The stat bars tell the story: Defense carries everything and Sp. Atk's dead weight. But this Armor Bird Pokemon still yields 2 Defense EVs per fight on a slow 1.25M XP grind.
Skarmory is clad entirely in ironhard armor. It flies at speeds over 180 mph.
Skarmory is clad entirely in ironhard armor. It flies at speeds over 180 mph.
Skarmory's Steel/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire and Electric. It shrugs off Poison and Ground-type attacks completely. It resists 8 types, so it can switch into a lot of moves safely. Skarmory's physical bulk (base 140 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Electric |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Flying, Psychic, Dragon, Steel, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Poison, Ground |
 | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityGrassy Surge ItemAssault Vest NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Rillaboom builds →Wood Hammer7-9% | ||
 | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureRelaxed Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Alomomola builds →Flip Turn9-11% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityWaterabsorb ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Clodsire builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Staraptor builds →Close Combat32-38% U Turn4-5% Double Edge24-28% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityGrassy Surge ItemTerrain Extender NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Thwackey builds →U Turn3-3% Knock Off10-12% | ||
Skarmory is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with plenty of partners. Hatching is average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Skarmory easily with 73 breeding partners from the Flying egg group.
Spikes is the priority every time Skarmory comes in. Bold nature and max HP and Defense EVs keep it alive long enough to get layers down, while Rocky Helmet provides chip damage on every physical hit received. Sturdy rounds it out. Roost keeps it healthy between hits.
Best Build
Skarmory best EVs are HP and Defense
Doubles Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Defog
- Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Hazard Setter Moveset
- Tailwind
- Stealth Rock
- Body Press
- Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Defog
- Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Hazard Setter Moveset
- Tailwind
- Stealth Rock
- Body Press
- Spikes
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Iron Defense
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
- Body Press
Recommended Teammates
Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Iron Defense
Recommended Teammates
Doubles Wall Moveset
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock
- Body Press
Recommended Teammates
Moves
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Skarmory's coverage across 7 types all comes from technical machines, built on top of Steel Beam and Brave Bird for same-type damage. Brave Bird and Fly are the payoff moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
The level-up pool is slim, so TMs matter here. Skarmory's Ground and Normal coverage and more all comes from technical machines, built on top of Sky Attack and Steel Beam for same-type damage. Brave Bird and Fly are the payoff moves.
You'll want to breed for Air Cutter and Assurance on Skarmory. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Sky Attack and Brave Bird, they expand what Skarmory can actually threaten in practice.
You'll want to breed for Air Cutter and Curse on Skarmory. These egg moves aren't just nice to have. Combined with STAB from Sky Attack and Brave Bird, they expand what Skarmory can actually threaten in practice.
Skarmory doesn't appear in Scarlet & Violet. Transfer it from Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun to add it to your collection. Check the source games below for encounter details.
Skarmory can't be caught in Legends: Z-A. Bring it over from Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun instead. The encounter info below covers the source games.
Skarmory sits at moderate rates across 4 spots in endgame routes. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.
Best Locations to Catch Skarmory in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
walking encounters for Skarmory across 4 spots at Lv. 56+. The catch is that Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl don't share every location, so compare what's available in your version.
You'll want early-game access before hunting Skarmory. Moderate rates across 18 encounter spots means the location matters. Sort by Best below and target the top-rated area first.
Best Locations to Catch Skarmory in Sword & Shield
Skarmory's encounter pool splits between Shield and Sword. You've got 18 walking spots at Lv. 10-21 total, but your version determines which ones actually show up.
Skarmory brings 465 BST to the table. A-Tier on our list: a strong competitive pick. That 140 base Defense does the heavy lifting.
Keen Eye prevents accuracy from being lowered. That's the one you want on Skarmory. Weak Armor is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Sturdy works too if your team needs something different.
Skarmory is leaning toward the physical side (base 80 Attack). Enough bulk to take a hit or two, too. Speed tells the real story. Base 70 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many.
Skarmory has answers, but so do you. Super-effective STAB from faster Pokemon is the simplest answer. Fire and Electric-type attackers hit hardest.
Debuting in Gold & Silver, Skarmory appears in 18 games across 9 generations. A reliable presence in most mainline games, typically found through wild encounters.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RB
Red & Blue - Gen 2GSDebut
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves