Skarmory

Skarmory returns as one of the best defensive Pokemon and Spikes users in the metagame. Skarmory’s fantastic Steel / Flying typing, base 140 Defense stat, and varied defensive movepool make it a fantastic wall. Skarmory is an excellent answer to hyper offense teams lacking Magnezone, as it can heal off multiple boosted attacks and phaze out the opponent while setting up entry hazards. Skarmory can run physically and specially defensive sets, depending on team composition. Physically defensive sets are great answers to Fighting-types such as Machamp and Breloom and emphasize Skarmory’s ability to answer boosted sweepers, while specially defensive sets stave Skarmory off against mixed sweepers while also absorbing boosted Latias’s attacks well. Skarmory can run an offensive Spikes set focused on setting up hyper offensive teams with Stealth Rock and Spikes while preventing set up with Taunt.

Skarmory’s main issues lie in its weakness to Magnezone and the way the metagame has adapted to it. Magnezone is the bane of Skarmory’s existence, as it traps and OHKOes it while Skarmory has no options to damage it. Skarmory can run Shed Shell to escape from Magnezone; however, running Shed Shell means Skarmory loses out on Leftovers recovery and cannot afford to take Knock Off from Clefable or Gliscor that are paired with Magnezone. Without Leftovers, Skarmory cannot recover easily from absorbing powerful physical attacks such as Metagross's Explosion while also struggling with Breloom, Machamp, and Jirachi. Physically defensive Skarmory also is weak to surprise special attacks from Pokemon it is supposed to wall, such as mixed Flygon's Fire Blast, Jirachi’s Electric-type coverage, and Swampert’s Hydro Pump, while specially defensive variants can be overwhelmed by strong physical moves such as +1 Tyranitar’s Stone Edge, +1 Dragonite’s Fire Punch, and Breloom’s Focus Punch. Offensive Spikes variants often have little to no bulk and suffer against Rapid Spinning later in the game. Most specially offensive leads can OHKO offensive Skarmory, while without recovery, Skarmory can be worn down easily.