Is Skarmory viable in Gen 9 UU?

Skarmory is ranked #6 in Gen 9 UU with 18.83% usage according to Smogon Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 data.

What beats Skarmory in Gen 9 UU?

The best counter for Skarmory in Gen 9 UU is Sinistcha with a 88.7% win rate when they meet. Based on Smogon's Apr 2026 - Jun 2026 usage data, the top Pokémon that beat Skarmory include Sinistcha, Skeledirge, Talonflame, Arcanine-Hisui, Thundurus-Therian.

What is the best counter for Skarmory in Gen 9 UU?

Sinistcha is the best counter for Skarmory in Gen 9 UU, KOing or forcing it out in 88.7% of their encounters.

Skarmory counters

Gen 9 UU · Sorted by reliability score · Smogon · Apr 2026 - Jun 2026

#0227 Skarmory

SteelFlying

USAGE 18.8% #6

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 98.8% Body Press 91.3% Spikes 64.9% Whirlwind 44.1% Brave Bird 30.2% Stealth Rock 29.2% Iron Defense 27.7% Thief 5.8%

Items

Rocky Helmet 94.6% Leftovers 1.7% Heavy-Duty Boots 1.5% Covert Cloak 0.8% Custap Berry 0.6% Focus Sash 0.3% Eject Button 0.2% Sharp Beak 0.1%

Abilities

Sturdy99.2%Weak Armor0.6%Keen Eye0.3%

Tera Types

Ghost 49.0% Water 15.7% Dragon 15.5% Fighting 8.1% Steel 5.1% Ground 3.3% Fairy 2.4% Dark 0.3%

Common Teammates

Browse Gen 9 UU teams using Skarmory →

Teams using Sinistcha 89% Teams using Talonflame 83% Teams using Arcanine-Hisui 73% Teams using Thundurus-Therian 71% Teams using Latios 71%

Checks & Counters

Reliability ranks observed matchups; KO rate is how often the checker knocked out or forced out the target. “Checker faints” reports the checker's own observed death rate. Categories use matchup reliability plus offensive and defensive base stats.

How to read this table

Use encounter count to judge sample size. A high-reliability check with a modest KO rate can still be useful when it consistently forces switches or limits the target.

# Checker Encounters Reliability KO Rate

Sinistcha

GrassGhost OFFENSIVE CHECK

20.89

88.7% checker faints 6.92%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Sinistcha Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 124-147 (37.1 - 44%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Sinistcha counters → Teams with Sinistcha →

Skeledirge

FireGhost DEFENSIVE COUNTER

88.046

86.7% checker faints 6.13%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skeledirge: 112-133 (27.1 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Skeledirge counters →

Talonflame

FireFlying OFFENSIVE CHECK

57.179

83.0% checker faints 4.97%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Talonflame Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 236-278 (70.6 - 83.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Talonflame counters → Teams with Talonflame →

Arcanine-Hisui

FireRock OFFENSIVE CHECK

87.118

72.8% checker faints 8.11%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Choice Band Arcanine-Hisui Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 440-522 (131.7 - 156.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

View Arcanine-Hisui counters → Teams with Arcanine-Hisui →

Thundurus-Therian

ElectricFlying OFFENSIVE CHECK

83.41

71.2% checker faints 8.52%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Thundurus-Therian Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 318-374 (95.2 - 111.9%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO

View Thundurus-Therian counters → Teams with Thundurus-Therian →

Latios

DragonPsychic OFFENSIVE CHECK

169.294

70.8% checker faints 6.02%

DAMAGE CALC

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

View Latios counters → Teams with Latios →

Fezandipiti

PoisonFairy DEFENSIVE COUNTER

55.459

64.4% checker faints 8.99%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Skarmory Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fezandipiti: 127-151 (33.4 - 39.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Fezandipiti counters → Teams with Fezandipiti →

Thundurus

ElectricFlying OFFENSIVE CHECK

28.812

59.4% checker faints 9.15%

DAMAGE CALC

0- SpA Thundurus Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 192-228 (57.4 - 68.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Thundurus counters → Teams with Thundurus →

Sandy Shocks

ElectricGround OFFENSIVE CHECK

50.007

59.1% checker faints 9.80%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Sandy Shocks Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 278-330 (83.2 - 98.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Sandy Shocks counters → Teams with Sandy Shocks →

Slowking

WaterPsychic SOFT CHECK

79.294

54.9% checker faints 9.65%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Slowking Scald vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 109-129 (32.6 - 38.6%) -- 98% chance to 3HKO

View Slowking counters → Teams with Slowking →

Hydrapple

GrassDragon SOFT CHECK

95.072

47.2% checker faints 8.84%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Hydrapple Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 99-117 (29.6 - 35%) -- 17.8% chance to 3HKO

View Hydrapple counters →

Slither Wing

BugFighting SOFT CHECK

48.881

46.7% checker faints 10.09%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Slither Wing Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 222-262 (66.4 - 78.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

View Slither Wing counters → Teams with Slither Wing →

Skarmory

SteelFlying SOFT CHECK

67.308

44.9% checker faints 8.54%

DAMAGE CALC

0 Def Skarmory Body Press vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 58-69 (17.3 - 20.6%) -- possible 5HKO

View Skarmory counters → Teams with Skarmory →

Toxapex

PoisonWater SOFT CHECK

56.835

36.2% checker faints 9.02%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ SpA Toxapex Surf vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Skarmory: 84-99 (25.1 - 29.6%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Toxapex counters → Teams with Toxapex →

Conkeldurr

Fighting SOFT CHECK

91.464

34.7% checker faints 8.50%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Conkeldurr Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 142-168 (42.5 - 50.2%) -- 1.2% chance to 2HKO

View Conkeldurr counters → Teams with Conkeldurr →

Weavile

DarkIce SOFT CHECK

96.884

33.0% checker faints 8.15%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Weavile Triple Axel (120 BP) (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 152-183 (45.5 - 54.7%) -- 59.8% chance to 2HKO

View Weavile counters → Teams with Weavile →

Tinkaton

FairySteel SOFT CHECK

103.332

31.3% checker faints 7.82%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Tinkaton Gigaton Hammer vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 75-88 (22.4 - 26.3%) -- 14.4% chance to 4HKO

View Tinkaton counters → Teams with Tinkaton →

Mandibuzz

DarkFlying SOFT CHECK

153.909

24.0% checker faints 5.84%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Mandibuzz Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 84-99 (25.1 - 29.6%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

View Mandibuzz counters → Teams with Mandibuzz →

Clodsire

PoisonGround SOFT CHECK

128.701

23.0% checker faints 6.26%

Scizor

BugSteel SOFT CHECK

30.026

22.1% checker faints 7.58%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Scizor Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 107-127 (32 - 38%) -- 95.6% chance to 3HKO

View Scizor counters → Teams with Scizor →

Donphan

Ground SOFT CHECK

81.707

20.3% checker faints 7.66%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Donphan Head Smash vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 127-150 (38 - 44.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Donphan counters → Teams with Donphan →

Metagross

SteelPsychic SOFT CHECK

76.081

18.6% checker faints 7.67%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Choice Band Metagross Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 134-158 (40.1 - 47.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

View Metagross counters → Teams with Metagross →

Lokix

BugDark SOFT CHECK

100.411

15.6% checker faints 6.25%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Lokix Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 109-130 (32.6 - 38.9%) -- 99.4% chance to 3HKO

View Lokix counters → Teams with Lokix →

Excadrill

GroundSteel SOFT CHECK

137.61

14.2% checker faints 5.12%

DAMAGE CALC

252+ Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Skarmory: 69-84 (20.6 - 25.1%) -- 0.1% chance to 4HKO

View Excadrill counters → Teams with Excadrill →

Blissey

Normal SOFT CHECK

64.781

8.8% checker faints 4.90%

DAMAGE CALC

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

View Blissey counters → Teams with Blissey →

Ranked #6 with 18.83% usage. Sorted by reliability score.