Pokemon Sword and Shield Beat One of the Best Gen 2…

It's not often that some Pokemon stay a long time in the meta of the series without falling off, and it's even less frequent that if they do fall off, they also get back to a place that's better than before — especially in a game like Pokemon Legends: Z-A. From the days of Generation 2 to the competitive peak of Gen 7 and early Gen 8, Skarmory stood tall as a quintessential Flying/Steel defensive utility Pokemon loved by players for stall, balance, and hazard-stacking teams. But everything changed when Pokemon Sword and Shield's Corviknight arrived, reshaping not just the steel-winged defensive role but the very meta that had kept Skarmory relevant for decades.

Both powerful and yet bulky Steel/Flying Pokemon, Skarmory and Corviknight are similar, yet have key differences in how they are played and the weight they can carry in a team. For a while since its introduction, Corviknight has been a very popular pick in various stages of the VGC meta, whereas Skarmory has fallen off a bit. Now, Pokemon Legends: Z-A is turning the tables again.

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By Andrea Trama

Skarmory's Legacy in the Competitive Pokemon Meta Explained

Skarmory wasn't just good, it was meta-defining. Across generations, it was a reliable physical wall, hazard setter, and pivot control piece thanks to:

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.

Until Gen 7 and some early Pokemon Sword and Shield Isle of Armor formats, Skarmory's role was one of those building blocks almost every serious team considered because it forced switches, punished unsafe plays, and supported win conditions with chip damage and defensive pressure. However, this role completely changed with Pokemon Legends: Z-A.

Skarmory and Corviknight are the only Steel/Flying Pokemon in the series, except for Gen 7's Celesteela, which is an Ultra Beast and thus more difficult to get and use in battle.

Skarmory Competitive Highlights in Pokemon Games

Skarmory is a bird Pokemon with skin made of steel

From Generation 2 to a Gen 7 OU / UU staple, Skarmory was consistently relevant as a defensive hazard setter and pivot support. It mostly had the same role over time, despite the introduction of new moves and items.

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 Pokemon was so good that Skarmory decks in Pokemon TCG Pocket ended up dominating the format for a long time.

How Pokemon Sword and Shield's Corviknight Redefined the Meta

Then came Corviknight, Sword and Shield's new Flying/Steel-type answer to Skarmory. While Skarmory was defensive and utility-focused, Corviknight offered all that and more, thanks to:

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

Pokemon Sword and Shield's OU staple (and OU in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, too), Corviknight rose quickly to be one of the most splashable defensive cores in competitive formats. It was also easily accessible in the game thanks to multiple spawn points of its evolutionary line in the region, making it easy to farm for a competitively viable 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

The core of Corviknight's dominance isn't just slightly better stats, but rather tempo, utility, and flexibility:

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

While all this is true for the main series up until more recent tournaments in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Skarmory is far superior to Corviknight, even after its addition in the Mega Dimension DLC. When the game came out, it was revealed that Skarmory was not only a great Pokemon to use in competitive play on its own, but even got new tools.

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Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Mega Skarmory is the most obvious one, reducing Skarmory's base Defense stat by a whopping 30 points, while getting 60 points in Attack, 30 in Special Defense, and 40 in Speed. Mega Skarmory is a monster that is great both defensively and offensively, with plenty of good moves and an undisclosed ability.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A's Xerneas is a Fairy-type powerhouse, but it's countered by Skarmory and Mega Skarmory's powerful physical attacks.

Skarmory also gets Swords Dance, which can be combined with some incredible STAB Steel-type and Flying-type moves, like Magnet Bomb, Brave Bird, and Sky Attack, all while getting coverage moves like Drill Run. Despite the base Pokemon being still a defensive powerhouse with some offensive prowess, its new kit, combined with real-time ranked battles in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, makes it one of the best and most consistent overall. On the other hand, Corviknight shares its type and some moves, but it's nowhere near Skarmory in terms of raw power and utility, dropping the crown it had since Gen 8.

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