Pokemon Sword and Shield Beat One of the Best Gen 2 Pokemon, Only for Legends: Z-A to Return the Favor

It’s rare for a Pokémon to remain consistently strong throughout the series, and even rarer for one to become more powerful after a decline. This is especially true in a game like Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Skarmory was a staple Flying/Steel type known for its defense and support in competitive play from Generation 2 through Generations 7 and 8, fitting well on teams focused on stalling, balance, or setting up hazards. However, the introduction of Corviknight in Pokémon Sword and Shield completely changed the landscape, not only for Steel and Flying types but for the entire competitive meta, ultimately overshadowing Skarmory’s long-held relevance.

Skarmory and Corviknight are both strong Steel/Flying-type Pokémon, but they play differently and offer different benefits to a team. Corviknight was a top choice in competitive battling for a long time after its release, while Skarmory became less common. However, the new game, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, is starting to change that, making Skarmory a strong contender once again.

Skarmory’s Legacy in the Competitive Pokemon Meta Explained

Skarmory wasn’t simply effective; it significantly shaped competitive battling. For many generations, it consistently served as a strong defense against physical attacks, a setter of entry hazards, and a key component in controlling the flow of battle, all because of its unique strengths.

Sturdy ability, guaranteeing it lived at least one hit.
Access to hazards like Spikes and Stealth Rock to cripple opponents over time.
Excellent synergy with stall and balance archetypes that relied on attrition and matchup control.

For many generations, up until the Isle of Armor expansion in Pokemon Sword and Shield, Skarmory was a core part of competitive teams. It reliably made opponents switch their Pokemon, penalized risky moves, and helped teams win by slowly chipping away at the opponent’s health while providing solid defense. But Pokemon Legends: Z-A has completely altered how Skarmory is used.

Skarmory and Corviknight are the only Steel and Flying-type Pokémon. Celesteela, from Generation 7, is also this type, but it’s a rare and powerful Ultra Beast, making it harder to obtain and battle with.

Skarmory Competitive Highlights in Pokemon Games

Skarmory has been a consistently useful Pokémon since its introduction in Generation 2, serving as a reliable defender, setting up entry hazards, and supporting team pivots. Even as the game evolved with new moves and items, its core role remained largely the same, making it a mainstay in OU and UU tiers up through Generation 7.

Common Movesets:
- Spikes / Stealth Rock / Roost / Whirlwind or Toxic to be used with its standard stall/utility set, especially succeeding in single battles.
- Body Press / Spikes / Iron Defense / Roost in the modern Gen 8 specialized defensive set.
Items: Typically, Rocky Helmet for extra chip damage or Leftovers for longevity, depending on team synergy.
Role: Physical tank, chip damage utility, hazard pressure — perfect for teams that played the long game and wore foes down.

This Pokémon was incredibly powerful, and it led to Skarmory decks becoming extremely popular and successful in the Pokémon TCG Pocket format for a significant period.

How Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Corviknight Redefined the Meta

Corviknight arrived in Sword and Shield as a new Flying/Steel-type Pokémon, similar to Skarmory. However, while Skarmory excelled at defense and support, Corviknight provided those strengths plus additional capabilities, including:

Superior mixed bulk and typing synergy compared to Skarmory’s more one-dimensional defensive profile.
Access to U-Turn, a pivotal pivot move that revolutionized tempo control in competitive matches.
Better Defog / Pressure + Roost support roles, meaning it could clear hazards and keep itself healthy in the process, something Skarmory couldn’t consistently match at high levels.
Versatility in builds ranging from bulky pivots to offensive threats with Bulk Up + Brave Bird or the standard Body Press set.

Corviknight’s Competitive Highlights in Pokemon Games

Corviknight quickly became a popular and reliable defensive Pokémon in competitive battles, appearing frequently in both Pokémon Sword and Shield and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It was also easy to obtain in the games, with its evolutionary line appearing in many locations, making it simple to train a strong competitive version.

Common Movesets:
- Defog / Roost / U-Turn / Brave Bird or Body Press — defensive pivot build with hazard control.
- Bulk Up / Roost / Brave Bird / Taunt or Substitute — durable brute with setup potential.
Items: Leftovers for sustain, Rocky Helmet for punishing attackers, Maranga Berry for special defense support. There have been some other sets, including the likes of Life Orb.
Role: Corviknight became a consistently high-usage pick in competitive singles and doubles, demonstrating huge versatility. Its role shifted from physical tank to bulky attacker to strategic counter based on needs.

Why Corviknight Outclassed Skarmory in the Meta

Corviknight isn’t just strong because of its stats; it wins games by controlling the pace, offering helpful support, and adapting to different situations.

It handles hazard control (Defog) while still maintaining pivot pressure (U-Turn). These are two roles that Skarmory couldn’t combine as effectively.
Its real durability and offensive tools gave teams more breathing room to combo with sweepers or pressure breakers.
Because Corviknight could do several roles at once, it boosted overall team consistency, especially in closed-sheet tournaments with no information about what kind of set it would use — something competitive players can’t overstate.
Even though Skarmory still pops up in niche stall or hazard stacks, Corviknight became the safer, easier, more multi-purpose pick.

How Pokemon Legends: Z-A Makes Skarmory Miles Better Than Corviknight

Although Corviknight has been a strong choice in the main Pokémon series, especially in recent games like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Skarmory in Pokémon Legends: Z-A is significantly better, even with Corviknight available through the Mega Dimension DLC. From the start, Skarmory proved to be a powerful competitive Pokémon and received several new abilities to enhance its performance.

Okay, so I’ve been checking out Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and Mega Skarmory is seriously shaking things up. They actually lowered its Defense stat by 30 points, which sounds weird, but it gained a huge 60 in Attack, 30 in Special Defense, and 40 in Speed! Basically, they turned it into a total beast – it’s strong on both the attack and defense side, has a ton of good moves it can learn, and they’re keeping its new ability a secret for now. It’s looking like a really powerful Pokemon!

Xerneas in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is a strong Fairy-type Pokemon, but it’s vulnerable to the strong physical attacks of Skarmory and its Mega Evolution.

Skarmory is becoming a top Pokémon thanks to its ability to boost its attack with Swords Dance, combined with powerful Steel- and Flying-type moves like Magnet Bomb, Brave Bird, and Sky Attack, as well as coverage options like Drill Run. While Skarmory was already known for being durable with decent attack power, its updated moveset and the competitive environment in Pokémon Legends: Z-A make it a consistently strong choice. Corviknight, which shares a similar type and some moves, simply doesn’t compare to Skarmory’s strength and versatility, ending its reign as a top Pokémon that began in Generation 8.

2026-02-06 16:07