| Aerodactyl Analysis |
#142 - Aerodactyl Type - Rock - Flying x2 Weaknesses - Water - Ice - Electric - Rock - Steel x2 Resistances - Normal - Poison - Fire - Flying - Bug x4 Weaknesses - None Immunity - Ground Base Stats HP: 80 Attack: 105 Defense: 65 Special Attack : 60 Special Defense: 75 Speed: 130 TRAIT Rock Head: Recoil moves have no recoil. Pressure: Enemy attacks lose 1 extra PP. MOVESETS Choice Band Aerodactyl @ Choice Band Ability: Rock Head EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) / Adamant (+Atk, - SAtk) - Double-Edge - Earthquake - Hidden Power [Flying] - Rock Slide Moveset Gameplay The Standard Aerodactyl. Rock Slide is its main STAB move. It is super effective on a number of flying types which it can OHKO - while also providing the chance of flinching the opponent. Earthquake helps to finish those weak to ground with low defenses and takes out those Metagross on low health. Its other STAB move is HP Flying which is notorius for hitting fighting types and even Celebi hard. When using HP Flying, you should set the speed IVs to 31 and every other IV stat to 30 if you want to maximise speed. Finally, Double-Edge hits those types that aren't weak to the other 3 attacks harder. Therefore it is very useful for predicting a switch to a Bulky water, Blissey or even Claydol. Substitute Aerodactyl @ Leftovers / Liechi Berry Trait: Rock Head / Pressure EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) / Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Substitute - Earthquake - Double-Edge / Hidden Power [Flying] - Rock Slide Moveset Gameplay Substitute allows a turn to predict your opponent's move. This allows you to get the correct attack whilst losing the power you gain from Choice Band. Earthquake is always good coverage and hits those weak to ground. Double-Edge does more damage, than HP Flying, to most types; but you won't be able to counter those fighting types so easily. And lastly, Rock Slide is its main STAB move to hurt those flying types that think they can come in and counter. Leftovers gives you recovery - while liechi berry allows you to regain that attack, that you'd miss from the CB varient, when at low hp. Make sure to only use Rock Head if you have Double-Edge on the set, otherwise stick to Pressure. Pressure Abuser Aerodactyl @ Leftovers Trait: Pressure EVs: 204 HP / 252 Spd / 52 SAtk Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Fire Blast - Protect - Substitute - Toxic Moveset Gameplay Protect and Substitute are your main tools to abuse Pressure. They also double as protection to scout your opponent's moves and are very useful against CBers. Toxic is a means of breaking down your foe whilst you use substitute and protect to force a switch. Fire Blast aids in hitting the common steel types which could possibly set up on you. However, Jirachi will still counter easily. OPINION The CB set is one of the most feared CBers in the metagame. It has the potential to devastate the opponent's team with Rock Slide Flinch hax. The Subbing set can help finish off pokemon late game. And the stalling set has the capability of disatisfying the human need of excitement. It should find an easy spot as a sweeper in any team but walling anything is not advisable. OTHER OPTIONS Hidden Power Ghost can be used instead of Hidden Power Flying to damage Claydol and Ghost types. However you do lose a good counter to many fighting types. Fire Blast can also be used instead of HP Flying to counter Skarmory and Forretress well. It is recommended that you switch to Naughty Nature with around 20 EVs in Special Attack so you can achieve a 2HKO on Skarmory and an a OHKO on Forretress. There is also room for dual coverage attacks such as HP bug which can damage a TTar and Celebi, and HP Steel which has normal damage on a range of things, including ghost, and even does super-effective damage to Rock types. The downside is the lack of power though. HP fighting can actually work since it does more damage on normal types than Double-Edge and also super effective on rock types (4x effectiveness on TTar). COUNTERS This was one of a few pokemon that made Bulky waters a MUST in most teams. Swampert, Vaporeon, Milotic and Suicune can come in and counter with surf - providing there isn't excessive Rock Slide hax. Claydol and Donphan can easily come in on anything not named Double-Edge and counter. Jirachi and Metagross can wall most attacks and can survive an Earthquake and respond with an OHKO on Aerodactyl. Electrode outspeeds Aerodactyl and can deliver a STAB thunderbolt to finish things off. Jolteon can OHKO an Adamant Aerodactyl and even Skarmory can come in and set up spikes - but it has to watch out for powerful Rock Slides coming from the CB Version. It can also be worn down by a variety of pokemon until it is forced to be sacrificed. |