Bologo, I've actually tried a Curse/Roost/Stone Edge/Earthquake Aerodactyl @ White Herb before (I think I posted the set in Creative New Movesets thread a while back), and the results ranged from "meh" to mediocre. It's a good stall-breaker with Taunt, as you can't be Roared out, but even with +1 (Sp)Def, you're still taking a lot of damage from decently powered attacks.
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Needs more Aerodactyl!
- Thread starter Ninjarabian
- Start date
For anyone interested I also have a stalling Pressuredactyl Strategy. The problem is it basically requires half of your team to be 3 specific pokemon.
You need at a minimum:
Tyranitar/Hippowdon
Gorebyss/Huntail/Vaporeon/Smeargle
Toxic Spiker (I usually run Forretress)
Aerodactyl
Essentially what you do is this: Manage to get your Sandstreamer out and Toxic Spikes down. Then Baton Pass Aqua Ring to Aerodactyl (why you need Vappy/Gorebyss).
The Aerodactyl I use has very specialized EVs and moveset:
Aerodactyl @ Leftovers
Nature: Jolly
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 216 HP/20 Def/216 Spe/56 SD
~ Rock Slide
~ Protect
~ Substitute
~ Taunt
This results in 335 HP/171 Def/300 SDef in Sandstorm. There is a reason you have 335 HP instead of maxing it is because this set was premised around Dragontamer's "Stalrein." Leftovers+Aqua Ring on an HP divisible by 16+1 allows Aqua Ring + Leftovers Aerodactyl to stall indefinetely with Substitute + Protect. This also outspeeds Jolly Weavile.
What makes this particularly scary in Aerodactyl's case is that it can siphon off 64 PP between Protect and Substitute, Sandstorm negates many opponents leftovers while allowing Aerodactyl's Subs to take random weak crap like Charge Beam without any difficulty whatsoever. Rock Slide rounds out the set by providing flinching ability as well as decent PP and STAB. Oh and not making Aero itself Taunt bait.
The small Defense investments let Aerodactyl Subs survive no Atk Skarmory Brave Bird unless it gets absolute maximum damage. Drill Peck is a non-factor. Most defensive walls can't do a thing while they're Taunted, nor can they wall if they get Toxic'd upon every switchin.
Low PP Moves are easily stalled out. Stone Edge and Gyro Ball can be dealt with in 2 uses of Substitute/Protect. Ice Beam and Charge Beam require 4 uses of Substitute/Protect. You can also afford to try Rock Slide for a flinch every now and then or use Taunt to prevent an opponent's stat-up.
Note that you can try and stall without passing Aqua Ring, but it is more difficult. The major weakness in this is all the setup. If you can pull it off though, no one expects a sweep by a defensive Aerodactyl.
You need at a minimum:
Tyranitar/Hippowdon
Gorebyss/Huntail/Vaporeon/Smeargle
Toxic Spiker (I usually run Forretress)
Aerodactyl
Essentially what you do is this: Manage to get your Sandstreamer out and Toxic Spikes down. Then Baton Pass Aqua Ring to Aerodactyl (why you need Vappy/Gorebyss).
The Aerodactyl I use has very specialized EVs and moveset:
Aerodactyl @ Leftovers
Nature: Jolly
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 216 HP/20 Def/216 Spe/56 SD
~ Rock Slide
~ Protect
~ Substitute
~ Taunt
This results in 335 HP/171 Def/300 SDef in Sandstorm. There is a reason you have 335 HP instead of maxing it is because this set was premised around Dragontamer's "Stalrein." Leftovers+Aqua Ring on an HP divisible by 16+1 allows Aqua Ring + Leftovers Aerodactyl to stall indefinetely with Substitute + Protect. This also outspeeds Jolly Weavile.
What makes this particularly scary in Aerodactyl's case is that it can siphon off 64 PP between Protect and Substitute, Sandstorm negates many opponents leftovers while allowing Aerodactyl's Subs to take random weak crap like Charge Beam without any difficulty whatsoever. Rock Slide rounds out the set by providing flinching ability as well as decent PP and STAB. Oh and not making Aero itself Taunt bait.
The small Defense investments let Aerodactyl Subs survive no Atk Skarmory Brave Bird unless it gets absolute maximum damage. Drill Peck is a non-factor. Most defensive walls can't do a thing while they're Taunted, nor can they wall if they get Toxic'd upon every switchin.
Low PP Moves are easily stalled out. Stone Edge and Gyro Ball can be dealt with in 2 uses of Substitute/Protect. Ice Beam and Charge Beam require 4 uses of Substitute/Protect. You can also afford to try Rock Slide for a flinch every now and then or use Taunt to prevent an opponent's stat-up.
Note that you can try and stall without passing Aqua Ring, but it is more difficult. The major weakness in this is all the setup. If you can pull it off though, no one expects a sweep by a defensive Aerodactyl.
I think Aerodactyl has some nice uses. Choice Band is the obvious set to patch up his Attack and take advantage of that awesome Speed. He's got an immunity to switch in on, which is nice, and a barely-usable Normal resistance. He's frail, but so are a lot of Pokémon. Overall, he won't strike fear into the hearts of the battling community, but it's still cool, fast, and a decent BP recipient IMO.
He gets Curse, I guess, for his Attack. He should get Howl though, that would be awesome.
Bologo's set actually seems relatively viable to get a one shot boost. Bologo is still the king of gimmick.
Deck Knight, I've found that PP stalling except in the late game doesn't really work. Mean Look / Spite / Rest / Sleep Talk spiritomb being a quazi-exception excluding Taunt.
He gets Curse, I guess, for his Attack. He should get Howl though, that would be awesome.
Bologo's set actually seems relatively viable to get a one shot boost. Bologo is still the king of gimmick.
Deck Knight, I've found that PP stalling except in the late game doesn't really work. Mean Look / Spite / Rest / Sleep Talk spiritomb being a quazi-exception excluding Taunt.
My friend used a Taunt, Pain Split, Spite, Mean Look Dusknoir to an extent: it took out 2 pokemon on one of my oldass teams.
But that's apart from the subject
I've used Stalling Aerodactyl since ADV, and I can say I still love it. I like using SS, but I feel that Rock SLide isn't needed: if you can keep your sub intact, you can use Fly, which also helps in the ase of PP stalling: four of theirs for one of yours.
I think that Stalling Aerodactyl does better with Mean Look/ Spider Web passing: that way your opponent can't switch around while you stall them out.
But that's apart from the subject
I've used Stalling Aerodactyl since ADV, and I can say I still love it. I like using SS, but I feel that Rock SLide isn't needed: if you can keep your sub intact, you can use Fly, which also helps in the ase of PP stalling: four of theirs for one of yours.
I think that Stalling Aerodactyl does better with Mean Look/ Spider Web passing: that way your opponent can't switch around while you stall them out.
The primary problem with Fly on that set is that Fly is too easy to wall. You often won't have the luxury of having a Sub up, Taunt can end the turn you're up in the air, allowing your opponent to Rest and undo all the work you've done, and Subs generally don't last against Taunted opponents not named Skarmory. You're also completely open if you use Fly on a switch. Anything with Stone Edge that comes in gets a free shot, or worse, Gets to stat-up. You don't want Gyarados to come in as you Fly and then Dragon Dance in your face. In addition to taking crap damage, the non Bulky versions now outspeed you and can play mindgames on whether they'll attack or DD again. You won't really be able to select Fly again because if you Taunt, you'll lose your Sub meaning Gyarados basically gets to just stay in and wait out Taunt. With Rock Slide, not only does Gyara not want to switch in, you can flinch it too and hit it SE. Fly is too much overkill on PP wasting, and doesn't offer the same advantages RS does. It is also a lot weaker overall, even before you consider it might as well only have 35 base power due to two turns to use. Not much hates Flying anyway. Celebi is pretty much neutered by Taunt, Aero isn't that heavy. At 130 lbs, Grass Knot is only 80 power.
Flying just isn't as threatening a type as Rock, and Fly is just a horrible move, period.
Aerodactyl is interesting, but he suffers from quite a few huge flaws and lost quite a bit from adv to d/p:
- Stealth Rock weakness
- Base 105 Atk is not nearly enough to take out the beefed up physical walls in d/p. Hippowdon, Bronzong, Skarmory, Gliscor and Cresselia are not afraid to come into it and force it back out.
- Stone Edge + Aerial Ace is a really bad STAB combonation to be stuck with...at least it gets other things like Earthquake, Double Edge and the Fangs to back it up
- BoltBeam weak
- If it gets paralyzed, youre done.
I guess Aerodactyl could fill a niche, kind of like a more attack-oriented Crobat...but its place in BL is very fitting. Comparing it to things like Weavile and Garchomp like the OP does just puts more emphasis on how mediocre Aerodactyl is.
- Stealth Rock weakness
- Base 105 Atk is not nearly enough to take out the beefed up physical walls in d/p. Hippowdon, Bronzong, Skarmory, Gliscor and Cresselia are not afraid to come into it and force it back out.
- Stone Edge + Aerial Ace is a really bad STAB combonation to be stuck with...at least it gets other things like Earthquake, Double Edge and the Fangs to back it up
- BoltBeam weak
- If it gets paralyzed, youre done.
I guess Aerodactyl could fill a niche, kind of like a more attack-oriented Crobat...but its place in BL is very fitting. Comparing it to things like Weavile and Garchomp like the OP does just puts more emphasis on how mediocre Aerodactyl is.
Fly's base power got changed to 90 in DP, so it's more like 45 BP per turn.
^No one can know the answer shipship since OU is all about usage, but there is no doubt in my mind that if Aero had Brave Bird + Head Smash he'd see a lot more love.
I have used Aero a lot (fave poke), and found that its best talent lies in a Wobby-Encore stst up to Smeargle w/ Sub/Salac/BD/Ingrain/BP and then sweep with no fear of pHazing, a salac boost, and an ubleievable attack. Peopl also suck at stopping Wobby, which is just an added bonus.
that would be incredibly overpowered.
Actually yeah, just looked through the calculations and ttar's stone edge's maximum damage doesn't even reach Head Smash Aero's minimum damage. >.>
If pokemon x had move y it would be in tier z.
I use a lead Aerodactyl from time to time.
Jolly, enough speed to always outrun Weavile, max attack, and the rest of the EVs in HP.
Moves:
Taunt
Stealth Rock
Pursuit/Crunch
Stone Edge/Rock Slide
It screws over most stat up leads and other stealth rockers. Pursuit or crunch can do serious damage to Gengar.
Jolly, enough speed to always outrun Weavile, max attack, and the rest of the EVs in HP.
Moves:
Taunt
Stealth Rock
Pursuit/Crunch
Stone Edge/Rock Slide
It screws over most stat up leads and other stealth rockers. Pursuit or crunch can do serious damage to Gengar.
lol, true, all to true. But it was mear meanderings, not argument. Though still a waste of space I'll apologize for. >.>
How does the Taunt set deal with bronzong lead? I'd imagine that it is easily OHKO'd by Gyro Ball. Taunt, switch to Magnezone? Actually that's not such a bad idea.
did you play me the other day? if so, it was extremely effectice albeit overcentralizing.
I like the idea of Pressure abusing Aerodactyl more of a sweeping Aerodactyl. My main qualm is that it requires the removal of the opponent's Rapid Spinner and any kind of grounded Poison-type. Set-up is doable, but once Aerodactyl is in there with Aqua Ring the last thing I want is the set-up to be negated.