ROAR
[Overview]
<p>It's not very difficult to find the main use for Aggron. If you didn't notice, the answer that's likely hitting you in the face right now is its 225 Base Power Head Smash. Before you start wondering why you would ever use Aggron's Head Smash over any other Head Smash, I'll tell you. Aggron can use this powerful force of destruction with no recoil. That's right&mdashAggron can spam a 225 Base Power move all day with no drawbacks. And although Head Smash might be its main attraction, Aggron has more to offer than that. It's one of the few Pokemon in RU to boast the Steel type, allowing it to easily check nearly all of RU's Dragon-types. And although you might be under the impression that the only stat worth mentioning about Aggron is its Attack, this couldn't be further from the truth. It also packs a gigantic base 180 Defense, allowing it to shrug off physical hits with ease. By virtue of its typing it's also one of the only reliable counters to Honchkrow and Swellow in RU. Aggron can also switch in fairly easily, as it resists Stealth Rock and is immune to Toxic Spikes.</p>
<p>However, not all is sunshine and ice cream for this lovely Pokemon. Aggron's typing holds it back, cursing it with weaknesses to the common Fighting-, Ground-, and Water-types. It also possesses a Special Defense stat reminiscent of a paper towel's, which only exacerbates the Water-type weakness. But when all is said and done, Aggron brings to the table what few others can boast. If you're in the mood to get out there and smash things like a Spartan, Aggron is one Pokemon that should always come to mind.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When all you want is pure power, look no further than Aggron's Choice Band set. This item shoots Aggron's attack up to a dazzling 525, allowing it to smash through much of the RU tier. Head Smash is the go-to move on this set, easily crushing threats such as Honchkrow, Entei, Galvantula, and Sceptile in one hit. Aggron's Head Smash also 2HKOs Uxie; few physical attackers can match this claim to fame. When Head Smash is resisted, use Heavy Slam; thanks to Aggron's unnaturally large weight it will hit most Pokemon that resist Head Smash for heavy damage. The last two slots are devoted to covering certain threats—Earthquake lands a 2HKO on Steelix, and Ice Punch hits other Ground-Types. Alternatively, Aqua Tail can be used in the last slot to hit Ground-types other than Gligar harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread on this set is simplistic yet effective. Maximum Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Aggron to hit as bone-crushingly hard as possible, while 252 Speed EVs let it outspeed Pokemon with an uninvested base 80 Speed. Choice Band is the obvious item, letting Aggron hit as hard as possible right off the bat. The ability of choice on this set is Rock Head, negating the otherwise-plentiful recoil from Head Smash. Other moves that Aggron could use in its fourth moveslot are Low Kick to smack Steelix, and Superpower to bash Ferroseed, but both are generally outclassed by Aqua Tail or Ice Punch.</p>
<p>The worst enemy of this set is Spikes. As Aggron will be switching in and out a lot, Spikes (the only hazard that has full effectiveness on Aggron), given enough time, is fatal. Therefore, a Rapid Spin user such as Hitmonchan works wonders for Aggron's survival. Entry hazards set by a Pokemon such as Ferroseed can do wonders for Aggron, allowing it to defeat Pokemon such as Steelix with far less effort. For example, Aqua Tail takes out Steelix in one shot after just one layer of Spikes damage. Ironically, Ferroseed is also the greatest enemy of this set; it takes negligible damage from any moves on the main set and won't be 2HKOed by anything short of Superpower.</p>
[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Head Smash
move 4: Magnet Rise / Ice Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>The threat of a powerful Head Smash means that Aggron can force switches like there's no tomorrow. And there's no better way to capitalize on a predicted switch than setting up a Substitute, giving Aggron one extra turn (or more) to do whatever it wants. From there, Focus Punch is a no-brainer; this extremely powerful move works best behind a Substitute, sending the toughest of Pokemon running home to their mothers.</p>
<p>The moves on this set are extraordinarily straightforward. When you see a switch coming, set up a Substitute and watch as your opponent quakes in fear of Aggron's tyrannical wrath. Focus Punch is also obvious, as it is extremely powerful and provides nearly flawless coverage in conjunction with Head Smash. Speaking of Head Smash, it's still Aggron's strongest attack, crushing nearly anything not resisting it like a tractor with overlarge treads. The last slot allows you to deal with Gligar and Claydol, but the two options do so in different ways: one (Magnet Rise) allows you to avoid pesky Ground-type attacks, while the other (Ice Punch) allows you to hit them hard on the switch.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread on this set may look a bit complicated, but in reality it's actually rather straightforward. Maximum Attack EVs with an Adamant nature yield an impressive 350 Attack. Running 204 Speed EVs allows Aggron to outspeed Claydol that don't invest in Speed, with the 52 remaining EVs dropped into HP for a slight bulk increase. Aggron will be damaging itself a lot with its relentless Substitute creation, so Leftovers will allow Aggron to regain some of its lost HP.</p>
<p>This set is very hard to wall due to its inconsistent status immunity and amazing two-move coverage. However, Gligar and Claydol both take little damage from Head Smash and Focus Punch, and can OHKO with their Ground-type STAB moves. Gligar must be careful when switching in, however, as it won't like taking an Ice Punch to the face. Claydol won't either, but at least it will never be 2HKOed. If Aggron uses Magnet Rise on the switch, neither Pokemon will be able to touch it. Aggron appreciates entry hazards more than particular teammates, but Ferroseed shines for its ability to set up hazards with ease.</p>
[SET]
name: Autotomize
move 1: Autotomize
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Most of Aggron's unique power comes from not being forced to set up. Head Smash, with the support of Rock Head, becomes a wrecking ball that few Pokemon can withstand. However, Aggron really suffers in the sweeping department thanks to its lackluster Speed. That's where setup comes in. This set gives Aggron the opportunity to fully sweep a team by boosting its Speed, allowing it to outrun the vast majority of its opponents and lay on the hurt with Head Smash.</p>
<p>The moves on this set really couldn't get much simpler. Autotomize is a complete no-brainer, boosting Aggron's Speed by two stages to allow it to outpace the majority of its foes. In addition, it also reduces Aggron's weight, allowing it to stand up to Grass Knot and Low Kick much better. Head Smash is Aggron's main attacking move, destroying much of RU with its 225 Base Power after STAB. Earthquake offers phenomenal coverage with Head Smash, hitting most Pokemon that resist Aggron's STAB for respectable damage. Ice Punch and Aqua Tail are simply supplementary coverage; Aqua Tail has a higher Base Power and can hit Gligar and Claydol for super effective damage, but Ice Punch hits Gligar harder.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs on this set may look slightly complex at first glance, but are actually quite simple. Maximum Attack EVs, supplemented by an Adamant nature, yield a respectable Attack stat, while 204 Speed EVs allow Aggron to outspeed Pokemon with base 120 Speed after a boost. The last few EVs are dumped into HP, giving Aggron just a tad more bulk. Equipping a Life Orb makes Aggron's hits even more powerful, although the recoil certainly isn't great. As far as niche moves go, Low Kick can murder Steelix and Regirock, which both wall this set effectively. Superpower hits those two in addition to murdering Ferroseed, but the Attack and Defense drops end Aggron's sweep instantly by themselves.</p>
<p>Although Aggron resists Stealth Rock and is immune to Toxic Spikes, Spikes can really put a cramp in its day; with Life Orb whittling away at its HP, the steel beast can't afford further passive damage. Thus, a Rapid Spin user such as Claydol or Hitmonchan makes a good teammate for this set. In addition, Ferroseed and Steelix completely wall this set unless Aggron runs a different coverage move; therefore, a Pokemon that can trap and eliminate them such as Magneton also makes a good teammate.</p>
[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head / Sturdy
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>When one looks at Aggron's typing, the first thing that comes to mind is its Rock-type STAB on Head Smash. However, Aggron also possesses a Steel typing, which is very rare in RU. This allows Aggron to effectively check threats from types such as Dragon, Ice, and Flying with ease. In particular, Aggron is one of the very few reliable Swellow counters in RU.</p>
<p>The choice of moves on this set is slightly unorthodox. Head Smash, however, is practically a no-brainer, giving Aggron serious attacking power even without any investment into its Attack stat. Stealth Rock is an extremely useful move on any team, and is all the better on Aggron because Crygonal, a common Rapid Spin user, would never dare to switch in on Aggron. Finally, the choice between Thunder Wave and Toxic is between beating offense or defense; Thunder Wave slows down fast attackers, while Toxic wears down walls. The choice of coverage moves is a tricky one; Earthquake gives the best overall coverage with Head Smash, but Aqua Tail can discourage Claydol from using Rapid Spin on Aggron.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EV spread on this set is very simple, if slightly unorthodox. Maximum HP and Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature allow Aggron to take special hits with aplomb, with the remaining four EVs put into Defense for a slight increase in physical bulk. Leftovers allow Aggron to recover its HP over time, greatly aiding its tanking ability. Using Rock Head as your ability is preferable, as it negates the sizable recoil from Head Smash; however, Sturdy allows Aggron to serve as a last-ditch check to nearly anything while at full health, albeit at the cost of devastating Head Smash recoil.</p>
<p>One good type of teammate for Aggron is a spinblocker such as Rotom to increase the longevity of the Stealth Rock that it puts up on the field. Pokemon that can take advantage of Stealth Rock, such as Medicham or Honchkrow, also make good teammates.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Aggron doesn't have many other options to utilize. It can run a set utilizing Sturdy in conjunction with Metal Burst to nearly always revenge kill one Pokemon, but the prevalence of entry hazards in the RU metagame make it difficult to keep Sturdy intact. It can also run an attacking set with Thunder Wave to slow down opposing threats and blow through them, but the prevalence of Ground-types, in addition to Aggron's raw offensive power, generally yield superior results with a purely offensive set.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Aggron may have great power, but with great power comes great responsibility—that is to say, the responsibility of keeping an eye out for Aggron's myriad of checks and counters. Ferroseed can check Aggron, as it resists or is neutral to all of Aggron's commonly used moves besides Superpower. However, even it will fall to repeated uses of Head Smash. Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan can generally outrun Aggron and destroy it with 4x super-effective STAB. Gligar will outspeed Aggron and can Roost to recover damage from Head Smash. Steelix takes very little damage from anything Aggron can throw at it short of Low Kick, and will easily OHKO Aggron with Earthquake. Quagsire also OHKOs Aggron with Earthquake, and has the unique benefit of Unaware to allow it to ignore Aggron's stat boosts. Special attackers in general can whale on Aggron's pathetic Special Defense; without the support of a sandstorm, the steel behemoth will quickly fall. Aggron is also weak to the priority moves Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave, providing an easy way to revenge kill it even if it has boosted its Speed.</p>
[Dream World]
<p>Aggron's Dream World ability, Heavy Metal, doubles its weight; however, considering Aggron's already staggering weight, being able to Head Smash with impunity is far superior to having a slightly stronger Heavy Slam.</p>
