OU Skarmory [GP 2/2]

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TailGlowVM

Now 100% more demonic
:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to blanket check most physical attackers in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Weavile. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, easily setting it because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game wincon. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attack, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn and Mew as a Spikes setter, which have access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Kyurem, as well as Corviknight and Buzzwole as a physically defensive wall, which have U-turn and actual offensive presence, respectively. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and can consistently check Ground-types unlike Ferrothorn, as well as access to Spikes unlike Corviknight and Buzzwole.

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attackers Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and it punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to match boosts from setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. Iron Defense also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep late-game if faster special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko, and Slowking, and it allows Skarmory to more consistently keep its Spikes up; it quickly puts most Defog users, with the exception of Corviknight, on a timer. However, it lets physical setup attackers overwhelm Skarmory in the short term. Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It is also particularly useful for deterring U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R, forcing progress against them. At the cost of considerable bulk, 176 Speed EVs can be used to outspeed Modest Magnezone so that Skarmory can 2HKO it with Body Press if it is weakened or caught on the switch.

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes punishing the switches they force and wearing down checks, like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Offs, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from foes to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former can deter Defog thanks to Defiant while utilizing Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Skarmory usually draws in special attackers, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Skarmory's Spikes prevents U-turn users like Dragapult and Tapu Koko from freely using them for momentum, especially when paired with Knock Off support. Skarmory can also check most of the strong physical attackers that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to phaze setup sweepers and Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face, like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona, if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory to support Pokemon like Rillaboom and Kartana. However, Rocky Helmet is valuable, especially against U-turn users Skarmory can't punish without it, and Shed Shell can easily be removed by Knock Off if it pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press, leaving it reliant on pivots to switch in, but it also forces Skarmory out and can set up on it with Bulk Up. Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can potentially force in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it.

**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, occasionally uses a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking usually uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacker, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening it out, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they switch directly in. Pivots like Landorus-T that Skarmory wants to switch into can use U-turn to bring one of these special attackers safely in against it.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhi, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [Estronic, 240732]]
 
Last edited:
Hey there, some feedback:
I think it's important to highlight Skarm's advantages and disadvantages over Ferrothorn as a Spikes setter. The most important ones being Skarm's access to instant recovery, and it's immunity to Ground allowing it to check Grounds that can boost through Ferrothorn's defenses, and how Ferro's access to Knock Off and Leech Seed, as well as its Grass typing may be preffered in other cases.
Bisharp and Weavile deserve mentions as Spikes abusers, as their strong Knock Off removing Boots make for a great tool for making progress. Bisharp also deters Defog, which is very helpful for other Spikes abusers.
Ground-types are of great help too; Garchomp appreciates Spikes wearing down opponents into 1HKO range, Landorus-T has access to Knock Off and U-Turn, and Nidoking's Poison typing let it soft check Tapu Koko.
 
Last edited:

Abhi

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:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

  • Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Excadrill.
  • Skarmory differentiates itself from Corviknight other defensive walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, and can it set them up easily against the Pokemon it walls. Mentioning only Corviknight here makes it seem to like the two have a similar niche which they dont; Corviknight is a Defog user / slow pivot and Skarmory is a hazard user / whirlwind user/ possible win con with Iron defence. Mentioning other defensive walls as a whole seems better here.
  • Despite its poor offensive stats, it is able to avoid being completely passive due to its access to a powerful Body Press, which it can boost in power with Iron Defense.
  • However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Choice Specs Dragapult. Saying Dragapult is enough as all of its sets barring the rare Ddance set can trouble Skarmory.
  • It is also unable to immediately damage Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Clefable, Volcarona, and Slowking, which can take advantage of it by setting up on it or pressuring Skarmory's team with Future Sight.
  • Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and Leech Seed to further wear down the opposing team and an arguably more useful typing in Grass. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and the ability to check Ground-types that can overpower Ferrothorn. You could also mention how Skarmory can act as a wincondition or phase away set up sweepers.

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Roost
move 3: Iron Defense / Whirlwind
move 4: Body Press
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spe


[SET COMMENTS]
  • Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, and Hippowdon.
  • Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by setup sweepers like Swords Dance Kartana Landorus-T/ Rillaboom / Bisharp / Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts. It also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if special attackers are removed. Kartana's Sacred Swords ignores the Iron Defence boosts so not a good mention to show the effectiveness of Iron Defence, something like Landorus-Therian, Weavile, Bisharp or Rillaboom would be a better mention over it, your choice which one you'd like to mention all are good examples.
  • Whirlwind can be used instead to remove boosts from the aforementioned setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes.
  • Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, and Slowking. However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it.
  • Body Press is the preferred attacking move as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory.
  • A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Kartana, Melmetal, and Weavile. It also deters attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. Both Weavile and Kartana carry Knock Off so they can easily avoid Rocky Helmet damage barring the initial Knock Off, Melmetal also commonly carries Protective Pads now, you could specify non-Protective Pads Melmetal ig; something like Excadrill, and Dragonite could be a better mention.
  • 20 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Iron Defense Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently. The remaining EVs are placed into HP and Defence alongside a Bold Nature to maximise Skarmory's physical bulk.
  • Sturdy is the chosen ability as it has situational use in allowing Skarmory to act as an emergency revenge killer to a threatening sweeper from full health. You could probably remove this because honestly what other ability are you going to use.

  • Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force, like Nidoking Bisharp, Kyurem Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Mention how they can benefit from Skarmory's spikes, as in how it can weaken their switch ins. Also I dont think mentioning Nidoking is good here since its checks tend to run Heavy-Duty Boots, something like Bisharp could take its place, same with Kyurem too, Dragapult can stay because things like Tyranitar and Tapu Fini run Leftovers. Weavile could be a good replacement for Kyurem, since Spikes helps break through Toxapex and Tapu Fini.
  • Special walls like Slowking, Assault Vest Galarian Slowking, or Blissey can cover Skarmory's lacking Special Defence by switching into the special attacking Pokemon it draws in like Tornadus-T and in the former's case, Heatran. In return, Skarmory is able to check most of the powerful physical attackers they typically struggle against. The wording here is a bit weird, you could probably go with just "Skarmory can invite X which can be checked by Y,Z" also mention things like Dragapult and Kyurem that are checked by Blissey since the two things you currently mention both often beat Blissey; Heatran traps and KO's it, and Tornadus knocks it and then overwhelms it with boosted Focus Blasts.
  • It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Zapdos for the former or Clefable for the latter. Mention Tangrowth for both Rillaboom and Garchomp.
  • Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, and it forms a defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
  • Stealth Rock can be used over Spikes if Skarmory's team does not have another Stealth Rock setter. However, many other defensive Pokemon can set Stealth Rock, such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon, and doing so causes Skarmory to lose the rare ability to set Spikes.
  • Counter can surprise physical attackers that could overpower Skarmory, such as a boosted Rillaboom or Fire Fang Garchomp, but it is reliant on Skarmory being at full health to work, and can be exploitable once revealed as Skarmory has to forgo Body Press, and the opponent is likely to choose not to attack Skarmory with physical moves.
  • Brave Bird does more immediate damage than Body Press to select Pokemon including Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R. However, Skarmory will no longer be able to punish Magnezone for switching into it, and the recoil damage can wear it down more quickly, forcing Skarmory to use Roost more often.
  • A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be Knocked Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos' case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. Magnezone is of particular note as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and Skarmory can outspeed and KO Iron Defense Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. You could probably mention Thunder Punch Melmetal here.

**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch into Body Press safely but can force Skarmory out. Mention Fire Blast Garchomp and Flamethrower Nidoking and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking. Skarm can usually switch into these two if not for Flamethower.

**Special Attackers **: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure it. No need to mention Fire Blast Chomp here again.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[abhisdn417, 526987], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
QC 1/2
 

airfare

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OUPL Champion
:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Excadrill. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier because of its ability to , and it can set them up easily against the Pokemon it walls. this is why it's a good spikes setter. you didn't explicitly state it before Despite its poor offensive stats, it is able to avoid being completely passive due to its access to a powerful Body Press, which it can boost in power with Iron Defense. spikes are the main thing keeping it from being passive, not id + press. u can mention how id can turn it into a late-game win condition instead However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. It is also unable to immediately damage Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Clefable, Volcarona, and Slowking, which can take advantage of it by setting up on it or pressuring Skarmory's team with Future Sight. it isn't skarm's job to check these mons and it can gain out of the interaction by setting a spike while these switch in. skarm usually is used on fatter teams and therefore has countermeasures to most of these mons as well, so it isn't a huge loss if they come in for free... this is less of a drawback bc you're forgoing momentum in general by choosing skarm. if you really want to make this point, i would refocus this point on its passiveness, and use that to push the same argument you're trying to make here Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery, and it can check Ground-types that can overpower Ferrothorn. mention that it also competes with corv, mandi for pdef walls

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD


[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, and Hippowdon. it's good at this because it forces switches from physical attackers and essentially gives u a free spike Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts with Defense boosts. u could optionally mention here that kart's sacred sword notably bypasses boosts, making it struggle vs SD variants It also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, and Slowking. koko is a very important one as well However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Dragonite. find a better example - most dnite are roost and switch vs skarm anyway It also deters attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. While the listed EV spread is typically most effective, other options are possible. For example, at the cost of some physical bulk, 184 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Choice Band Tyranitar. This also outpaces Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently.

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force and wear down checks like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Off, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former's Defiant deters Defog. if ur putting emphasis on hazards support here, you can also mention assurance Ground-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking and Garchomp can also benefit from Spikes while being able to check Electric-types for Skarmory. do they really benefit from spikes? most of their checks are flying-types Skarmory usually draws in special attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Tornadus-T. not an ideal switchin to torn because of knock Skarmory is able to check most of the strong physical attacking Pokemon that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Tangrowth, or Zapdos for the former. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid and it forms a defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters. establishes c&e relationship, connecting these two ideas

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Stealth Rock can be used over Spikes if Skarmory's team does not have another Stealth Rock setter. However, many other defensive Pokemon can set Stealth Rock, such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon, and doing so causes Skarmory to lose the rare ability to set Spikes. mention suicide lead sets. also, if ur gonna mention rocks, mention defog skarm too lol... especially on fatter (stall) teams that lack a different fogger and don't care for spikes as much Whirlwind can be used over Iron Defense to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. Counter can surprise physical attackers that could overpower Skarmory, such as a boosted Rillaboom or Fire Fang Garchomp, but it is reliant on Skarmory being at full health to work, and can be exploitable once revealed as Skarmory has to forgo Body Press, and the opponent is likely to choose not to attack Skarmory with physical moves. Brave Bird does more immediate damage than Body Press to select Pokemon including Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R. However, Skarmory will no longer be able to punish Magnezone for switching into it, and the recoil damage can wear it down more quickly, forcing Skarmory to use Roost more often. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be Knocked Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos' case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. Magnezone is of particular note as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can utilise Thunder Punch to beat Skarmory. "beat" is a stretch.. 252+ Atk Iron Fist Melmetal Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 132-156 (39.5 - 46.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

**Fire-types and Fire-type coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it, and Galarian Slowking often uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]

additions, removals, comments
qc 2/2
 
Last edited by a moderator:

TailGlowVM

Now 100% more demonic
:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Excadrill. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier because of its ability to , and it can set them up easily against the Pokemon it walls. this is why it's a good spikes setter. you didn't explicitly state it before Despite its poor offensive stats, it is able to avoid being completely passive due to its access to a powerful Body Press, which it can boost in power with Iron Defense. spikes are the main thing keeping it from being passive, not id + press. u can mention how id can turn it into a late-game win condition instead However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. It is also unable to immediately damage Fighting-resistant Pokemon like Clefable, Volcarona, and Slowking, which can take advantage of it by setting up on it or pressuring Skarmory's team with Future Sight. it isn't skarm's job to check these mons and it can gain out of the interaction by setting a spike while these switch in. skarm usually is used on fatter teams and therefore has countermeasures to most of these mons as well, so it isn't a huge loss if they come in for free... this is less of a drawback bc you're forgoing momentum in general by choosing skarm. if you really want to make this point, i would refocus this point on its passiveness, and use that to push the same argument you're trying to make here Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery, and it can check Ground-types that can overpower Ferrothorn. mention that it also competes with corv, mandi for pdef walls

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD


[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, and Hippowdon. it's good at this because it forces switches from physical attackers and essentially gives u a free spike Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts with Defense boosts. u could optionally mention here that kart's sacred sword notably bypasses boosts, making it struggle vs SD variants It also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, and Slowking. koko is a very important one as well However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Dragonite. find a better example - most dnite are roost and switch vs skarm anyway It also deters attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. While the listed EV spread is typically most effective, other options are possible. For example, at the cost of some physical bulk, 184 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Choice Band Tyranitar. This also outpaces Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently.

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force and wear down checks like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Off, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former's Defiant deters Defog. if ur putting emphasis on hazards support here, you can also mention assurance Ground-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking and Garchomp can also benefit from Spikes while being able to check Electric-types for Skarmory. do they really benefit from spikes? most of their checks are flying-types Skarmory usually draws in special attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Tornadus-T. not an ideal switchin to torn because of knock Skarmory is able to check most of the strong physical attacking Pokemon that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Tangrowth, or Zapdos for the former. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid and it forms a defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters. establishes c&e relationship, connecting these two ideas

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Stealth Rock can be used over Spikes if Skarmory's team does not have another Stealth Rock setter. However, many other defensive Pokemon can set Stealth Rock, such as Landorus-T and Hippowdon, and doing so causes Skarmory to lose the rare ability to set Spikes. mention suicide lead sets. also, if ur gonna mention rocks, mention defog skarm too lol... especially on fatter (stall) teams that lack a different fogger and don't care for spikes as much Whirlwind can be used over Iron Defense to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. Counter can surprise physical attackers that could overpower Skarmory, such as a boosted Rillaboom or Fire Fang Garchomp, but it is reliant on Skarmory being at full health to work, and can be exploitable once revealed as Skarmory has to forgo Body Press, and the opponent is likely to choose not to attack Skarmory with physical moves. Brave Bird does more immediate damage than Body Press to select Pokemon including Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R. However, Skarmory will no longer be able to punish Magnezone for switching into it, and the recoil damage can wear it down more quickly, forcing Skarmory to use Roost more often. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be Knocked Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos' case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. Magnezone is of particular note as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can utilise Thunder Punch to beat Skarmory. "beat" is a stretch.. 252+ Atk Iron Fist Melmetal Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 132-156 (39.5 - 46.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

**Fire-types and Fire-type coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it, and Galarian Slowking often uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [username2, userid2]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]

additions, removals, comments
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Implemented, so I will send this to GP!
 

Mariannabelle

chill guy
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COMMENT [AS = add semicolon], [ES = end sentence], [AC = add comma], [SP = spell check]

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon attackers1 in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Excadrill. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, having the ability to set them up easily because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls1. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game win condition. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon; [AS] including2 even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult will do major damage.2 Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko. [ES]3 as well as It also faces competition as a physically defensive wall from Corviknight and Mandibuzz as a physically defensive wall,4 which also have better special bulk. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and the ability to consistently check Ground-type Pokemon unlike Ferrothorn, and Mandibuzz and Corviknight do not have access to Spikes. [<- These pros have already been covered, so there's no need to add an extra qualifying sentence at the end.]

1- Just for brevity
2- check phrase: [...Pokemon, including even resisted attacks...] The two underlined phrases don't pair well around the word 'including'; there are several ways to address this; I just put an example.
3- The sentence is getting a bit long, so it may be better to split the [competition as spikes setter] and [competition from mandibuzz/corviknight] into two separate ideas.
4- check phrase: [...as a physically defensive wall, which also have better special bulk...] Singular 'wall' doesn't work with 'have', but moving one phrase fixes this.


[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes, (space) as it forces switches against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, and Hippowdon. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by check setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their Attack boosts with Defense boosts. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. It Iron Defense also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory, [AC] like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko, [AC] and Slowking. However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon attackers for setting up on it. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It also deters attempts by the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. [Readers could mistake meaning here, so I moved a phrase to clarify that Rillaboom and co. are the U-turn users, rather than the mons having momentum grabbed from them.] While the listed EV spread is typically most effective, other options are possible. For example, at the cost of some physical bulk, 184 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Choice Band Tyranitar. [The sentence I underlined is fluff. I think you can combine these thoughts. Example: "The given EV spread maximizes Skarmory's physical bulk, but, as an alternative, 184 Speed EVs..."] This also outpaces Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently.

Many offensive Pokemon, like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force and wear down checks like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. [I am assuming that these four are paired to 'offensive Pokemon' rather than 'checks'.] Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Off, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon to wear them down further with Spikes; [AS] and the former can deter Defog thanks to its ability Defiant, and utilize [<- SP] Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Skarmory usually draws in special attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Skarmory is able to check most of the strong physical attacking Pokemon attackers that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks, such as Tangrowth, to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Tangrowth. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to, [AC] like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face, [AC] like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be removed by Knock Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can lure in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it.

**Fire-types and Fire-type coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking often uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory; [AS] though, [AC] the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
 
Last edited:

Gomi

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:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Excadrill. Melmetal. more relevant imo Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, having the ability to set them up easily because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. why even mention this tbh, fillery Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game win condition. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult, whom it also lets in quite freely. what resisted moved being clicked tho, Skarm teams also tend to not have another half decent Lele check so that would be worth mentioning IMO Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko, as well as Corviknight and Buzzwole as a physically defensive wall, which have access to U-turn and actual offensive presence, respectively. make these 2 seperate sentences maybe? this reads kinda jerkily Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and the ability to consistently check Ground-type Pokemon unlike Ferrothorn, and Corviknight and Buzzwole do not have access to Spikes. Skarmory, however, has access to reliable recovery compared to Ferrothorn, and Spikes unlike Buzzwole and Corviknight. just more concise

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, Melmetal, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. This is magnezone bit is only rlly relevant with fast skarm frankly Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes, as it forces switches against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, rilla in general works since you can ID to match SD's boosts and CB is nigh irrelevant and Hippowdon. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts with Defense boosts. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. It also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko and Slowking. minor thing but i think mentioning Lele over one of these would be more relevant because teams with Skarmory tend to lack other steels and therefore end up being fairly weak to Tapu Lele in the long run, especially with ID Press being a borderline free switch However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it. ,Allowing pokemon like Sub SD Landorus to easily beat it. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It also deters attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. While the listed EV spread is typically most effective, other options are possible. For example, at the cost of some physical bulk, 184 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Choice Band Tyranitar. This also outpaces Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently.
imo it should be mentioned here in this paragraph somewhere that iron defense body press allows Skarmory to force out Corviknight and spike on it
Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force and wear down checks like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Off, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former can deter Defog thanks to its ability Defiant, and utilise Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking Hippowdon, and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Nido and Skarm isnt as relevant as the other pairings listed Skarmory usually draws in special attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Skarmory is able to check most of the strong physical attacking Pokemon that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Tangrowth. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill Kartana, much bigger threat to sand in my eyes forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be removed by Knock Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can potentially force in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it.

**Fire-types and Fire-type coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking often uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
 

ausma

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:ss/skarmory:

[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physical attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Weavile. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, having the ability to set them up easily because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game win condition. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn as a defensive Spikes setter, which has access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko, as well as Corviknight and Buzzwole as a physically defensive wall, which have access to U-turn and actual offensive presence, respectively. You could probably mention Mew here as a competitor too. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and the ability to consistently check Ground-type Pokemon unlike Ferrothorn, as well as access to Spikes unlike Corviknight and Buzzwole do not have access to Spikes.

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Skarmory is effective at setting Spikes,as it forces switches against many Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Choice Band Rillaboom, and Hippowdon. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts with Defense boosts. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. It also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game if faster special attackers are removed. Doesn't really matter against Heatran as much for example assuming you have speed investment. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko and Slowking. However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It also deters attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom and Urshifu-R. This is a little bare bones for my liking. I feel like also explaining that it can punish attempts at spamming U-turn particularly is important which lets you force progress against them while keeping on guard more easily. Landorus-T is also a solid mention of a U-turn user that wants to gtfo against Skarmory While the listed EV spread is typically most effective, other options are possible. For example, at the cost of some physical bulk, 184 Speed EVs allow Skarmory to outspeed Choice Band Tyranitar. This also outpaces Magnezone, allowing Skarmory to set up a layer of Spikes before it is KOed by it, or KO Magnezone with Body Press if it has been weakened sufficiently. You can mix Heatran into here with Magnezone as well but this may just be omitted entirely with the set revision.

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of the switches they force and wear down checks like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Off, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former can deter Defog thanks to its ability Defiant, and utilise Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Nidoking and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Skarmory usually draws in special attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. To me I feel like another reason Skarmory can work with these Pokemon and not just force it and its partner to take hits is because of Spikes, and p much makes it so you can't just freely U-turn out on the obvious switch with these Pokemon especially with knock off support. Galarian Slowking also abuses Spikes well too Skarmory is able to check most of the strong physical attacking Pokemon that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. It is important not to use Skarmory too recklessly to check Pokemon like Rillaboom and Garchomp if the opponent also has a Magnezone on their team, as Magnezone can trap Skarmory with Magnet Pull and eliminate it. Consequently, it is advised to carry secondary checks to these Pokemon to avoid relying too heavily on Skarmory against them, such as Tangrowth. A solid transition but I think mentioning Tornadus-T or something similar here would be amazing too. Tornadus-T with its speedy Taunt to block Defog and access to Knock Off makes it a premier Skarmory partner that's also capable of both exploiting Skarmory's Spikes and reinforcing it defensively. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it can easily be removed by Knock Off if Skarmory pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon. Opportunity cost of Rocky Helmet as well

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press but also forces Skarmory out. How does Zeraora tend to get in against Skarmory and how does it take advantage of Skarmory? Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can potentially force in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it. Remember that conventional pivots that Skarmory comes in against can position offensive threats

**Fire-types and Fire-type coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind. Clarify in some way that it doesn't really set up against Toxic either Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally use a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking often uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every special attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in. Remember that conventional pivots that Skarmory comes in against can position offensive threats


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
working out the set situation still, so i wont stamp just yet but the base content looks fine
 

Adeleine

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[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to function as a blanket check to most physically attacking Pokemon in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Weavile. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, having the ability to set them up easily setting it up because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game win condition. wincon. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attacking Pokemon, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn and Mew as a Spikes setters, which have access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Kyurem, as well as Corviknight and Buzzwole as a physically defensive wall, which have access to U-turn and actual offensive presence, respectively. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and the ability to can consistently check Ground-type Pokemon, (AC) unlike Ferrothorn, as well as access to Spikes unlike Corviknight and Buzzwole.

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attacking Pokemon physical attackers Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and it punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to punish attempts by match boosts from setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp by matching their boosts with Defense boosts. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. It Iron Defense also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep in the late game late-game if faster special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko, (AC) and Slowking, and it allows Skamory to more consistently keep its Spikes up: (comma -> colon) as it quickly puts most Defog users, with the exception of Corviknight, are quickly put on a timer by it. on a timer. However, it makes Skarmory unable to immediately punish physical attacking Pokemon for setting up on it. lets physical setup attackers overwhelm Skarmory in the short term. (I imagine this makes sense? lmk if i'm missing smth) A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It is also particularly useful for deterring attempts to use U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom, Landorus-T, (AC) and Urshifu-R, forcing progress against them. 176 Speed EVs can be used to outspeed Modest Magnezone (RC) so that Skarmory can outspeed 2HKO it with Body Press, and the remaining EVs maximise physical bulk. if it is weakened or caught on the switch. (I imagine this makes sense?)

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes to take advantage of punishing the switches they force and wearing down checks, (AC) like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Offs, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from the opposing Pokemon foes to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former can deter Defog thanks to its ability Defiant, and utilise Defiant while utilizing Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Hippowdon, (AC) and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Skarmory usually draws in specially attacking Pokemon, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Skarmory works particularly well with these Pokemon because Spikes prevent Pokemon that might attempt to abuse them by using U-turn for momentum, like Dragapult or Tapu Koko, from doing so freely, Skarmory's Spikes prevents U-turn users like Dragapult and Tapu Koko from freely using them for momentum, especially when paired with Knock Off support. Skarmory is also able to can also check most of the strong physically attacking Pokemon that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to remove boosts from setup sweepers, and force out phaze setup sweepers and Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face, (AC) like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona, (AC) if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory in order to support Pokemon like Rillaboom or and Kartana. However, Skarmory loses the ability to wear down contact attackers, and it Rocket Helmet is valuable, especially against U-turn users Skarmory can't punish without it, and Shed Shell can easily be removed by Knock Off if Skarmory it pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon. Losing out on Rocky Helmet is also undesirable against U-turn users that it is unable to punish without it.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press, leaving it reliant on pivots to switch in, but also forces Skarmory out, and it can set up on it with Bulk Up. Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps in Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can potentially force in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it.

**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind or Toxic. Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, can occasionally uses a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking usually uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every specially attacking Pokemon, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening out Skarmory, it out, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they choose to switch directly in. Pivots like Landorus-T that Skarmory wants to switch into can use U-turn to bring one of these special attackers safely in against it.


[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhisdn417, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [username2, userid2]]

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[Overview]

Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and great defensive typing allow it to (spacing) blanket check most physically attacking Pokemon physical attackers in the tier, including Landorus-T, Garchomp, Rillaboom, Kartana, and Weavile. Skarmory differentiates itself from other physical walls by being one of the only viable Spikes setters in the tier, easily setting it up because of the many switches it forces against the Pokemon it walls. This prevents it from being completely passive despite its poor offensive stats. Iron Defense in conjunction with Body Press can also turn it into a late-game wincon. However, Skarmory's terrible special bulk leaves it vulnerable to almost every special attack, including even resisted attacks from strong wallbreakers like Tapu Lele and Dragapult. Skarmory faces competition from Ferrothorn and Mew as a Spikes setter, which have access to Knock Off and better special bulk to check Pokemon like Tapu Koko and Kyurem, as well as Corviknight and Buzzwole as a physically defensive wall, which have U-turn and actual offensive presence, respectively. Skarmory does, however, have access to reliable recovery and can consistently check Ground-types Pokemon, (RC) unlike Ferrothorn, as well as access to Spikes unlike Corviknight and Buzzwole.

[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Iron Defense / Toxic
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

Body Press is the preferred attacking move, as it deals significant damage to most of the physical attackers Skarmory wants to check like Kartana, Excadrill, and Rillaboom, and it punishes Magnezone attempting to switch in and trap Skarmory. Iron Defense allows Skarmory to match boosts from setup sweepers like Swords Dance Weavile and Garchomp. Be careful when facing Kartana, however, as Sacred Sword bypasses Defense boosts. Iron Defense also boosts the power of Body Press, making Skarmory less passive and potentially able to sweep late-game if faster special attackers are removed. Toxic is an alternative to cripple some Pokemon that can otherwise switch into Skarmory like Zapdos, Volcarona, Tapu Koko, and Slowking, and it allows
Skamory Skarmory to more consistently keep its Spikes up; (colon -> semicolon) it quickly puts most Defog users, with the exception of Corviknight, on a timer. However, it lets physical setup attackers overwhelm Skarmory in the short term. A Rocky Helmet allows Skarmory to wear down physical attackers that make contact like Urshifu-R and Weavile. It is also particularly useful for deterring U-turn to gain momentum from the likes of Rillaboom, Landorus-T, and Urshifu-R, forcing progress against them. At the cost of considerable bulk, 176 Speed EVs can be used to outspeed Modest Magnezone so that Skarmory can 2HKO it with Body Press if it is weakened or caught on the switch.

Many offensive Pokemon can benefit from Skarmory's Spikes punishing the switches they force and wearing down checks, like Bisharp, Weavile, Zeraora, and Dragapult. Bisharp and Weavile are particularly notable for their powerful Knock Offs, which can remove Heavy-Duty Boots from foes to wear them down further with Spikes, and the former can deter Defog thanks to Defiant while utilizing Assurance to take advantage of Spikes. Ground-types like Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Garchomp can check Electric-types for Skarmory. Skarmory usually draws in
specially attacking Pokemon special attackers, making special walls that can check them for it ideal teammates. For example, Blissey is a good check to Dragapult and Hydreigon, Slowking checks Heatran and Tapu Lele, and Assault Vest Galarian Slowking covers Kyurem and Tapu Koko. Skarmory's Spikes prevents U-turn users like Dragapult and Tapu Koko from freely using them for momentum, especially when paired with Knock Off support. Skarmory can also check most of the strong physically attacking Pokemon physical attackers that can beat them, like Rillaboom and Landorus-T. Skarmory is especially valuable to sand teams, as it can check Pokemon that they are usually weak to like Rillaboom and Excadrill, forming a solid defensive core with either specially defensive Tyranitar or Hippowdon, the two viable sand setters.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

Whirlwind can be used in the third moveslot to phaze setup sweepers and Pokemon that Skarmory does not want to face, like Tapu Koko, Magnezone, and Volcarona, if they try to switch into it. The switches it forces can wear down the opposing team in conjunction with Spikes. A Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which can annoy teams that rely on it to trap Skarmory to support Pokemon like Rillaboom and Kartana. However, Rocky Helmet is valuable, especially against U-turn users Skarmory can't punish without it, and Shed Shell can easily be removed by Knock Off if it pivots into one of the aforementioned Pokemon.

Checks and Counters
====

**Electric-types and Electric-type Coverage**: Tapu Koko and Zapdos do not mind anything except Toxic from Skarmory and can switch in and force it out, or remove Spikes with Defog in Zapdos's case. Zeraora dislikes switching into Body Press, leaving it reliant on pivots to switch in, but
it also forces Skarmory out, (RC) and it can set up on it with Bulk Up. Magnezone is of particular note, as it traps Skarmory with Magnet Pull, though it must be wary of Body Press on the switch, and faster variants of Skarmory can outspeed and KO Magnezone with Body Press if it is weakened. Melmetal can potentially force in Skarmory and use Thunder Punch to weaken it.

**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Volcarona and Victini can switch into Skarmory safely if it does not carry Toxic, and the former can use Skarmory as setup fodder if it does not carry Whirlwind
or Toxic (redundant). Heatran cannot switch in safely in fear of Body Press but can force Skarmory out. Garchomp, which Skarmory usually walls, occasionally uses a mixed set with Fire Blast in order to lure in and KO it. Galarian Slowking usually uses Flamethrower on its Assault Vest set.

**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's low special bulk, almost every
specially attacking Pokemon special attacker, like Kyurem, Hydreigon, Tapu Lele, and Tornadus-T, is capable of threatening it out, though the former two take considerable damage from Body Press should they switch directly in. Pivots like Landorus-T that Skarmory wants to switch into can use U-turn to bring one of these special attackers safely in against it.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[TailGlowVM, 546123]]
- Quality checked by: [[Abhi
sdn417, 526987], [airfare, 513717]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Finland, 517429], [username2, userid2]]
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