Battle Moveset

A Good Moveset for Claydol would have to be this:

Attacks:

Earthquake
Ice Beam / Psychic / Toxic
Rest / Explosion
Rapid Spin

Items Attached:

Leftovers

Preferred Nature:

Relaxed

Strategy Using Claydol

Claydol is a staple in stall-teams, working in perfect synergy with Skarmory to wall all physical threats and with Blissey to cover its general special weaknesses while spinning away any opposing Spikes. Prior to the creation of the Boah Tyranitar it was also considered a staple counter to Tyranitar, who at the time would usually carry the Dragon Dance / Earthquake / Rock Slide / Taunt set, easily walled by Claydol.

Ice Beam is the standard support move on Claydol, working with Earthquake to hit every Pokémon for at least neutral damage (although hitting for neutral damage isn't such a huge deal with Claydol's very low attack stats barely making a dent when the attack isn't super effective). Psychic however is usable for the occasional Gengar switch ins which occur on a somewhat common basis, since Gengar along with Dusclops are the two core ghosts used to block Rapid Spins in order to keep Spikes up, Toxic is also usable since it has the potential to be devastating to a Dusclops switch in provided you can stop a cleric from curing it. The choice between Explosion and Rest is debated quite often. On one hand you want to keep one of your walls (and your Rapid Spinner) alive for the majority of the battle but on the other hand Explosion allows you to take out an opposing Pokémon, usually a wall, giving you the opportunity to win the battle. It's all up to personal preference but if you have Wish support Explosion is advised while if you have cleric support Rest is advised.

EV Corner:

EVs: 236 HP / 136 Atk / 108 Def / 30 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)

210 Attack allows it to do reasonable damage with its Earthquakes, although if you're concerned about fatally Ice Beaming Salamence then by all means place that attack into special attack (although someone would have to be nuts to send Salamence into Claydol and would also have to be equally nuts to leave Salamence in on Claydol). 320 HP and 300 Def give it the durability required to wall Rock and Fighting attacks, which is one of Claydol's main purposes on a stall team.

Other Optional Sets

Claydol @ Choice Band
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 136 Atk / 108 Def / 30 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide / Hidden Power [Rock]

Rapid spinner for Choice Band theme teams, although in reality Donphan tends to perform better as a CB-theme Rapid Spinner.

Claydol @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 136 Atk / 108 Def / 30 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Explosion / Rest
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Reflect / Light Screen

Works similarly to the standard but sets up Screen or Reflect for team members in place of its special attack.

Claydol @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 136 Atk / 108 Def / 30 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Substitute / Rest
- Earthquake
- Cosmic Power
- Ice Beam / Rock Slide / Psychic / Toxic

Defensive stat ups generally don't work due to the use of Hazers and the inevitability of critical hits. Substitute can act as a workaround for when critical hits occur but still leaves you wide open for PHazing. Earthquake can be backed up with either a filler support attack or Toxic (and short of Skarmory and Weezing you can pretty much Earthquake anything resistant to Toxic). The set generally doesn't work in the present day setting of stallers, clerics and near endless use of Substitute despite looking workable on paper.

Strategy Against Claydol

If Claydol doesn't use Explosion or hit for super effective it generally won't do damage. Pokémon with stat boost moves are the ones who benefit the most from Claydol's presence, all of which get free chances to set up for a sweep while taking measly damage from Claydol. Gyarados, Snorlax, Swampert and Celebi (Calm Mind works around the Ice Beam weakness) are all prime examples of the types of Pokémon who get easy set ups on Claydol.

As for countering one of Claydol's main purposes, Rapid Spinning, the only way to prevent it is to switch to a Ghost. Dusclops is obviously the number one choice, able to hit it with super effective Shadow Balls, Wisp it and Pain Split off whatever HP it does lose.

Claydol's core weaknesses are Water, Ice, Dark, Ghost, Bug, and Grass. If you can switch in a Pokémon who takes minimal damage from its offence it'll generally force Claydol out of play. The majority of bulky water types as well as most Bug types are examples of what can easily do this.

Contest Moveset

A good Contest Moveset for Claydol would have to be this for the Beauty Contest best with Modest, Mild, Rash or Quiet Nature:

Attacks:

Ice beam
Solarbeam
Psybeam
Explosion

Items Attached:

Blue Scarf

Strategy Using Claydol

If you do the attacks in this following order you should have very few problems; 1st - Ice beam, 2nd - Solarbeam, 3rd - Psybeam, 4th - Icebeam, 5th - Explosion

Locations in Games

Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Sky Pillar Colosseum/XD Evolve Baltoy (XD) Trade from RSEXD (Col) Fire Red/Leaf Green Trade from RSEXD

Animé Appearences

Claydol has had a few Animé Appearences. First a huge one eneded to be stopped before gettng to a village. After that Robert used it in his Grand Festival battle against Drew Episode 381: Claydol, Big And Tall! Episode 400: Decisive Battle! Grand Festival (3)