Clear Smog vs. Haze: Which is the Superior Stat-Resetting Move?
Is Clear Smog better than Haze? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no; it depends entirely on the situation and your specific strategy. Both moves serve the purpose of resetting stat changes in battle, but they do so in fundamentally different ways, with distinct advantages and disadvantages. In many common scenarios, Clear Smog emerges as the superior choice due to its targeted nature and specific advantages, though the global effect of Haze can be preferable in others.
Understanding Haze
Haze is a non-damaging move that resets all stat changes of every Pokémon on the field to their base values. This means that both your Pokémon and your opponent’s Pokémon have their stat boosts and drops nullified. Think of it as a battlefield-wide reset button for stat modifications.
Strengths of Haze
- Global Reset: The key advantage of Haze is its ability to undo stat changes for all combatants simultaneously. If your team is suffering from multiple stat drops or your opponent is threatening with an overwhelming stack of stat boosts, Haze can wipe the slate clean.
- Debuff Removal: While Clear Smog only targets the opponent, Haze clears your debuffs as well, which can be advantageous if both sides are affected by stat drops.
- Early Game Advantage: It can be a good opening move to remove stat boosts or even drops if you see your opponent setting up early in the battle.
Weaknesses of Haze
- Double-Edged Sword: Because Haze affects all Pokémon, you also lose any stat boosts that you might have carefully accumulated. This makes it a high-risk, high-reward maneuver.
- Non-Damaging: Haze doesn’t inflict damage, meaning it won’t provide immediate pressure on your opponent.
- Blocked by Taunt: The move is completely ineffective if the user is affected by Taunt, leaving you vulnerable.
Understanding Clear Smog
Clear Smog, in contrast to Haze, is a damaging Poison-type move. It not only inflicts damage but also resets all stat changes on the target Pokémon. Crucially, this effect is not considered a secondary effect of the move, meaning that items like Clear Amulet or Covert Cloak are completely ineffective against it.
Strengths of Clear Smog
- Targeted Reset: Clear Smog targets only a single Pokémon. This makes it incredibly useful when you want to neutralize the stat buffs of a specific threat without disrupting your own team’s strategy.
- Damage and Reset: The move does not just reset stats; it also inflicts damage. This dual function makes it a more efficient use of a turn compared to a non-damaging move like Haze.
- Bypasses Common Protections: Unlike Haze, it cannot be blocked by Taunt. Furthermore, while it is blocked by type immunity, protection moves and Substitute, Clear Smog’s stat removal is NOT blocked by Clear Amulet or Covert Cloak.
- Never Misses: Clear Smog cannot miss, making it a reliable option for stat reset.
Weaknesses of Clear Smog
- Single Target: Its targeting can be a drawback in scenarios where stat changes need to be neutralized on multiple threats.
- Type Disadvantage: Being a Poison-type move, it is ineffective against Steel-type Pokémon. It also requires a move slot specifically dedicated to poison typing.
- Blocked by Substitute While it bypasses a lot of common protections, Clear Smog cannot penetrate substitute. This is an important consideration, especially when faced against Pokemon commonly using the move.
When to Choose Clear Smog over Haze
In most cases, Clear Smog offers more tactical flexibility and is generally the superior option due to its targeted nature and ability to inflict damage. Here’s when Clear Smog is the better choice:
- Targeted Stat Removal: When your opponent has a single Pokémon that is a high stat-boosting threat.
- Opponent Using Baton Pass: When an opponent has Baton Passed an array of stat boosts to a single Pokémon.
- Need to Apply Pressure: When you need to remove stat changes and do damage at the same time.
- When You Have Your Own Stat Boosts: If you have successfully boosted your own stats and want to prevent them from being reset.
- Against Taunt Users: If you suspect your opponent is using Taunt or if you are vulnerable to Taunt.
When to Choose Haze over Clear Smog
Haze still has its place in some niche situations:
- Global Reset: When both sides have numerous stat boosts, Haze can be a way to reset the playing field.
- When Debuffed: If you have many debuffs on your side of the field, using Haze can reset them in addition to your opponent’s boosts.
- Against Substitute: If your opponent commonly uses Substitute, Haze may be preferable.
Conclusion
While Haze provides a comprehensive stat reset, the targeted nature and damaging aspect of Clear Smog make it the superior choice in most battle scenarios. Clear Smog’s ability to circumvent Taunt and Clear Amulet makes it a highly reliable and potent option, provided you are not facing a Steel-type or a Pokémon using Substitute. The optimal move between Haze and Clear Smog depends on the specific circumstances, but in the majority of battles, Clear Smog will offer better, targeted control.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Clear Smog do damage?
Yes, Clear Smog is a damage-dealing move. It is a Poison-type attack that not only inflicts damage but also resets the stat changes of the target Pokémon to zero.
2. Does Clear Smog remove lowered stats?
Yes, Clear Smog resets all stats to zero, whether they have been boosted or lowered. It effectively nullifies any stat modifications on the target Pokémon.
3. Does Clear Smog clear evasiveness?
Yes, Clear Smog resets the target’s evasion stat changes, effectively negating any boosts or drops to evasiveness.
4. Does Clear Smog bypass substitute?
No, Clear Smog does not bypass Substitute. If the target is behind a Substitute, the move will not affect it or remove stat boosts.
5. What type is Clear Smog?
Clear Smog is a Poison-type move.
6. Does Clear Smog affect everyone?
No, Clear Smog only affects a single target Pokémon, unlike Haze, which affects all Pokémon on the field.
7. Does Haze remove negative effects?
Haze does not remove non-volatile status ailments such as paralysis, burn, or poison. It also does not reset effects like Focus Energy.
8. Does Clear Smog bypass Clear Amulet?
Yes, Clear Smog does bypass Clear Amulet. The stat reset is part of the move’s primary effect, not a secondary effect, meaning that items meant to prevent stat drops are completely useless against Clear Smog.
9. Does Haze clear booster energy?
Yes, Haze clears the stat boosts obtained from a Booster Energy.
10. Does Substitute protect against Haze?
No, Substitute does not block Haze. Haze will still affect a Pokémon behind a Substitute.
11. Does Haze clear Focus Energy?
No, Haze does not remove the effect of Focus Energy.
12. Does Clear Smog ever miss?
No, Clear Smog never misses, making it a reliable way to reset stats.
13. What moves remove stat changes?
Besides Haze and Clear Smog, moves that ignore stat changes include Chip Away, Fissure, Sacred Sword, Darkest Lariat, Horn Drill, and Final Gambit. However, these moves don’t directly reset stats.
14. What is Clear Amulet?
Clear Amulet is an item held by a Pokémon that prevents its stats from being lowered by moves or abilities used against it. This is ineffective against Clear Smog however, due to its primary effect.
15. Does chilling water heal Pokémon?
No, Chilling Water does not heal Pokémon. It inflicts damage and lowers the target’s attack by one stage.