives coverage to Ghosts while Meteor Mash can cover Rocks, both have their advantages and disadvantages but for the most part Clefable will be sweeping with Return. Even with little EV support Clefable's defences will still be strong enough to take a beating with Softboiled support giving this set an edge over most Belly Drummers.

Clefable @ Choice Band
Trait: Cute Charm
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 72 Def / 20 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Shadow Ball
- Meteor Mash
- Focus Punch

The default normal type Choice Band set. Off of something like Clefable it'll catch your opponent by surprise but the initial shock isn't worth the sacrifice of usefulness that you'll make going this route. Should only be kept to Choice Band themed teams.

Other Optional Moves

Encore, Wish, Charm, Reflect, Light Screen, Sweet Kiss, Flamethrower, Fire Blast, Thunder, Magical Leaf (or Hidden Power [Grass]), Psychic, Seismic Toss, Sing, Psych Up, Toxic, Rest, Substitute, Cosmic Power, Amnesia, Follow Me, Snatch, Safeguard. Clefable has an incredibly versatile move pool, much of it usable. Encore and Wish are the main stars of the list. Wish-passing is highly valued on many teams and lends to Clefable's support/utility roll while Encore can create opportunities and is usually unexpected, especially in combination with Psych Up which can take great effect on Pokémon trying to stat-up, which many do against a tank like Clefable. Charm can harm physical sweepers a great deal. Reflect, Light Screen and Safeguard, much like Wish go hand-in-hand with support. The various special attacks and Seismic Toss are all valid options in place of Bolt-beam on much of the tank sets. Sing and Toxic give other methods of inflicting status and crippling a team, Rest is an option over Softboiled. Clefable's high HP means stronger Substitutes but it's use is limited since Clefable is slow and doesn't have access to 101 Subs. Follow Me is a strategy that can be used to great effect in 2v2 play. Snatch is great but situational and rarely usable on standard sets. Amnesia and Cosmic Power offer stat-up tank options but going that route is ill-advised due to the inevitability of crits, Substitute can nullify that threat to an extent as well as lock out statuses but Clefable would be better served with Calm Mind regardless.

Strategy Against Clefable

Clefable is too versatile a Pokémon to list Pokémon as guarantied counters but there are many well suited for the roll. Hitmonlee and Machamp are the top UU options. Both have above average special defence and one is immune to Thunder Wave while the other benefits from it. Most Pokémon with passable special defence and no weakness to Thunderbolt or Ice Beam can stand toe-to-toe with Clefable, those with high special defences (like many Grass types) can even handle a weakness to one. With surprise variants Clefable tends to lack the power to OHKO things but it can leave a dent and has moves available that will cause problems (such as Psych Up and Encore). The majority of Fighters and hard-hitting Choice Band users are the top choices for leaving a dent in Clefable, with no special weaknesses and a naturally high HP and special defence most special sweepers are ill-fated to attempt to KO it via special means.

Contest Moveset

A good Contest Moveset for Clefable would have to be this for the Cute Contest best with Timid, Hasty, Jolly or Naive Nature:

Attacks:

Sing
Rest
Attract
Encore

Items Attached:

Pink Scarf

Strategy Using Clefable

If you do the attacks in this following order you should have very few problems; 1st - Sing, 2nd - Rest, 3rd - Attract, 4th - Encore, 5th - Sing

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Trade from FRLG Colosseum/XD Trade from FRLG Fire Red/Leaf Green Evolve Clefairy

Animé Appearences

Clefable has had a few Anime Appearences. Mostly they were in the Mt. Moon Festivals, sometimes being Clefairy's evolving into them. After that one was used on a Stage Show and then in a contest: Episode 006: Clefairy & The Moonstone Episode 092: Stage Fight Episode 411: A Real Cleffa-Hanger Episode 450: Harley & Team Rocket! The Formation of the Villanious Alliance!