Nice selection of submissions this week. Posted my thoughts on each set below. Counter wise I will definitely be voting reuniclus and slowbro,.
- EVs on the spread guarantee an OHKO after rocks from bullet punch, however stone edge is a 2hko which means swapping in and then predicting a swap could go drastically wrong. However, still a decent counter due to recovery, however a less bulky spread means it'll have a harder time getting that recovery.
- Conflicted on whether to agree that it's a super hard check because of pre-mega, or whether to say it's just a strong counter (which it is once it's mega'd). On the other hand though not particularly fond of the set over a more conventional aggron set, but that doesn't change how it performs against m-aero i guess. Since you can see aero on preview and therefore try to mega aggron as early as possible in hindsight, I will personally say it should actually be counter.
- Best counter here for sure. Takes absolutely no damage from anything and can always 2HKO it back, coupled with regenerator allows it to repeatedly do it all game. Don't see any aero actually staying in to be blocked particularly like Sickist suggests in post, but yep if they do then it's gg. Will definitely be voting for Slowbro.
- Another nice counter, since it can use aero for free recovery from aqua tails, and unlike the awkward aggron set can actually use it to set up rocks, and does not need mega'ing first. Since the post specifically neglects wing attack as an option, it cant really be chipped down by aero either.
- Vincune fundamentally satisfies the definition of a check here for sure. But a 2hko from scald coupled with the large damage from stone edge can be crippling to a vincune, with the lowest damage potentially probably being sub -> protect -> scald -> protect to get rid of edges, leaving you at around half health, and if you didn't get a burn now you won't be out pp'ing earthquakes and will just have to live with this. Depending on the team matchup losing this much health for your vincune before even having a chance to set up a single CM could be awful, and I don't see why crocune wasn't chosen instead which would be far better in this scenario, even if vincune is generally a much better set.
- Another nice counter to aero, but very scared of potential wing attacks, (though since they werent specified on set, still a counter to this set). On the other hand unlike some of the other sets, has no real way of punishing aero for swapping out and coming in later, since spikes don't affect it. It still uses aero as nice spikes set-up fodder however, and can certainly 2hko it, and stop it from roosting as both of it's stabs turn supereffective if it does. The ice fang damage could also be a problem, as it forces you to always make sure you are above half health if you swap in, which means offering free turns while you heal up, since 2 ice fangs will hit in the region of 55-70% after leftovers.
- Nice check to aero, can punish it for swapping out with pursuit ( though this damage won't be huge) and intimidate certainly reduces the damage too, and stone edge does huge damage. On the other hand however, since you are choice locked. prediction can go awfully wrong in this scenario, if you pursuit and aero stays in it can 2hko you after intimidate with aqua tail, if you stone edge and it switches out you'll be offering free turns. Even if aero does swap out and you pursuit it, the damage is only about 50% and can easily be roosted off later a lot of the time.
- Just like slowbro, uses it as it's own personal set up fodder. Aero really cannot touch rueniclus unless it is close to death and hasn't had a chance to recover yet. Not much to really say here. Will definitely be voting this as second counter.
