Skarmory are tall birds with long necks and long legs. They have red feathers under sheaths that cover their very sharp wings. Their skin and feathers are hard because they live and are raised in very harsh conditions. Their nests are usually found in thorn bushes, where continual scratching of their skin will eventually harden it into an iron-like state. Skarmory, like most Template:Type2 Pokémon, are silver-gray except for their red feathers, yellow eyes, and metallic-blue neck, talons, and tail. Their feet both have three toes on them, two in front and one in back, and their tail has hooked ends. Skarmory also possesses a pointed, triangular crest on its head, and, although Skarmory are otherwise birdlike, several teeth in its lower jaw. Their wings are actually hollow, despite their appearance, allowing them to travel up to 190mph.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Despite being covered in extremely durable armor, they are also surprisingly swift in flight, and its feathers are sharp enough to be used as swords and knives.
Skarmory are highly territorial and will attack anyone who threatens them. They also choose to build their nests out of sharp brambles. Skarmory's steel wings become tattered and bashed in from repeated battles, but once a year the battered wings grow back completely, restoring the cutting edges to a pristine state.
Skarmory like to live in tough terrain, often near volcanic areas and large mountains. They always build their nests in thorns and brambles. This ensures their offspring's safety, as no other Pokémon can get near and their offspring's skin will be scratched until it is hard like its parents'.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Team Go-Getters out of the Gate!, a Skarmory kidnapped Pikachu and Pichu. Team Go-Getters battled it and eventually managed to save the two electric rodents. After the battle, the Skarmory claims to have no memory of the event, although why it is has not been known. Charmander guessed that, "Maybe Skarmory bumped it's head."
In the Pokémon Stadium 2, a Skarmory can be seen flying on the Flying Terrain. Other guest Pokémon found in the Flying Terrain include a Drifloon and a Hoppip drifting in the distance.
Game data
NPC appearances
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Skarmory resides at the top of Mt. Steel where it does not like being disturbed. Skarmory holds a Diglett captive and attacks the player. After being defeated, it flies away and doesn't return. However, the player can have a Skarmory join their team after beating the game in the following dungeons: Western Cave 40F-49F; Wish Cave 18F-19F.
Pokémon Ranger: Skarmory is Elita's partner Pokémon. The player also sees it at the Grassland Challenge.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation II.
Skarmory is entirely encased in hard, protective armor. This Pokémon flies at close to 190 mph. It slashes foes with its wings that possess swordlike cutting edges.
Skarmory's steel wings become tattered and bashed in from repeated battles. Once a year, the battered wings grow back completely, restoring the cutting edges to their pristine state.
In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Time and Explorers of Darkness, Skarmory can be found in Chasm Cave, Zero Isle West and Zero Isle South. However, as Pokémon can not be recruited in any of those dungeons, it is impossible to add Skarmory to the team under normal circumstances. Skarmory may still ask to join after completing a mission for it, such as in the one from the following Wonder Mail code:
KN9@ =3YM K&N8
H1X1 #TYF =07%
Objective: Take item from Spiritomb on floor 12 of Crystal Crossing.
|- style="background:#98C2D1"
| colspan="13" | Bold indicates a move that gets STAB Italic indicates a move that gets STAB only from an Evolution of this Pokémon A colored initial indicates that the move is not available to be tutored in this game, while a colored background indicates that the move is available.
|}
|}
Mantine and Skarmory have the exact same base stats, except that Mantine is oriented towards the special stats, while Skarmory is more based in the physical stats.
Skarmory's wings were solid silver in Gold and Silver. This was fixed in Crystal.
Skarmory has kidnapped more Pokémon and people in the anime than any other Pokémon, with the possible exception of Meowth. It has kidnapped Jessie's Wobbuffet, May, an Azumarill, Meowth, and in the Mystery Dungeon special it also kidnapped Diglett, Pichu and Pikachu.
Skarmory is the only Pokémon to learn Steel Wing via level-up, and is one of only three Pokémon that get STAB from it. The other two are Scizor and Empoleon.
Origin
Skarmory has much in common with the Andean Condor. It also shares characteristics of cranes, birds which are held in high esteem in Japan; such characteristics include a long neck and long legs, and a daggerlike beak. It is also similar to the Stymphalian Birds in the Greek story The Twelve Labors of Hercules. Skarmory is also believed to be based off of an armored knight.
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Sharp Beak (100%)
For other sprites and images, please see Skarmory images on Bulbagarden Archives.
