OverviewAerodactyl will always be known as the fastest Stealth Rock lead in the game, with the exception of Choice Scarfers with Stealth Rock. With Stealth Rock being a move that many teams build around, Aerodactyl will continue to be a very popular lead. While the other sets listed are viable, Aerodactyl will always do its job as a lead, laying Stealth Rock quickly and Taunting other Pokemon. With this in mind, it is no wonder that Aerodactyl is constantly a top five lead.
Aerodactyl has remained a constant threat in OU, having found its niche as a suicide lead. With access to Taunt and Stealth Rock, Aerodactyl can prevent opposing Pokemon from setting up, giving you time to put up your own Stealth Rock. You can then attempt to batter your opponent with either Aerodactyl or the other members of your team. Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Base 130 Speed coupled with 105 Attack and an outstanding movepool cannot be ignored. These factors make Aerodactyl an excellent Pokemon to equip a Choice Band. Unlike the lead set, Aerodactyl has enough power to take out many top threats, whether they be defensively or offensively orientated. For example, Aqua Tail has a chance to 2HKO Hippowdon, assuming Hippowdon has taken prior damage in the form of Spikes (Hippowdon can and will survive maximum damage from Aqua Tail twice even with Stealth Rock factored in; one layer of Spikes gives Hippowdon enough prior damage to be 2HKOed). Even Bronzong, a Pokemon who previously walled Aerodactyl without any trouble at all, has a small chance to be 2HKOed by Fire Fang, assuming it has taken Stealth Rock damage twice. Team Options & Additional Comments >>>
Aerodactyl's Speed, resistances, and ability, Pressure, give it all the right tools to run a successful Substitute and Roost set. The goal of this set is to set up sandstorm and bring in Aerodactyl on a resisted attack, such as Fire Blast or Return, or an immunity, such as Earthquake. From there, Aerodactyl can usually set up Substitute with his base 130 Speed stat and attempt to stall out the opponent's PP with Pressure. To ensure that Aerodactyl can continue making Substitutes, Roost is a necessity on the set. With sandstorm boosting Aerodactyl's Special Defense to a respectable level, Aerodactyl can feel free to use Roost when not protected by a Substitute. The other two attacks on the set are almost as important as Substitute and Roost. Taunt prevents any Pokemon from using any phazing or healing moves, which can be a major asset if Aerodactyl is used in conjunction with entry hazards. With a sandstorm brewing, Aerodactyl will quickly eat up an opponent's health. Rock Slide is used to help damage any Flying-type or Levitating Pokemon, who have an immunity to Toxic Spikes. Rock Slide can also flinch other Pokemon as a small side bonus. Whirlwind could be used over either move as it allows Aerodactyl to outspeed and drive away other phazers like Skarmory or Swampert. Taunt does this as well, but Whirlwind has the advantage of possibly bringing in Pokemon who take severe damage from entry hazards. Team Options & Additional Comments >>>Team OptionsWhen using the Lead Aerodactyl, offensive teammates that rely on an early Stealth Rock are usually the best partners. Swords Dance Lucario, Dragon Dance Salamence, and Dragon Dance Gyarados all make appropriate partners, giving your team a fast paced tempo and using Stealth Rock to turn some 2HKOs into OHKOs. Bullet Punch Scizor is usually a big pain for Aerodactyl, especially if you planned on using Aerodactyl's Speed to your advantage later. Magnezone can trap Scizor locked into Bullet Punch and KO with Hidden Power Fire or Thunderbolt. Magnezone can also trap Aerodactyl's biggest threat, Choice Scarf Jirachi locked into Iron Head, and kill it with more Hidden Power Fire or Thunderbolt. If you plan to use the SubRoost set, a team focused on entry hazards is ideal for Aerodactyl. Sandstorm boosts Aerodactyl's Special Defense by 150%, while slowly taking away health from opposing Pokemon. Magnezone and Skarmory can both handle physical attackers who prevent Aerodactyl from setting up Substitute. Celebi with Reflect also makes a great partner, being able to take the Electric-type attacks thrown at Aerodactyl. When Reflect is up, Aerodactyl should have enough Defense to set up on most attacks. Other OptionsA Life Orb set with Fire Blast could work on Aerodactyl, especially with Aerodactyl's high Speed and decent base 60 Special Attack stat. However, Salamence's neutrality to Bullet Punch, better attacks in the form of Draco Meteor and Outrage, higher stats, and ability, Intimidate, largely outclass Aerodactyl. Double-Edge can be used on the Choice Band set with Rock Head as the ability. Double-Edge has a neutrality edge on Aerodactyl's other attacks and can be used to lighten the need for prediction. A set focused on Curse and White Herb could have some success, especially in sandstorm where both of Aerodactyl's defenses would be raised. Unfortunately, Salamence and Gyarados can all use Dragon Dance to be stronger and faster than Aerodactyl, and while Aerodactyl would have increased bulk from Curse, Aerodactyl's weakness to Steel-, Ice-, and Water-type attacks severely hinder Aerodactyl. EVsAerodactyl should only focus on Speed and Attack, either to make sure Stealth Rock is on the field, or for quickly hitting the opponent. The only exception to this case is the SubRoost set, where increasing Aerodactyl's defenses over Attack give Aerodactyl a much better chance to set up Substitute or use Roost. CountersBullet Punch Scizor doesn't care one inch about Aerodactyl's high Speed and will quickly Bullet Punch Aerodactyl to oblivion. Metagross can do this as well, and doesn't have to worry as much about the odd Fire Blast being thrown out. Mamoswine can Ice Shard Aerodactyl very easily and much like Scizor and Metagross, will be able to take a hit. Weavile can Ice Shard as well. If you don't want to rely on priority to defeat Aerodactyl, Rotom-A and Swampert make excellent counters. Forretress and Bronzong can both use Gyro Ball to eliminate Aerodactyl, but the former has to be wary of Fire Fang or Fire Blast. Pokemon with Choice Scarf can either revenge kill or lure in Aerodactyl for the KO. If you plan on attempting to draw out Aerodactyl like that, be sure to keep the fact that you are using Choice Scarf hidden. Lead Aerodactyl has a big role of predicting correctly. If it wastes a turn using Taunt against a Pokemon that decides to just try and kill Aerodactyl, you have potentially just wasted a free turn. However, forgoing Taunt to use Stealth Rock or an attack may give them a free turn to set up, making the choice of Aerodactyl as a lead worthless. In cases like these, it is often better to use Taunt, as the support move they might be running will likely be a lot more harmful to a team than their Pokemon killing Aerodactyl. |
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