[OVERVIEW]
Skarmory's excellent defensive typing and impressive physical bulk give it an important role in BDSP OU as a check to some of the tier's most common physical attackers like Breloom and Weavile. It is a great Spiker due to its ridiculous physical bulk, longevity, and its ability to beat common Defoggers like Gliscor and Scizor. Whirlwind further cements Skarmory as an excellent defensive centerpiece against the onslaught of physical sweepers common to the tier like Lucario and Feraligatr. Skarmory is not even limited to a defensive role; it also fits on common hyper offense structures as a dedicated lead due to its access to the combination of Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Taunt, ensuring that it can get up as many entry hazards as it can while denying opposing entry hazards. Despite its strength as a wall, Skarmory can be taken advantage of by special attackers like Latios and Starmie; Starmie can even spin its Spikes away. Skarmory is often forced to Whirlwind setup sweepers like Garchomp, leaving it weakened. It is weak to common coverage types in Electric and Fire, and it is extremely vulnerable to the ever-present Magnezone if its Shed Shell is removed. Furthermore, its face stiff competition as a suicide lead from Azelf, which boasts higher Speed and Explosion.
[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Roost
move 4: Whirlwind
item: Shed Shell / Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Skarmory can use its impressive physical bulk to set up Spikes in the face of common Defoggers like Scizor and Gliscor. Despite incurring recoil, Brave Bird is Skarmory's best option for pressuring Tangrowth and Breloom. Whirlwind is incredibly helpful at preventing common physical setup sweepers like Feraligatr, Cloyster, Dragontie, and Lucario from boosting past Skarmory; it also racks up chip damage from Spikes. Shed Shell is the preferred item, as it lets Skarmory escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which many teams rely on to handle Skarmory. However, if Magnezone is not a concern, Leftovers improves Skarmory's matchup into hard-hitting physical attackers like Lucario. Sturdy importantly lets Skarmory always live one hit from full, ensuring that it can always revenge kill or phaze a sweeper that has gotten out of hand if Skarmory is healthy.
Skarmory fits best on balance or stall teams that appreciate its ability to wall a number of common physical Pokemon. Stacking Stealth Rock with Skarmory's Spikes is an effective strategy to whittle way the health of Pokemon like Heatran that threaten Skarmory. Blissey and Gliscor can both set Stealth Rock; Blissey can easily switch into the special attacks that forces Skarmory out, while Gliscor can deal with Fire- and Electric-types like Infernape and Heatran that pressure Skarmory. Gliscor, along with Tangrowth, are excellent Knock Off absorbers, a quality that Skarmory greatly appreciates, as losing its Shed Shell leaves it completely helpless against Magnezone. Tangrowth can also effectively switch into Crawdaunt, which is one of the rare physical attackers with enough strength to overpower Skarmory. Skarmory is especially devastating when paired with a VoltTurn core, which forces Spikes damage onto foes repeatedly by pivoting, making teammates like Rotom-W and Scizor are great options. Clefable is a good partner for dealing with special setup sweepers like Alakazam and Latios that Skarmory cannot effectively phaze. Similarly, on stall teams, Quagsire is a good option for dealing with the few physical setup sweepers, namely Lucario and Dragonite, that are capable of powering through Skarmory. Starmie is an excellent partner for removing just the opponent's entry hazards with Rapid Spin and switching into Heatran; Starmie is particularly valuable in mirror matchups, allowing Skarmory to trade Spikes with opposing Skarmory without seriously hindering its own team.
[SET]
name: Suicide Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Brave Bird
item: Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
The basis for this set is fairly straightforward: set up as many entry hazards as possible before Skarmory gets KOed. Taunt helps prevent opposing entry hazards from going up and stops slower Defog users like Scizor and Gliscor from removing Skarmory's own entry hazards. Brave Bird is a particularly helpful tool for generating momentum; if the opponent lets Skarmory set up all of its entry hazards, Skarmory can simply KO itself with Brave Bird recoil to safely get in a teammate. A Custap Berry, in conjunction with Sturdy, ensures that Skarmory can usually get up at least two layers of entry hazards before getting KOed.
Suicide lead Skarmory fits best on hyper offense teams that appreciate it getting up entry hazards early while preventing foes from doing the same. Setup sweepers like Lucario, Feraligatr, and Breloom appreciate Skarmory's entry hazards chipping foes into range of their boosted attacks. Lucario, in particular, needs Stealth Rock up to OHKO Latios with +2 Extreme Speed and Tangrowth and Skarmory with +2 Close Combat, while Skarmory's ability to deny opposing entry hazards benefits Breloom by keeping its Focus Sash intact. Focus Sash Alakazam can be troublesome, as Magic Guard preserves its Focus Sash; accordingly, teammates like Choice Scarf Garchomp and Weavile are excellent choices for pressuring it. Skarmory is unable to block faser foes like Azelf and Roserade from setting up entry hazards, so Rapid Spin support from Starmie can be potentially helpful if denying opposing entry hazards is key, such as when using Dragonite and Focus Sash Breloom.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Skarmory can run Defog over Spikes on its defensive set, but this is generally better accomplished by Gliscor, and the value Spikes provides is usually greater. Taunt can be run of the defensive set to prevent Scizor, Blissey, and Clefable from recovering and, in Scizor's case, removing Skarmory's Spikes; however, Taunt is hard to justify over any of Skarmory's other moves. Stealth Rock is an option over Brave Bird on the defensive set to layer even more entry hazards, but this leaves Skarmory helpless in the face of Tangrowth and Celebi.
Checks and Counters
====
**Electric-types**: Though Skarmory usually runs Shed Shell to evade Magnezone's Magnet Pull, it often switches into Knock Off users like Tangrowth and Gliscor; once Shed Shell has been removed or if Skarmory is running a different item, Magnezone is free to trap and KO it. Outside of Magnezone, Pokemon like Raikou, Rotom-W, and Rotom-C pressure Skarmory while maintaining momentum with STAB Volt Switch. Raikou can set up with Calm Mind and Substitute on Skarmory, while Rotom-W can similarly set up with Nasty Plot.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Fire-types like Infernape and Heatran force Skarmory out with their strong STAB moves. Heatran is particularly good at pressuring Skarmory, as it does not mind switching into Brave Bird and can punish it with a Flame Body burn. Fire-type coverage from Pokemon like Nidoking, Dragonite, and Garchomp is similarly scary. Azelf commonly runs Flamethrower and, more importantly, Taunt, which shuts down lead Skarmory.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Pokemon like Latios, Latias, Alakazam, Starmie, and Togekiss not only commonly carry super effective coverage, but can simply power through Skarmory due to its middling special bulk. Latias and Starmie deserve special mention for being able to remove Skarmory's Spikes with Defog and Rapid Spin.
**Crawdaunt**: Crawdaunt is the rare physical attacker that has the necessary strength to outright 2HKO Skarmory, making it a particularly dangerous foe if Skarmory is a team's only physically defensive wall.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dex.277988/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tuthur.369076/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adem.529732/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Skarmory's excellent defensive typing and impressive physical bulk give it an important role in BDSP OU as a check to some of the tier's most common physical attackers like Breloom and Weavile. It is a great Spiker due to its ridiculous physical bulk, longevity, and its ability to beat common Defoggers like Gliscor and Scizor. Whirlwind further cements Skarmory as an excellent defensive centerpiece against the onslaught of physical sweepers common to the tier like Lucario and Feraligatr. Skarmory is not even limited to a defensive role; it also fits on common hyper offense structures as a dedicated lead due to its access to the combination of Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Taunt, ensuring that it can get up as many entry hazards as it can while denying opposing entry hazards. Despite its strength as a wall, Skarmory can be taken advantage of by special attackers like Latios and Starmie; Starmie can even spin its Spikes away. Skarmory is often forced to Whirlwind setup sweepers like Garchomp, leaving it weakened. It is weak to common coverage types in Electric and Fire, and it is extremely vulnerable to the ever-present Magnezone if its Shed Shell is removed. Furthermore, its face stiff competition as a suicide lead from Azelf, which boasts higher Speed and Explosion.
[SET]
name: Defensive Spikes
move 1: Spikes
move 2: Brave Bird
move 3: Roost
move 4: Whirlwind
item: Shed Shell / Leftovers
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Skarmory can use its impressive physical bulk to set up Spikes in the face of common Defoggers like Scizor and Gliscor. Despite incurring recoil, Brave Bird is Skarmory's best option for pressuring Tangrowth and Breloom. Whirlwind is incredibly helpful at preventing common physical setup sweepers like Feraligatr, Cloyster, Dragontie, and Lucario from boosting past Skarmory; it also racks up chip damage from Spikes. Shed Shell is the preferred item, as it lets Skarmory escape Magnezone's Magnet Pull, which many teams rely on to handle Skarmory. However, if Magnezone is not a concern, Leftovers improves Skarmory's matchup into hard-hitting physical attackers like Lucario. Sturdy importantly lets Skarmory always live one hit from full, ensuring that it can always revenge kill or phaze a sweeper that has gotten out of hand if Skarmory is healthy.
Skarmory fits best on balance or stall teams that appreciate its ability to wall a number of common physical Pokemon. Stacking Stealth Rock with Skarmory's Spikes is an effective strategy to whittle way the health of Pokemon like Heatran that threaten Skarmory. Blissey and Gliscor can both set Stealth Rock; Blissey can easily switch into the special attacks that forces Skarmory out, while Gliscor can deal with Fire- and Electric-types like Infernape and Heatran that pressure Skarmory. Gliscor, along with Tangrowth, are excellent Knock Off absorbers, a quality that Skarmory greatly appreciates, as losing its Shed Shell leaves it completely helpless against Magnezone. Tangrowth can also effectively switch into Crawdaunt, which is one of the rare physical attackers with enough strength to overpower Skarmory. Skarmory is especially devastating when paired with a VoltTurn core, which forces Spikes damage onto foes repeatedly by pivoting, making teammates like Rotom-W and Scizor are great options. Clefable is a good partner for dealing with special setup sweepers like Alakazam and Latios that Skarmory cannot effectively phaze. Similarly, on stall teams, Quagsire is a good option for dealing with the few physical setup sweepers, namely Lucario and Dragonite, that are capable of powering through Skarmory. Starmie is an excellent partner for removing just the opponent's entry hazards with Rapid Spin and switching into Heatran; Starmie is particularly valuable in mirror matchups, allowing Skarmory to trade Spikes with opposing Skarmory without seriously hindering its own team.
[SET]
name: Suicide Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes
move 3: Taunt
move 4: Brave Bird
item: Custap Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
The basis for this set is fairly straightforward: set up as many entry hazards as possible before Skarmory gets KOed. Taunt helps prevent opposing entry hazards from going up and stops slower Defog users like Scizor and Gliscor from removing Skarmory's own entry hazards. Brave Bird is a particularly helpful tool for generating momentum; if the opponent lets Skarmory set up all of its entry hazards, Skarmory can simply KO itself with Brave Bird recoil to safely get in a teammate. A Custap Berry, in conjunction with Sturdy, ensures that Skarmory can usually get up at least two layers of entry hazards before getting KOed.
Suicide lead Skarmory fits best on hyper offense teams that appreciate it getting up entry hazards early while preventing foes from doing the same. Setup sweepers like Lucario, Feraligatr, and Breloom appreciate Skarmory's entry hazards chipping foes into range of their boosted attacks. Lucario, in particular, needs Stealth Rock up to OHKO Latios with +2 Extreme Speed and Tangrowth and Skarmory with +2 Close Combat, while Skarmory's ability to deny opposing entry hazards benefits Breloom by keeping its Focus Sash intact. Focus Sash Alakazam can be troublesome, as Magic Guard preserves its Focus Sash; accordingly, teammates like Choice Scarf Garchomp and Weavile are excellent choices for pressuring it. Skarmory is unable to block faser foes like Azelf and Roserade from setting up entry hazards, so Rapid Spin support from Starmie can be potentially helpful if denying opposing entry hazards is key, such as when using Dragonite and Focus Sash Breloom.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Skarmory can run Defog over Spikes on its defensive set, but this is generally better accomplished by Gliscor, and the value Spikes provides is usually greater. Taunt can be run of the defensive set to prevent Scizor, Blissey, and Clefable from recovering and, in Scizor's case, removing Skarmory's Spikes; however, Taunt is hard to justify over any of Skarmory's other moves. Stealth Rock is an option over Brave Bird on the defensive set to layer even more entry hazards, but this leaves Skarmory helpless in the face of Tangrowth and Celebi.
Checks and Counters
====
**Electric-types**: Though Skarmory usually runs Shed Shell to evade Magnezone's Magnet Pull, it often switches into Knock Off users like Tangrowth and Gliscor; once Shed Shell has been removed or if Skarmory is running a different item, Magnezone is free to trap and KO it. Outside of Magnezone, Pokemon like Raikou, Rotom-W, and Rotom-C pressure Skarmory while maintaining momentum with STAB Volt Switch. Raikou can set up with Calm Mind and Substitute on Skarmory, while Rotom-W can similarly set up with Nasty Plot.
**Fire-types and Fire-type Coverage**: Fire-types like Infernape and Heatran force Skarmory out with their strong STAB moves. Heatran is particularly good at pressuring Skarmory, as it does not mind switching into Brave Bird and can punish it with a Flame Body burn. Fire-type coverage from Pokemon like Nidoking, Dragonite, and Garchomp is similarly scary. Azelf commonly runs Flamethrower and, more importantly, Taunt, which shuts down lead Skarmory.
**Strong Special Attackers**: Pokemon like Latios, Latias, Alakazam, Starmie, and Togekiss not only commonly carry super effective coverage, but can simply power through Skarmory due to its middling special bulk. Latias and Starmie deserve special mention for being able to remove Skarmory's Spikes with Defog and Rapid Spin.
**Crawdaunt**: Crawdaunt is the rare physical attacker that has the necessary strength to outright 2HKO Skarmory, making it a particularly dangerous foe if Skarmory is a team's only physically defensive wall.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/dex.277988/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/tuthur.369076/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/adem.529732/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ut.523866/
Last edited by a moderator:
