Skeledirge propaganda post!
Certainly not OU by usage Mon. But it does have its niche due to Unaware, unique typing and Stats combination. Some relevant calcs:
252 SpA Life Orb Volcarona Psychic vs. 248 HP / 4 SpD Chandelure: 164-194 (39.9 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO <
I don,t think LO Volcarona will be common due to the Hazard stack, but even if it is, Skeledirge fully walls without even investing Sdef (providing it has Boots).
252 Atk Choice Band Cinderace Pyro Ball vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 148-174 (36 - 42.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO <
Again, I don,t think Band Cinderace will be a thing, but even if it is, Skeledirge walls without investing in Defense, just with HP.
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 350-415 (85.1 - 100.9%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Liquidation vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 351-413 (85.4 - 100.4%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
0 SpA Chandelure Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Cloyster: 196-232 (81.3 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
Doesn,t switch-in, but can RK easily in worst case scenario (worst case scenario for Cloyster being Sdef invested Skeledirge vs LO Cloyster, which again, won,t be common).
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Icicle Spear (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 90-110 (21.8 - 26.7%) -- approx. 0.4% chance to 4HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Cloyster Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 245-300 (59.6 - 72.9%) -- approx. 2HKO <
Now, with Max Defense, it can switch into Icicle Spear and take a Rock Blast after that.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Scizor Thief vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 307-361 (74.6 - 87.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
Another Mon that won,t be exactly common, but can be RKd.
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 55-64 (13.3 - 15.5%) -- possible 7HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Technician Scizor Thief vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 218-257 (53 - 62.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
And with Max Defense, it can actually switch into any move and take Thief after that.
252+ Atk Guts Heracross Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 370-436 (90 - 106%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Heracross Megahorn vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 60-71 (14.5 - 17.2%) -- possible 6HKO
252+ Atk Guts Heracross Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 260-308 (63.2 - 74.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
Same story here, 0 bulk crocodile can be a RK, Max Bulk can switch in into any Move and take a Knock Off after that.
252+ Atk Life Orb Weavile Night Slash vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 242-283 (58.8 - 68.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO < A
fter the leopard gets banned, Weavile might get used again. Its not a Weavile check, but it can beat it in a pinch.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Magearna-Original Fleur Cannon vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Chandelure: 219-258 (53.2 - 62.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
Loses without bulk due to ignoring the drop. Doesn,t like Volt Switch and Trick either, but this is worst case scenario...
252+ SpA Choice Specs Magearna-Original Fleur Cannon vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Chandelure: 149-176 (36.2 - 42.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO <
Tanks Sdef with Sdef investment. I don,t believe Magearna will stay in OU, but Skeledirge walls every single set except Specs without Sdef investment. With Sdef it tanks Fleur Cannon too, recoviring all the damage with Slack Off.
252 Atk Choice Band Zamazenta Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 272-320 (66.1 - 77.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO<
Worst case scenario vs Zamazenta, should it drop to OU.
252 Atk Choice Band Zamazenta Crunch vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 192-226 (46.7 - 54.9%) -- 63.7% chance to 2HKO<
Unfortunately, still 2HKOd, but walls every other move easily.
252 Atk Zamazenta-Crowned Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 180-214 (43.7 - 52%) -- 11.7% chance to 2HKO <
Zamazenta Crowned is fully walled.
0 SpA Hatterene Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 123-145 (29.9 - 35.2%) -- 24.5% chance to 3HKO
0 SpA Hatterene Psychic vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Chandelure: 159-187 (38.6 - 45.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
<
Should CM Hatterene (unlikely) become common again, its walled. And outsped too.
252+ SpA Life Orb Hatterene Psychic vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Chandelure: 274-324 (66.6 - 78.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Chandelure Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Hatterene: 248-294 (77.9 - 92.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <
Offensive Skelerdrige can switch-in and win vs TR Hatterene (provided the turn it switches in there is no TR) most of the time.
252+ SpA Life Orb Hatterene Psychic vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Chandelure: 187-220 (45.4 - 53.5%) -- 36.3% chance to 2HKO <
Sdef Skelerdrige switches into TR Hatterene and Stalls it out with Slack Off.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Enamorus Springtide Storm vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Chandelure: 174-204 (42.3 - 49.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO <
Walls the most spammable move without investment.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Togekiss Earth Power vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Chandelure: 418-492 (101.7 - 119.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO <
RIP. But...
252+ SpA Choice Specs Togekiss Earth Power vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Chandelure: 284-336 (69 - 81.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Togekiss Earth Power vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Chandelure: 174-206 (42.3 - 50.1%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO <
Timid Boots + CM Enamorus (expected common set) is walled by Sdef version of Skeledirge.
+1 252+ SpA Rabska Stored Power (100 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Unaware Chandelure: 207-244 (50.3 - 59.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Unaware Chandelure Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Rabska: 288-338 (98.9 - 116.1%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO <
New Stored Power cheesemon is beaten by offensive Skeledirge.
252 Atk Choice Band Maushold Crunch vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Chandelure: 200-236 (48.6 - 57.4%) -- 93.4% chance to 2HKO
252 Atk Choice Band Maushold Crunch vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 140-166 (34 - 40.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO <
Maushold is a new Mon with a broken Normal Move that can hit 10 times and is boosted by Technician, so the 75 Attack it has its higher than it looks. Every Skeledirge can switch into that Move, since its Normal and Pdef one can switch into Crunch too.
252+ Atk Cetitan Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Chandelure: 172-204 (41.8 - 49.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO<
Pdef Skeledirge walls Cetitan, which as many know, has Belly Drum + Slush Rush.
Kinda tired of running calcs, so from here will be shorter:
-Switches into every Move of Slither Wing except EQ.
-Sdef version walls Iron Moth outside of Sun.
-Knock Off, Shadow Ball and Trick are the only moves that Iron Valiant can use to break Skeledirge, so it can switch into STABs and burn it most of the time.
-Switches into 2 of the Paldean Tauros, outside of EQ.
-Special Scovillain is walled. Physicial one learns Ground and Dark moves, but can still be checked by Pdef version. Unaware helps a lot vs Growth and Sun helps to actually deal damage back.
-Breloom has only Rock Tomb to break the fire crocodile. And Breloom has severe 4 move slots syndrome, it can,t run Spore, both STABs, Rock Tomb, SD, Sub and Leech Seed at the same time.
Sets I would run on Skeledirge:
Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Will-O-Wisp / Encore
Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Will-O-Wisp / Encore
Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Slack Off
- Flamethrower / Torch Song
- Shadow Ball / Hex
- Earth Power / Will-O-Wisp
Chandelure @ Life Orb / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Slack Off
- Torch Song / Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Earth Power
First 3 sets are pretty obvious. They depend on the team and the Mons Skeledirge wants to check, all of those 3 sets check different things as shown in the above calcs.
Last set is specifically for TR Teams, which, if run, obviously will have a Hatterene.
Some useful partners for Skeledirge:
-Corviknight. Only viable Defogger, can switch into Ground moves.
-Quagsire, Clodsire and Dondozo. Unaware combo. Quagsire is also one of the only non Poison Mons that learns Toxic (also Rocks and Spikes).
-Chesnaught. Great defensive sinergy and can support with Spikes, Leech Seed and Roar. Breloom too, but its less bulky (though it learns Spore and Toxic).
-Hatterene in TR.
-Rillaboom, provides Grassy Terrain, allowing Skeledirge to switch into EQ.
-Pdef Amoonguss. Can switch into Knock Off and supports Hex sets with Spore, Stun Spore and Toxic.
-Slither Wings. Great defensive sinergy, absorbs Knock Off due to having Morning Sun.
-Meowscarada. Even though its frail and has 7 weaknesses, it somehow switches into every Skeledirge's weakness except Rock. Skeledirge switches into 6 out of 7 weaknesses Meowscarada has.
-Landorus-T. Its Landorus-T.
Hopefully after this post you can apreciate the potential of Skeledirge. I won,t be able to play the first week or 2 of the new Meta, but can still contribute with this kind of posts. Have a good Eeveening.