Flying
========
Skarmory's sky-high physical bulk that allows it to wall threats such as Excadrill and reliable recovery cement it as a staple on Flying teams. Sturdy allows it to survive any attack from full health, allowing it to clear entry hazards with Defog and phaze threats with Whirlwind. Its Steel typing provides Flying teams with a neutrality to Ice- and Rock-type attacks and lets Skarmory check threats in Weavile and Terrakion. Its neutrality to Rock also allows it to take minimal damage from Stealth Rock and act as a reliable Defogger for Flying teams. However, Skarmory's downfall is its poor special bulk and low Speed, which allow a myriad of special attackers such as Latios, Zapdos, Volcarona, and Gengar to easily beat it. Skarmory is also reliant on its utility moves to succeed in battle, meaning Taunt users such as Mega Gyarados completely shut it down and prevent it from making any progress for Flying teams.
[SET]
name: Defensive Roost (Flying)
move 1: Iron Head
move 2: Roost
move 3: Defog
move 4: Whirlwind / Toxic
item: Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Head allows Skarmory to target Ice- and Rock-types such as Weavile, Mamoswine, Mega Diancie, and Terrakion for Flying teams. Brave Bird OHKOes threats such as Mega Gallade and Mega Lopunny. Whirlwind prevents setup sweepers such as Bisharp and Mega Scizor from using it as setup bait. Toxic allows Skarmory to cripple other walls such as Porygon2, Mandibuzz, Cradily, and Hippowdon and lets its teammates such as Landorus more readily break through them. Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to punish important contact moves such as Chansey's Seismic Toss, Mega Lopunny's High Jump Kick, and Mega Swampert's Waterfall. Maximum HP and Defense investment alongside an Impish nature allows Skarmory to take on physical threats such as Bisharp, Mega Gallade, and Choice Band Dragonite.
All of Skarmory's teammates appreciate its ability to act as a physical sponge and tank attacks from Dragon-, Rock-, and Ice-types such as Choice Scarf Latias, Mega Diancie, and Mamoswine. Zapdos can form a Defog core with Skarmory and provide a switch-in to Electric-types such as Mega Manectric and Magnezone. Assault Tornadus-T can cover Skarmory's allergy to special attackers by tanking hits from powerful wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Latios while removing items from other walls with Knock Off and taking out special attacking threats such as Keldeo. Landorus can take on Life Orb Kyurem-B and Victini as well as Steel-types such as Heatran, Empoleon, Ferrothorn, and Bronzong. Mega Charizard Y can break through common Stealth Rock setters such as Hippowdon and Swampert with Fire Blast and Solar Beam, respectively. Mega Charizard Y is also able to take on Volcarona and unboosted Deoxys-S for Skarmory. Mega Gyarados can act as a wincon in the Psychic matchup with Substitute + Dragon Dance + Crunch. It can also take on Ground teams single-handedly after two Dragon Dances, prevent walls such as Chansey from recovering HP with Taunt, and prevent phazers such as Swampert and Hippowdon from forcing it out. Thundurus is a great teammate in the Flying and Water matchup, hitting every single Pokemon for super effective damage with Thunderbolt, Grass Knot, and Hidden Power Ice. Additionally, it can act as an emergency check to faster threats such as Deoxys-S thanks to Prankster Thunder Wave. Dragonite can break through Dragon- and Steel-types Pokemon with STAB Outrage and coverage in Superpower and Fire Punch. It can also clean up weakened threats such as Volcarona, Deoxys-S, and Kyurem-B with Extreme Speed.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Flying
--------
Spikes allows Skarmory to chip down foes such as Kyurem-B, Keldeo, and Volcarona so teammates such as Landorus, Tornadus-T, and Dragonite can revenge kill them with ease. Counter can be used over Whirlwind to score a surprise OHKO against physical threats such as Mega Gallade, Bisharp, and Mega Heracross.
Checks and Counters
===================
Flying
--------
**Magnezone**: Magnezone takes on Skarmory with its Electric STAB moves and prevents Skarmory from switching out with Magnet Pull.
**Bisharp**: Defiant from Bisharp makes using Defog difficult for Skarmory. On top of this, the best Skarmory can do is phaze Bisharp with Whirlwind to prevent Bisharp from using it as setup bait.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers such as Latios and Volcarona can easily break past Skarmory due to its low Special Defense without much it can do in return. However, they do not appreciate being Toxic poisoned if Skarmory has Sturdy intact. Volcarona also needs to watch out for Brave Bird if Skarmory's Sturdy is intact.
**Stallbreakers**: Stallbreakers with Taunt such as Mew, Mega Gyarados, Sableye, and Gliscor prevent Skarmory from using its utility moves, completely shutting it down.
**Super Effective Coverage**: Pokemon such as Choice Band Dragonite and Choice Band Diggersby can 2HKO Skarmory with Fire Punch, and special attackers such as Porygon2 can take it on with Discharge.
**Status**: Skarmory does not appreciate burn wearing it down quick or paralysis making its job as a Defogger and physical sponge more difficult.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Flying analysis by: [[maroon, 305839]]
- Quality checked by: [[Cell, 244276], [Izaya, 311872]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Estronic, 240732], [DC, 449990]]
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