Skarm dying?

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Plombo

Plombo

Okay. I just did a quick calculation on MetalKid's DP damage calculator. Max Atk Infernape does 60% on Skarm with Flare Blitz with no Attack boost and easily OHKOs it with 1 SD. Blaziken hits it even harder. If Skarmory can be hit that hard by a physical attack, is it dying? If it's still usable, why wouldn't the previously ignored Regirock be a viable choice?

No, really. Regirock can take both physical and special hits better than Skarmory. It was outclassed by Skarm in the past because it had 2 physical weaknesses and Skarmory had none. But now all weaknesses are physical, so what is there to lose? Also, Regirock can further boost its defense with Curse while also boosting its Attack. Then, when you're about to finally kill it, it can hit you with a Cursed Explosion.

I know there's probably some reason I'm not thinking of, so please either agree with me or show me the reason.
 
Skarm being able to learn Stealth Rock, Spikes, Whirlwind, and Roost is a fairly decent reason. And like Surgo said, Regirock's weaknesses are far more common in the metagame.
 
The dp generation did get much more offensive, and skarm's weaknesses did get much more prevalent than before. Tpunch metas, vires, magnezones, fire fangers and such do make skarm less useful as it was in 3rd gen.

But I do see cresselia rising as the potential new skarmory of this generation. She walls the most dangerous threats in the game. Though she isn't able to pseudo haze like skarm, she can hit back or even reflect

/running off topic
 
skarmory gets curse. skarmory has 9 resistances and 2 weaks. regirock has 4 resists and 5 weaks. also skarmory is much easier to get good IVs on. also a physical wall being weak to fighting and ground isn't much fun especially with earthquake's continuing popularity and things being able to throw close combat at stuff.
 
Okay, good point, although physical Infernape is still insanely common. Max Attack Garchomp with one SD still only does 60% using Earthquake with one Curse on Regirock and 45% with 2 Curses. Since Garchomp has the strongest EQ in non-uber play, couldn't Regirock ---almost--- sneak in a Rest against most other things? Plus, Regirock can do decent damage with 2 curses using Stone Edge and Earthquake.

I'm not trying to push that Regirock is better than Skarmory, just that it's only slightly worse.

And Cresselia IS probably better, Jebroni. But this is more to demote Skarm. I can't imagine Regirock dominating anything, just being somewhat decent and unexpected.

Skarm being able to learn Stealth Rock, Spikes, Whirlwind, and Roost is a fairly decent reason. And like Surgo said, Regirock's weaknesses are far more common in the metagame.
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Whirlwind is cool. Regirock can learn Stealth Rock too, though.
 
IMO, Roost is the main reason Skarmory > Regirock.

Anyways, I believe that Skarm IS losing popularity because most (if not all) teams NOW have ways to deal with SkarmBliss.

Furthermore, since most people are preparing to KO the Campbell's Bird [Cookie to anyone who understood that], they sometimes forget about OTHER Physical walls such as Gliscor, Donphan, Weezing, and Hippowdon.
 
The thing is though that Skarmory has a plethora of resistances and immunities to physical attackers that he can switch in to that makes him a great candidate for physical walling. The aren't as many physical fire and electric users as there are fighting and ground users. Lets also not forget that Skarmory's form of recovery, roost, is alot more reliable than Regirock's, rest, since that risks you getting set up on if you don't have sleep talk.
 
Sam388 said:
The aren't as many physical fire and electric users as there are fighting and ground users.
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However, there are A LOT of Mixed Sweepers around that can easilly lure Skarmory in AND/OR come IN on Skarmory and either KO it with a Special attack OR incapicitate it with Taunt.

Simple examples:

Garchomp
Salamence
TTar
Gyarados
Infernape
Electivire
Magnezone
 
The Blue Hedgehog said:
Hmm I Still Perfer Skarm>Regirock.
And Blissey>Regice *Though Thats A Bit Off Topic*
But Because Infernape And Blaziken Rape All...
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Well, Regirock has a much better chance of dealing with Mixape than Skarm does.
Reason: Thunder Wave + Sub + Sandstream.

D'oh.
Sorry for the Double Post guys.
 
WildAce said:
However, there are A LOT of Mixed Sweepers around that can easilly lure Skarmory in and either KO it with a Special attack OR incapicitate it with Taunt.

Simple examples:

Garchomp
Salamence
TTar
Gyarados
Infernape
Electivire
Magnezone
Click to expand...

"Lure" Skarmory in? Since when does Skarmory ever switch into a Magnezone? Most Skarmories don't usually switch in to Salamence in fear of specmence, though you can fake them out with a DD then hit them with a fire blast. Skarmory never switches into a Gyarados because it'll just get taunted, same with Tyranitar. Switching Skarmory into Infernape or Electrivire is just plain suicide. Skarmory can be lured in by garchomp if it expects it to outrage then be taken out with Fire Blast though.
 
My bad about that.
I've editted that post so it makes a bit more sense.
Basically, the PKMN listed can either:
- Lure it in
- Come in on it

Regardding Gyarados / TTar:
Since Skarm's purpose is to stop Physical Sweepers and Taunt essentially prevents that, Skarm is useless vs. these 2 PSweepers.

If a Physical Sweeper isn't worried about a Physical Wall stopping it's sweep, then something's defintely wrong with the wall....
 
In fact, with Chain Chomp sets, Skarmory can't really switch into him, either, can he?

I feel a better way is to have someone knock off Skarm's shell, then destroy with Magnezone.
 
While Regirock does lack a reliable recovery move, with Sandstream, it becomes a pretty nice dual wall, IMO.
 
I believe the problem with Skarm is his special def. so mixed sweepers easily beats him.
Anything special will decently hurt him, while Regirock has a great 100 base sp. def.
If only he had Recover or anything like it.
 
Skarmory's main assets are Roost and the fact he's steel/flying deals with many types. You really can't compare Regirock to him tho o.O He's slow as hell and won't stay there for long, Rest is out of the question really. Cresselia is getting more and more popular by the minute.
 
Chozo said:
Sandstream defense bonus only applies to rock type Pokemon, as far as I'm aware.
Click to expand...

Which Regirock is very much a member of.

Anyways, Skarmory is still a nice wall and can be a bitch to take out, especially if you're like me and don't use special attackers. Plus Skarm goes nicely with Item Clause -- that Shed Shell was designed for her.
 
I believe that Regirock got the short end of the stick without getting Slack Off. I saw that move used by Hippowdon when the Japanese game was released, and I swore that Regirock would get it..... Oh well. =/
 
Skarmory, ImO isn't the best physical wall like he was in ADV. But the thing that he has that people really want/need that Really is Stealth rock/Spike, Phazing, and A relible recovery move. He can Stall out for a while, but what you really want is for him to come in and set up Spikes.I personally let skarmory die after I ot 3 sets of SPike down, and a bit of shuffling too. Becuase he did his job, weakening all thie other pkemon, so I have a cleaner sweep. That is basically thhe only reason to use Skarmory over Cesselia
 
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