[SET]
name: Protect + 3 Attacks
move 1: Protect
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aron's high physical bulk, good Attack, and unique Steel / Rock typing give it a niche as a tank. Protect lets it stall for Leftovers recovery and scout which move Choice Band users like Aipom and Pidgeotto lock themselves into. Double-Edge is Aron's strongest attack against neutral targets, dealing sizable damage to offensive foes like Aipom and Pokemon like Staryu and Seaking. Rock Slide primarily targets Flying-types like Pidgeotto and Taillow and Bug-types like Dustox and Butterfree. Earthquake mainly hits Rock-types like Rhyhorn and Nosepass, Electric-types like Elekid and Magnemite, and some Poison-types like Grimer. This EV spread maximizes Aron's Attack while giving it enough Speed investment to outspeed and revenge kill lure Rhyhorn, with the rest being dumped into HP. An EV spread of 40 HP / 252 Attack / 216 Spe can be used instead to outspeed all variants of Rhyhorn, though the loss in bulk is noticeable.
Aron fits on balance teams that appreciate its unique defensive utility, taking advantage of other balance and some defensive teams. It stonewalls CurseTalk Grimer thanks to its immunity to Poison, making it a natural partner for teammates Grimer can otherwise take advantage of, like Delcatty and Elekid. Another notable Poison-type Aron does extremely well against is Dustox, making it pair nicely with special attackers that struggle against it like Elekid and Chinchou. It is also an excellent check to Choice Band Double-Edge users like Aipom, Pidgeotto, and Taillow, as it can switch into most of their attacks with ease, though it must be wary of their Fighting- and Ground-type coverage. Aron also must be wary of Ground-types such as Rhyhorn and Cubone, as well as Mankey, as they can easily OHKO it using their 4x super effective STAB attacks. Certain physical walls such as Bayleef and Koffing make good partners for their ability to switch into the Normal-types' coverage and check Ground- and Fighting-types. Most special attackers such as Chinchou and Growlithe have little trouble taking out Aron, so special walls and tanks like Delcatty and Castform are essential teammates. Aron struggles to break through Lileep and Koffing, so it appreciates wallbreakers like Substitute Delibird and mixed wallbreaker Seaking that work excellently in eliminating these foes. Chinchou deserves a special mention, as it can break through most physical walls, switch into and beat Water-types trying to eliminate Aron, and mitigate Aron's Speed issues using Thunder Wave.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beatsblack.479897/
Grammar checked by:
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Steel targets Lileep, though without a Choice Band it still fails to 2HKO it. Iron Tail 2HKOes Lileep outright and hits other Rock-types like Rhyhorn and Nosepass significantly harder, though its terrible accuracy makes it unreliable. Toxic can cripple some walls, notably Grass-types like Lileep and Bayleef. Body Slam is alternative over Double-Edge, trading power for a chance to paralyze foes. Choice Band is an option to let Aron act as a wallbreaker, notably allowing it to OHKO Staryu with Double-Edge, 2HKO Staryu and Seaking with Body Slam, and 2HKO Lileep with Hidden Power Steel. Unlike other Choice Band users like Aipom and Taillow, Aron's good defensive profile allows it to easily find entry points against common foes like the aforementioned Pokemon themselves as well as foes like Dustox. However, Choice Band Aron struggles since it has no recovery without Leftovers, and Aron's power alone isn't enough to break through most defensive teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types and Ground-type Coverage**: Rhyhorn and Cubone don't mind Aron's attacks that much and OHKO it with their Ground-type STAB moves; Cubone and offensive Rhyhorn also outspeed most Aron variants. Many Pokemon that use Hidden Power Ground, like Delibird and Taillow, can also outspeed and OHKO Aron, though these Pokemon tend to struggle to switch into it.
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type Coverage**: Mankey outspeeds and OHKOes Aron with Cross Chop, and some physical attackers like Delibird, Shuppet, and Aipom carry Fighting-type coverage, with a few of them such as Choice Band Aipom and Delibird also being able to OHKO Aron. However, none of these Pokemon can switch in easily.
**Physical Walls**: Koffing takes minimal damage from all of Aron's attacks, is immune to Toxic, and can burn Aron and whittle it down with special coverage, making it Aron's hardest defensive answer. Some physical walls like Bayleef can eternally wall Aron, though they must be wary of Toxic, and Lileep must be wary of Steel-type moves as well.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers such as Chinchou and Growlithe can outspeed and OHKO Aron, though they don't enjoy switching into it. Staryu deserves a special mention, as alongside outspeeding and OHKOing Aron, Staryu will never be OHKOed by non-Choice Band Aron's attacks, only taking upwards of 90% from Double-Edge, and it can use Recover to stay healthy.
name: Protect + 3 Attacks
move 1: Protect
move 2: Double-Edge
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Earthquake
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 168 HP / 252 Atk / 88 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Aron's high physical bulk, good Attack, and unique Steel / Rock typing give it a niche as a tank. Protect lets it stall for Leftovers recovery and scout which move Choice Band users like Aipom and Pidgeotto lock themselves into. Double-Edge is Aron's strongest attack against neutral targets, dealing sizable damage to offensive foes like Aipom and Pokemon like Staryu and Seaking. Rock Slide primarily targets Flying-types like Pidgeotto and Taillow and Bug-types like Dustox and Butterfree. Earthquake mainly hits Rock-types like Rhyhorn and Nosepass, Electric-types like Elekid and Magnemite, and some Poison-types like Grimer. This EV spread maximizes Aron's Attack while giving it enough Speed investment to outspeed and revenge kill lure Rhyhorn, with the rest being dumped into HP. An EV spread of 40 HP / 252 Attack / 216 Spe can be used instead to outspeed all variants of Rhyhorn, though the loss in bulk is noticeable.
Aron fits on balance teams that appreciate its unique defensive utility, taking advantage of other balance and some defensive teams. It stonewalls CurseTalk Grimer thanks to its immunity to Poison, making it a natural partner for teammates Grimer can otherwise take advantage of, like Delcatty and Elekid. Another notable Poison-type Aron does extremely well against is Dustox, making it pair nicely with special attackers that struggle against it like Elekid and Chinchou. It is also an excellent check to Choice Band Double-Edge users like Aipom, Pidgeotto, and Taillow, as it can switch into most of their attacks with ease, though it must be wary of their Fighting- and Ground-type coverage. Aron also must be wary of Ground-types such as Rhyhorn and Cubone, as well as Mankey, as they can easily OHKO it using their 4x super effective STAB attacks. Certain physical walls such as Bayleef and Koffing make good partners for their ability to switch into the Normal-types' coverage and check Ground- and Fighting-types. Most special attackers such as Chinchou and Growlithe have little trouble taking out Aron, so special walls and tanks like Delcatty and Castform are essential teammates. Aron struggles to break through Lileep and Koffing, so it appreciates wallbreakers like Substitute Delibird and mixed wallbreaker Seaking that work excellently in eliminating these foes. Chinchou deserves a special mention, as it can break through most physical walls, switch into and beat Water-types trying to eliminate Aron, and mitigate Aron's Speed issues using Thunder Wave.
[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/gangsta-spongebob.535530/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/bp.272450/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/beatsblack.479897/
Grammar checked by:
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Hidden Power Steel targets Lileep, though without a Choice Band it still fails to 2HKO it. Iron Tail 2HKOes Lileep outright and hits other Rock-types like Rhyhorn and Nosepass significantly harder, though its terrible accuracy makes it unreliable. Toxic can cripple some walls, notably Grass-types like Lileep and Bayleef. Body Slam is alternative over Double-Edge, trading power for a chance to paralyze foes. Choice Band is an option to let Aron act as a wallbreaker, notably allowing it to OHKO Staryu with Double-Edge, 2HKO Staryu and Seaking with Body Slam, and 2HKO Lileep with Hidden Power Steel. Unlike other Choice Band users like Aipom and Taillow, Aron's good defensive profile allows it to easily find entry points against common foes like the aforementioned Pokemon themselves as well as foes like Dustox. However, Choice Band Aron struggles since it has no recovery without Leftovers, and Aron's power alone isn't enough to break through most defensive teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Ground-types and Ground-type Coverage**: Rhyhorn and Cubone don't mind Aron's attacks that much and OHKO it with their Ground-type STAB moves; Cubone and offensive Rhyhorn also outspeed most Aron variants. Many Pokemon that use Hidden Power Ground, like Delibird and Taillow, can also outspeed and OHKO Aron, though these Pokemon tend to struggle to switch into it.
**Fighting-types and Fighting-type Coverage**: Mankey outspeeds and OHKOes Aron with Cross Chop, and some physical attackers like Delibird, Shuppet, and Aipom carry Fighting-type coverage, with a few of them such as Choice Band Aipom and Delibird also being able to OHKO Aron. However, none of these Pokemon can switch in easily.
**Physical Walls**: Koffing takes minimal damage from all of Aron's attacks, is immune to Toxic, and can burn Aron and whittle it down with special coverage, making it Aron's hardest defensive answer. Some physical walls like Bayleef can eternally wall Aron, though they must be wary of Toxic, and Lileep must be wary of Steel-type moves as well.
**Special Attackers**: Special attackers such as Chinchou and Growlithe can outspeed and OHKO Aron, though they don't enjoy switching into it. Staryu deserves a special mention, as alongside outspeeding and OHKOing Aron, Staryu will never be OHKOed by non-Choice Band Aron's attacks, only taking upwards of 90% from Double-Edge, and it can use Recover to stay healthy.
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