[SET]
name: Spikes
move 1: Body Press
move 2: Brave Bird / Whirlwind
move 3: Spikes
move 4: Roost
item: Rocky Helmet
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 252 HP / 208 Def / 48 Spe
tera type: Dragon
[SET COMMENTS]
Skarmory leverages its incredible defensive typing and physical bulk to act as an effective entry hazard setter and blanket check to physical attackers like Excadrill, Lokix, and Ogerpon. Body Press lets it target the aforementioned Excadrill as well as Weavile and Tyranitar, preventing them from using it as setup fodder. Brave Bird lets it hit Hydrapple and Lokix for solid damage while letting it check Clodsire better. Whirlwind can instead be used to stop setup sweepers like Comfey and Scizor in their tracks, as well as accrue chip damage from Spikes on the opposing team. Roost keeps Skarmory healthy, notably letting it retain Sturdy in case it needs to revenge kill or phaze a threat. 48 speed EVs allows Skarmory to outrun max speed Modest Hydrapple, letting it punish Choice Specs sets with Brave Bird. Rocky Helmet wears down the physical attackers it checks, and punishes U-Turns from Pokemon like Mandibuzz and Zarude. Tera Dragon grants Skarmory several useful resistances, including to Fire and Water; this lets it take on the likes of Hisuian Arcanine and Keldeo in a pinch.
Skarmory provides bulky offense and balance teams a reliable Spikes setter and physical wall. Slowking is an incredible defensive partner for Skarmory due to its ability to take on special attackers like Keldeo and Heatran as well as its ability to spread burn with Scald, letting Skarmory wall physical threats better. In return, Skarmory takes on Pokemon that offensively threaten Slowking, like Lokix and Weavile, as well as Grass-types like Hydrapple. Hydrapple itself is another bulky pivot that pairs nicely with Skarmory, helping keep dangerous physical attackers that can be too much for Skarmory to handle, like Ogerpon-C, in check. It also appreciates the chip damage provided by Spikes, letting it sweep teams with Nasty Plot easier. Other cleaners, like Weavile and Battle Bond Greninja, appreciate Skarmory chipping away at opposing offensive threats with entry hazard damage and Rocky Helmet. Offensive pivots like Latios, Keldeo, and Sandy Shocks also enjoy the additional chip damage provided by Spikes, letting them muscle through foes better. Sandy Shocks in particular appreciates the Ground immunity provided by Skarmory as well as its ability to check Grass-types like Zarude; in return, Sandy Shocks can set Stealth Rock on top of Skarmory's Spikes while providing a useful Volt Switch immunity. Excadrill is another excellent Ground-type partner due to its ability to remove Stealth Rock, letting Skarmory preserve Sturdy. Additionally, it can keep dangerous special attackers like Latios in check, while appreciating Skarmory's ability to stop opposing Excadrill as well as check priority users like Lokix and non-Belly Drum Azumarill.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bice.236507/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/twilight.344575/
Grammar checked by:
Last edited:
