[OVERVIEW]
* Due to its very high Defense stat, great defensive typing of Steel / Flying, and access to reliable recovery in Roost, Skarmory functions as one of the most consistent checks to Necrozma-DM, Mega Salamence, Swords Dance Arceus formes, and Rayquaza without V-create.
* Not only does Skarmory function as a formidable physical wall, but it also has various options of utility it can provide to the team: Skarmory can provide Spikes support, which is a rare entry hazard in the tier, use Whirlwind to phaze setup sweepers, including the ones behind Substitute, and use Toxic to punish common Defog users. It can also opt for Stealth Rock if the rest of the team does not run it.
* Thanks to the level of role compression it offers as both a blanket check to many physical attackers and a hazard setter, Skarmory secures its place on many stall teams.
* However, Skarmory's HP stat is mediocre at best, and combined with poor a Special Defense stat, it is very easily threatened by essentially any special attackers in the tier.
* Skarmory has a very crowded moveset and cannot afford to employ any attacking moves due to its obligation to provide its team with as many utility options as possible. As a result, Skarmory is very passive, meaning it is extremely vulnerable to Taunt users like Yveltal and useless against Mega Sableye. It also falls prey to Shadow Tag users and relies solely on residual damage and its teammates to inflict any damage to foes, although Shed Shell and Rocky Helmet can alleviate some of these problems to an extent.
* Skarmory faces competition with many bulky Steel-types in the tier; Celesteela has much better special bulk to check Deoxys-A and support Arceus formes, Ferrothorn is also a Spikes setter but is passive to a much lesser extent and checks Primal Kyogre, and Necrozma-DM is much harder to trap with Shadow Tag users and checks top-tier threats like Xerneas.
[SET]
name: Physically Defensive
move 1: Roost
move 2: Whirlwind
move 3: Spikes / Defog
move 4: Toxic
item: Shed Shell / Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
* Roost allows Skarmory to remain healthy and consistently blanket check physical attackers.
* Whirlwind forcefully removes setup sweepers such as Necrozma-DM, Mega Salamence, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus from the field. The move also has benefits of bypassing Substitute as well as racking up damage on foes if entry hazards are up.
* Spikes leaves Skarmory with something very valuable to do after switching into a threat it walls. The hazard generally is helpful with wearing down foes and notably punishes most Toxic-immune Pokemon every time they switch into Skarmory.
* Skarmory can act as a Defog user, proving to be useful especially against defensive variants of Necrozma-DM and Arceus-Fairy.
* Toxic punishes Skarmory's offensive checks such as Primal Groudon, Ho-Oh, and most special attackers by putting them on a timer. Skarmory's tendency to draw in Defog users due to Spikes makes this move a great option to use on them as well.
* Stealth Rock can be run instead of Spikes if the rest of Skarmory's team is not carrying it, but Skarmory's tendency to draw in Ho-Oh and unfavorable matchups against other Stealth Rock setters such as Primal Groudon, Deoxys-S, and Dialga makes this inferior option in general.
Set Details
========
* Maximum investment in Defense with a Bold nature allows Skarmory to be a great physical wall that avoids 2HKOs from Mega Salamence's +1 Double-Edge and Arceus-Ground's +2 Stone Edge after Stealth Rock damage.
* A more specially defensive EV spread of 248 HP / 16 Def / 244 SpD with a Calm nature is a viable option when Skarmory is opting for Defog so it could have a better matchup against support Arceus formes such as Arceus-Fairy and Arceus-Ground at the cost of worsening Skarmory's ability to handle Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence.
* Shed Shell allows Skarmory to escape from Mega Gengar and Gothitelle, which would otherwise trap and remove it.
* Rocky Helmet punishes physical attackers such as Necrozma-DM, Mega Salamence, Marshadow, and Arceus that attempt to inflict damage on Skarmory with contact moves. The item is especially useful against the former, which Skarmory would otherwise solely rely on Spikes damage and teammates to wear down.
* Leftovers provide Skarmory with passive recovery and notably lets it narrowly avoid the 2HKO from Life Orb Marshadow's Close Combat.
* Sturdy allows Skarmory to survive a hit from full HP and do something worthwhile the same turn if desperately needed.
Usage Tips
========
* Skarmory can switch into a plethora of physically offensive threats thanks to its bulk and typing. Feel free to switch in Skarmory against Necrozma-DM, Mega Salamence, Arceus-Ground, and Arceus and proceed to use Toxic to punish a switch-in or set Spikes.
* Setting up Spikes is usually more preferable than using Toxic because Skarmory will naturally draw in Defog users like support Arceus formes and Giratina-O, all of which are vulnerable to Toxic. That way, Skarmory can outlast them and start pressuring the opposing team with multiple layers of Spikes.
* If said threats set up on the switch, Whirlwind should be used to phaze them before they are able to overwhelm Skarmory with excessive boosts. Whirlwind can also be used to phaze opposing switch-ins to inflict damage if Spikes are up.
* Although Skarmory can generally feel free to use utility moves after switching in and walling a foe, it must not act recklessly when Mega Sableye or Shadow Tag users are present on the other team. However, Shed Shell lets Skarmory escape from the latter.
* Sets with Defog can take advantage of the typing to take on Stealth Rock users like Arceus-Fairy and Necrozma-DM and consistently remove entry hazards or spread Toxic.
* Roost should be used often, since some threats that Skarmory checks, such as Necrozma-DM and Dragon Dance Rayquaza, can surprise Skarmory with a powerful Z-Move; therefore, Skarmory should stay as healthy as possible. Staying healthy also lets Skarmory utilize Sturdy against its offensive checks by surviving a potential OHKO from full health.
* It is highly advised to switch Skarmory out against special attackers, as they will mostly end up severely damaging it.
* Skarmory should be wary of Fire-type coverage moves, as Skarmory is reliant on its typing to handle foes it usually switches into and finds itself getting overwhelmed if such coverage moves were not properly scouted beforehand. Examples of these include Fire Blast from Arceus formes, V-create from Rayquaza, and the rare Heat Wave from Ultra Necrozma.
Team Options
========
* Stealth Rock users complete a hazard stacking core with Skarmory. Tyranitar is a solid Stealth Rock user on defensive teams and traps Mega Gengar, which is greatly appreciated, especially if Skarmory lacks Shed Shell. Tyranitar is also a solid check to Yveltal and Ho-Oh, with the former overwhelming Skarmory with strong special attacks and Taunt and the latter having a way to hit Skarmory super effectively. Primal Groudon makes up Skarmory's passivity a lot as an alternative Stealth Rock user and checks Xerneas and Primal Kyogre.
* Blissey is one of the most reliable special walls in the tier that handles essentially all special attackers that Skarmory struggles against, with the exceptions of Yveltal and Mewtwo. In return, Skarmory checks the majority of the physical attackers that take advantage of Blissey, especially the likes of Substitute variants of Mega Salamence and Arceus assuming they aren't the last Pokemon. Chansey can be used instead if a more durable special wall is desired, but this leaves Skarmory's team more vulnerable against Shadow Tag users, which isn't too ideal.
* A number of common offensive threats appreciate Skarmory's Spikes support, as the entry hazard helps wear down their checks. Spikes support is extremely helpful, if not mandatory, for setup sweepers like Dragon Dance variants of Zygarde-C, Mega Salamence, and Rayquaza to successfully bypass their conventional checks like support Arceus formes. Zygarde-C in particular can take advantage of Spikes to facilitate its sweep by wearing down foes with Dragon Tail and Spikes on the field. As other threats like Xerneas and Calm Mind Arceus formes tend to draw in their checks, and as most of them are vulnerable to Spikes, Skarmory can be a considerable teammate for them as well.
* Various support Arceus formes pair with Skarmory. Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Water, and Arceus-Dragon all check Primal Groudon and provide Defog support. They also check offensive Zygarde-C, a threat that Skarmory cannot handle due to Thousand Arrows. Arceus-Ground in particular is a great check to Mega Lucario and can pick off Necrozma-DM in an event where Skarmory is KOed by boosted Searing Sunraze Smash. Arceus-Water and Arceus-Dragon are also good checks to Ho-Oh.
* Lugia is a good blanket check to Primal Groudon, Zygarde-C, and Mega Lucario. It can use Ice Beam to take care of Substitute variants of Zygarde-C and Mega Salamence if they are the last Pokemon left and cannot be phazed by Whirlwind. Lugia can also take advantage of Skarmory's Spikes support to wear down foes with Whirlwind.
* Ho-Oh and Toxapex are good checks to Mega Lucario as well. Ho-Oh checks Xerneas and spreads burn with Sacred Fire to make physical attackers almost useless against Skarmory, while Toxapex also spreads burn with Scald and provides Toxic Spikes support. Toxapex in particular can be helpful against the last foe behind Substitute, as it can prevent their setup with Haze.
* Giratina takes on most physical attackers that can overwhelm Skarmory such as Primal Groudon, Mega Lucario, and Ho-Oh. It also stands as a solid Defog user that can handle Primal Groudon.
* Mega Sableye shuts down passive walls that are immune or resilient to Toxic, such as Ferrothorn, Celesteela, Chansey, and defensive variants of Necrozma-DM. It also can take a more offensive approach to check Extreme Killer Arceus. Magic Bounce allows Skarmory's team to have the upper hand in hazard control.
* Defensive variants of Primal Kyogre provide a Fire-type immunity to the team with Primordial Sea and deal with support Arceus formes well thanks to massive special bulk and Rest. Defensive Kyogre sets can also use Scald to cripple physical attackers. In return, Skarmory puts Primal Kyogre's checks on timer with Toxic and wears down Primal Groudon and Ferrothorn with Spikes. Skarmory can also switch into Toxic for offensive variants of Primal Kyogre.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
* Taunt is a useful option to avoid Gothitelle trapping and prevent threats like Extreme Killer Arceus from getting excessive boosts, but this forces Skarmory to forgo Toxic, Spikes, or Defog and does not improve its matchup against the last foe, as Skarmory's low Speed prevents it from effectively stopping the foe from setting up.
* Counter lets Skamory take a more offensive approach to punish physical attackers such as boosted Necrozma-DM and Mega Salamence. However, this involves prediction and is not so helpful against foes behind Substitute.
* Iron Defense makes Skarmory nigh impenetrable and lets it prevail against boosted threats like Necrozma-DM, Mega Salamence, and Arceus-Ground. The move is especially helpful when they are the last Pokemon on the team and either use their immunity to Toxic or set Substitute to set up against Skarmory. However, these threats should ideally be dealt with by Skarmory's teammates and Iron Defense forces Skarmory to forgo one of its utility moves, which would generally prove to be a better option. The fact that Skarmory loses the PP war against Necrozma-DM makes Iron Defense even harder to justify.
* Skarmory can run unique sets for offensive teams, ranging from a fast suicide lead with Stealth Rock and Taunt to an emergency check to a threat that utilizes Sturdy and Red Card. However, there are better options for suicide lead roles such as Deoxys-S, Excadrill, and Cloyster that provide much more utility than Skarmory would, and in this regard, these gimmick sets can't be justified to be used most of the time.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Trappers**: If Skarmory lacks Shed Shell, it will be extremely vulnerable to Shadow Tag users, namely Mega Gengar and Gothitelle. The former switches into Skarmory without any concern due to its immunity to Toxic, and the latter can also cure itself of Toxic by using Rest. Both of them commonly carry Taunt and can force a trapped Skarmory to use Struggle and faint.
**Taunt**: Skarmory struggles against Taunt users such as Yveltal, Mewtwo, Mega Gyarados, and Deoxys-S. Since Skarmory does not carry any attacking moves, it will be immediately forced to use Struggle or switch out.
**Special Attackers**: Due to Skarmory's horrible special bulk, it is very easily overwhelmed by threats like Xerneas, Yveltal, Primal Kyogre, Lunala, and Arceus formes that can at least hit it for neutral damage with Judgment. None of them appreciate switching into Toxic, however.
**Fire-types**: Primal Groudon and Ho-Oh can use their Fire-type STAB moves to at worst heavily dent Skarmory and leave it unable to function as a wall. These threats typically carry Toxic themselves to put their checks on a timer, and in this regard, Skarmory and its team are greatly bothered by them in general. Mega Blaziken can OHKO Skarmory with Flare Blitz after Stealth Rock damage or set up Swords Dance on the forced switch, outspeeding the entirety of Skarmory's team in the process due to Speed Boost.
**Magic Bounce**: Due to Magic Bounce, Skarmory is discouraged from using any status moves in the first place against teams with Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie and essentially can do nothing to them.
**Wallbreakers and Strong Attacks**: Even when Skarmory is against physical attackers, it tends to struggle against certain threats with a lot of power. Mega Lucario 2HKOes Skarmory with Close Combat and can easily switch into Toxic. Life Orb Marshadow variants 2HKO Skarmory the same way after Stealth Rock damage, and variants with Marshadium Z can do unexpectedly large damage to Skarmory, possibly KOing it. Skarmory should also be wary of Necrozma-DM's boosted Searing Sunraze Smash, as it may severely weaken or KO Skarmory after some prior damage.
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