Air Cutter or Fly?

[Xtra]

My Scarmory in Emerald just hit Level 29, and is trying to learn Air Cutter. I'm tempted to replace fly with it, but I'm not sure if I should.

They're both flying attacks. Air Cutter's base damage is 55, while Fly is at 70, and they both have 95% accuracy.

But, while Fly has the same old "Nearly unhittable for turn 1, attack in turn 2", Aircutter has a high Critical hit ratio.

I can't decide which to leave on.

Scarmory (M)

-Sand Attack
-Swift
-Agility
-(TBD)

Any thoughts?

 

[Tazzler]

Drill peck.

 

[Amphoroz_26]

Xtra I hadthe same problem with my Crobat on Emerald, but I chose Air cutter in the end 'cos Fly wastes a turn and only has a pp of 15 whilst air cutter is less powerful but has a high critical hit ratio. Critical hits double the power of a move so although a.c is less powerful, a critical a.c is more powerful than fly. And it has a pp of 25 and,to me,looks cooler >_<. But,of course fly is a useful HM to keep about(like surf) and one pkmn in your party should know it.

But..the final decision is up to u.
~;181;

 

[Freakshow]

Skarmory @ Lefties
Impish nature
- Drill Peck/Aerial Ace
- Spikes
- Roar/Whirlwind
- Rest/Substitute/Steel Wing

Air Cutter is better

 

[Edward Prior]

I'd say take air cutter, but replace with drill peck later when you can.

 

[Xtra]

I decided to keep them both. I'll need Fly to make it easier to get around, but like you said, Air Cutter is the better move (And Scarmory is the only one on my team that can learn Fly). I replaced Sand Attack, since i rarely use it.

So at this point in the game, here's my Scarmory:

Scarmory (M)
Naive nature

-Fly
-Air Cutter
-Swift
-Agility

It's not a great Scarmory, and I haven't been EV training it. But for in-game, it'll work

 

[Edward Prior]

I hope you'll get rid of fly if you get drill peck, because Drillpeck>Fly in every way.

 

[Rudoku]

I'd say take air cutter, but replace with drill peck later when you can.

He can't really do that since Drill Peck is an egg move.

 

[SapphireL]

and you don't want Fly AND Air Cutter. >_> one or the other imo... (and Drill Peck is the best choice, Aerial Ace following that option if you don't want to breed)

if you need a Flyer, use a different Pokemon imo. :/

 

[ZNtelle]

Drill Peck is the best choice. However, if you're going to use it along with AirLock's suggestion, you'll have to use Roar then. Drill Peck + Whirlwind is illegal, meaning it isn't obtainable by normal means.

 

[gon405]

IMO I'd keep the air cutter since it can also come in handy for double battle.

 

[ZNtelle]

Yeah, but when do you use Skarmory in a double battle? It's really only used in a single battle.

 

[magnemiteZ]

Also, Air Cutter double battle is poor.

Use AA if you can't get Drill Peck easily

 

[Xtra]

Yeah, but when do you use Skarmory in a double battle? It's really only used in a single battle.

I use whatever pokemon I think would work. I brought Scarmory out, for example, when one of the pokemon I was facing was a Tropius.

and you don't want Fly AND Air Cutter. >_> one or the other imo... (and Drill Peck is the best choice, Aerial Ace following that option if you don't want to breed)

if you need a Flyer, use a different Pokemon imo. :/

I have enough problems pulling out Zigzagoon when I need to use Cut or Rock Smash. And I'll need another HM Slave for Dive, Waterfall, and Whirlpool. Since I'm expecting to use Fly a lot, I wanted it on a team member.

 

[ZNtelle]

Skarmory is called a wall because it's only useful in a single battle to sheild stuff. In a double battle, it justs gets killed by anything that can land a supreffective hit because that Pokemon has the option of hitting Skarm and not the other Pokemon.