A Guide to Uber Hazards (will give this a cool name when its ready)

TrollFreak

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is a Contributor Alumnus
An Outline

To Uber QC Members or anyone with input at all, we're working on this article here.


Written by TrollFreak, Superimp, Mr.lol, and Furai.

  1. Introduction- DONE
  2. Stealth Rock- TrollFreak’s section
  3. Spikes- Superimp’s section
  4. Toxic Spikes- Furai’s section
  5. Abusing_Hazards- Mr.lol’s section
  6. Spinblocking - Mr.lol’s section
  7. Dealing with Hazards- Furai’s section (Mr.lol offered to write the Magic Bounce section)
  8. Teams That Use Hazards- Everyone’s section (Maybe a sample SpikeStacking Offense team and a Stall team could be mentioned, as both utilize hazards to be successful. - TrollFreak)
  9. Conclusion- Everyone’s section
Introduction

What can make the mighty Ho-Oh tremble; the ground-shaking Groudon uneasy to walk upon the earth; and the mighty Arceus slowly whither and die? Would you like to hazard a guess? If you guessed entry hazards, you are correct.

Entry hazards play an integral role in the Uber Metagame. In Ubers, even offensive Pokemon have sky-high defensive stats, and, therefore, entry hazards are needed by many Pokemon to secure the XHKO they need. Entry hazards also punish the switching that is needed to prevent one's team from being crushed underfoot by the many powerhouses that run rampant throughout the tier.

There are three forms of entry hazards, and all have their benefits. In addition, they are all commonly seen in Ubers; which cannot be said for all tiers. Stealth Rock is your bread-and-butter hazard, and it is utilized by almost every team to deal some damage to every single Pokemon as it switches in (unless said Pokemon has Magic Guard). Spikes is the second most common hazard. Spikes, unlike Stealth Rock, need to be set up multiple times, 3, for full effect. Still, one layer, in conjunction with Stealth Rock, is often-times sufficient to wear down the opponent. Finally, Toxic Spikes are often employed to eliminate the need for the use of Toxic on Pokemon that don't have the ability Levitate and aren't Flying-type, and annoy Pokemon with Natural Cure (namely Blissey and Chansey).

Entry hazards can be removed by Rapid Spin and abused in many ways. That and more is detailed further in this guide, so read on!
Stealth Rock
  • why its useful
best users:
  • Groudon
  • Dialga
  • Forretress
Viable users:
  • Deoxys-(S/A)
  • Chansey/Blissey
  • Skarmory
  • Tyranitar
  • Jirachi
  • Bronzong
  • Mamoswine
  • Heatran
  • Ferrothorn
  • Arceus (any type)
Spikes
  • why its useful
Viable users:
  • Ferrothorn
  • Deoxys-D
  • Qwilfish
  • Skarmory
  • Forretress
  • Deoxys-S
Toxic Spikes
  • why its useful
Viable Users:
  • Tentacruel
  • Forretress
  • Qwilfish
Getting rid of hazards

Spinning
  • Excadrill
  • Tentacruel
  • Forretress
Toxic Spikes Absorbtion


Abusing entry hazards

Phazing
  • Dialga
  • Lugia
  • Kyogre
  • Arceus (all types)
  • Groudon
  • Heatran
  • Giratina-O
  • Giratina
  • Skarmory


Magic Bounce

  • Xatu
  • Espeon

Spinblocking
  • Giratina
  • Giratina-O
  • Ghost Arceus


Teams That Use Entry Hazards:

Mr.lol’s Full Stall Team
- To be added

Furai’s SpikeStacking Offense Team for Team Rating Practice 12 (Its a really good team tbh) - Leaning towards short description for each member (Length)

Kyogre @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SAtk / 204 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Water Spout
- Ice Beam
- Thunder

Kyogre is definitely the team's immediate powerhouse. Full powered Water Spout in rain, coming from 438 Special Attack.... well, if you don't quadruple resist Water or are not immune to it, you're gonna take a lot of damage. Surf is Kyogre's main STAB when it's health is below 75%, whereas Ice Beam and Thunder provide great coverage and form the infamous BoltBeam coverage. Thunder hits opposing Kyogre, whereas Ice Beam decimates the Dragon-type Pokemon lurking everywhere. The EVs and nature allow Kyogre hit as hard as possible and outrun neutral nature max Speed Deoxys-A, Shaymin-S, Darkrai, and Mewtwo.

Palkia @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 100 Atk / 156 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Spacial Rend
- Thunder

This set is so cool! Substitute Palkia is one of the hardest Pokemon to defeat without Toxic Spikes, as it boasts so much power and very wide coverage within its moves. The main point here is to lure in the Pokemon that stop Manaphy: Blissey, Chansey, and Ferrothorn, and destroy them with Focus Punch. Spacial Rend is a phenomenal STAB and allows me to get past Giratina, and Thunder strikes Kyogre extremely hard. Lustrous Orb or Expert Belt can replace Leftovers, but I like that recovery for additional Substitutes. The EVs allow me to outspeed threats like unboosted Rayquaza, and 2HKO all 3 of Ferrothorn, Chansey, and Blissey with Focus Punch.

Ferrothorn (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave

Ferrothorn is a secondary check for Kyogre and Water-types, like Palkia, Water Arceus, and opposing Manaphy. Spikes is really really great, and many people often underestimate it. It can literally win you games just by constantly shuffling and forcing switches. Leech Seed provide additional recovery and allows me to cripple setup sweepers like Rayquaza, Mewtwo, and Darkrai. Thunder Wave stops fast paced sweepers and allows my team to easily revenge kill them. Power Whip is Ferrothorn's STAB, and while it can be replaced by Gyro Ball for Shaymin-S, the higher PP is really attractive. It also allows me to actually hit opposing Kyogre, if needed. The EVs let Ferrothorn tank Draco Meteors and Spacial Rends the best.

Dialga @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SAtk / 84 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Draco Meteor
- Thunder
- Fire Blast

Dialga is here to lay down Stealth Rock, a must for any team in my opinion, and keep pressure with its coverage and sheer power. Draco Meteor hurts like a truck; 252/0 Groudon takes a whooping 75.74% - 89.1% from it (with Life Orb it's 87.5% to OHKO). Fire Blast put a stop cold to Ferrothorn and Forretress, that think they can set up hazards all over me. Forretress is OHKOed in rain 25% of the time, whereas Ferrothorn takes 60.22% minimum. Thunder hits Kyogre, which can be useful against Choice Specs variants, and Flying-types, such as Flying Arceus and Skarmory. The EVs allow me to outrun 0 Speed base 100's, such as Jirachi, grant me a leftovers HP number, and allow Dialga hit as hard as possible. Life Orb can be a useful item, but I need Dialga alive most of the time.

Giratina-O @ Griseous Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 208 HP / 60 Atk / 188 Def / 44 SpA / 8 Spe
Naughty Nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Tail
- Shadow Sneak
- Will-O-Wisp

Alright, this thing here is a key Pokemon on the team. It keeps hazards up thanks to its Ghost-typing, it checks Mewtwo with Shadow Sneak, and it checks Extreme Killer Arceus with Will-O-Wisp. Burning down Tyranitar and Excadrill is also very nice. With Dragon Tail, you can keep phazing the opponent, stacking up more and more entry hazards damage, while Draco Meteor allows Giratina-O to hit extremely hard any switch-in. Giratina-O is also a great check to all Groudon with Will-O-Wisp, you just need to be cautious against Lum Berry Dragon Claw ones. The EV spread looks weird, but it accomplishes a few specific roles. The HP EVs allows Giratina-O to always survive a Spacial Rend from Palkia at full health. The Defense EVs enable Giratina-O to survive Extreme Killer Arceus's +2 Life Orb Shadow Claw even after two rounds of Stealth Rock damage, and counter with Dragon Tail to phaze Arceus out.

Manaphy @ Wacan Berry
Trait: Hydration
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Tail Glow
- Rest
- Surf
- Ice Beam

The star of the show! Manaphy is definitely one of the more underrated Pokemon in Ubers, and I must say, that I truly don't get why. Base 100 Special Attack? You have Tail Glow to immediately grant a +3 boost. Not so bulky? Well, I guess Rest + Hydration make up for it by granting instant recovery in rain. Manaphy is definitely one of the coolest Pokemon out there, and it can tear a lot of teams apart once it has grabbed its boost. Surf and Ice Beam have good coverage together, and actually, Surf in rain hits Dialga and Ferrothorn harder than Ice Beam! Wacan Berry is a very fine item for Manaphy to use; it allows it to tank a Thunder from Pokemon such as Kyogre and Palkia, or even a Bolt Strike from Zekrom, and hit back hard with Ice Beam or Surf.
 

Furai

we will become who we are meant to be
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
im willing to help when i get back


and get rid of roserade in tspikes i mean what the helllllllllll


add xatu and espeon to counter hazards
 

TrollFreak

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is a Contributor Alumnus
O lol, how did Roserade get in here(must have been thinking about the UU open at the time :x)

Also, open Mr.lol's tab to see countering hazards :)
 

Furai

we will become who we are meant to be
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnusis a Past SPL Champion
kabutops in spinning too please


pokemon that force a lot of switches also enjoy hazards like voltturn, reshiram, etc etc
 

TrollFreak

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is a Contributor Alumnus
We're working on it via irc and google docs, but I will update the OP with what we have so far soon!

Put frosslass under spikers. I think it's crappy, but it has an analysis for it
I'll mention it of course, Alexwolf made a great team using it
 

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