The importance of entry hazards

[ShootingStarmie]

~The importance of entry hazards~

Introduction

Since the start of generation 6, I feel that people are starting to think that Stealth Rock, Spikes, and other entry hazards are becoming less important. I think this is mainly to due with a new mechanic with the 6th generation. Defog as all of you are aware of now removes the hazards from both your side and your opponents side of the field. I think this move being so popular is misleading to new comers, as they may think there is no point in using Stealth Rocks if you have Defog on your team, but there is! In this thread, I'm going to try my best to inform you about the importance of hazards.

~Stealth Rock~

Definition

Stealth Rock sets an entry hazard around your opponents side of the field. Pokémon on your opponent's field receive damage upon switching in. The amount of damage inflicted upon switching in is affected by type effectiveness against Rock. Unlike most hazards, you can not set multiple layers of Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock does not damage Pokémon with the Ability Magic Guard. You can remove Stealth Rock with the moves Rapid Spin and Defog; Rapid Spin removes Stealth Rock set around the user using Rapid Spinner while Defog removes Stealth Rock on both sides of the field (if they have been set).

Its effect on the metagame

Stealth Rock is by far the most used entry hazard, as it's the only hazard to always inflict damage upon switching. Stealth Rock alone makes certain Pokémon and strategies un-viable, and keeping it on your opponents side of the field, and keeping it off of your field is often the difference between winning and losing a battle. Of course with new Rapid Spinners like Excadrill and the number of viable Defog users it's easier than ever to remove Stealth Rock. This is the main reason as to why Mega Pinsir, Talonflame, and Charizard are such metagame defining threats, because Stealth Rock is no longer restricting them. I think what makes Stealth Rocks so commonly used it's two big reasons. It always inflict damage upon switching. The amount of Pokémon who can learn this move is very large, making it easy to fit onto your team.

~Spikes~

Definition

Spikes sets an entry hazard around the enemy team's field. Pokémon who switch into the spike-ridden field take 12.5% of their maximum HP in damage. Spikes can be set up to three times, each increasing the damage done to the opponent upon switching in. One layer of Spikes will damage the opponent Pokémon by 1/8 (12.5%) of its maximum HP, two layers will deal 1/6 (16.67%), and three layers will deal 1/4 (25%). Flying-type Pokémon are immune to this damage, as well as any Pokémon with the ability Levitate. Spikes does not damage Pokémon with the Ability Magic Guard. You can remove Spikes with the moves Rapid Spin and Defog; Rapid Spin removes Spikes set around the user using Rapid Spinner while Defog removes Spikes on both sides of the field (if they have been set).

Its effect on the metagame

Spikes are very commonly seen on certain team archetypes, mainly Deoxys + Bisharp teams, for their ability to apply immense pressure on bulkier or more defensive teams, allowing them to easily muscle through them with their powerful sweepers and wall breakers. The reason that Spike stacking is a viable strategy is because while the opponent tries to remove them, it comes at a great cost. Although Spikes are more commonly used on offensive teams, Spikes stacking is still being commonly used on more defensive teams that consist of the very common Skarmory + Chansey core. Spikes are a very good hazard in the metagame, and it's mainly due to Deoxys-S and Deoxys-D being such good Spike setters because of their fast Taunt, access to Stealth Rock and Spikes, and their ability to easily fit onto offensive teams.

~Toxic Spikes~

Definition

Toxic Spikes sets an entry hazard around the target Pokémon. One layer of Toxic Spikes causes opposing Pokémon to acquire the Poison status ailment upon switching in, while two layers causes opposing Pokémon to become badly poisoned. Toxic Spikes has no effect against Flying-type, Poison-type, or Steel-type Pokémon or Pokémon with the Ability Immunity, Levitate, or Magic Guard. Switching in a Poison type into said Toxic Spikes will absorb and remove them and the effect of Toxic Spikes will end. You can also remove Toxic Spikes Spikes with the moves Rapid Spin and Defog; Rapid Spin removes Spikes set around the user using Rapid Spinner while Defog removes Toxic Spikes on both sides of the field (if they have been set).


Its effect on the metagame

Toxic Spikes really aren't all that common in this metagame, as it's very hard to abuse their effects when Defog, Steel types, and Poison types are everywhere. Pokemon with the ability Levitate or any Flying types are also immune. While most of these immunities and drawbacks also apply to Spikes, there's a huge difference in how both are used. Spikes are generally seen on more offensive teams, where pressure is applied on the opponent, and they can't find time to remove them without being put at a disadvantage. Toxic Spikes on the other hand are generally more defensive, as they are used with the idea to slowly wear down the opponent. This is a pretty big difference, as it's a lot easier for opponents to find time to remove Toxic Spikes, simply just by using Defog or switching in a Poison type like Mega Venusaur or Scolipede. Overall, we haven't seen much use of Toxic Spikes, and it will probably stay that way for a while. Another thing that sets Toxic Spikes apart from Spikes is the lack of viable users of Toxic Spikes compared to Spikes. Deoxys-S and Deoxys-D fit really easily into offensive teams, while Pokemon like Skamory fit really easily into defensive teams. However, the number of viable Toxic Spikers is very limited, as not many Pokémon get the move. The most viable options are Scolipede, Forretress, Tentacruel, or Smeargle, all of which usually have better things to do, or just aren't that viable right now.

~Sticky Web~

Definition

Sticky Web sets an entry hazard around the opposing Pokémon, which lowers their Speed stat by one stage upon switching in. It doesn't affect Flying-type Pokémon, those with the Levitate ability, or Pokémon holding an Air Balloon. You can remove Sticky Web with the moves Rapid Spin and Defog; Rapid Spin removes Spikes set around the user using Rapid Spinner while Defog removes Sticky Web on both sides of the field (if they have been set).

Its effect on the metagame

Sticky Web is an interesting entry hazard, as it doesn't actually damage the opponent upon switching in. Rather, it cripples them by lowering their speed one stage. Sticky Web is generally used for more offensive and balanced teams, allowing their sweepers to out speed the opposing team easily, preventing them from being revenge killed as easily. Sticky Web is another entry hazard that isn't used nearly as much for a few reasons. I think the biggest reason Sticky Web isn't used much is the lack of viable Sticky Web users. perhaps the best user of Sticky Web is Galvantula, who has no place in OU besides setting up Sticky Web. Galvantula does however beat the most common Defogers, making it not completely useless. It does nicely against Latios, Skamory, and Mandibuzz, ensuring that Sticky Web will probably stay up for quite a while. Smeargle is also a Pokémon that can be considered to set up Sticky Web, but again these Pokémon don't have much use outside of setting up Sticky Web, making them pretty un viable choices. Another bad thing about using Sticky Web is that upon switch in, Sticky Web actually boosts Bisharp's attack to +2 just by switching in. This makes it pretty hard for Sticky Web based teams to deal with such a common Pokémon, making the strategy less than optimal. However, it's a pretty nifty entry hazard that when played well can give you an advantage.

~Defiant~

Definition

Defiant raises the user's Attack stat by two stages for each stat lowered by an opponent, including the Attack stat, even if reduced by Abilities, like Intimidate.

Its effect on the metagame

Defiant is an ability that is commonly seen on Bisharp and Thundurus-I. When the opponent tries to remove hazards with Defog, this allows Bisharp or Thundurus-I to get a +2 Attack boost, easily putting you at an advantage. Both of them also match up very nicely with the most common Defog users. Bisharp destroys Latias and Latios, while Thundurus-I easily takes on Skarmory, Mandibuzz, and Scizor. Both fit onto offensive teams very easily. I think it's important to talk about Defiant, since users like Bisharp and Thundurus-I are dominating forces in the metagame right now. Having a Pokémon with the ability Defiant alone can make people think twice about using Defog, just because giving a free +2 Attack boost to a threatening Pokémon is often too much to deal with. Pokémon like Quagsire are actually very viable just because of it's ability to take on Bisharp and Thundurus-I easily.

~Rapid Spin~

Definition

Rapid Spin inflicts damage and removes the effects of any moves that partially trap, as well as entry hazards, from the user and allies, provided that the user does not faint from recoil damage (such as from Rough Skin or Iron Barbs).

Its effect on the metagame

Rapid Spinning is still a viable strategy to remove hazards, as it has a few perks over using Defog. The biggest reasons as to why you should consider Rapid Spin over Defog is that it doesn't boost the Attack stat of Pokémon with the ability Defiant, it doesn't remove your hazards, and it cannot be blocked by Taunt. These reasons alone can more than make up for the drawbacks of using Rapid Spin (spin blockers, lack of viable users). The most common Rapid Spinner you will see is Excadrill, as it fits nicely into this metagame, and can also set up Stealth Rocks nicely. What makes it a great Rapid Spinner however is it's ability to beat the most common Rapid Spinners easily. With Mold Breaker, Excadrill can easily beat Gengar and Aegislash with Earthquake. Starmie is also a viable Rapid Spinner for offensive teams, but it struggles against the most common spin blocker Aegislash, making it less than optimal. Mega Blastoise is an interesting option, as it does in theory beat every spin blocker, but taking up a Mega Slot just for your Rapid Spinner is less than optimal, hence why it's not used much at all. Forretress and Tentacruel are options for more balanced and defensive teams, but again they also have trouble against Aegislash, and the metagame in general hasn't been too kind to them.

~Defog~

Definition

Defog clears away Safeguard, Mist, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock and Sticky Web present on both sides of the field. It will only clear away Light Screen and Reflect from the target's side of the field, however.

Its effect on the metagame

Defog I think is probably the most important element of this thread. I think Defog alone is the main reason as to why I feel people aren't taking entry hazards as seriously as they used to. As you all know, Defog removes entry hazards from both sides of the field. Defog has a few advantages over Rapid Spin as a way to remove entry hazards. Firstly, it's unblock-able. I think this is the biggest factor as to why Defog is being used as the main way to remove entry hazards. secondly, there are a lot of viable Defog users, which all fit into different types of teams. Zapdos, Skarmory, Latios, Latias, Scizor, and Mandibuzz are all solid Defog users, and together they can fit on nearly every team archetype.

~Magic Bounce~

Definition

Reflects the effect of all stat lowering status moves (excluding Memento), non-damaging Status condition inducing moves, entry hazard moves, moves like Taunt and Torment, and so on back to the user.

Its effect on the metagame

Magic Bounce is an interesting ability that was introduced in generation 5. As you can see from the Definition, Magic Bounce bounces back Taunt, Stealth Rocks, Spikes, and other entry hazards, which may lead you to think that it's a viable way to deal with entry hazards. However, due to the lack of Magic Bounces, it's very hard to use Magic Bounces to your advantage without falling to common weaknesses. I think the first thing to notice is that both Espeon and Xatu are Psychic type, meaning they are both prone to being Pursuit trapped. Bisharp and Tyranitar and extremely common, meaning that it's very hard to use these two effectively. While there is Mega Absol, it does require you to use your Mega Slot, so most of the time it's not worth it. I think another downfall to using Magic Bounce is that it requires you to predict every turn, which just isn't a viable strategy to consistently deal with hazards.

Conclusion

Hazards still have a very key role in out metagame, and not using them or hazing control over them will often lead to losing. Often times removing entry hazards is the difference between winning and losing a game. While having Pokémon weak to Stealth Rock and other entry hazards isn't as big of a concern as it used to be, you still need to support them with Defog or Rapid Spin, otherwise Stealth Rock will wear them down. Hopefully this thread has helped you understand why entry hazards are so important in the metagame. Thanks for reading.

 

[Lord Wallace]

I think a very important factor to consider when thinking about Defog and setting up entry hazards is the amount of pressure you can still place on your opponent just by forcing them to waste a turn Defogging hazards away with a Pokemon such as Mandibuzz.

Very defensive teams in particular can often struggle to find the time switch in a certain Pokemon to Defog a lot of times while at the same time switching around between appropriate walls to sponge attacks from a more balanced/offensive team.

I feel like a lot of players dismiss the idea of setting early game hazards because they see a Defog user on team preview and that really isnt a mindset I agree with.
Even with the presence of Defog on a team by setting entry hazards you are setting an opportunity cost on all the opponent's switch options barring the Defogger, and that's incredibly valuable when there are so many good team options right now that really scare all Defog users.

A lot of times in the early game entry hazards become a method of adding a chore for the opponent to slow them from executing their team's goal rather than necessarily for the damage output on specific SR weak targets like Pinsir and Zard (which I feel is often what players ONLY think of when they hear the word entry hazard). Not to mention that a smart switch can turn defensive Defoggers into complete set up fodder and places the opponent into a situation in which using Defog gives your set up Pokemon a free turn.

Kyurem-B in particular is a Pokemon that I think should be considered on any offensive team because it applies so much pressure to just about every Defog user in the game while also annihilating a lot of stall team archetypes such as VenuTran.

 

[Valmanway]

This might not be what this article intends people to write, but I'll voice my opinion here.

Many people think that Stealth Rock makes the meta somewhat unhealthy, and I once thought like that too, but the truth is it keeps what would normally be the most broken and terrifying monsters from being dominant forces in OU, and even prevents them from getting the ban-hammer. And here are some examples of each Pokemon that are effected by Stealth Rock, and how removing SR would impact the meta:

Volcarona: Without SR cutting his health in half upon entry, we'd have one hell of a setup sweeper on our hands. With Quiver Dance backed by base 135 special attack and 100 speed, Volcarona would be one of the best special sweepers in OU, easily setting up on quite a few special attackers. Another note is that some Volcarona carry Roost for the sake of recovering from SR damage, meaning that without SR, he can run another move such as Giga Drain or Substitute, fixing 4MSS somewhat and making him into a fierce sweeper that can either gain health while dealing damage or having a defense against status. Spikes and Sticky Web would still be an issue, but with the most crippling flaw of his absent, Volcarona could very well be top tier, if not Uber.

Mega Charizards: These guys play pretty differently from each other, but it goes without saying that both of them would be beyond powerful without SR weighing them down. Without fear of losing half of their health upon switching in (before Mega Evolving in Zard X's case), they can find more opportunities to sweep the opposition and break OU in two. Much like Volcarona, they commonly carry Roost, but Zard X uses it for bulky setup, while Zard Y needs it for recovering from SR damage, so while bulky Zard X will still use it, Zard Y now has a free moveslot, which could free up the use of moves like Earthquake or Tailwind. But the biggest factor here is no passive damage from switching in (again, before Mega Evolving in Zard X's case), meaning that they can destroy OU with the extra switch-in opportunities and get sent straight to Ubers.

Dragonite: Multiscale is the single ability that made Dragonite viable again, providing safer switches against top tier threats, giving him a free turn to set up, and making bulky sets into juggernauts. Stealth Rock is the only factor keeping Dragonite from maintaining his Multiscale on the switch, reducing his sweeping opportunities and keeping him in check. With that said, it's a no-brainer that he'd become one of the premier sweepers in OU, either having more chances to setup, or running a Choice Band to perform hit-and-run without as much concern for Multiscale.

Talonflame: Being a revenge killer isn't easy when you have to worry about a 4x SR weakness, and on top of recoil from his STABs, his lifespan seems to be rather short. Without SR keeping him from revenge killing everything in OU, he'd become one of the most broken forces in the tier, having many opportunities at sweeping non-bulky teams. Nothing that doesn't resist his STABs or have high defenses would be safe; hyper offense and setup sweeping would be near dead, there would be a rise in bulky/stall teams, and there would most likely be an especially sharp rise in Tyranitar and Rotom-W usage.

I'm not gonna make a gigantic list because I'd rather do that for a project or something, but the point is, without SR, many SR weak Pokemon would destroy OU and possibly get the ban-hammer. In conclusion, I say Stealth Rock has become one of the most defining elements in OU, and removing its presence would dramatically impact many Pokemon in the tier.

 

[ginganinja]

Many people think that Stealth Rock makes the meta somewhat unhealthy, and I once thought like that too, but the truth is it keeps what would normally be the most broken and terrifying monsters from being dominant forces in OU, and even prevents them from getting the ban-hammer.

Just pointing out that while I might have an opinion on whether or not SR would, or should be banned (which is far beyond the scope of this thread), in general, we don't keep something in the meta because because it "checks" pokemon that would otherwise be banned.

 

[Cherub Agent]

Referring to Pokemon, yes, but I've always considered Stealth Rock different tbh since without it OU would have many, many more bans, and the greater philosophy is that we try to ban as little as possible iirc

 

[rachet67]

Referring to Pokemon, yes, but I've always considered Stealth Rock different tbh since without it OU would have many, many more bans, and the greater philosophy is that we try to ban as little as possible iirc

I'm not sure if thats really even true. Most teams carry some sort of hazard support, and it's much easier to clear now. Even without the aid of stealth rock, mons like Talonflame, Charizard-X/Y and Pinsir have reliable checks and counters, and with thundurus-i and the prevalence of strong priority, sweepers in general aren't quite as dangerous as they used to be. If stealth rock was gone, the only mon I could possibly see being banned is Dragonite, and I can see tons of other mons, such as Moltres becoming viable. Sorry if this is outside the scope of this thread.

 

[Clair]

Referring to Pokemon, yes, but I've always considered Stealth Rock different tbh since without it OU would have many, many more bans, and the greater philosophy is that we try to ban as little as possible iirc

A better way to look at it is that instead of trying to limit bans, we're trying to promote versatility. Stealth Rock keeps far more Pokemon from being OU-viable than it keeps from being sent to Ubers. At the same time, it also places significant limits on team structure itself, because its damage potential forces players to build around it (both to abuse it, and to minimise its effect on their own teams). There was some discussion at the end of last gen about suspect testing SR, and the meta has definitely settled enough by now that we could seriously consider doing so.

 

[BenTheDemon]

Back in Gen 5, literally all of my teams had to have Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin.
In this Gen/metagame, though, I find hazards to be less necessary due to the Defog buff. Hazards can also be a liability if your hazard remover is a Defogger due it also removing the hazards you may have set for your opponent.
In other words, I think hazards are still extremely viable, but nowhere near as blatantly essential as they were in previous Gens.

 

[Reverb]

Of all these moves, Stealth Rock is the only one that I consider to be mandatory on teams. It allows you to "tax" your opponent's switches, so that you can gradually wear them down. That being said, I've found Defog/Rapid Spin to be highly useful this generation. The plethora of viable Pokemon with access to one of these moves leaves little reason not to have them on your team (especially when you consider the buff to Defog). The new Defog is fascinating, as it has fundamentally transformed the metagame. In previous generations, stall featured two to three of then-existant entry hazards (Stealth Rock always being one) coupled with a spin-blocker. Now, since Defog cannot be blocked, many stall teams only run Stealth Rock. They now largely focus on wearing down the opponent with status, not entry hazards.

 

[Jukain]

i actually think spikes are very underrated. firstly, spikes have 3x the pp of defog, so with a consistent setter, you can easily get up layers, annoy the opponent enough for them to defog, rinse and repeat cycle. the most notable matchups this eases is balance vs stall and stall vs stall. spikes allow you to wear down opposing defensive cores, forcing them to use recovery, giving free switch-in opportunities, and pressuring their defogger like crazy when can just keep putting spikes up. against well-maintained spikes, stall is in for a difficult time. spikes are also not useless vs offense, where damage on things like greninja and keldeo can be key, and they have to forfeit momentum to remove hazards.

there are a couple notable users, probably the best being chesnaught, which can get up spikes on ubiquitous threats, especially on sand offense where you have drill, tar, and maybe things like mega gyara or whatever. they can also be good on ferro as well as skarm provided you have spin support.

overall, spikes are a useful tool to wear at the opposing team and, if played well, improve your team's matchup against stall.

 

[jpw234]

+1 to Jukain because the ubiquitousness of Stealth Rock forces stall away from Flying-types and toward grounded Pokemon, so Spikes is attacking them from another angle. SR + Spikes is almost a death knell for stall facing heavy hitters like Specs Keld or Band Talonflame (the major reason why Deo-S/D were so good). It's also a useful weapon for stall, as it puts a clock on many of your opponent's sweepers like Keldeo, Azumarill, Excadrill, etc. Lots of people are put off from Spikes just because so much of the metagame dodges them and they don't fit on every team, but if you can squeeze them in somewhere they can do a lot of work.