[SET]
Physical Wall (Skarmory) @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Fluffy / Intimidate / Well-Baked Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold or Impish Nature
- Body Press / Brave Bird
- Spikes / Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind / Iron Defense / Taunt
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high Defense stat, solid utility movepool, and amazing typing, Skarmory functions as a physically defensive wall as well as an entry hazard setter. Fluffy lets Skarmory better check strong physical attackers such as Choice Band Roaring Moon, Zamazenta, and Iron Boulder, whereas Intimidate allows it to check Chien-Pao and the Ogerpon formes excluding Ogerpon-H; alternatively, Well-Baked Body enables Skarmory to check Moltres, Ogerpon-H, and Iron Moth lacking Discharge. Body Press hits Heatran, Iron Treads, and Kingambit for a great deal of damage, while Brave Bird is slighty stronger than Body Press and nails Zamazenta, Great Tusk, and the Ogerpon formes. Spikes is very useful on hazard stack team archetypes and can quickly wear down Great Tusk, Manaphy, and Swampert, whereas Stealth Rock gives Skarmory valuable role compression and wears down Chien-Pao and Ceruledge. Whirlwind works well in conjunction with Spikes to wear down the opposing team quite fast and forces out setup sweepers like Bulk Up Great Tusk and Iron Defense Zamazenta, while Iron Defense is a niche move that lets Skarmory set up along with set up sweepers like Iron Boulder, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta; otherwise, Taunt can be used to heavily punish Corviknight by preventing it from using Defog or Roost as well as Ting-Lu from setting up Spikes or Stealth Rock. Leftovers gives Skarmory extra longevity against Pokemon like Zamazenta, Chien-Pao, and Iron Boulder, though Rocky Helmet punishes Pokemon like Great Tusk, Corviknight, and Zamazenta; however, Heavy-Duty Boots grants Skarmory immunity to Stealth Rock chip, which is quite helpful when it needs to repeatably switch in with Stealth Rock up.
Skarmory functions on more defensively focused teams that tend to slowly wear down the opposing team with Spikes. Partners like Roaring Moon, Zapdos, and Gholdengo appreciate the entry hazards that Skarmory sets up, as it allows them to slowly wear down their checks, like Great Tusk, Swampert, and Manaphy. Skarmory struggles with the tier's many special attackers, so specially defensive teammates like Iron Treads, Swampert, and RegenVest Roaring Moon are much appreciated. Depending on its ability, Skarmory will need teammates to help it on the physical side; if Skarmory is not Fluffy, Pecharunt is a nice partner to aid with Choice Band Zamazenta, if Skarmory isn't Intimidate, physically defensive Manaphy can provide help against Chien-Pao, if not Well-Baked Body, then a Fire-resistant or Fire-immune partner like Swampert or Primordial Sea Zapdos would be very much appreciated.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit.652656/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Skarmory can go itemless or use an Eject Button in conjunction with Well-Baked Body to check Ceruledge more easily. Skarmory can make use of Flame Body or Static to finish for burn or paralysis, respectively, on Pokemon that commonly make contact with it, such as Roaring Moon, Great Tusk, and Corviknight.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Attackers**: Skarmory's minimal HP and Special Defense leave it quite weak to special attackers like Gholdengo, Zapdos, and Deoxys-S.
**Fire-types**: If Skarmory isn't using Well-Baked Body, it struggles against Fire-types like Ceruledge, Cinderace, and Ogerpon-H.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit.652656/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
Physical Wall (Skarmory) @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Fluffy / Intimidate / Well-Baked Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold or Impish Nature
- Body Press / Brave Bird
- Spikes / Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind / Iron Defense / Taunt
[SET COMMENTS]
Thanks to its high Defense stat, solid utility movepool, and amazing typing, Skarmory functions as a physically defensive wall as well as an entry hazard setter. Fluffy lets Skarmory better check strong physical attackers such as Choice Band Roaring Moon, Zamazenta, and Iron Boulder, whereas Intimidate allows it to check Chien-Pao and the Ogerpon formes excluding Ogerpon-H; alternatively, Well-Baked Body enables Skarmory to check Moltres, Ogerpon-H, and Iron Moth lacking Discharge. Body Press hits Heatran, Iron Treads, and Kingambit for a great deal of damage, while Brave Bird is slighty stronger than Body Press and nails Zamazenta, Great Tusk, and the Ogerpon formes. Spikes is very useful on hazard stack team archetypes and can quickly wear down Great Tusk, Manaphy, and Swampert, whereas Stealth Rock gives Skarmory valuable role compression and wears down Chien-Pao and Ceruledge. Whirlwind works well in conjunction with Spikes to wear down the opposing team quite fast and forces out setup sweepers like Bulk Up Great Tusk and Iron Defense Zamazenta, while Iron Defense is a niche move that lets Skarmory set up along with set up sweepers like Iron Boulder, Great Tusk, and Zamazenta; otherwise, Taunt can be used to heavily punish Corviknight by preventing it from using Defog or Roost as well as Ting-Lu from setting up Spikes or Stealth Rock. Leftovers gives Skarmory extra longevity against Pokemon like Zamazenta, Chien-Pao, and Iron Boulder, though Rocky Helmet punishes Pokemon like Great Tusk, Corviknight, and Zamazenta; however, Heavy-Duty Boots grants Skarmory immunity to Stealth Rock chip, which is quite helpful when it needs to repeatably switch in with Stealth Rock up.
Skarmory functions on more defensively focused teams that tend to slowly wear down the opposing team with Spikes. Partners like Roaring Moon, Zapdos, and Gholdengo appreciate the entry hazards that Skarmory sets up, as it allows them to slowly wear down their checks, like Great Tusk, Swampert, and Manaphy. Skarmory struggles with the tier's many special attackers, so specially defensive teammates like Iron Treads, Swampert, and RegenVest Roaring Moon are much appreciated. Depending on its ability, Skarmory will need teammates to help it on the physical side; if Skarmory is not Fluffy, Pecharunt is a nice partner to aid with Choice Band Zamazenta, if Skarmory isn't Intimidate, physically defensive Manaphy can provide help against Chien-Pao, if not Well-Baked Body, then a Fire-resistant or Fire-immune partner like Swampert or Primordial Sea Zapdos would be very much appreciated.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit.652656/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Skarmory can go itemless or use an Eject Button in conjunction with Well-Baked Body to check Ceruledge more easily. Skarmory can make use of Flame Body or Static to finish for burn or paralysis, respectively, on Pokemon that commonly make contact with it, such as Roaring Moon, Great Tusk, and Corviknight.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Special Attackers**: Skarmory's minimal HP and Special Defense leave it quite weak to special attackers like Gholdengo, Zapdos, and Deoxys-S.
**Fire-types**: If Skarmory isn't using Well-Baked Body, it struggles against Fire-types like Ceruledge, Cinderace, and Ogerpon-H.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gambit.652656/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/