[OVERVIEW]
* Klefki's great defensive typing allows it to check Xerneas, Deoxys-A, and Dark-types such as Yveltal and Darkrai.
* Prankster Thunder Wave is a great emergency check to many fast sweepers and wallbreakers.
* Priority Spikes and Toxic heavily pressures many Defog users and can guarantee multiple layers of Spikes in some cases.
* Prankster moves do not affect Dark-types anymore, which prevents Klefki from checking Yveltal and Darkrai as effectively as it used to.
* Klefki cannot effectively check Z-Geomancy variants of Xerneas with its conventional support options, which means Klefki has to compete with more effective Xerneas checks such as Magearna.
* Klefki is pressured by a lack of reliable recovery and an aversion to common Ubers threats such as Ho-Oh and Primal Groudon.
* Psychic Terrain and Thunder Wave's imperfect accuracy limit Klefki's reliability of stopping potential sweeps.
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Thunder Wave
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Play Rough
item: Leftovers
ability: Prankster
nature: Careful
evs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spikes allows Klefki to pressure the opposing team with reliability thanks to Prankster and greatly assists teammates due to its residual damage.
* Thunder Wave combined with Prankster can potentially stop sweeps in their tracks and can outright cripple frail attackers such as Deoxys-A, Pheromosa, Mega Lucario, and Mega Gengar.
* Prankster Toxic deters almost every Defog user in the tier, safeguarding Klefki's set layers of Spikes while hindering the effectiveness of bulky Pokemon.
* Play Rough damages Dark- and Dragon-types while being Klefki's only form of retaliation against Xerneas outside of Thunder Wave, and has the added perk of dealing with the rare Substitute variant of Geomancy sets.
Set Details
========
* Maximum Special Defense investment with a Careful nature maximizes Klefki's ability to check specially-oriented threats.
* Due to Klefki's lack of recovery, Leftovers is required to maximize its longevity.
* 8 Attack EVs maximize Play Rough's damage against super effective targets and ensure that Klefki can break through a Xerneas Substitute if it has no investment in Defense.
Usage Tips
========
* Due to Dark-types' immunity to Prankster moves, Klefki should not be the team's sole check to them, and it should especially not be the only check the team has for Arceus-Dark.
* Be wary of switching Klefki in continuously, as its lack of reliable recovery can eventually prevent it from using Prankster Thunder Wave safely against threats such as Xerneas.
* However, if Klefki's utility options are no longer required or it is simply not needed in certain matchups, it can be used to get off a last-ditch Thunder Wave against sweepers or faster threats.
* Utilize Klefki's myriad resistances to switch in on threats such as Xerneas and Yveltal, and either set up Spikes or Toxic incoming Defog users or a potential Primal Groudon switch-in.
Team Options
========
* Primal Groudon can set Stealth Rock and creates a more consistent backbone for checking Xerneas when used with Klefki.
* Xerneas appreciates Spikes to better threaten its checks such as Primal Groudon and is a more reliable check to Dark-types such as Yveltal than Klefki.
* General offensive threats, such as Mega Salamence, Arceus, and Deoxys-A all appreciate residual damage on their checks with either Spikes, Toxic, or both to enhance their offensive capabilities.
* Mega Gengar can trap and remove Defog users such as support Arceus and can pick off weakened Ground-types and Fire-types for Klefki.
* Arceus-Dark can handle Yveltal sets that don't carry Focus Blast and appreciates Klefki setting Spikes and Thunder Wave paralyzing faster threats such as Pheromosa.
* Pheromosa can offensively pressure Arceus-Dark, provide more support against Tapu Lele cores, and use Rapid Spin to remove entry hazards while preserving Klefki's Spikes.
* Ho-Oh can pressure Arceus-Dark and can revenge kill Xerneas with Brave Bird if Klefki has paralyzed it with Thunder Wave.
* Arceus-Water pressures Fire-types and Ground-types and can provide Defog support for teammates.
* Zygarde-C can deal with Ho-Oh and some variants of Primal Groudon for Klefki and can utilize the residual damage from Spikes and Toxic with Dragon Tail.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* A dual screens set can prove useful due to Prankster usually guaranteeing either one Reflect or Light Screen, but it limits Klefki's support options.
* Foul Play can let Klefki damage Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and other physical attackers outside of Toxic.
* Heal Block can prevent support Arceus formes from using Recover and can prevent Z-Geomancy Xerneas variants from using Rest while also nullifying Ingrain's healing effects.
* Magnet Rise or Air Balloon can be used to avoid Ground-type attacks, but it doesn't protect Klefki from Primal Groudon variants carrying Fire-type moves.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types**: Ground-types can freely switch in on Thunder Wave and threaten Klefki with super effective STAB moves. Primal Groudon resists Play Rough, making it the most effective switch-in, but it dislikes Toxic and Spikes damage. Zygarde-C doesn't care about Toxic too much and severely damages Klefki with Thousand Arrows. Arceus-Ground dislikes Toxic but can force out Klefki or set up Swords Dance. Excadrill is immune to both Thunder Wave and Toxic, can Rapid Spin to remove Klefki's Spikes, and can KO Klefki with Earthquake or set up Swords Dance.
**Ho-Oh**: Ho-Oh dislikes Toxic and Thunder Wave, but it is immune to Spikes and can force out Klefki and spread Sacred Fire burns with said opportunity.
**Steel-types**: Steel-types are immune to Toxic and can usually switch in on Play Rough freely. Dialga can set up Stealth Rock or hit Klefki with Fire Blast while not really caring about Thunder Wave too much. Celesteela is immune to Spikes and can wear down Klefki with Leech Seed and Heavy Slam. Ferrothorn is similar to Celesteela but can also set up its own Spikes and can Klefki's Thunder Wave to maximize Gyro Ball's damage.
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye blocks all of Klefki's utility options with Magic Bounce, avoids the 2HKO from Play Rough, and negates Leftovers recovery with Will-O-Wisp, but it cannot do much back to Klefki outside of Knock Off.
**Trappers**: Though Klefki can set up at least one layer of Spikes before being trapped and removed, users of Shadow Tag or Arena Trap can either remove or render Klefki setup fodder for other team members. Dugtrio can outright KO Klefki with Earthquake if it is Adamant nature and is immune to Thunder Wave. Mega Gengar can Taunt Klefki and either set up a potential Substitute or eventually KO it with Shadow Ball, but it despises being hit with Thunder Wave. Wobbuffet can force Klefki into using a certain move with Encore and leave another teammate to set up on Klefki depending on what move it is locked into.
**Primal Kyogre**: Primal Kyogre can switch in on Klefki and threaten it with Scald or Origin Pulse, but it dislikes Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Spikes if it is not carrying Rest.
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