How Entry Hazards Work — Stealth Rock, Spikes & Removing Them
How Stealth Rock, Spikes and other hazards chip a Pokémon on switch-in, and how to clear them with Defog and Rapid Spin. (updated: 2026-07-24)
What entry hazards do
Moves like Stealth Rock and Spikes are entry hazards: use one once, and its effect stays on the opponent's side of the field, damaging every Pokémon they switch in for the rest of the match. Because a single use keeps paying off all game long, hazards are one of the most influential tools for controlling the pace of a battle.
How each hazard differs
- Stealth Rock: Damage is based on Rock-type effectiveness, so lighter, Rock-weak Pokémon (like Flying-types) take a much bigger hit (if this follows the mainline series' numbers, it's typically 12.5% of max HP, 25% if weak, and 50% if 4x weak).
- Spikes: Stacks up to 3 layers, with more layers meaning more damage. Flying-types and Pokémon with Levitate are unaffected.
- Toxic Spikes: Stacks up to 2 layers, poisoning (badly, at 2 layers) whoever switches in. A Poison-type stepping on it clears the hazard entirely.
- Sticky Web: Deals no damage, but lowers the Speed of whoever switches in by one stage.
Moves that clear hazards
There are dedicated tools for removing hazards, too.
- Defog: clears hazards on both sides of the field at once.
- Rapid Spin and Mortal Spin: clear hazards on your own side while also dealing damage.
- Tidy Up: clears every hazard on the field while boosting the user's own Attack and Speed.
Playing around hazards
A Pokémon that can set hazards is usually worth prioritizing in team selection — and if the opponent sets one, it's worth deciding ahead of time who you'll bring in to clear it. Combine this with how switching works: the more a team relies on switching, the more hazard damage adds up over the course of a game.