Skarmory (revamp) (QC 2/3)

[AccidentalGreed]

You should probably add Custap Skarm if you're willing to add another set in there yourself:

name: Custap Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Brave Bird
item: Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Jolly / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Basic, but amazing, lead for offensive teams; lowered defenses mean Skarmory can get into Custap range faster and get at least one hazard into the field. You're almost guarunteed to get at least 2-3 hazards down against defensive teams. Use a fast Taunt to stop Defog and hazard stackers, and use Brave Bird to self implode so you gain momentum and Rapid Spinners can't spin the hazards away immediately. 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD for IVs are optional.

 

[boltsandbombers]

You should probably add Custap Skarm if you're willing to add another set in there yourself:

name: Custap Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Brave Bird
item: Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Jolly / Hasty
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Basic lead for offensive teams; lowered defenses mean Skarmory can get into Custap range faster and get at least one hazard into the field. Use a fast Taunt to stop Defog and hazard stackers, and use Brave Bird to self implode so you gain momentum and Rapid Spinners can't spin the hazards away immediately. 0 HP / 0 Def / 0 SpD for IVs are optional.

Iron Head should have a slash or a moves mention because of Mega Diancie.

 

[CyclicCompound]

Custap Skarm is an awesome set, haven't used it in a really long time but I have fond memories of it. I can definitely write that one up.

Also, can some other people weigh in on de-slashing Brave Bird on Skarm? Albacore definitely has solid reasoning (for reference the post is here) but at the same time having an attack that doesn't limit you to only striking when the opponent directly attacks you is still a valuable asset. I would honestly be fine going either way.

 

[AM]

Custap Skarm is an awesome set, haven't used it in a really long time but I have fond memories of it. I can definitely write that one up.

Also, can some other people weigh in on de-slashing Brave Bird on Skarm? Albacore definitely has solid reasoning (for reference the post is here) but at the same time having an attack that doesn't limit you to only striking when the opponent directly attacks you is still a valuable asset. I would honestly be fine going either way.

I agree with a Custap set with a slash of Taunt / Iron Head where Taunt is on AccidentalGreed's Set.

I don't agree with de-slashing Brave Bird. It's your only asset in order to net hits on M-Sceptile, not be set up bait for M-Gallade, SD Breloom, and M-Heracross, Gengar, M-Lopunny, a lot of stuff actually and a lot of them aren't obscure either. Other QC members can weigh in on the move order of the sets in regards to which they feel is more important for Counter / Brave Bird on the Defensive set. Definitely don't de-slash Brave Bird though.

 

[Sergi]

i was looking at the analysis and want to share my opinion on few things. firstly, i got rlly surprised as spikes not only is not slashed, but is not even mention in defensive set. spikes are really good in this meta as skarm is one of the few things that learns it. defog is not a must at all, balanced / bulky teams appreciate hazards so they usually go spin nowadays opposing to defog (and that's why other than latis, defoggers aren't really common), so spikes skarm fits well in these kind of teams. defog is best on full stall teams.

idk what qc thinks but imo rocky helmet deserves a mention in set details or even slash, zone is not even as common as it was in past metas (mence era), when even ferro need to run shell. still vs mag teams a lot of things can go for knock off (azu mammo diggers landot etc), still the consistent option, but rocky is not bad. maybe mention lefties too, but since skarm is one of these things that soon or later get knock off'd, the few turns with the extra recovery, maybe aren't as worthy as being untrappable or the chip damage from rocky.

hope i helped!

 

[Martin]

IMO, Brave Bird should stay slashed, but it should be in the order Counter / Iron Head / Brave Bird. For me, Iron Head just seems more useful than Brave Bird in the meta as it is ATM due to it nailing a hit on M-Diancie, who can otherwise use Skarm as a way of setting up Calm Mind or Rock Polish. The main draw to Brave Bird is to stop stuff like PuP M-Lopunny and SD Breloom/M-Gallade etc.

As for the Custap set, definitely slash Iron Head as it is otherwise 'walled' by M-Diancie, who can not only reflect your Taunts and hazards back in your face, but also, like I said before, use Skarm to set up.

 

[Jukain]

slash spikes with defog and rocky helmet with shed shell like Sergi said

ik it was just put in, but i've talked with other qc members and we decided that the lead set is worth oo at best. it's only really effective against offensive teams and is completely shut down against sableye, making it a niche, inconsistent option.

do these things and this is 3/3

 

[Tokyo Tom]

Overriding young Jukes to request a mention of SpDef investment in the set details. It's a great mixed wall that can take a bunch of punishment from the special side with max/max Careful, being able to wall or Roost stall things like HP Fire Lati@s and Diancie, Mega Gardevoir, Landorus-I, Scarf Keldeo, and various things that use Fire Blast as coverage (Tyranitar, Garchomp, etc.), while still being able to wall a lot of the things that Phys. Skarmory walls, like Mega Pinsir, DD Altaria, Landorus-T, Breloom, etc. As an example of its Special bulk, Skarmory doesn't even need to switch out of Rotom-W, taking less than 50% from Volt Switch.

Also I'd remove the Shed Shell from the main set, but give it a mention in Set Details. Imo Shed Shell works best on hard stall builds where each member of the team is crucial to the team's success, and therefore Shed Shell allows you to play safely against Magnezone builds, but on balanced or offensive teams Leftovers/Rocky Helmet are much better and more consistent. I'd slash Brave Bird before Counter because Brave Bird's more useful, allowing Skarmory to hit a bunch of things it walls (the SpDef set appreciates Brave Bird as well) and preventing Skarmory from being passive bait with its slow Taunt and lack of flexibility in Counter. I'd additionally slash Spikes with Defog if one of Skarmory's teammates already has a hazard control move, because Spikes support is invaluable to many of the builds Skarmory is a part of.

Finally, seconding everything in the above post.

With all that, looks good, 3/3, 'cuz I don't think Jukain can check the same analysis twice

EDIT: Jukain let me take this over due to CyclicCompound's inactivity, just an FYI