Stats & Training
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.
Despite being clad entirely in iron-hard armor, it flies at speeds over 180 mph.
Despite being clad entirely in iron-hard armor, it flies at speeds over 180 mph.
Skarmory Weakness
Skarmory's Steel/Flying typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire and Electric. It shrugs off Poison and Ground-type attacks completely. It resists 9 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, Ghost, Dragon, Dark, Steel |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Grass, Bug |
| 0x (Immune) | Poison, Ground |
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityPressure ItemLife Orb NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Weavile builds →Ice Shard18-22% | ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityLevitate ItemLeftovers NatureSassy Moves View Bronzong builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySand Stream ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves View Hippowdon builds →
| ||
 | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityThickfat ItemLeftovers NatureCareful Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Snorlax builds →Body Slam11-13% | ||
 | C | |
Recommended Build AbilityRegenerator ItemBlack Sludge NatureCalm Moves
Damage vs Skarmory View Amoonguss builds →Giga Drain5-6% | ||
Black & White Evolution
Skarmory is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with a decent partner pool. Hatching is average hatch time. It's got 10 egg moves worth looking into. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Skarmory easily with 45 breeding partners from the Flying egg group. Pass egg moves like Assurance, Brave Bird, Curse and 7 more to offspring.
Black & White Skarmory Best Moveset
Spikes is the priority every time Skarmory comes in. Careful nature and max HP and Sp. Def EVs keep it alive long enough to get layers down, while Leftovers provides passive recovery each turn. Sturdy rounds it out. Roost keeps it healthy between hits.
Best Build
Skarmory best EVs are HP and Sp. Def
Wall Moveset
- Spikes
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Whirlwind
Recommended Teammates
Moves
You'll want to breed for Assurance and Brave Bird 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.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
How to Get Skarmory in Black & White
No wild encounters for Skarmory in Black & White. It's available in Silver, Crystal, or Ultra Sun and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Skarmory Guide
In Black & White, Skarmory works as a hazard setter with 465 BST behind it. B-Tier on our list: a solid option in Black & White for the right team. Spikes with Leftovers is the standard set.
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. Fits the hazard setter role.
In Black & White, run Spikes, Bravebird, Roost, and Whirlwind on Skarmory. Spikes is the most common pick at 21% usage. This set covers the hazard setter role with a mix of damage and utility.
Game Availability
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