[OVERVIEW]
Fairy
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Prankster Klefki is a great support Pokemon because of its access to priority Spikes, Thunder Wave, Reflect, and Light Screen, which allows teammates such as Azumarill and Magearna to set up easier. Klefki's typing provides it with a large number of resistances, including Normal, Flying, and Fairy, along with an immunity to Poison-type moves, which allows it to check threats like Alolan Muk and Nihilego. Due to Klefki's great defensive typing and access to priority status moves, it can easily set Spikes or screens multiple times throughout the battle. It can also cripple fast setup sweepers such as Porygon-Z with Prankster Thunder Wave. However, its bulk is subpar without screens. While Klefki can paralyze setup sweepers, it should be noted that Klefki may become a liability, as many can continue to set up on Klefki regardless. Klefki is incredibly passive and, when lacking Foul Play, it can be used as setup fodder by certain Pokemon such as Garchomp and Landorus-T. Klefki relies heavily on its use of support moves and has a pitiful offensive presence, making it very vulnerable to Taunt. Klefki also lacks reliable recovery, causing it to be easily worn down by attacks and entry hazards.
[SET]
name: Dual Screens (Fairy)
move 1: Reflect
move 2: Light Screen
move 3: Thunder Wave
move 4: Spikes / Foul Play
item: Light Clay
ability: Prankster
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Reflect and Light Screen allow Klefki to provide itself and its teammates with a solid boost to their defenses, allowing teammates like Tapu Bulu to clean more easily and giving setup sweepers such as Azumarill an easier time setting up. Thunder Wave in tandem with Prankster allows Klefki to check many threatening setup sweepers, including Mega Charizard X, Porygon-Z, Mew outside of Psychic Terrain, and Scolipede, by slowing them down. Spikes can be stacked to give setup sweepers such as Azumarill and Magearna an easier time cleaning the opposing team. Foul Play in tandem with Reflect allows Klefki to check an abundance of physical setup sweepers, most importantly including offensive Mega Scizor, and having Foul Play prevents Klefki from becoming complete Taunt bait. Klefki can run both Spikes and Foul Play on the same set by dropping Thunder Wave.
Set Details
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Light Clay allows Klefki to extend the length of screens' effects from five to eight turns, giving teammates more time to benefit from them. The EV spread and nature allows Klefki to maximize its physical bulk, letting it more easily take on physical threats such as Mega Scizor. Prankster causes Klefki's support moves to have priority, making up for Klefki's suboptimal Speed.
Usage Tips
========
Klefki can be used as a pivot into many attackers, including Nasty Plot-boosted Mew, due to its fantastic typing. If there are threatening setup sweepers on the opposing team, Klefki should be preserved for late-game, when it can set screens up again and cripple physical setup sweepers with Foul Play. Due to Klefki's passiveness, it should be switched out after screens are up when against sweepers that don't mind its status moves such as Xurkitree to not give them free turns. Despite having a fantastic typing, Klefki shouldn't be randomly switched into attacks due to its overall mediocre natural bulk and lack of recovery. You should try to keep Klefki healthy so it can set screens up through the entire game. Klefki should avoid using Thunder Wave when there are Dark-type Pokemon on the opposing team, as that allows them a free switch into Klefki. Spikes should be set up early-game to chip away at the opponent's Pokemon and pressure them to remove hazards from the field.
Team Options
========
Azumarill can take advantage of screens to easily set up Belly Drum with Sitrus Berry or Normalium Z, then proceed to clean weakened teams without a Water-resistant Pokemon. Azumarill also appreciates Klefki's ability to set Spikes up, as it allows Azumarill to KO bulky Pokemon that would normally take a +6 Aqua Jet such as bulky Mega Scizor. Azumarill can help pick off annoying Fire- and Ground-types such as Victini, Volcarona, and Excadrill for Klefki. Tapu Bulu can help check Ground- and Water-types that trouble Klefki such as Hippowdon, Tapu Fini, and Gliscor. Tapu Bulu also appreciates Thunder Wave support, as its Speed isn't the greatest, and Klefki's ability to set screens up, as it can take Mega Venusaur's Sludge Bomb after Stealth Rock damage. Magearna can easily set up with Shift Gear due to the screens Klefki provides and proceed to sweep through the opposing team with its fantastic coverage and access to Soul Heart. Choice Specs Magearna also appreciates Thunder Wave, which allows it to outspeed key threats such as Mega Charizard Y and Infernape. Tapu Koko can easily gain momentum with Volt Switch and benefits from Spikes damage, which allows it to clean opposing teams with more ease. Clefable can form a hazard stacking core with Klefki, heavily chipping away at the opposing team and allowing setup sweepers such as Magearna and Azumarill to sweep, especially behind screens. Clefable and Togekiss can both use a Babiri Berry + Fire Blast set if Klefki is not running Foul Play to help check threats such as Mega Scizor, and the latter can also remove hazards with Defog. Screens can allow Togekiss to check threats like Mega Scizor even better. Togekiss also provides a switch-in to Ground-type attacks for Klefki. Tapu Fini can use screens to help check Fire- and Ground-type Pokemon like Infernape and Excadrill with a Calm Mind set while also being able to clear hazards with Defog. It should be noted that Klefki should not run Spikes on teams with Defog users.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Fairy
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Toxic can be used to cripple annoying setup Pokemon; however, Klefki misses out on being able to immediately cut the Speed of opposing Pokemon in half with Thunder Wave.
Checks and Counters
===================
Fairy
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**Ground-types** Ground-types can easily muscle through Klefki with their powerful STAB attacks, leaving Klefki with very little time to get screens or Spikes up. Dugtrio can trap Klefki and heavily damage it with Earthquake, preventing Klefki from setting screens or Spikes up late-game.
**Fire-types** Fire-types can easily break through Klefki with their strong STAB attacks, leaving it with very little time to set screens or Spikes up. Mega Charizard Y deserves a special mention, as it can OHKO Klefki behind Light Screen with Drought-boosted Fire Blast. Rotom-H can set screens up on Klefki, severely weaken it with STAB Overheat, and swap its Light Clay for a Choice Scarf with Trick.
**Taunt** Klefki is completely reliant on support moves, so Taunt users such as Gliscor and Cobalion completely shut it down and usually don't fear Thunder Wave or Foul Play. Defensive Mew can use Taunt on Klefki but fears Thunder Wave, as it is no longer able to outspeed Tapu Bulu and check it with Will-O-Wisp if paralyzed.
**Zapdos** Zapdos deserves a special mention because it can remove Klefki's Spikes, is immune to Thunder Wave, can threaten Klefki with Heat Wave, and can pick up momentum against Klefki with Volt Switch. SubToxic Zapdos sets can also use Klefki to easily set a Substitute up.
**Wallbreakers** Due to Klefki's poor bulk, it is easily worn down by a multitude of strong wallbreakers and setup sweepers such as Tapu Koko, Mega Charizard X, and Landorus, making it harder for it to stay in longer, keep screens up, and stack Spikes.
**Electric-types** Electric-types are immune to Klefki's Thunder Wave. Magnezone can also trap Klefki with Magnet Pull, completely disabling it from setting screens up later in the game.
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