Skarmory
| Skarmory
Mantine (#226) – Skarmory – Houndour (#228) | |
| General | |
|---|---|
| Name (Japanese), Number | Skarmory (???), 227 |
| Stage | Basic |
| Evolves from | none |
| Evolves to | none |
| Video game base stats¹ | |
| Hit points | 65 |
| Attack | 80 |
| Defense | 140 |
| Speed | 70 |
| Special attack | 40 |
| Special defense | 70 |
| Biological | |
| Species | Armor Bird |
| Types | Template:PokemonTypeSteel Template:PokemonTypeFlying |
| Height | 5'7" |
| Weight | 111.0lb |
| Abilities | Keen Eye/Sturdy |
| Signature Attack | Steel Wing |
| Pokédex Color | Gray |
| Shiny color | The gray part of its body has a tint of brown and the red part of its underwings becomes green. |
| Gender distribution | 50% male, 50% female |
| ¹ Stats for trading card versions may vary. | |
A fictional character from the Pokémon franchise, Skarmory (Eāmudo) is a Steel/Flying-type Pokémon. It is #227 in the National Pokédex. Skarmory is highly regarded in Pokémon Gold and Silver and Ruby and Sapphire as one of the most useful and overused Pokémon in battle teams.
The name "Skarmory" (??? in German, Airmure in French) could be derived from the words "scar"--referring to how young Skarmory develop strong hides by living in bramble and acquiring scars from the bramble--and "armory". It could also be derived from "sky"--seeing as it's a Flying-type Pokemon--and "armory"; the "Sky's Armory" or "Armory of the Sky". Also, if you take its name apart, the word Sky surrounds the word Armor, ie. SKarmorY.
Biology
Born and raised in bramble, Skarmory develop their strong, metal hides at a young age. The nicks and cuts from the bramble strengthens Skarmory's skin. While Skarmory's skin is metallic on the outside, the inside is hollow, ideal for flying.
Like other birds, Skarmory will moult its feathers. The moulting restores the sharp edges of Skarmory's sharp and strong feathers, which become worn from battle. Using the feathers, some people manage to craft weaponry. Weapons crafted from Skarmory feathers include swords, daggers and arrows.
Capable of flying at a speed of 190 miles per hour, Skarmory can slice foes with its Steel Wing attack as it speeds past them. When hunting, Skarmory swoop down from the sky and pick up prey with its sharp, metallic talons.
Skarmory's name comes from the american spelling Sky+Armor Skarmory
In the video games
Skarmory is available on Route 45 in Pokémon Silver and Pokémon Crystal. In the latter, it cannot be captured at night. Skarmory is not available in Pokémon Gold.
Skarmory is also available on Route 113 in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and on Island 7 in Pokémon Fire Red and Leaf Green.
In the GameCube game Pokémon Colosseum, Skarmory is a Shadow Pokémon in possession by the leader of Team Snagem, Gonzap. Gonzap blocks the way to the final boss, so the player must battle him. During the battle, the player is given the chance to snag Skarmory; the chance should be taken, as all the game's Pokémon must be caught and purified in order to obtain Ho-Oh.
Battle strategy
Skarmory is regarded as the best physical wall in the entire game. It does not have any physical weaknesses and it has 140 Base Defense. Competetively, this Pokemon is often found used in a team with the also-overused Blissey, creating the combination known as Skarmbliss. Because they cover each others' weaknesses so well, they are regarded as nearly unbeatable; even the counters for Skarmbliss may have a difficult time. Skarmory has high Defense and Blissey has high Special Defense.
Skarmory can use the move Spikes, which does damage to Pokémon on the switch (Spikes does not affect Flying-types or Pokémon with the Levitate ability). The most commonly used strategy with Skarmory is to use Spikes and then use Roar to force the opponent's Pokémon to switch. This strategy can cause major dents in teams, removing up to 1/4th HP on each switch.
However, because it has so many counters and an extremely limited movepool otherwise, Skarmory is not considered an Über. One of the common counters to the Skarmbliss combo is the newly formulated Tyraniboah; a Tyranitar with the moveset Thunderbolt, Crunch, Substitute, and Focus Punch. Blaziken and Swampert can also successfully take down the Skarmbliss combo. Magneton is a good counter to Skarmory alone; as Magneton has the Magnet Pull ability, which stops Steel-type Pokémon, such as Skarmory, from switching. Magneton can use Thunderbolt to do large amount of damage to Skarmory.
Skarmory is widely considered the most overused Pokémon of all time, alongside Blissey.
In the animé
In the episode Hot Matches, Ash and his friends meet a trainer named Mickey who owns a Skarmory. Mickey is looking for challenges against Fire-type Pokémon, as Fire-types are strong against the Steel-type Skarmory and Mickey wants to prove Skarmory's strength. Brock challenges Mickey, and Brock sends out his Vulpix. Skarmory battles and defeats the Vulpix. Ash's Cyndaquil then battles Mickey's Skarmory, but the battle is interrupted by Team Rocket. After the ordeal with Team Rocket, the battle recommences, and Cyndaquil pulls through for the win.
In other properties
In the card game
Skarmory appears in the Neo Genesis set as one of the first Metal-type cards. It later appeared in the Neo Revelations set -- its artwork is a piece of one large artwork featuring the other Flying-type Pokémon Lugia and Ho-oh. This occurrence, along with Skarmory's gross overuse by battlers, has sometimes lead the Pokémon-savvy to call Skarmory the "lost legendary bird".
Skarmory has also appeared in the following sets:
- Expedition (2 cards)
- Skyridge
- EX Dragon
- EX Deoxys