[OVERVIEW]
Despite its overall disappointing power, Aerodactyl secures a niche in DOU with its fantastic Rock Slide and good matchup with ubiquitous offensive threats. In addition to its good matchups with Mega Diancie and Keldeo, its Speed tier, higher than that of Adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T, prevents the latter from repeatedly switching in and threatening teams, and it is one of the few offensive Talonflame checks. Having a better Rock Slide than Landorus-T, in terms of speed, power, and the lack of a Choice lock, gives Aerodactyl significant ability to influence the opponent's decisions and control the field for fear of flinches. Aerodactyl also boasts a fantastic movepool with many support and coverage options, though it lacks the flexibility to use most of them. Statistically, it's very disappointing. Its moves have very low Base Power and its Attack isn't too high, so, for example, it can only OHKO Keldeo with a high damage roll, and its low bulk makes it difficult to use its otherwise good resistances.
[SET]
name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Rock Slide
move 2: Aerial Ace / Sky Drop
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Wide Guard / Protect
item: Aerodactylite
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Rock Slide, though weak, is extremely useful for its flinch effect, provides spread damage, and can OHKO Talonflame cleanly even at -1, so it is recommended for the Rock-type STAB move. Aerial Ace or Sky Drop is necessary to OHKO Keldeo and Virizion and take a big chunk out of Amoonguss. Sky Drop is useful as a pseudo-Fake Out with Aerodactyl's fantastic speed, but it makes Aerodactyl easy to pick off on the turn it lands. Aqua Tail OHKOes Mega Diancie and while Landorus-T will be tempted to switch into Rock Slides, the second time it does it will be in Aqua Tail's KO range. It may be tempting to run Ice Fang instead to KO Landorus-T after one Rock Slide, but then your Aerodactyl will be Diancie bait. Wide Guard is a fantastic and poorly distributed support move to protect Aerodactyl's teammates against Rock Slide, Heat Wave, Earthquake, and Hyper Voice. Protect is still Protect and is very useful when leading Aerodactyl against teams with Fake Out, but given how Aerodactyl is usually played it'll often be better to just chance it with Rock Slide and accept the loss if it comes than to give up on Wide Guard.
Set Details
========
Aerodactyl needs maximum Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature to outspeed Landorus-T and tie with Deoxys-A while hitting for decent damage. Unnerve prevents the opponent's Pokemon from eating Sitrus or resist Berries, which is almost always useless, as Aerodactyl always Mega Evolves as soon as possible, but Pressure and Rock Head are even more useless.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Aerodactyl in when in a position to get a KO, preferably on a sacrifice or free U-turn; try not to bring it in on anything except Earthquake or weak resisted hits like Heat Wave and Fake Out, especially if your opponent has a Talonflame, to keep Aerodactyl out of Brave Bird's KO range. Be careful when you Mega Evolve Aerodactyl, as Landorus-T will outspeed non-Mega Aerodactyl. When in, spam Rock Slide to spread chip damage until Aerodactyl is forced out or KOed, unless Aerodactyl can get a KO with one of its coverage moves. Aerodactyl can be used to force Landorus-T in and chip away at it, so it's fairly good at removing it to support its team. Sky Drop can take a redirector off of the field, allowing Aerodactyl's slower partner to hit its original target.
Team Options
========
Aerodactyl can work well on offensive teams, which typically fear Talonflame and give Aerodactyl free switches with their freedom to sacrifice Pokemon, as it is able to keep up the pace while checking common threats to offense. It also fits on certain balance teams, as they will appreciate the field control of its Rock Slide flinches and its ability to outspeed Landorus-T and Diancie, and they are in return able to chip things into Aerodactyl's KO range. Fire-types such as Volcarona and Heatran particularly appreciate the removal of Aerodactyl's typical targets; in return, they can bring things into its KO range with their Heat Waves and remove Steel-types, which hard counter the bird.
Other Options
=============
Taunt is an option to neuter defensive Pokemon that typically beat Aerodactyl; Stone Edge provides much more powerful (though still unimpressive) Rock-type coverage; Crunch, Fire Fang, and Ice Fang provide specific coverage for threats like Aegislash, Jellicent, and Ferrothorn; and Tailwind provides very useful team support. The problem with all of these moves is that Aerodactyl usually needs its first three moves. Taunt or Tailwind over Wide Guard is a viable option, though these moves are usually easier to fit elsewhere on the team, and a different coverage move over Aerial Ace (or in Ice Fang's case, Aqua Tail) could be used if the team is particularly weak to a certain threat. Aerodactyl can also run a Focus Sash support set with many of its supportive moves, but this is usually not too effective.
Checks & Counters
=================
**Intimidate and Burns**: These drop Aerodactyl's damage output to unusable levels for the most part, though Aerodactyl can actually be used to take out Landorus-T as described above, as well as the other common Intimidate user, Gyarados, which is weak to Rock Slide. Still, they're handy for protecting the rest of the team.
**Typing Advantage**: Anything with usable bulk that avoids a super effective hit can check Aerodactyl, particularly Steel-types like Aegislash, Mega Metagross, Ferrothorn, and Jirachi and Water-types such as Politoed, Rotom-W, and Suicune, though they must beware of flinches.
**Speed Control**: Paralysis absolutely ruins Aerodactyl. Defensive Thundurus and Jirachi can easily paralyze and tank Rock Slide; offensive Thundurus can also paralyze, but Rock Slide will nearly OHKO it. Tailwind and Trick Room also temporarily take it out of commission.
**Speed**: Faster Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Rotom-W, Genesect, and Kyurem-B, or Ludicolo, Kingdra, and Venusaur in their respective weathers, destroy Aerodactyl without even a fear of a Rock Slide flinch.
Despite its overall disappointing power, Aerodactyl secures a niche in DOU with its fantastic Rock Slide and good matchup with ubiquitous offensive threats. In addition to its good matchups with Mega Diancie and Keldeo, its Speed tier, higher than that of Adamant Choice Scarf Landorus-T, prevents the latter from repeatedly switching in and threatening teams, and it is one of the few offensive Talonflame checks. Having a better Rock Slide than Landorus-T, in terms of speed, power, and the lack of a Choice lock, gives Aerodactyl significant ability to influence the opponent's decisions and control the field for fear of flinches. Aerodactyl also boasts a fantastic movepool with many support and coverage options, though it lacks the flexibility to use most of them. Statistically, it's very disappointing. Its moves have very low Base Power and its Attack isn't too high, so, for example, it can only OHKO Keldeo with a high damage roll, and its low bulk makes it difficult to use its otherwise good resistances.
[SET]
name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Rock Slide
move 2: Aerial Ace / Sky Drop
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Wide Guard / Protect
item: Aerodactylite
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Rock Slide, though weak, is extremely useful for its flinch effect, provides spread damage, and can OHKO Talonflame cleanly even at -1, so it is recommended for the Rock-type STAB move. Aerial Ace or Sky Drop is necessary to OHKO Keldeo and Virizion and take a big chunk out of Amoonguss. Sky Drop is useful as a pseudo-Fake Out with Aerodactyl's fantastic speed, but it makes Aerodactyl easy to pick off on the turn it lands. Aqua Tail OHKOes Mega Diancie and while Landorus-T will be tempted to switch into Rock Slides, the second time it does it will be in Aqua Tail's KO range. It may be tempting to run Ice Fang instead to KO Landorus-T after one Rock Slide, but then your Aerodactyl will be Diancie bait. Wide Guard is a fantastic and poorly distributed support move to protect Aerodactyl's teammates against Rock Slide, Heat Wave, Earthquake, and Hyper Voice. Protect is still Protect and is very useful when leading Aerodactyl against teams with Fake Out, but given how Aerodactyl is usually played it'll often be better to just chance it with Rock Slide and accept the loss if it comes than to give up on Wide Guard.
Set Details
========
Aerodactyl needs maximum Attack and Speed with a Jolly nature to outspeed Landorus-T and tie with Deoxys-A while hitting for decent damage. Unnerve prevents the opponent's Pokemon from eating Sitrus or resist Berries, which is almost always useless, as Aerodactyl always Mega Evolves as soon as possible, but Pressure and Rock Head are even more useless.
Usage Tips
========
Bring Aerodactyl in when in a position to get a KO, preferably on a sacrifice or free U-turn; try not to bring it in on anything except Earthquake or weak resisted hits like Heat Wave and Fake Out, especially if your opponent has a Talonflame, to keep Aerodactyl out of Brave Bird's KO range. Be careful when you Mega Evolve Aerodactyl, as Landorus-T will outspeed non-Mega Aerodactyl. When in, spam Rock Slide to spread chip damage until Aerodactyl is forced out or KOed, unless Aerodactyl can get a KO with one of its coverage moves. Aerodactyl can be used to force Landorus-T in and chip away at it, so it's fairly good at removing it to support its team. Sky Drop can take a redirector off of the field, allowing Aerodactyl's slower partner to hit its original target.
Team Options
========
Aerodactyl can work well on offensive teams, which typically fear Talonflame and give Aerodactyl free switches with their freedom to sacrifice Pokemon, as it is able to keep up the pace while checking common threats to offense. It also fits on certain balance teams, as they will appreciate the field control of its Rock Slide flinches and its ability to outspeed Landorus-T and Diancie, and they are in return able to chip things into Aerodactyl's KO range. Fire-types such as Volcarona and Heatran particularly appreciate the removal of Aerodactyl's typical targets; in return, they can bring things into its KO range with their Heat Waves and remove Steel-types, which hard counter the bird.
Other Options
=============
Taunt is an option to neuter defensive Pokemon that typically beat Aerodactyl; Stone Edge provides much more powerful (though still unimpressive) Rock-type coverage; Crunch, Fire Fang, and Ice Fang provide specific coverage for threats like Aegislash, Jellicent, and Ferrothorn; and Tailwind provides very useful team support. The problem with all of these moves is that Aerodactyl usually needs its first three moves. Taunt or Tailwind over Wide Guard is a viable option, though these moves are usually easier to fit elsewhere on the team, and a different coverage move over Aerial Ace (or in Ice Fang's case, Aqua Tail) could be used if the team is particularly weak to a certain threat. Aerodactyl can also run a Focus Sash support set with many of its supportive moves, but this is usually not too effective.
Checks & Counters
=================
**Intimidate and Burns**: These drop Aerodactyl's damage output to unusable levels for the most part, though Aerodactyl can actually be used to take out Landorus-T as described above, as well as the other common Intimidate user, Gyarados, which is weak to Rock Slide. Still, they're handy for protecting the rest of the team.
**Typing Advantage**: Anything with usable bulk that avoids a super effective hit can check Aerodactyl, particularly Steel-types like Aegislash, Mega Metagross, Ferrothorn, and Jirachi and Water-types such as Politoed, Rotom-W, and Suicune, though they must beware of flinches.
**Speed Control**: Paralysis absolutely ruins Aerodactyl. Defensive Thundurus and Jirachi can easily paralyze and tank Rock Slide; offensive Thundurus can also paralyze, but Rock Slide will nearly OHKO it. Tailwind and Trick Room also temporarily take it out of commission.
**Speed**: Faster Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Rotom-W, Genesect, and Kyurem-B, or Ludicolo, Kingdra, and Venusaur in their respective weathers, destroy Aerodactyl without even a fear of a Rock Slide flinch.
[OVERVIEW]
-outspeeds and ohkoes staple attackers diancie / talon / keldeo with a single set. doesnt do much damage unless it's hitting SE though (i mean fucking keld it can only roll to OHKO)
-blazing fast speed tier allows it to outrun standard scarf lando so it can't wreak havoc on ur team
-having the best pasta slide in the game cannot be overlooked in terms of how it affects your opponent's play, especially since aero unlike lando doesnt have to lock in.
-fantastic support/coverage movepool, though it hardly has the room for it.
-low bulk makes it hard to make use of its resists
[SET]
name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Rock Slide
move 2: Aerial Ace / Sky Drop
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Wide Guard / Protect
item: Aerodactylite
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
-latke slide woo woo no brakes on the (BAN ME PLEASE) train
-aerial ace needed to hit keld/viriz and threaten things like amoonguss. Sky Drop can be used instead as a pseudo-FO with aero's BLAZING SPEED but it makes aero easy to pick off on the comedown
-Aqua tail needed to OHKO diancie, 2hkos lando, or kos the second time it switches into rock slide
-May be tempting to run ice fang to ko lando after one rock slide, but then u cant hit diancgay
-wide guard is awesome, and given the type of team youre running aero on it will probably be more useful than protect usually
-but protect is still protect. very helpful if u wanna lead aero vs Fake Out users in particular (good MUs with ape/weav, bad kang MU but sometimes these things happen)
Set Details
========
-max atk because ur a weak fuck
-max spe to tie deoxys weed lmao / beat lando
-unnerve is useless 999/1000 times so its 1/1000 better than pressure, maybe it'll stop ur opponent eating some resist berry as aero switches in
Usage Tips
========
-bring aero in when in a position to get a kill. try not to bring him in on anything except eq or fake out because defensively he is poor, especially if ur opp has a talon u want to keep him out of brave bird range
-spam churro slide until youre forced out or killed unless something is in ko range of one of ur other moves
-can be used to force lando in and chip away at it—second time it switches into rock slide it will be in atail range
-look out; on the turn you mega, lando is faster
Team Options
========
-offensive teams which fear talon and give aero free switchins with sacks
-decent on balance too as a rock slide spammer since they appreciate the field control from rock slide and having a mon faster than lando-t/diancie and are able to chip things into aero range as well
-fire types such as volcarona and heatran appreciate the removal of aerodactyls typical targets and in return spam heat wave to bring things in ko range of its attacks and get rid of steels
Other Options
=============
-Taunt
-Stone Edge
-Crunch / Fire Fang / Ice Fang
-Tailwind
-Sash set
Checks & Counters
=================
**Typing Advantage:** basically anything bulky / not hit SE: steels aegis/gross/ferro/rachi, waters rotom-w/cune/toed, even shit like fairies works as long as u dont flinch
**Speed Control:** para makes aero worthless. defensive thund tanks slide and paras/kills; othund also paras but its not pretty. rachi easily paralyzes.
**Speed:** faster mons than lando (rotom-w, genesect, cube, ludi, kingdra, venu (sleeps)) outspeed and bop and dont even fear curry slide
-outspeeds and ohkoes staple attackers diancie / talon / keldeo with a single set. doesnt do much damage unless it's hitting SE though (i mean fucking keld it can only roll to OHKO)
-blazing fast speed tier allows it to outrun standard scarf lando so it can't wreak havoc on ur team
-having the best pasta slide in the game cannot be overlooked in terms of how it affects your opponent's play, especially since aero unlike lando doesnt have to lock in.
-fantastic support/coverage movepool, though it hardly has the room for it.
-low bulk makes it hard to make use of its resists
[SET]
name: Mega Attacker
move 1: Rock Slide
move 2: Aerial Ace / Sky Drop
move 3: Aqua Tail
move 4: Wide Guard / Protect
item: Aerodactylite
ability: Unnerve
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
-latke slide woo woo no brakes on the (BAN ME PLEASE) train
-aerial ace needed to hit keld/viriz and threaten things like amoonguss. Sky Drop can be used instead as a pseudo-FO with aero's BLAZING SPEED but it makes aero easy to pick off on the comedown
-Aqua tail needed to OHKO diancie, 2hkos lando, or kos the second time it switches into rock slide
-May be tempting to run ice fang to ko lando after one rock slide, but then u cant hit diancgay
-wide guard is awesome, and given the type of team youre running aero on it will probably be more useful than protect usually
-but protect is still protect. very helpful if u wanna lead aero vs Fake Out users in particular (good MUs with ape/weav, bad kang MU but sometimes these things happen)
Set Details
========
-max atk because ur a weak fuck
-max spe to tie deoxys weed lmao / beat lando
-unnerve is useless 999/1000 times so its 1/1000 better than pressure, maybe it'll stop ur opponent eating some resist berry as aero switches in
Usage Tips
========
-bring aero in when in a position to get a kill. try not to bring him in on anything except eq or fake out because defensively he is poor, especially if ur opp has a talon u want to keep him out of brave bird range
-spam churro slide until youre forced out or killed unless something is in ko range of one of ur other moves
-can be used to force lando in and chip away at it—second time it switches into rock slide it will be in atail range
-look out; on the turn you mega, lando is faster
Team Options
========
-offensive teams which fear talon and give aero free switchins with sacks
-decent on balance too as a rock slide spammer since they appreciate the field control from rock slide and having a mon faster than lando-t/diancie and are able to chip things into aero range as well
-fire types such as volcarona and heatran appreciate the removal of aerodactyls typical targets and in return spam heat wave to bring things in ko range of its attacks and get rid of steels
Other Options
=============
-Taunt
-Stone Edge
-Crunch / Fire Fang / Ice Fang
-Tailwind
-Sash set
Checks & Counters
=================
**Typing Advantage:** basically anything bulky / not hit SE: steels aegis/gross/ferro/rachi, waters rotom-w/cune/toed, even shit like fairies works as long as u dont flinch
**Speed Control:** para makes aero worthless. defensive thund tanks slide and paras/kills; othund also paras but its not pretty. rachi easily paralyzes.
**Speed:** faster mons than lando (rotom-w, genesect, cube, ludi, kingdra, venu (sleeps)) outspeed and bop and dont even fear curry slide
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