0911 Skeledirge

Incinerate is an excellent Fast Attack, providing both good damage and energy generation despite its rather clunky duration. Bite is terrible.

Shadow Ball is Skeledirge's primary STAB option, sporting great coverage and DPE; it can be a bit expensive, however. Disarming Voice provides Skeledirge with additional coverage against Dragon-type Pokemon and is tied with Crunch for being its cheapest Charged Attack option. Crunch is generally unused because its coverage is too similar to Shadow Ball's, but it has significantly less DPE. Flamethrower is decent and can melt Steel-type Pokemon should Incinerate's damage output not be enough, usually replacing Shadow Ball as Skeledirge still generally prefers having Disarming Voice as a cheap coverage move.

Skeledirge possesses decent stats and a rare but increasingly common type combination. Most notably, Skeledirge can be compared to Alolan Marowak, who also possesses the same Fire/Ghost typing and has greater bulk. Alolan Marowak's strength is in the consistency of its damage output, but Skeledirge's superior energy generation and access to Fairy-type coverage in Disarming Voice sets it apart. The current metagame can be a bit harsh to Skeledirge, with Gligar and Lanturn being omnipresent forces. However, wins against Alolan Sandslash and Medicham are notable and enables some niche for Skeledirge.

Skeledirge benefits from the lack of Alolan Marowak in this league. Unlike the other potential Fire/Ghost candidates, Skeledirge is moderately bulky and can fire off its Charged Attacks more consistently as a result. Many Ultra League staples struggle to break Skeledirge, such as Cobalion, Clefable, and Cresselia. Its fantastic coverage gives it tools that most other Fire- or Ghost-type Pokemon can only dream of, such as hitting Giratina and Obstagoon super effectively. Furthermore, as Lanturn is largely nonexistent in this league, Skeledirge + Tapu Fini form a great core.

It has a higher stat product than Chandelure and can take over its role as a spicy corebreaker in Master League Premier Cup. Keep this away from Open Master League, however. Skeledirge can take on Charmers and wall Xerneas, but it's nothing that Ho-Oh cannot replicate.