<p>While using an NFE not named Chansey in OU might seem odd, especially one with such pitiful stats as Aron, Aron has quite a bit going for it. It succeeds where all other FEAR users have failed in the past,
which is mainly due to its immunities to Toxic and sandstorm. This means that unlike Pokemon such as Cottonee and the classic Rattata, Aron cannot be worn down
through by most common forms of residual damage. It actually thrives in sand, as sandstorm damage
can finish finishes off
most Pokemon after they take an Endeavor,
which mitigates mitigating Aron's lack of access to priority. After Aron is hit by an attack, which will always activate Sturdy
due to it being run at as it is level 1, it can use Endeavor to bring the foe down to 1 HP. Aron's Shell Bell then heals it back
up to full HP, creating an endless cycle of death.</p>
<p>
However, (RC) Aron does have its flaws. First off, most opponents know exactly what Aron does, so they can play around it. Aron's
most major downfall is its vulnerability to entry hazards; if they are on the field, Aron cannot switch in lest its beloved Sturdy be broken. Additionally, it is affected by burn, Leech Seed, Encore, and Perish Song, not to mention multi-hit moves, which ignore Sturdy. Furthermore, Aron flat-out fails against stall and even some balance teams, as they always carry at least one or two of the aforementioned ways of defeating Aron. However, offensive teams generally have a difficult time against it; these teams are
the most common, so Aron finds use in most battles. Overall, despite its numerous downfalls, Aron is
definitely a decent choice for any team,
so long as you are willing to provide the support it requires.
(Consider changing the green text to something more imperative like "though you must", to really drive the point home.)</p>
[SET]
name: Endeavor (Level 1)
move 1: Endeavor
move 2: Protect
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Hidden Power Rock
item: Shell Bell
ability: Sturdy
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Aron isn't that difficult to use, but there are a few steps you must take for it to succeed.
During the Team Preview Before the battle begins, look over your opponent's team. If he or she
lacks does not have (added for consistency with the following sentence) a Ghost-type or a Pokemon that can inflict burn, then Aron has the upper hand. However, if the opponent does, these Pokemon and others that can stop Aron, such as users of Perish Song, Encore, and multi-hit attacks, must be removed.
Once the game starts As the game progresses and these issues are dealt with, the next step is getting Aron in, which isn't
actually that easy. If there are entry hazards on the field, make sure they are gone before you bring in Aron, as they
would will break its Sturdy and thus render it completely useless. Aron also has to come in completely unscathed, so you must be sure to utilize smart double switches
and, (AC) U-turn and Volt Switch; the only other option is to bring it in after one of Aron's teammates faints. An interesting
option way to do this is to use a kamikaze Explosion and then bring it in.</p>
<p>Once Aron is in play, you are
pretty much nearly guaranteed one kill. Any attack will bring Aron down to Sturdy range, so the best move is to respond with Endeavor, after which Shell Bell will bring it back to full health. If the foe doesn't attack, you have a few options. This is where the other moves come into play. If the foe doesn't carry Leftovers, Protect is an excellent choice, as sandstorm damage will finish
off these foes
off, assuming they are
affected by the weather damaged by it. If the foe isn't affected by sandstorm or is a Ghost-type, using Toxic is the best modus operandi, as this will wear said foe down. Although Aron itself might not be able to complete the job, a teammate should be able to. Hidden Power Rock is for cases where the foe is immune to sandstorm damage and Toxic yet is sitting at 1 HP. Hidden Power Rock is chosen because every attack will do exactly two damage to a level 100 Pokemon regardless of its Base Power, and it can hit Shedinja. If the foe is immune to Toxic and sandstorm and carries Leftovers, Aron just will not be able to kill it,
but it will still be in an incredibly low range of health though it will come very close. Sometimes, however, you don't have to deal with any of this due to the foe being unprepared for Aron and can just spam Endeavor along with possibly Protect to win the game.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Maximum Speed investment is run to ensure opposing Aron and other FEAR Pokemon don't outspeed Aron.
Full investment is run in Special Attack
is fully invested to
give Aron the upper hand in matchups against put it at least on equal footing with other Aron
that do not run any Special Attack EVs. In the realm of attacks, Stealth Rock is a decent support option, as every team needs the entry hazard, though Aron is not
the most a reliable setter of it. However, it gives Aron something to do against Pokemon it has no hope of overcoming. Sandstorm is an interesting choice, allowing Aron to support itself a bit more
, (RC) though this isn't the recommended way of using the move;
instead, (RC) it should be used as opposing weather inducers, such as Politoed and Ninetales, switch in.
(The latter thing you mentioned is still supporting itself, so you don't need the red portion.) The final possibility is Roar, which can shuffle out threatening Pokemon as they switch in, often enabling Aron to get off a free Endeavor.</p>
<p>When using Aron,
there are two types of support
that are mandatory: sand and Rapid Spin. For the sand inducer, either Tyranitar or Hippowdon work, but Tyranitar is best suited for the offensive teams Aron is generally found on. Additionally, it can Pursuit trap
the Ghost-types
, (RC) which that are major threats to Aron
in its tracks. Rapid Spin support can be provided by Starmie, OU's best offensive spinner; it also happens
to be able to handle Skarmory,
which stops Aron in its tracks another full stop to Aron.
("Major threats" misrepresents what Ghost types do to Aron." Toxic Spikes support isn't necessary, but it can be very useful if you don't want to waste time using Toxic. Forretress is generally the best Pokemon for this, as it can Rapid Spin as well. Other than these
few requirements
(I wouldn't call it "few", as most Pokemon don't even need one particular partner), there isn't much else that Aron needs; there are some teams it will always utterly fail against and
other others that it will flat-out sweep.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Using any set other than the one listed will cause you to be the laughingstock of the OU ladder. Don't even think about it.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>As a start, any weather other than sand renders Aron completely useless. Without the additional damage sandstorm provides, Aron is unable to actually kill its foes. Ghost-types, such as Jellicent, Gengar, and Sableye, are unaffected by Endeavor and thus are perfect counters to it. All
that Aron can do
in return is use Toxic,
but though Gengar is immune to it too. Jellicent and Sableye in addition to Rotom-W can burn Aron; because Aron is not immune to burn, it is immediately crippled for the duration of the match. Because Aron is affected by Leech Seed, Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Jumpluff can also stop Aron. Entry hazards also render Aron completely useless, as they break its beloved Sturdy, which means it can't take a hit before it uses Endeavor.</p>
<p>Defensive Pokemon that are immune to Toxic and have
some sort of a recovery option, such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory, are hard stops to Aron
, (RC) though Ferrothorn won't enjoy a hit from Endeavor. Poison Heal Gliscor is especially effective, as its ability heals it up after the Endeavor; it is also immune to
Toxic and sandstorm
and healed by Toxic. Pokemon that carry multi-hit attacks, such as Breloom and Cloyster, can ignore Sturdy and kill Aron. Pokemon with the ability Mold Breaker or Teravolt work in a similar vein. Garchomp and Ferrothorn, which have the abilities Rough Skin and Iron Barbs respectively, can check Aron; although they pretty much have to sacrifice themselves to do so, their abilities can finish off Aron after it uses Endeavor.
(Wait, you mentioned Ferrothorn in the beginning of this paragraph, and now you contradict yourself later. Whatever error you've made, fix it.) Finally, having unrelenting offensive pressure means Aron cannot switch in, so if you
somehow lack any of the aforementioned Pokemon, playing well can get you around it.</p>
