taken over for lady salamence
first analysis so please bear with me!!!!
BIG thanks to AccidentalGreed for helping me out with my first analysis
[Overview]
<p>The generation shift has been somewhat cruel to Aerodactyl. The introduction of Team Preview eliminates Aerodactyl's niche as a foolproof lead, and with more checks and counters to add to its original ones, most players tend to pick out other choices for a fast attacker or an entry hazard user. In addition to this, a Stealth Rock weakness and general frailty don't do Aerodactyl any favors in the metagame either.</p>
<p>It would be a mistake, however, to discount Aerodactyl as a mere negligible threat. In a metagame where most attackers top the 100 Speed baseline, Aerodactyl's base 130 Speed still towers above most others, enabling it to vanquish the likes of Terrakion and Thundurus before they can do more trouble. Additionally, a decent Attack stat and access to Taunt still allow Aerodactyl to provide offensive Stealth Rock support. While the prehistoric pterosaur won't be touching certain threats, you'll find that by using it to its strengths, Aerodactyl can be an awesome source of offense and utility in your hands.</p>
[SET]
name: OU Hone Claws
move 1: Hone Claws
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Fire Fang / Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Aerodactyl is one of the select few sweepers that can make efficient use of Hone Claws, and with its ability to force out many threats thanks to the threat of its blistering Speed, it's not difficult to pull off one boost. Additionally, Aerodactyl doesn't have to function with a Hone Claws boost; in any situation, it can simply fire off its already-strong attacks to revenge kill or clean up anything in its way.</p>
<p>Taking one Hone Claws boost, Life Orb, and STAB in account, Stone Edge becomes an even mightier and accurate attack than it already is, which allows Aerodactyl to 2HKO even physically defensive Skarmory after Stealth Rock damage. Aqua Tail is the preferred secondary attacking option, which, after the boost, 2HKOes all variants of Gliscor and Hippowdon and OHKOes any defensive Tyranitar with prior damage. Additionally, both Aqua Tail and Stone Edge already provide decent coverage with each other, so Roost is an option in the last slot to heal off any damage previously taken. However, Fire Fang might be appealing for invaluable coverage against Ferrothorn (and to an extent, Scizor), who walls the aforementioned attack combination.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Other attacking options include Earthquake and Ice Fang over Aqua Tail and Fire Fang; by using these moves, Aerodactyl gains coverage against Gastrodon and can hit Gliscor, Tyranitar, and Jirachi much harder. While doing so would mean losing Aerodactyl's way to deal with opposing Ferrothorn and Scizor, you can simply employ teammates to take care of these two and, in return, gain arguably better coverage thanks to the EdgeQuake combo.</p>
<p>Seeing as Aerodactyl has crippling weaknesses to common priority moves in Bullet Punch, Ice Shard, and Aqua Jet, it is obviously necessary to eliminate users of these moves before switching Aerodactyl in freely. Magnezone is your best bet against Scizor, who threatens with STAB Bullet Punch, amongst other dangerous Steel-types that Aerodactyl has trouble with. You may also consider Jellicent or Tyranitar to wall common counters or to eliminate them with mixed sets, respectively. Stealth Rock damage will also be a major obstacle for Aerodactyl; an instant solution to this would either be a Rapid Spin user or a Pokemon with the ability Magic Bounce, such as Donphan and Espeon, respectively.</p>
[SET]
name: OU Offensive
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
move 4: Roost
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set forgoes the use of Hone Claws for the invaluable utility that Taunt provides, enabling Aerodactyl to bypass defensive and stall-oriented Pokemon more easily, while still being a threat towards offensive teams. Stone Edge is, once again, Aerodactyl's main attack, and when paired with Earthquake, provides nearly-unresisted dual coverage (with the exception of certain threats such as Bronzong). Aqua Tail, however, can replace Earthquake for the purpose of hitting Ground-type threats harder. Finally, Roost is used in the last slot to alleviate any Life Orb recoil and damage Aerodactyl might have sustained, in addition to nullifying the weaknesses given by its Flying typing.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>For other attacking options, you may consider using the elemental fangs to achieve coverage against certain threats; however, on a set more starved for power outside of Life Orb, Roost would prove more necessary in most situations. The same usually applies for other certain attacks, such as Fire Blast. Crunch is worthy of mention simply for giving Aerodactyl coverage against Psychic- and Ghost-type threats, such as Reuniclus and Jellicent, that would normally give it a hard time.</p>
<p>This set is best used in permanent sandstorm, preferably provided by a mixed Tyranitar, where Aerodactyl's Special Defense is boosted to a decent level of usability with Roost. This also makes it one of the best Heatran and Volcarona switch-ins in the game, if your team happens to have trouble with them. As usual, Aerodactyl has trouble hitting certain Steel-types hard enough, so Magnezone is, once again, a good teammate due to its ability to trap and defeat these threats. Keep in mind that this kind of Aerodactyl requires alternative offensive support to bypass some bulky threats as well, since its PP and coverage are limited to two moves.</p>
[SET]
name: OU Steath Rock
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stealth Rock
item: Focus Sash
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set was Aerodactyl's standard set in DPP, but due to the advent of Team Preview, it can no longer maintain its image as the "ideal" Stealth Rock lead. The set's composition, however, remains the same; Aerodactyl should aim to set up Stealth Rock early-game while preventing the opposing team from laying its own using a fast Taunt. Whether Aerodactyl is played first-turn or later depends on the opposing team and whatever strategy the opponent uses according to Team Preview.</p>
<p>You may be wondering why one would use this set over Deoxys-S, who sports arguably better bulk and much higher Speed to abuse Taunt. While Deoxys-S is obviously dominant in the Speed department, the main thing to consider is Aerodactyl's offensive presence in comparison to Deoxys-S's; Deoxys-S is most commonly seen using only one move for specific targets, after which it can't threaten anything else. Aerodactyl, however, is able to use the EdgeQuake combo, which provides better coverage against threats that Deoxys-S can’t hurt, such as Ninetales, Jirachi, Thundurus, and Volcarona. Additionally, Aerodactyl's Speed is satisfactory enough to let it outspeed and revenge kill Adamant +1 Gyarados and Dragonite so it's useful outside of the lead position.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Since Aerodactyl is primarily required to survive attacks and set up, the best item is Focus Sash, which also allows Aerodactyl a second chance to fulfill its duties if it mispredicts with Taunt. Aerodactyl also won't gain anything better outside of fully investing in its Attack and Speed to threaten its foes.</p>
<p>This set is a great way to support your team's sweepers and help them score some key KOs. A good example of this is Scrafty, who gains the ability to 2HKO most physical walls, especially Skarmory and Hippowdon, after an Attack boost. In fact, most set-up sweepers like Scrafty generally enjoy having Stealth Rock on the opponent's side of the field to wear down certain opponents to KO range. Additionally, teams that utilize entry hazards usually enjoy having Ghost-type teammates to block any opposing Rapid Spin users. In this case, Gengar is most notable for having a reliable list of resistances and attacking options against a variety of foes, including Espeon who also threatens with Magic Bounce.</p>
<p>Since this sets main goal is to support its team it doesn't require any specific team options to achieve it, so it will do on any balanced or offensive teams that require its capabilities. it doesn't have specific counters either, as opposing dedicated leads (except some variants of Deoxys-S) are basically irrelevent in the current metagame.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Aerodactyl can utilize Substitute, which, along with Roost and Pressure, allows it to stall out many threats in permanent sandstorm. This, however, may be more easily performed by a dedicated support or defensive Pokemon, but Aerodactyl's high Attack and Speed differentiate it from them in this case. Additionally, you may consider using Choice Band to further boost Aerodactyl's offense, although, considering Aerodactyl's limited coverage and vulnerability to bulky threats and revenge killers, it's an inferior option.</p>
[Checks and Counters]
<p>Perhaps Aerodactyl's most exploitable weakness is its inability to hit extremely hard, so physically bulky threats should have no problem taking its attacks (and sometimes even super effective ones) and retaliate with the appropriate move. Of course, the opponent can go the offensive route and bypass Aerodactyl's Speed by using a revenge killer of some sort, such as Choice Scarf users and most priority moves. This applies mainly to Scizor and Conkeldurr, both of whom can sponge any common attack Aerodactyl throws at them and react with Bullet Punch or Mach Punch, respectively. Any kind of status is also detrimental to Aerodactyl, whether its Speed is quartered with paralysis, offense lowered with burn, or health drained with poison.</p>
