Is Skarmory viable in Gen 7 OU?

Skarmory is ranked #29 in Gen 7 OU with 6.90% usage according to Smogon May 2026 - Jul 2026 data.

What beats Skarmory in Gen 7 OU?

Heatran has the strongest conservative score in this observed May 2026 - Jul 2026 sample. The target was knocked out or switched out in 84.9% of 120.7033001192277 relevant encounters. Standard error is 5.6 points. Sets and switch conditions can change the result.

How are Skarmory matchup checks ranked in Gen 7 OU?

They are ranked by p minus four standard errors. Here, p is the observed fraction of relevant encounters where Skarmory was knocked out or switched out. This is not a set-specific battle guarantee.

Skarmory counters

Gen 7 OU · Sorted by p − 4 standard errors · Smogon source period May 2026 - Jul 2026 · Generated 2026-08-05

#0227 Skarmory

SteelFlying

USAGE 6.9% #29

ABILITYSturdy

BASE STATS

HP 65

ATK 80

DEF 140

SPA 40

SPD 70

SPE 70

BST465

TYPE MATCHUPS

2×

FireElectric

½×

NormalFlyingPsychicDragonSteelFairy

¼×

GrassBug

0×

PoisonGround

Moves

Roost 97.5% Spikes 94.8% Whirlwind 80.1% Counter 35.6% Brave Bird 34.4% Defog 30.5% Swords Dance 9.8% Iron Head 4.5%

Items

Rocky Helmet 77.4% Flyinium Z 9.2% Shed Shell 8.0% Leftovers 3.2% Custap Berry 2.1% Focus Sash 0.1% Fightinium Z 0.0% Red Card 0.0%

Abilities

Sturdy99.3%Keen Eye0.5%Weak Armor0.1%

Common Teammates

Leading observed checks

Open a matchup for a separate set-based damage estimate, or browse uploaded teams with both Pokémon.

Team core to explore

Skarmory + Chansey 43.1% teammate usage Explore teams →

Checks & Counters

Observed target KO or switch rate is upstream p: the fraction of relevant encounters where the target was knocked out or switched out. Standard error is upstream d. The conservative score is p − 4d. These ladder observations do not prove a set-specific counter.

How to read this table

Use encounter count and standard error to judge the sample. Damage estimates below use inferred sets and remain separate from the observed ladder metric.

# Checker Encounters Conservative score Target KO or switch rate

Heatran

FireSteel OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

120.703

62.6

84.9% Standard error 5.55 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 324-384 (97 - 114.9%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO (guaranteed OHKO after trapping damage)

View Heatran counters → Teams with Heatran →

Latias-Mega

DragonPsychic DEFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

73.571

60.3

82.5% Standard error 5.55 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Latias-Mega: 99-117 (27.1 - 32.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Latias-Mega counters →

Greninja

WaterDark OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

124.772

55.6

79.9% Standard error 6.08 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Choice Specs Greninja Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 228-268 (68.2 - 80.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Greninja counters → Teams with Greninja →

Tapu Fini

WaterFairy DEFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

31.101

52.4

80.7% Standard error 7.08 points

DAMAGE CALCMisty Terrain

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tapu Fini: 102-121 (29.6 - 35.1%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery

View Tapu Fini counters → Teams with Tapu Fini →

Celesteela

SteelFlying DEFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

25.019

44.3

77.6% Standard error 8.33 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Celesteela: 54-65 (13.5 - 16.3%)

View Celesteela counters → Teams with Celesteela →

Rotom-Wash

ElectricWater OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

34.932

34.9

66.8% Standard error 7.97 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Rotom-Wash Thunder vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 306-362 (91.6 - 108.3%) -- 50% chance to OHKO

View Rotom-Wash counters → Teams with Rotom-Wash →

Tapu Koko

ElectricFairy OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

84.405

32.4

67.0% Standard error 8.64 points

DAMAGE CALCElectric Terrain

252+ SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory in Electric Terrain: 460-541 (137.7 - 161.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Tapu Koko counters → Teams with Tapu Koko →

Magearna

SteelFairy OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

105.929

32.0

63.5% Standard error 7.86 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Magearna Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 194-230 (58 - 68.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Magearna counters → Teams with Magearna →

Tornadus-Therian

Flying OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

98.359

31.4

64.5% Standard error 8.28 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Tornadus-Therian Heat Wave vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 182-216 (54.4 - 64.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Tornadus-Therian counters → Teams with Tornadus-Therian →

Medicham-Mega

FightingPsychic OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

25.207

24.4

62.9% Standard error 9.62 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Pure Power Medicham-Mega High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 289-342 (86.5 - 102.3%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

View Medicham-Mega counters →

Charizard-Mega-Y

FireFlying OFFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

23.793

24.0

63.4% Standard error 9.87 points

DAMAGE CALCSun

252+ SpA Charizard-Mega-Y Overheat vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory in Sun: 732-864 (219.1 - 258.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Charizard-Mega-Y counters →

Ferrothorn

GrassSteel SOFT CHECK View matchup

117.256

19.4

50.5% Standard error 7.77 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Ferrothorn Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 70-83 (20.9 - 24.8%) -- guaranteed 5HKO

View Ferrothorn counters → Teams with Ferrothorn →

Sableye-Mega

DarkGhost DEFENSIVE CHECK View matchup

25.445

16.8

56.1% Standard error 9.84 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Sableye-Mega: 96-114 (31.5 - 37.5%) -- 85.7% chance to 3HKO

View Sableye-Mega counters →

Toxapex

PoisonWater SOFT CHECK View matchup

107.044

13.1

46.3% Standard error 8.29 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Toxapex Scald vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 75-88 (22.4 - 26.3%) -- 12.5% chance to 4HKO

View Toxapex counters → Teams with Toxapex →

Clefable

Fairy SOFT CHECK View matchup

99.418

5.2

36.5% Standard error 7.84 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 62-73 (18.5 - 21.8%) -- possible 5HKO

View Clefable counters → Teams with Clefable →

Zapdos

ElectricFlying SOFT CHECK View matchup

23.516

2.5

43.4% Standard error 10.22 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Zapdos Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 284-336 (85 - 100.5%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

View Zapdos counters → Teams with Zapdos →

Skarmory

SteelFlying SOFT CHECK View matchup

41.745

0.2

43.6% Standard error 10.85 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 58-69 (17.3 - 20.6%) -- possible 5HKO

View Skarmory counters →

Landorus-Therian

GroundFlying SOFT CHECK View matchup

194.734

-0.8

18.3% Standard error 4.78 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Landorus-Therian Explosion vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 121-142 (36.2 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Landorus-Therian counters → Teams with Landorus-Therian →

Kartana

GrassSteel SOFT CHECK View matchup

72.176

-2.1

27.1% Standard error 7.31 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Kartana Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 112-132 (33.5 - 39.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Kartana counters → Teams with Kartana →

Ditto

Normal SOFT CHECK View matchup

23.627

-2.4

37.4% Standard error 9.95 points

DAMAGE CALC

Ditto vs. Skarmory: 0-0 (0 - 0%)

View Ditto counters → Teams with Ditto →

Swampert-Mega

WaterGround SOFT CHECK View matchup

81.773

-3.5

21.6% Standard error 6.29 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Swampert-Mega Waterfall vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 120-142 (35.9 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Swampert-Mega counters →

Gliscor

GroundFlying SOFT CHECK View matchup

190.9

-3.6

13.3% Standard error 4.23 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Gliscor Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 70-83 (20.9 - 24.8%) -- guaranteed 5HKO

View Gliscor counters → Teams with Gliscor →

Pelipper

WaterFlying SOFT CHECK View matchup

20.083

-4.4

39.1% Standard error 10.89 points

DAMAGE CALCRain

0- SpA Pelipper Surf vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory in Rain: 114-135 (34.1 - 40.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Pelipper counters → Teams with Pelipper →

Chansey

Normal SOFT CHECK View matchup

76.602

-5.5

19.4% Standard error 6.22 points

DAMAGE CALC

Chansey Seismic Toss vs. 252 HP Skarmory: 100-100 (29.9 - 29.9%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Chansey counters → Teams with Chansey →

Hippowdon

Ground SOFT CHECK View matchup

23.992

-8.4

28.4% Standard error 9.21 points

DAMAGE CALCSand

252+ Atk Hippowdon Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 81-96 (24.2 - 28.7%) -- 98.9% chance to 4HKO

View Hippowdon counters →

Excadrill

GroundSteel SOFT CHECK View matchup

72.091

-9.4

24.0% Standard error 8.35 points

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 69-82 (20.6 - 24.5%) -- guaranteed 5HKO

View Excadrill counters → Teams with Excadrill →

Ranked #29 with 6.90% usage. Sorted by conservative score.