Hazard Control in XY Little Cup

By Aaron's Aron, Sparkychild, and Goddess Briyella. Art by Nerina.

Entry hazards play a huge part in the game that we all love today. Their effects range from dealing damage to inflicting status to even lowering stats. No one can deny that they are an important factor in the outcome of many games, and their presence or absence on the field can easily determine who wins the match. In Little Cup, a tier with level 5 Pokémon, stats have a more limited range than at level 100, meaning that speed ties will occur often. Another common occurrence is the combination of Sturdy and Berry Juice. Can you make use of the entry hazards to help deal with these issues? Hopefully you can, as every good battler should know how to set them up and how to keep them off of their side of the field!

Setting Up Entry Hazards

Stealth Rock

When it comes to entry hazards, Stealth Rock is king. It is always the entry hazard that you should set up first. One reason for making Stealth Rock your primary entry hazard is that only one layer is required for maximum effect, so you don't need to spend multiple turns setting it up. This is especially useful if the Stealth Rock you laid was removed, as you won't have "wasted" multiple turns setting up more than one layer. Another reason Stealth Rock is king is that it can potentially do double the amount of damage as Spikes with just one layer, and unlike Spikes has no immunities save for Magic Guard Pokémon.

While Stealth Rock is useful in OU, it is absolutely outstanding in Little Cup. LC is a tier that is currently filled with Flying-types, especially Fletchling, so all of these birds lose 25% of their health every time they switch in. It is definitely easier to KO Fletchling and its Flying-type friends when they are starting at 75% health. Another reason that Stealth Rock is so amazing in LC is the prevalence of Pokémon with Sturdy. Many Sturdy Pokémon employ the strategy of carrying Berry Juice, effectively requiring the opponent to attack at least three times to KO it. They do this by surviving the first attack with Sturdy, healing up to full health with Berry Juice, surviving the second attack with Sturdy, before finally being KOed by the third attack. By breaking Sturdy with Stealth Rock, you reduce the number of attacks needed to KO down to one. This also applies to Pokémon like Diglett that often use a Focus Sash to survive an attack. Those extra attacks make a huge difference if you are on the edge of a win or a loss, and it can mean the difference between stopping an opponent's sweep or not, or else continuing your own sweep or not.

Notable Users:

Drilbur @ Eviolite
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance / Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock

Drilbur is a great user of Stealth Rock. It has a large offensive presence, which causes it to force many switches, and it can use these free turns to set up Stealth Rock. Drilbur can even take a hit due to its decent bulk, and with an Eviolite it can generally tank two neutral hits and set up Stealth Rock with ease, or even more than once per match. Unlike most entry hazard setters though, Drilbur still has the firepower to hit the opponent back hard and still be threatening even after it has set Stealth Rock. It even has Mold Breaker to complement Earthquake, allowing it nail Levitate users such as Misdreavus. Another offensive plus Drilbur has over other entry hazard setters is that it is able to hit many of the common Defoggers hard, thus maintaining its Stealth Rock. For example, if a Vullaby switches in, Drilbur can set up with Swords Dance and punish the opponent for trying to remove the entry hazards.

Tirtouga @ Eviolite
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 84 HP / 52 Atk / 92 Def / 236 SpD
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Knock Off

While Tirtouga is more widely used for its offensive capabilities with Shell Smash, it can also serve as a very effective defensive Pokémon and hazard setter. With an Eviolite, Tirtouga's defenses become high enough that even the strongest of attackers have a hard time KOing it. However, when you add Solid Rock on top of that to reduce super effective damage, nothing will be OHKOing it unless heavily boosted or Grass-type. This makes it a solid (no pun intended) choice as an entry hazard setter, and it can even help out with it's priority STAB Aqua Jet and Knock Off as well.

Archen @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 180 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock / Defog / U-Turn
- Rock Tomb / Rock Slide
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake

Archen is one of the lesser-used Stealth Rock users, but it can still get the job done. With passable bulk and the ability to force switches, it gets plenty of opportunities to set up. However, it doesn't like taking a hit while setting up Stealth Rock, as it might have to use its Berry Juice. Archen wants to use its Berry Juice later on in the game when it is attacking so that it doesn't have to worry about Defeatist. It can use an Eviolite and Roost to help mitigate this weakness, but then it loses the ability to use its strongest move, Acrobatics.

Spikes

Spikes is an entry hazard that is similar to Stealth Rock in that it causes damage to opponents as they switch in. However, unlike Stealth Rock, you can place multiple layers of Spikes and the damage dealt is based on the number of layers instead of the opponent's type. One layer of Spikes causes 12.5% damage; two layers, 16.6%; three, 25%. This is a considerable amount of damage, and will add up quickly if the opponent keeps switching. Another positive about Spikes is that, like Stealth Rock, it breaks Sturdy and Focus Sashes, so you don't have to be as worried about Magnemite, Tirtouga, and Diglett stopping you cold.

However, Spikes definitely has faults that prevent it from standing out in Little Cup. As previously stated, it takes three turns to set up to get the maximum damage, so if they are removed, those turns will be wasted. Another issue is that it does not affect Flying-types or Pokémon with Levitate, unlike Stealth Rock, so Pokémon like Fletchling can avoid the chip damage. With these Flying-types being so common in Little Cup, you will often be left frustrated as they switch in and out scratch free. Because of this, Stealth Rock is generally the first entry hazard that you should set up. However, if you have already set up Stealth Rock and still want more damage, Spikes is a great way to get it.

Notable Users:

Trubbish @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 36 Atk / 180 Def / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Spikes
- Recycle

Trubbish always tends to be the go-to Pokémon for laying down Spikes, as other Pokémon like Dwebble do not have the longevity to lay down multiple layers or lay them down again if they are removed. Trubbish also manages to check Knock Off users due to Sticky Hold, and can continue to heal itself with Recycle (however, it has to be careful switching into Pawniard). It also has Drain Punch to deal with Pawniard and other Steel-types that are immune to its STAB Gunk Shot. When Trubbish gets free turns, it can also set up Spikes to add to the passive damage as the opponent switches. If you really want to abuse entry hazards you could use Toxic Spikes as well. The only issue Trubbish has is that it is occasionally forced to spam Recycle in order to stay alive, and it is setup bait for Ghost-types like Misdreavus.

Dwebble @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Knock Off / Counter
- Rock Blast

Dwebble is one of the most prominent entry hazard setters in XY Little Cup, with its Sturdy + Berry Juice combination making sure that it is able to lay down several layers of entry hazards under most conditions. It is a good user of both Stealth Rock and Spikes, and also has Rock Blast to hit through Substitute if Pokémon try to use it to set up on Dwebble during its passive entry hazard setting. It is most often used as an entry hazard lead on offensive teams.

Toxic Spikes

Toxic Spikes does not have much of a role in Little Cup. The metagame is much more offensively oriented, and the games are so short that there is not enough time for the poison damage to accumulate. Also, by poisoning every Pokémon that switches in, it prevents the use of other status like burn, paralysis, or sleep which could potentially be more useful. However, if you feel really inclined to use Toxic Spikes, it would be best to use it in a team that is more defensive and can make use of the gradual damage it provides.

Notable Users:

Tentacool @ Eviolite
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Def / 116 SpD / 116 Spe
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Sludge Wave
- Knock Off

Although this jellyfish isn't as common after Swirlix's ban from Little Cup, it still sees occasional use as a bulky Toxic Spikes setter. It has a glorious base Special Defense stat of 100 allowing it to take several neutral hits, which gives it enough time to set up a layer of Toxic Spikes, or two if you prefer to badly poison the opponent. To make things even better, Tentacool can reach a Speed stat of 17, enabling it to lay down Toxic Spikes before it gets Taunted. It also gets some handy moves to use, such as a burn-inducing Scald on incoming physical attackers and Ground-types and Knock Off to help support the team. Even Liquid Ooze is a useful ability, as it enables Tentacool to punish Cottonee's Giga Drain and the numerous Fighting-types' Drain Punch by causing them to get hurt instead of healed.

Sticky Web

Sticky Web is a very unique entry hazard. It has the potential to be the most defining move in the entire game, changing the way battles are played and changing which Pokémon are viable and which are not. It has the effect of lowering the Speed stat of every grounded opponent that switches in by one stage. This is effective at canceling the boost provided by Choice Scarf, but still locking them into one move, making it easier to outspeed most of your opponent's Pokémon. With Sticky Web support, you will no longer need to worry about those pesky Speed ties either. However, there is one major thing holding this move back from being metagame-defining: a lack of good users. In fact, the only three users of Sticky Web in LC are Sewaddle, Spinarak, and Surskit.

Notable Users:

Surskit @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 36 HP / 20 Def / 196 SpA / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Sticky Web
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Signal Beam

Surskit is the best Sticky Web user, though that isn't saying much. It is generally used as a suicide lead, and with a Focus Sash and its fast Speed getting Sticky Web up is rarely ever an issue. It can use its hard-hitting STAB Hydro Pump to deal damage alongside Ice Beam and Signal Beam for coverage. However, since it's a suicide lead, all it really has to do is lay down Sticky Web and it has done its job.

Spinarak

This little spider has spent a long time searching for a way to catch the bigger prey in Little Cup, and Spinarak has finally found a way in the move Sticky Web. It is weak offensively and frail defensively, but while bearing a Focus Sash, it is guaranteed to survive an attack and set up Sticky Web. Even if it gets Taunted, it still has options like STAB Poison Jab and priority Shadow Sneak as well.

Keeping Your Entry Hazards Up

Unfortunately, the only real way to keep your entry hazards up on the opponent's side of the field permanently is to take out their Defogger / Rapid Spinner. If their hazard remover is still active, there isn't much you can do do to stop them, besides warding them off with clever double-switches. However, one thing that you could do to attempt to prevent your opponent from spinning away your precious entry hazards is carry a Ghost-type Pokémon. However, this method of preventing Rapid Spin, commonly called "spinblocking," is not as effective in Little Cup as it is in OU. The only common Ghost-types are Misdreavus and Gastly, but Gastly does not want to be switching into Drilbur (the main spinner in LC), as once it switches in it could potentially go down to a Mold Breaker Earthquake. Even Misdreavus does not want to switch into Drilbur, as if it uses Earthquake, it will KO the Ghost-type before it can KO back.

Despite it being difficult to prevent your opponent from removing your entry hazards with Defog, you can heavily dissuade them from doing so by carrying a Pokémon with the ability Defiant. Defiant increases your Pokémon's Attack stat by two stages every time another stat is lowered, and since Defog lowers Evasion by one stage along with removing entry hazards, it causes your opponent to think twice about attempting to remove them. If they do use Defog and you switch in on it, they have potentially set you up to sweep. So if you want to keep your entry hazards up, the best things to do are KO the opponent's Rapid Spinner / Defogger and carry a Defiant Pokémon on your team.

Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Sucker Punch / Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Brick Break

Pawniard is not only by far the best Defiant Pokémon, it is also one of the best Pokémon in the tier in general, and is used on 49.2% of all teams. It has STAB Knock Off to punish anything that dares switch into it, both damage-wise and item-wise. A Choice Scarf enables it to outspeed many more things and Knock Off many more items, as well as outspeed and KO Misdreavus, the other most common Pokémon in the tier, without fear of Hidden Power Fighting or Will-O-Wisp. If you correctly predict your opponent to use Defog to remove your entry hazards and switch Pawniard in, you will instantly be at +2 Attack and ready to do some heavy damage. They might have removed your hazards, but you'll still have an advantage in a +2 Choice Scarf Pawniard.

Removing Your Opponent's Entry Hazards

If it hasn't been made clear already, the two ways of removing your opponent's entry hazards are the moves Defog and Rapid Spin. Defog has the disadvantage of removing hazards from the opponent's side of the field as well as your own, but it has the advantage of being a more broadly known move. Rapid Spin only removes hazards on your side of the field, so is often better if you yourself are using entry hazards, but it has a much smaller distribution. Sometimes, you can get by for a while by just stomaching the damage as well. If you try to remove the entry hazards as soon as they are laid down, your remover could get crippled and be unable to perform its role later on in the battle.

Archen

Archen is a great Pokémon, as previously mentioned, that can check many things with its massive Attack stat and powerful STAB moves. It hits extremely hard and uses Berry Juice when needed to refuel its HP, get out of Defeatist's range, and power up its Acrobatics to maximum power. However, it can't take an unlimited number of hits before it drops into Defeatist's range, so you have to be careful about when you bring it in to use Defog. Bringing it in at a bad time could cause it to use its Berry Juice for nothing and greatly weaken its attack power later in the game if it falls into Defeatist range while using Defog.

Drilbur

Rapid Spin Drilbur is used pretty much the same way as Stealth Rock Drilbur. It acts as a normal attacker most of the time, and can capitalize upon opportunities to come in and spin away entry hazards. Drilbur also has Mold Breaker with which to bust through Sturdy, which many entry hazard setters possess.

Staryu

This mysterious starfish is often overlooked by trainers in favor of Drilbur as Rapid Spinner. However, Staryu does have its place as a true star in Little Cup as the only spinner with reliable recovery, which it gets in the move Recover. Another plus is that since it is a Water-type, Staryu can not only get rid of entry hazards, but also give many of the common Rock and Ground-type entry hazard setters a hard time with STAB Scald or Hydro Pump. It also has great coverage with Thunderbolt and Ice Beam, meaning it also brings a heavy offensive presence in addition to spinning.

Tentacool

Tentacool also gets access to the coveted Rapid Spin, which enables it further aid its team along with setting up Toxic Spikes. It also has that mammoth base 100 Special Defense stat, allowing it to stick around for a while.

Things to Watch Out For

Despite the different entry hazards each having their different uses, there are some Pokémon that have figured out way ways to counter them and just aren't deterred. You have to make sure you are aware of what these Pokémon are, or else your sweep could be stopped short when something you didn't watch out for comes in and wipes you out.

Flying Types and Levitate Pokémon

Being a Flying-type in Little Cup is a blessing and a curse, defensively speaking. It comes with an immunity to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web, but in return it gives a weakness to Stealth Rock, forcing them to take 25% damage when switching in with it on the field. The same goes for Pokémon with Levitate as well, although the damage from Stealth Rock is not 25%, but based on the Pokémon's type. This means that if you have Stealth Rock up you can still expect it to do its job, but be wary if you have any of the other three up. Don't expect them to affect the birds or Levitate Pokémon of LC, and prepare another way to deal with them instead.

Pawniard

When you use Sticky Web, you always need to make sure you have a counter to Pawniard. You should have one anyways, as it is one of the most common Pokémon in Little Cup, but especially when using Sticky Web because when it switches in and its Speed is lowered, Defiant is activated, granting it an immediate +2 Attack. Watch out for that! A sweep is incoming, or at least powerful Knock Offs!

Inkay

Despite being uncommon among better players, Inkay is still something that needs to be prepared for. With Contrary, the Speed drop turns into a boost instead, effectively giving it a Choice Scarf without the move restrictions. Add on the fact that it loves to abuse Superpower to further boost its stats and you have something that can nuke unprepared teams. Inkay can even switch in on a Defog and have its Evasion increased, which is certain to cause headaches. While uncommon, you need to make sure you have something that can check this tricky little cnidarian.

Abra

Abra is a Pokémon that you have to be particularly careful with when it comes to entry hazards. With Magic Guard, it becomes immune to passive damage, which includes entry hazard damage, keeping possible Focus Sashes intact. Magic Guard also keeps Abra's item hidden, so you need a different way of figuring out its set. However, it does still get the Speed drop from Sticky Web, which makes Abra much easier to deal with.

Natu

Natu's Magic Bounce deflects a huge handful of status moves, and hazards are no exception. It blocks Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Sticky Web with no problem. The only Pokémon in the tier that can set hazards in Natu's face is Drilbur, which has Mold Breaker to override Magic Bounce (Cranidos can too, but it is irrelevant). Natu isn't used very often among good players except on teams with very specific defensive purposes but it is worth nothing for its ability.

Summary

Entry hazards are something that make a huge difference in games. It could be something as small as providing the little extra damage so an attack can KO in one hit, breaking a Focus Sash, or even knocking out a Pokémon as they switch in. In a tier ruled by Flying-types, Stealth Rock in particular is amazing. There are many different possibilities when using entry hazards, and many different users to exploit them with. It is up to you how you use them, if you use them at all!

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