>>50277866Hazards define 6v6 singles and most or all meta strategies eventually converge around how to best make use of hazards. Offensive or defensive, your team's gameplan involves hazards if it is good. I think Gen 8 is the only post-Gen 4 format I've seen where not every single team runs Stealth Rock and I don't keep up with it enough to know if that's actually good or meta or used in tournament, although I assume it isn't.
>Gen 2This tier is always really bulky because of the system mechanics, but the old days of running really passive teams with like Growl Miltank and whatnot are basically over and teams either build around Spikes offense with like Cloyster and Zapdos, or they bring a spinner like Golem or Forretress and plan around outlasting the Cloyster.
>Gen 3Claydol of all things has become a meta threat because surprise, it's Spikes-immune and it Rapid Spins. SkarmBliss isn't actually always great or meta but Skarm for Spikes always is. It says something that Skarm somewhat regularly sets a single layer of Spikes and dies to Magneton yet is still a top 5 mon consistently.
>Gen 4Clefable's become one of the best mons in the tier because of Magic Guard. I have seen entire fucking teams that are immune to Spikes here. The power level is high and Stealth Rock makes things even deadlier.
>Gen 5It is not uncommon to see Stealth Rock and three layers of Spikes on both sides. PsySpam is one of the best strategies because Latios is broken and Spikes-immune and Alakazam/Reuniclus are hazard-immune and some of the best Spikes abusers.
>Gen 6, 7You have Defog now but rocks are still mandatory on every team, you get the picture. In Gen 7 you started seeing things like stall teams with two Defoggers, and offenses with Rockium Z Garchomp or Stealth Rock Mega Diancie just to guarantee they got rocks up.
