Does this Skarmory set work?

Moves:
Stealth Rocks
Spikes
Roost
Whirlwind

EV:
HP 252
Def 252
Sp 4

Item:
Rocky Helmet
(maybe Leftovers)

The plan is to send Skarmory out first and set up Stealth Rocks. Then it uses Whirlwind. If what comes out is a physical attacker or something that can barely hurt Skarmory, use Spikes; if it is not, use Whirlwind. The idea is to let the Stealth Rocks/ Spikes rack up damage without given your opponent a chance to adjust. With 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rocks down on a neutral target, that each Whirlwind takes away 37.5% of a Pokemon total health! The EV spread is there to keep Skarmory alive and the Rocky Helmet is there to damage physical attackers. If you Whirlwind something you do not like out or take a Taunt, call Skarmory back and wait until your opponent tries to set up. There are few things quit as sweet as making a perfect Baton Pass useless with a single move.

The obvious problem is with this set is that it cannot do damage; I just cannot think of what move to replace with Brave Bird. Stealth Rocks is deals double damage to Flying types that avoid Spikes. Whirlwind is core of the set. Spikes makes the Whirlwind dangerous instead of annoying. Roost allows for recovery whenever a physical attacker comes out.

So, what do you all think?

Isn't spikes banned in ou I'm not sure but I thought they were

What? No it isn't banned

The set is decent but is taunt and stall bait. Taunt is obvious, if you get taunted you don't have anything to use. And if you can't whirlwind it away for one reason or another you can't do anything about it. Also, roar>whirlwind because roar goes through sub.

The plan also has a few holes in them. The biggest one is that just whirlwind the special attacker out is easier said than done. Skarm's special defense is bad and it will take a big amount of damage before it can whirlwind out.

I should switch out spikes for brave bird. Even though spikes can do up to 25% damage it takes too long to set up, flying and levitate Pokémon are immune and it can be easily removed by rapid spin and defog making you have wasted four turns of set up including stealth rock set up.

Zenox-rmp wrote:Also, roar>whirlwind because roar goes through sub.

Both do

Oh I guess spikes are not banned must of imagined it

With this set, you have to not even hesitate to call Skarmory out. If the opposing Pokemon is a Special Attacker or has Taunt, switch to another Pokemon. The only time you should send this up against a Special Attacker is when they are threatening to sweep. This combo actually ends almost any sweep. Unfortunately, it requires Skarmory to be at full health.

Step 1: Skarmory gets a safe switch in when the enemy uses a Poison or Ground typed move, or your Pokemon faint.
Step 2: Use Whirlwind
Step 3: Whirlwind always goes last, so Skarmory will take an attack
Step 4: Skarmory's Sturdy ability lets them survive whatever attack the opponent's sweeper does
Step 5: Whirlwind takes effect, removing all buffs on the sweeper


It takes a long time for Spikes and Stealth Rocks to be set up. However, if the opponent's Pokemon is a Physical Attacker, Rapid Spinner, Baton Passer, or Wall and has no or weak special attacks, the 4 turns of set-up is worth it.

Physical Attackers will lose 2/3 (4*1/6) of their health from the Rocky Helmet. Even if they do get some damage in, it is removed by Roost.

Rapid Spinners should be taken out by other Pokemon; Skarmory can take them on if it really needs to. Every time the Rapid Spinner switches in to get rid of the hazards, it will take hazard damage. The actual Rapid Spin will barely hurt Skarmory and deal 1/6 damage to the Rapid Spinner. Keep setting up the hazards and they will have to keep using Rapid Spin. If you would prefer, just Whirlwind them out. If you are really good at predicting, you may be able to stop the Rapid Spinner from removing the hazards.

As a Baton Passes sets up, you lay down the Spikes. Once it has a good amount of stat boosts and is likely to pass them on, use Whirlwind.

The whole point of Walls is that they can take damage without a problem. If Skarmory is not attacking them, then their greatest strength becomes useless. In addition, Stealth Rocks, Spikes and Rocky Helmet deal damage as fractions of the Pokemon's health, so no amount of bulk can help.

I am not saying this set is perfect. I think that there are some situations it will be good and others were it will be bad. That is why you need to be willing to call Skarmory back at the first hint of trouble. There are two correct ways to use this set. First, it is a "Hazards Attacker" in the early game; second, it removes stat buffs in the mid-game. It has little to no use late game. I am not even sure it can defeat the last Pokemon because Whirlwind cannot be used to inflict hazard damage. This set makes Skarmory heavily dependent on their teammates and works best when you can predict switches; however, most opponents will not know how to counter this set because there is nothing else quite like it in the meta-game right now.