[OVERVIEW]
Aerodactyl sits in a phenomenal Speed tier that allows it to outpace popular offensive threats such as Swellow, Flygon, and Zoroark. In conjunction with its tremendous Speed stat, Aerodactyl's solid coverage options such as Stone Edge, Earthquake, and Ice Fang allow it to function as an effective revenge killer and late-game cleaner. Aerodactyl can trap and weaken Pokemon such as Swellow, Espeon, and Salazzle with Pursuit, as these Pokemon will often switch out when faced with Aerodactyl, fearing a powerful Stone Edge or super effective Earthquake. Unfortunately, Aerodactyl's only decent Attack stat can make it difficult for it to break through bulkier walls such as Doublade, Bronzong, and Registeel, which also resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination. In a similar vein, Aerodactyl's poor defensive stats and weakness to common Water-, Steel-, and Rock-type attacks make it somewhat of a defensive liability and, as such, harder to fit on various team archetypes.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Fang
move 4: Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stone Edge is a powerful Rock-type STAB move, nailing opposing Aerodactyl, Cloyster, and Rotom-H for super effective damage. It has rather lackluster accuracy, however. Earthquake has excellent synergy with Stone Edge, dealing super effective damage to Steel- and Rock-types like Doublade, Registeel, and Gigalith as they switch into Aerodactyl. Ice Fang is crucial for Aerodactyl, hitting Flygon and Gligar 4x super effectively. Ice Fang also hits Chesnaught for super effective damage, but the resulting damage output is still fairly underwhelming. Pursuit is very useful for trapping and weakening offensive threats usually forced out by Aerodactyl such as Swellow, Salazzle, and Espeon. Aerial Ace is an alternative option in this moveslot, completing Aerodactyl's STAB combination and hitting Chesnaught for 4x super effective damage. Roost also has its merits, extending Aerodactyl's longevity throughout a battle. Due to Aerodactyl's poor defenses, however, it rarely gets an opportunity to use Roost safely. Taunt can be used in order to shut down bulky walls that bother Aerodactyl such as Registeel and Cresselia. Lastly, Crunch is useful for hitting Bronzong, one of the most reliable counters to Aerodactyl, for super effective damage, as well as being Aerodactyl's strongest attack versus Ghost-types such as Jellicent.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment allows Aerodactyl to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is necessary to outspeed Pokemon such as Swellow and Salazzle. Unnerve is the ability of choice in order to bypass Berries that halve the damage taken from a super effective attack such as Shuca Berry and Yache Berry as well as prevent pinch healing berries such as Sitrus Berry and Figy Berry from activating. Life Orb is the selected item, boosting Aerodactyl's damage output while still allowing it to switch up moves and take advantage of its impressive coverage. Choice Band is an alternative option that boosts Aerodactyl's Attack stat further; however, the inability to switch moves can be troublesome and leave Aerodactyl as setup bait for a threatening sweeper such as Flygon if not locked into Ice Fang or Doublade when not locked into Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Aerodactyl sports very low defenses, so avoid directly switching it into attacks, as even powerful resisted attacks will do significant damage. Keeping Aerodactyl healthy until the later stages of a game is often optimal, as it serves as an excellent late-game cleaner once its checks and counters have been appropriately weakened or removed entirely. Make use of Volt Switch or U-turn and well-timed double switches to get Aerodactyl in as often as possible to pressure the opposing team. Aerodactyl makes for a decent offensive check to Pokemon such as Swellow, Salazzle, and Yanmega, so these Pokemon will often switch out when facing Aerodactyl. In this case, using Pursuit to weaken or potentially KO these Pokemon is often advisable.
Team Options
========
Aerodactyl greatly appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Chesnaught and Roserade, as these hazards chip away at bulkier walls for Aerodactyl to eventually clean up late-game. Similarly, Aerodactyl does not appreciate coming into the field repeatedly with Stealth Rock up, so hazard removal support from Pokemon such as Mantine, Dhelmise, and Gligar works well with Aerodactyl. Powerful wallbreakers like Choice Specs Swellow and Choice Band Escavalier are excellent partners for Aerodactyl, as they can break through bulkier walls for Aerodactyl to sweep late-game. Bulky Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Doublade are bothersome for Aerodactyl, so Pokemon that can combat them such as Sharpedo, Flygon, and Zoroark make for solid teammates. Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Rotom-H and Flygon pair well with Aerodactyl, as they can provide it with free switches in as well as chip away at bulkier Pokemon with their VoltTurn attacks. Despite their shared weaknesses, Nidoqueen makes for an excellent teammate for Aerodactyl, as it is capable of setting up Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes and can easily combat the bulky Ground- and Steel-type Pokemon that bother Aerodactyl. Shaymin also works very well with Aerodactyl, as it greatly appreciates Aerodactyl's prowess in trapping Pokemon such as Swellow and Salazzle, and also can switch into Leech Seed and Scald with impunity, two moves that consistently trouble Aerodactyl. Finally, Aerodactyl and Zoroark have fantastic offensive synergy, as with Illusion, Zoroark can lure in checks to Aerodactyl such as Doublade and Bronzong and heavily weaken them with Knock Off.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Aerodactyl can run a lead set for more offensively oriented teams, but this set faces great competition from Archeops, which has access to Endeavor and Head Smash, and Aerodactyl is generally more effective as an attacker regardless. Aerodactyl sets itself apart from Archeops with its ability to always outspeed Froslass, however. Fire Blast is capable of 2HKOing Doublade, OHKOing Durant, and dealing more damage to Chesnaught than Ice Fang. Aside from these targets, it is generally less useful than Earthquake's utility, though. In a similar vein, Aqua Tail smacks Rhyperior and Donphan for huge damage, though the ability to hit Steel-types for super effective damage with Earthquake is usually superior. Aerodactyl can also make use of a Hone Claws set with Flyinium Z and Sky Attack, but this set is often unreliable and still struggles to break through Pokemon such as Bronzong, Doublade, and Rhyperior.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types such as Bronzong, Doublade, and Registeel resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination and take little damage from Earthquake. In return, these Pokemon can use Aerodactyl as setup fodder or simply KO it with their super effective Steel-type STAB moves.
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types such as Rhyperior and Steelix resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination and take very little damage from Earthquake due to their high base Defense stats. These Pokemon can OHKO Aerodactyl with their respective STAB moves as well, making them particularly threatening.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Choice Scarf users such as Rotom-H and Tyrantrum can outspeed Aerodactyl and OHKO it with their super effective STAB attacks, making them solid offensive checks.
**Priority**: Powerful priority moves such as Honchkrow's Sucker Punch and Lycanroc's Accelerock bypass Aerodactyl's high Speed stat and do massive damage to it.
**Bulky Attackers**: Bulky Pokemon such as Milotic and Slowbro are capable of taking any attack Aerodactyl can throw at them and in return deal huge damage with a super effective STAB Water-type attack.
Aerodactyl sits in a phenomenal Speed tier that allows it to outpace popular offensive threats such as Swellow, Flygon, and Zoroark. In conjunction with its tremendous Speed stat, Aerodactyl's solid coverage options such as Stone Edge, Earthquake, and Ice Fang allow it to function as an effective revenge killer and late-game cleaner. Aerodactyl can trap and weaken Pokemon such as Swellow, Espeon, and Salazzle with Pursuit, as these Pokemon will often switch out when faced with Aerodactyl, fearing a powerful Stone Edge or super effective Earthquake. Unfortunately, Aerodactyl's only decent Attack stat can make it difficult for it to break through bulkier walls such as Doublade, Bronzong, and Registeel, which also resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination. In a similar vein, Aerodactyl's poor defensive stats and weakness to common Water-, Steel-, and Rock-type attacks make it somewhat of a defensive liability and, as such, harder to fit on various team archetypes.
[SET]
name: Physical Attacker
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Fang
move 4: Pursuit
item: Life Orb
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Stone Edge is a powerful Rock-type STAB move, nailing opposing Aerodactyl, Cloyster, and Rotom-H for super effective damage. It has rather lackluster accuracy, however. Earthquake has excellent synergy with Stone Edge, dealing super effective damage to Steel- and Rock-types like Doublade, Registeel, and Gigalith as they switch into Aerodactyl. Ice Fang is crucial for Aerodactyl, hitting Flygon and Gligar 4x super effectively. Ice Fang also hits Chesnaught for super effective damage, but the resulting damage output is still fairly underwhelming. Pursuit is very useful for trapping and weakening offensive threats usually forced out by Aerodactyl such as Swellow, Salazzle, and Espeon. Aerial Ace is an alternative option in this moveslot, completing Aerodactyl's STAB combination and hitting Chesnaught for 4x super effective damage. Roost also has its merits, extending Aerodactyl's longevity throughout a battle. Due to Aerodactyl's poor defenses, however, it rarely gets an opportunity to use Roost safely. Taunt can be used in order to shut down bulky walls that bother Aerodactyl such as Registeel and Cresselia. Lastly, Crunch is useful for hitting Bronzong, one of the most reliable counters to Aerodactyl, for super effective damage, as well as being Aerodactyl's strongest attack versus Ghost-types such as Jellicent.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment allows Aerodactyl to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature is necessary to outspeed Pokemon such as Swellow and Salazzle. Unnerve is the ability of choice in order to bypass Berries that halve the damage taken from a super effective attack such as Shuca Berry and Yache Berry as well as prevent pinch healing berries such as Sitrus Berry and Figy Berry from activating. Life Orb is the selected item, boosting Aerodactyl's damage output while still allowing it to switch up moves and take advantage of its impressive coverage. Choice Band is an alternative option that boosts Aerodactyl's Attack stat further; however, the inability to switch moves can be troublesome and leave Aerodactyl as setup bait for a threatening sweeper such as Flygon if not locked into Ice Fang or Doublade when not locked into Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Aerodactyl sports very low defenses, so avoid directly switching it into attacks, as even powerful resisted attacks will do significant damage. Keeping Aerodactyl healthy until the later stages of a game is often optimal, as it serves as an excellent late-game cleaner once its checks and counters have been appropriately weakened or removed entirely. Make use of Volt Switch or U-turn and well-timed double switches to get Aerodactyl in as often as possible to pressure the opposing team. Aerodactyl makes for a decent offensive check to Pokemon such as Swellow, Salazzle, and Yanmega, so these Pokemon will often switch out when facing Aerodactyl. In this case, using Pursuit to weaken or potentially KO these Pokemon is often advisable.
Team Options
========
Aerodactyl greatly appreciates entry hazard support from the likes of Chesnaught and Roserade, as these hazards chip away at bulkier walls for Aerodactyl to eventually clean up late-game. Similarly, Aerodactyl does not appreciate coming into the field repeatedly with Stealth Rock up, so hazard removal support from Pokemon such as Mantine, Dhelmise, and Gligar works well with Aerodactyl. Powerful wallbreakers like Choice Specs Swellow and Choice Band Escavalier are excellent partners for Aerodactyl, as they can break through bulkier walls for Aerodactyl to sweep late-game. Bulky Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Doublade are bothersome for Aerodactyl, so Pokemon that can combat them such as Sharpedo, Flygon, and Zoroark make for solid teammates. Volt Switch and U-turn users such as Rotom-H and Flygon pair well with Aerodactyl, as they can provide it with free switches in as well as chip away at bulkier Pokemon with their VoltTurn attacks. Despite their shared weaknesses, Nidoqueen makes for an excellent teammate for Aerodactyl, as it is capable of setting up Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes and can easily combat the bulky Ground- and Steel-type Pokemon that bother Aerodactyl. Shaymin also works very well with Aerodactyl, as it greatly appreciates Aerodactyl's prowess in trapping Pokemon such as Swellow and Salazzle, and also can switch into Leech Seed and Scald with impunity, two moves that consistently trouble Aerodactyl. Finally, Aerodactyl and Zoroark have fantastic offensive synergy, as with Illusion, Zoroark can lure in checks to Aerodactyl such as Doublade and Bronzong and heavily weaken them with Knock Off.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Aerodactyl can run a lead set for more offensively oriented teams, but this set faces great competition from Archeops, which has access to Endeavor and Head Smash, and Aerodactyl is generally more effective as an attacker regardless. Aerodactyl sets itself apart from Archeops with its ability to always outspeed Froslass, however. Fire Blast is capable of 2HKOing Doublade, OHKOing Durant, and dealing more damage to Chesnaught than Ice Fang. Aside from these targets, it is generally less useful than Earthquake's utility, though. In a similar vein, Aqua Tail smacks Rhyperior and Donphan for huge damage, though the ability to hit Steel-types for super effective damage with Earthquake is usually superior. Aerodactyl can also make use of a Hone Claws set with Flyinium Z and Sky Attack, but this set is often unreliable and still struggles to break through Pokemon such as Bronzong, Doublade, and Rhyperior.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel-types**: Bulky Steel-types such as Bronzong, Doublade, and Registeel resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination and take little damage from Earthquake. In return, these Pokemon can use Aerodactyl as setup fodder or simply KO it with their super effective Steel-type STAB moves.
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types such as Rhyperior and Steelix resist Aerodactyl's STAB combination and take very little damage from Earthquake due to their high base Defense stats. These Pokemon can OHKO Aerodactyl with their respective STAB moves as well, making them particularly threatening.
**Choice Scarf Users**: Choice Scarf users such as Rotom-H and Tyrantrum can outspeed Aerodactyl and OHKO it with their super effective STAB attacks, making them solid offensive checks.
**Priority**: Powerful priority moves such as Honchkrow's Sucker Punch and Lycanroc's Accelerock bypass Aerodactyl's high Speed stat and do massive damage to it.
**Bulky Attackers**: Bulky Pokemon such as Milotic and Slowbro are capable of taking any attack Aerodactyl can throw at them and in return deal huge damage with a super effective STAB Water-type attack.
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