ckw
Tired
[OVERVIEW]
* Skarmory has a high Defense stat and great defensive typing, allowing it to check common physical setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon lacking Fire-type coverage, and Mega Salamence.
* Skarmory's access to support moves such as Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic, and Whirlwind make it a good support Pokemon in the tier, that can phaze threats as well as set up Spikes, making it a good addition to stall teams.
* However, Skarmory has very poor Special Defense and gets heavily damaged by even resisted hits from Special attackers like Xerneas.
* Skarmory also lacks any offensive presence and gets absolutely stopped by Taunt users like Yveltal and Mega Mewtwo, as well as Pokemon with Magic Bounce, such as Mega Sableye.
* Skarmory faces competition as a defensive wall from bulky Pokemon such as Celesteela and from Spike setters like Ferrothorn and Klefki.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive Wall
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers / Shed Shell
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spikes allow Skarmory to punish its checks whenever they are switching in and pairs rather well with Whirlwind.
* Toxic allows Skarmory to slowly wear down offensive threats it is normally checked by, such as Primal Groudon.
* Whirlwind allows Skarmory to rack up hazard damage by phazing out setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground.
* Roost is mandatory for Skarmory to function as a proper physically defensive wall.
Set Details
========
* The EV spread and a Bold nature maximize physical defense, allowing Skarmory to avoid 2HKO from +4 Extreme Killer Arceus Shadow Claw and a 2HKO from +2 Mega Salamence Double from full heath.
* Leftovers gives Skarmory passive recovery that increases its longevity and also lets it avoid being 2HKOed by +2 Mega Salamence and +4 Extreme Killer Arceus Shadow Claw.
* A more specially defensive EV spread with 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD is also an option that prevents Skarmory from getting 2HKOed by support Arceus-formes in exchange for lesser physically defensive bulk.
* Skarmory can also hold a Shed Shell to avoid getting trapped by Mega Gengar; Skarmory gets completely walled because it doesn't usually carry any attacking moves.
Usage Tips
========
* Switch in Skarmory on Pokemon that it checks, namely Mega Salamence, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Arceus-Ground, and set up entry hazards such as Spikes. If they attempt to set up on Skarmory, phazing them out with Whirlwind is the preferred action.
* Take advantage of Skarmory's ability, Sturdy, in emergency situations to phaze out setup sweepers such as Xerneas, if required.
* If Skarmory is not holding Shed Shell and the opponent has Mega Gengar, be cautious with Skarmory. Predicting a switch to Gengar and switching to something that checks it can stop it from Mega Evolving, which helps Skarmory in the long run.
* Switch Skarmory out when predicting an opposing Taunt, to a Pokemon that can check the foe.
* Avoid attempting to set up hazards when facing teams with Mega Sableye, since it completely walls Skarmory and can also bounce back Spikes.
* Go for Whirlwind or Toxic when predicting switches to Skarmory's checks to annoy the opposing team, especially when Spikes or Stealth Rock are up on the opposing side.
* Take advantage of situations where Skarmory walls the opponent by setting up Spikes, spreading Toxic, and by phazing threats.
* Keep Skarmory's HP as high as possible with the aid of Roost so that Skarmory can function as a proper wall.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory appreciates checks to threats such as Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, making Primal Groudon a reasonable partner. It can also run Stealth Rock, which compliments Skarmory's ability to set up Spikes and phazing capability with Whirlwind.
* Primal Kyogre in conjunction with Skarmory is able to check Primal Groudon. Primal Kyogre can be switched in on a predicted Fire-type move and threaten Primal Groudon with Water STAB. Primal Kyogre also appreciates Spikes support from Skarmory to weaken checks such as Ferrothorn and Primal Groudon.
* Giratina-O also pair well, as it can check Primal Groudon and block Rapid Spin thanks to its Ghost typing. Defensive Arceus-Ground can also check Primal Groudon as well as provide Defog support if required.
* Pokemon like Toxapex, Zygarde-C, and Ho-Oh, that can check Mega Lucario, are good teammates for Skarmory, since Mega Lucario, as the last Pokemon, can easily set up on it and deal heavy damage.
* Strong offensive Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh, are great teammates that appreciate Skarmory's ability to deal with physical threats.
* Checks to Ho-Oh are required when using Skarmory, making Pokemon such as Arceus-Water, Arceus-Rock, and Tyranitar good teammates.
* Tyranitar and Alolan Muk also pair well with Skarmory since they can provide Pursuit support. This discourages Gengar from coming in entirely, since it doesn't appreciate getting Pursuit trapped, which allows Leftovers variants of Skarmory to freely set up Spikes. Both can also trap Pokemon that cause trouble for stall teams, such as Deoxys-A. Furthermore, Tyranitar can OHKO Yveltal, another troubling Pokemon for stall teams.
* Specially Defensive Pokemon such as Blissey, Chansey, and Clefable are great teammates that appreciate Skarmory's ability to check physical threats like Mega Salamence and Extreme Killer Arceus.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Taunt can be run to shut down support Pokemon such as Lugia and Zygarde and also prevents Defog users from removing entry hazards. However, Skarmory's standard set is more consistent as the usual Defog users outspeed Skarmory and can easily remove entry hazards.
* Running Stealth Rock over Spikes relieves teammates such as Primal Groudon from running Stealth Rock to use a more offensive set.
* Skarmory can hold Rocky Helmet to deal damage to Physical Attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Salamence, though Skarmory appreciates passive recovery from Leftovers more, as it allows Skarmory to wall physical threats efficiently.
* Defog is also a possible move, but it should only be run if absolutely required as the move doesn't go well with Spikes.
* Red Card can be used if Skarmory is being used as a lead on more offensive teams where it can force a random switch if hit with an attack.
* Counter is a decent move pick as well, as it allows Skarmory to hit back physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Extreme Killer Arceus with something. However, this would only be very helpful if the foe is the last Pokemon in the team since, most of the time, these threats should be phazed out with Whirlwind.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye will wall Skarmory for the entirety of any game as it does not have anything to hit back with and all the Spikes and Toxic will simply bounce off due to its great ability.
**Special Attackers*: Due to Skarmory's horrible Special Defense, it gets heavily weakened by Special Attackers such as Yveltal, Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, Lunala, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-formes that can deal neutral damage.
**Mega Gengar**: When not holding the Shed Shell, Mega Gengar can easily trap Skarmory and proceed to Taunt or KO it with multiple Shadow Ball. However, when not able to trap Skarmory, it may get Pursuit-trapped by either Alolan Muk or Tyranitar, which are great partners for Skarmory in this case.
**Fire-types**: Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage can easily switch in against Skarmory can proceed to KO it with Sacred Fire and Fire Punch or Lava Plume respectively, and Toxic doesn't affect Ho-Oh's ability to counter Skarmory thanks to Regenerator. However, Primal Groudon can be Toxic-ed on the switch and get played around if it lacks Fire-type coverage.
**Mega Lucario**: Mega Lucario can easily setup on Skarmory if it's the last Pokemon of the opposing team and proceed to sweep. It can also switch into Skarmory to deal heavy damage with Close Combat.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Deoxys-S and Yveltal can completely shut down Skarmory. Deoxys-S can stop Skarmory from setting up Spikes and proceed to set up its own entry hazard, and Yveltal can easily beat Skarmory since it has no method of hitting Yveltal for damage.
**Pokemon Immune to Toxic**: Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Celesteela can cause stalemates between Skarmory as they are immune to Toxic and can face Skarmory one-on-one. Ferrothorn and Celesteela can use Leech Seed, the former can setup entry hazards, and Toxapex can set up Toxic Spikes.
* Skarmory has a high Defense stat and great defensive typing, allowing it to check common physical setup sweepers such as Extreme Killer Arceus, Arceus-Ground, Primal Groudon lacking Fire-type coverage, and Mega Salamence.
* Skarmory's access to support moves such as Spikes, Stealth Rock, Toxic, and Whirlwind make it a good support Pokemon in the tier, that can phaze threats as well as set up Spikes, making it a good addition to stall teams.
* However, Skarmory has very poor Special Defense and gets heavily damaged by even resisted hits from Special attackers like Xerneas.
* Skarmory also lacks any offensive presence and gets absolutely stopped by Taunt users like Yveltal and Mega Mewtwo, as well as Pokemon with Magic Bounce, such as Mega Sableye.
* Skarmory faces competition as a defensive wall from bulky Pokemon such as Celesteela and from Spike setters like Ferrothorn and Klefki.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive Wall
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Whirlwind
move 4: Roost
item: Leftovers / Shed Shell
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Spikes allow Skarmory to punish its checks whenever they are switching in and pairs rather well with Whirlwind.
* Toxic allows Skarmory to slowly wear down offensive threats it is normally checked by, such as Primal Groudon.
* Whirlwind allows Skarmory to rack up hazard damage by phazing out setup sweepers such as Mega Salamence, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Swords Dance Arceus-Ground.
* Roost is mandatory for Skarmory to function as a proper physically defensive wall.
Set Details
========
* The EV spread and a Bold nature maximize physical defense, allowing Skarmory to avoid 2HKO from +4 Extreme Killer Arceus Shadow Claw and a 2HKO from +2 Mega Salamence Double from full heath.
* Leftovers gives Skarmory passive recovery that increases its longevity and also lets it avoid being 2HKOed by +2 Mega Salamence and +4 Extreme Killer Arceus Shadow Claw.
* A more specially defensive EV spread with 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD is also an option that prevents Skarmory from getting 2HKOed by support Arceus-formes in exchange for lesser physically defensive bulk.
* Skarmory can also hold a Shed Shell to avoid getting trapped by Mega Gengar; Skarmory gets completely walled because it doesn't usually carry any attacking moves.
Usage Tips
========
* Switch in Skarmory on Pokemon that it checks, namely Mega Salamence, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Arceus-Ground, and set up entry hazards such as Spikes. If they attempt to set up on Skarmory, phazing them out with Whirlwind is the preferred action.
* Take advantage of Skarmory's ability, Sturdy, in emergency situations to phaze out setup sweepers such as Xerneas, if required.
* If Skarmory is not holding Shed Shell and the opponent has Mega Gengar, be cautious with Skarmory. Predicting a switch to Gengar and switching to something that checks it can stop it from Mega Evolving, which helps Skarmory in the long run.
* Switch Skarmory out when predicting an opposing Taunt, to a Pokemon that can check the foe.
* Avoid attempting to set up hazards when facing teams with Mega Sableye, since it completely walls Skarmory and can also bounce back Spikes.
* Go for Whirlwind or Toxic when predicting switches to Skarmory's checks to annoy the opposing team, especially when Spikes or Stealth Rock are up on the opposing side.
* Take advantage of situations where Skarmory walls the opponent by setting up Spikes, spreading Toxic, and by phazing threats.
* Keep Skarmory's HP as high as possible with the aid of Roost so that Skarmory can function as a proper wall.
Team Options
========
* Skarmory appreciates checks to threats such as Xerneas and Primal Kyogre, making Primal Groudon a reasonable partner. It can also run Stealth Rock, which compliments Skarmory's ability to set up Spikes and phazing capability with Whirlwind.
* Primal Kyogre in conjunction with Skarmory is able to check Primal Groudon. Primal Kyogre can be switched in on a predicted Fire-type move and threaten Primal Groudon with Water STAB. Primal Kyogre also appreciates Spikes support from Skarmory to weaken checks such as Ferrothorn and Primal Groudon.
* Giratina-O also pair well, as it can check Primal Groudon and block Rapid Spin thanks to its Ghost typing. Defensive Arceus-Ground can also check Primal Groudon as well as provide Defog support if required.
* Pokemon like Toxapex, Zygarde-C, and Ho-Oh, that can check Mega Lucario, are good teammates for Skarmory, since Mega Lucario, as the last Pokemon, can easily set up on it and deal heavy damage.
* Strong offensive Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Primal Groudon, and Ho-Oh, are great teammates that appreciate Skarmory's ability to deal with physical threats.
* Checks to Ho-Oh are required when using Skarmory, making Pokemon such as Arceus-Water, Arceus-Rock, and Tyranitar good teammates.
* Tyranitar and Alolan Muk also pair well with Skarmory since they can provide Pursuit support. This discourages Gengar from coming in entirely, since it doesn't appreciate getting Pursuit trapped, which allows Leftovers variants of Skarmory to freely set up Spikes. Both can also trap Pokemon that cause trouble for stall teams, such as Deoxys-A. Furthermore, Tyranitar can OHKO Yveltal, another troubling Pokemon for stall teams.
* Specially Defensive Pokemon such as Blissey, Chansey, and Clefable are great teammates that appreciate Skarmory's ability to check physical threats like Mega Salamence and Extreme Killer Arceus.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Taunt can be run to shut down support Pokemon such as Lugia and Zygarde and also prevents Defog users from removing entry hazards. However, Skarmory's standard set is more consistent as the usual Defog users outspeed Skarmory and can easily remove entry hazards.
* Running Stealth Rock over Spikes relieves teammates such as Primal Groudon from running Stealth Rock to use a more offensive set.
* Skarmory can hold Rocky Helmet to deal damage to Physical Attackers such as Extreme Killer Arceus and Mega Salamence, though Skarmory appreciates passive recovery from Leftovers more, as it allows Skarmory to wall physical threats efficiently.
* Defog is also a possible move, but it should only be run if absolutely required as the move doesn't go well with Spikes.
* Red Card can be used if Skarmory is being used as a lead on more offensive teams where it can force a random switch if hit with an attack.
* Counter is a decent move pick as well, as it allows Skarmory to hit back physical threats such as Mega Salamence and Extreme Killer Arceus with something. However, this would only be very helpful if the foe is the last Pokemon in the team since, most of the time, these threats should be phazed out with Whirlwind.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Sableye**: Mega Sableye will wall Skarmory for the entirety of any game as it does not have anything to hit back with and all the Spikes and Toxic will simply bounce off due to its great ability.
**Special Attackers*: Due to Skarmory's horrible Special Defense, it gets heavily weakened by Special Attackers such as Yveltal, Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, Lunala, Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and Arceus-formes that can deal neutral damage.
**Mega Gengar**: When not holding the Shed Shell, Mega Gengar can easily trap Skarmory and proceed to Taunt or KO it with multiple Shadow Ball. However, when not able to trap Skarmory, it may get Pursuit-trapped by either Alolan Muk or Tyranitar, which are great partners for Skarmory in this case.
**Fire-types**: Pokemon such as Ho-Oh, Primal Groudon, and Pokemon with Fire-type coverage can easily switch in against Skarmory can proceed to KO it with Sacred Fire and Fire Punch or Lava Plume respectively, and Toxic doesn't affect Ho-Oh's ability to counter Skarmory thanks to Regenerator. However, Primal Groudon can be Toxic-ed on the switch and get played around if it lacks Fire-type coverage.
**Mega Lucario**: Mega Lucario can easily setup on Skarmory if it's the last Pokemon of the opposing team and proceed to sweep. It can also switch into Skarmory to deal heavy damage with Close Combat.
**Taunt**: Taunt users such as Deoxys-S and Yveltal can completely shut down Skarmory. Deoxys-S can stop Skarmory from setting up Spikes and proceed to set up its own entry hazard, and Yveltal can easily beat Skarmory since it has no method of hitting Yveltal for damage.
**Pokemon Immune to Toxic**: Pokemon like Ferrothorn, Toxapex, and Celesteela can cause stalemates between Skarmory as they are immune to Toxic and can face Skarmory one-on-one. Ferrothorn and Celesteela can use Leech Seed, the former can setup entry hazards, and Toxapex can set up Toxic Spikes.
Last edited: