Monky25
Moderator
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Torch Song
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Hex
move 4: Slack Off
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Unaware
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
tera type: Fairy / Water / Steel
[SET COMMENTS]
Torch Song allows Skeledirge to double as not only a defensive wall but also a threat that can snowball, allowing it to overwhelm Pokemon like Tornadus-T and Hydrapple. Will-O-Wisp lets Skeledirge neuter many offensive threats such as Tyranitar and Kommo-o, and works in tandem with Hex to overwhelm defensive Pokemon like Slowking and Toxapex. Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Skeledirge from being worn down by entry hazards, letting it handle Pokemon like Iron Crown, Kommo-o, and Calm Mind Latios more reliably. Tera Fairy is the most common Tera option, granting it a very useful defensive typing at stopping many threats like Kommo-o, Hydrapple, Lokix, and Calm Mind Latios, not to mention just being a good neutral typing all around to get a Will-O-Wisp on foes like Azumarill and Ogerpon-C. Tera Water lets Skeledirge better check Azumarill and Greninja while now allowing it to check foes like Mamoswine and Sand Rush Excadrill. Tera Steel walls all Latios sets, Ogerpon, and Ogerpon-C while also still checking Greninja, not to mention Skeledirge gains a Toxic immunity which can be useful for switching into Toxapex and Mandibuzz. However, every Tera type has downsides that flip certain MUs that may be unfavorable for Skeledirge. Tera Fairy makes it vulnerable to Iron Crown and Scizor, Tera Water makes it very weak into Zapdos and Hydrapple, and Tera Steel opens up a nasty weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which can be unfavorable, especially since it now loses to foes it should check like Kommo-o and Cobalion, ultimately meaning that general caution should be exerted whenever choosing to Terastallize Skeledirge.
Skeledirge best fits on balance and fat builds that cover its defensive weaknesses and accommodate its need to largely Terastallize in-game. Switch-ins to Knock Off such as Toxapex and Cobalion are arguably mandatory teammates, answering critical threats that force Skeledirge out due to the threat of Knock Off such as Azumarill and Lokix. Cobalion also offensively checks dangerous breakers like Mamoswine, Azumarill. and Ogerpon-C that can overwhelm Skeledirge. Slowking, Empoleon, and the aforementioned Toxapex form great cores with Skeledirge, answering annoying Water-types like Azumarill, Greninja, and Keldeo that typically force Skeledirge to Terastallize, not to mention Toxapex and Slowking do a great job at checking Hisuian Arcanine who can freely switch into Skeledirge. Slowking and Tinkaton also can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave to boost the power of Hex while also being valuable scouts to see if Latios is Choice Specs, which Skeledirge fails to check, or Calm Mind. Hydrapple and Mandibuzz are great teammates that can handle Mold Breaker Excadrill; Hydrapple also helps act as a secondary check to Dragon Dance Tera Electric Kommo-o, while Mandibuzz can provide support with Defog to clear entry hazards in the event that Skeledirge gets hit with Knock Off. Mandibuzz can also take out Pokemon that might reactively Tera into Tera Fire to handle Skeledirge like Bisharp and Scizor. Setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Excadrill and Calm Mind + Tera Electric Latios can remove annoying Pokemon like Mandibuzz, Toxapex, and Zapdos who stand in the way of a Skeledirge cleanup with Torch Song.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Torch Song
move 2: Will-O-Wisp
move 3: Hex
move 4: Slack Off
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Unaware
nature: Calm
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
tera type: Fairy / Water / Steel
[SET COMMENTS]
Torch Song allows Skeledirge to double as not only a defensive wall but also a threat that can snowball, allowing it to overwhelm Pokemon like Tornadus-T and Hydrapple. Will-O-Wisp lets Skeledirge neuter many offensive threats such as Tyranitar and Kommo-o, and works in tandem with Hex to overwhelm defensive Pokemon like Slowking and Toxapex. Heavy-Duty Boots keeps Skeledirge from being worn down by entry hazards, letting it handle Pokemon like Iron Crown, Kommo-o, and Calm Mind Latios more reliably. Tera Fairy is the most common Tera option, granting it a very useful defensive typing at stopping many threats like Kommo-o, Hydrapple, Lokix, and Calm Mind Latios, not to mention just being a good neutral typing all around to get a Will-O-Wisp on foes like Azumarill and Ogerpon-C. Tera Water lets Skeledirge better check Azumarill and Greninja while now allowing it to check foes like Mamoswine and Sand Rush Excadrill. Tera Steel walls all Latios sets, Ogerpon, and Ogerpon-C while also still checking Greninja, not to mention Skeledirge gains a Toxic immunity which can be useful for switching into Toxapex and Mandibuzz. However, every Tera type has downsides that flip certain MUs that may be unfavorable for Skeledirge. Tera Fairy makes it vulnerable to Iron Crown and Scizor, Tera Water makes it very weak into Zapdos and Hydrapple, and Tera Steel opens up a nasty weakness to Fighting- and Ground-type attacks which can be unfavorable, especially since it now loses to foes it should check like Kommo-o and Cobalion, ultimately meaning that general caution should be exerted whenever choosing to Terastallize Skeledirge.
Skeledirge best fits on balance and fat builds that cover its defensive weaknesses and accommodate its need to largely Terastallize in-game. Switch-ins to Knock Off such as Toxapex and Cobalion are arguably mandatory teammates, answering critical threats that force Skeledirge out due to the threat of Knock Off such as Azumarill and Lokix. Cobalion also offensively checks dangerous breakers like Mamoswine, Azumarill. and Ogerpon-C that can overwhelm Skeledirge. Slowking, Empoleon, and the aforementioned Toxapex form great cores with Skeledirge, answering annoying Water-types like Azumarill, Greninja, and Keldeo that typically force Skeledirge to Terastallize, not to mention Toxapex and Slowking do a great job at checking Hisuian Arcanine who can freely switch into Skeledirge. Slowking and Tinkaton also can spread paralysis with Thunder Wave to boost the power of Hex while also being valuable scouts to see if Latios is Choice Specs, which Skeledirge fails to check, or Calm Mind. Hydrapple and Mandibuzz are great teammates that can handle Mold Breaker Excadrill; Hydrapple also helps act as a secondary check to Dragon Dance Tera Electric Kommo-o, while Mandibuzz can provide support with Defog to clear entry hazards in the event that Skeledirge gets hit with Knock Off. Mandibuzz can also take out Pokemon that might reactively Tera into Tera Fire to handle Skeledirge like Bisharp and Scizor. Setup sweepers such as Swords Dance Excadrill and Calm Mind + Tera Electric Latios can remove annoying Pokemon like Mandibuzz, Toxapex, and Zapdos who stand in the way of a Skeledirge cleanup with Torch Song.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/monky25.515132/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by: