[OVERVIEW]
Aerodactyl's combination of Speed and good defensive typing is incredibly valuable for many teams, particularly offensive ones by providing them with a fast check to offensive Fire-types like Talonflame and Salazzle. Its utility goes beyond its Speed and defensive use, though; Aerodactyl can support its team as a Stealth Rock setter with a positive Xatu matchup or opt for Toxic to cripple the plethora of bulky Ground-types in NU, including Mudsdale, Quagsire, and Gastrodon. Alternatively, Dragon Dance sets make Aerodactyl's average Attack more than enough to clean through weakened defensive checks like Mudsdale, Vaporeon, and Vileplume, and revenge killers like Rotom-C and Indeedee-F become inadequate. Aerodactyl is very easy to revenge kill with Choice Scarf users like Rotom-C, Indeedee-F, and Heliolisk if lacking a Speed boost, though, and without significant chip damage, getting by checks like Mudsdale, Vaporeon, and Weezing can be an impossible task. Aerodactyl also faces notable competition from Talonflame, which fills a similar role as a fast Flying-type with useful defensive utility, and Tyrantrum, an even more potent Rock-type sweeper.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Roost
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Aerodactyl's good Xatu matchup in addition to its Stone Edge heavily pressuring other entry hazard removers like Rotom-C, Tsareena, and Mantine make it a solid offensive Stealth Rock setter. However, its ability to lure in and poison bulky Ground-types like Gastrodon and Mudsdale with Toxic is also valuable, with Roost further amplifying its supportive presence and letting it consistently check Talonflame and Salazzle. None of Aerodactyl's abilities are too helpful, but Pressure can help stall out certain moves from weaker attackers, such as Sylveon's Moonblast. Unnerve has niche use against the occasional Shuca Berry Toxicroak or Stakataka, but neither is very common.
Aerodactyl cedes a lot of momentum to foes like Mudsdale, Vileplume, and Weezing; pairing it with strong special attackers like Indeedee-F, Salazzle, and Choice Specs Decidueye is a good way to minimize that momentum loss with double switches. Aerodactyl is good at drawing in and weakening physically defensive foes, with Toxic variants being even better at crippling bulky Ground-types. Setup sweepers like Snorlax and Silvally-Ground benefit immensely from this, especially in matchups against Quagsire. Aerodactyl is very likely to end up being burned by Talonflame's Will-O-Wisp if it keeps switching into Talonflame; clerics like Vaporeon and Sylveon as well as Healing Wish Indeedee-F are useful to remove the status infliction. Grass-types are also good teammates; they pressure bulky Water- and Ground-types that Aerodactyl struggles with, while it takes on Fire- and Flying-types.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail / Dual Wingbeat
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Aqua Tail makes beating certain Ground-types such as Mudsdale, Silvally-Ground, and Rhydon easier, whereas Dual Wingbeat hits Fighting- and Grass-types like Scrafty, Passimian, Alolan Exeggutor, and Dhelmise. Roost gives Aerodactyl more utility before setting up, making use of its ability to check foes like Salazzle and Talonflame and letting it more safely throw out attacks before attempting a sweep. However, a coverage move is usually preferred. A Jolly nature is preferred to let Aerodactyl outrun foes like Starmie, Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, and Choice Specs Inteleon before boosting, but Adamant offers more power, and only Choice Scarf Inteleon outspeeds Adamant Aerodactyl after Dragon Dance.
Ground-types pose the biggest roadblock to Aerodactyl, especially Quagsire and Mudsdale, so attackers like Silvally-Ground, Choice Band Guzzlord, and Copperajah that can force damage onto or potentially KO them are fantastic partners. Aerodactyl can even attempt to wallbreak for Silvally-Ground instead, giving it a chance at sweeping after foes like Mudsdale, Weezing, and Vaporeon are weakened. Aerodactyl is prone to being statused by foes like Talonflame and Weezing; make sure to support it with a cleric like Sylveon or Vaporeon so it doesn't lose its ability to sweep late-game. Similarly, Aerodactyl's vulnerability to being revenge killed by common Choice Scarf users like Indeedee-F, Rotom-C, and Passimian before it boosts makes pairing it with defensive answers like Copperajah, Dragalge, and Weezing ideal.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Wallbreaker sets with Choice Band or Life Orb can make good use of Aerodactyl's coverage options and natural Speed, with Life Orb still allowing it to run Roost to offensively answer certain foes. However, these sets require better entry hazard control than Aerodactyl's more common ones. Aerodactyl can also run a lead set on hyper offense teams with Stealth Rock / Rock Blast / Taunt / Earthquake and a Focus Sash to guarantee its entry hazard and beat Froslass, a common lead on such teams. Hone Claws is another option for setup sets, and it makes Stone Edge perfectly accurate, but the Speed boost from Dragon Dance is crucial against Choice Scarf users.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Quagsire shuts down any attempts at sweeping from Aerodactyl thanks to Unaware, whereas Mudsdale and Gastrodon must be severely weakened for Aerodactyl to ever pose a threat to them. Silvally-Ground's natural bulk is just enough to let it check Aerodactyl in a pinch and revenge kill it with Rock Slide.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Foes like Vileplume, Weezing, and Vaporeon don't resist Aerodactyl's attacks, but their natural bulk and utility moves are enough to let them handle it even when boosted. Before boosting, bulky attackers like Alolan Exeggutor, Passimian, and Escavalier force out Aerodactyl because of its lacking power and bulk.
**Faster Pokemon**: If Aerodactyl can't secure a boost, then foes like Choice Scarf Rotom-C, Indeedee-F, and Passimian can revenge kill it because of its poor bulk. Rotom-C and Passimian even possess enough bulk to take a boosted Stone Edge and KO it in return if necessary, though Rotom-C must be at full.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[S1nn0hC0nfirm3d, 231074], [Togkey, 400664]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659]]
Aerodactyl's combination of Speed and good defensive typing is incredibly valuable for many teams, particularly offensive ones by providing them with a fast check to offensive Fire-types like Talonflame and Salazzle. Its utility goes beyond its Speed and defensive use, though; Aerodactyl can support its team as a Stealth Rock setter with a positive Xatu matchup or opt for Toxic to cripple the plethora of bulky Ground-types in NU, including Mudsdale, Quagsire, and Gastrodon. Alternatively, Dragon Dance sets make Aerodactyl's average Attack more than enough to clean through weakened defensive checks like Mudsdale, Vaporeon, and Vileplume, and revenge killers like Rotom-C and Indeedee-F become inadequate. Aerodactyl is very easy to revenge kill with Choice Scarf users like Rotom-C, Indeedee-F, and Heliolisk if lacking a Speed boost, though, and without significant chip damage, getting by checks like Mudsdale, Vaporeon, and Weezing can be an impossible task. Aerodactyl also faces notable competition from Talonflame, which fills a similar role as a fast Flying-type with useful defensive utility, and Tyrantrum, an even more potent Rock-type sweeper.
[SET]
name: Utility
move 1: Stone Edge
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Roost
move 4: Stealth Rock / Toxic
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Aerodactyl's good Xatu matchup in addition to its Stone Edge heavily pressuring other entry hazard removers like Rotom-C, Tsareena, and Mantine make it a solid offensive Stealth Rock setter. However, its ability to lure in and poison bulky Ground-types like Gastrodon and Mudsdale with Toxic is also valuable, with Roost further amplifying its supportive presence and letting it consistently check Talonflame and Salazzle. None of Aerodactyl's abilities are too helpful, but Pressure can help stall out certain moves from weaker attackers, such as Sylveon's Moonblast. Unnerve has niche use against the occasional Shuca Berry Toxicroak or Stakataka, but neither is very common.
Aerodactyl cedes a lot of momentum to foes like Mudsdale, Vileplume, and Weezing; pairing it with strong special attackers like Indeedee-F, Salazzle, and Choice Specs Decidueye is a good way to minimize that momentum loss with double switches. Aerodactyl is good at drawing in and weakening physically defensive foes, with Toxic variants being even better at crippling bulky Ground-types. Setup sweepers like Snorlax and Silvally-Ground benefit immensely from this, especially in matchups against Quagsire. Aerodactyl is very likely to end up being burned by Talonflame's Will-O-Wisp if it keeps switching into Talonflame; clerics like Vaporeon and Sylveon as well as Healing Wish Indeedee-F are useful to remove the status infliction. Grass-types are also good teammates; they pressure bulky Water- and Ground-types that Aerodactyl struggles with, while it takes on Fire- and Flying-types.
[SET]
name: Dragon Dance
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Aqua Tail / Dual Wingbeat
item: Heavy-Duty Boots
ability: Pressure
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
Aqua Tail makes beating certain Ground-types such as Mudsdale, Silvally-Ground, and Rhydon easier, whereas Dual Wingbeat hits Fighting- and Grass-types like Scrafty, Passimian, Alolan Exeggutor, and Dhelmise. Roost gives Aerodactyl more utility before setting up, making use of its ability to check foes like Salazzle and Talonflame and letting it more safely throw out attacks before attempting a sweep. However, a coverage move is usually preferred. A Jolly nature is preferred to let Aerodactyl outrun foes like Starmie, Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, and Choice Specs Inteleon before boosting, but Adamant offers more power, and only Choice Scarf Inteleon outspeeds Adamant Aerodactyl after Dragon Dance.
Ground-types pose the biggest roadblock to Aerodactyl, especially Quagsire and Mudsdale, so attackers like Silvally-Ground, Choice Band Guzzlord, and Copperajah that can force damage onto or potentially KO them are fantastic partners. Aerodactyl can even attempt to wallbreak for Silvally-Ground instead, giving it a chance at sweeping after foes like Mudsdale, Weezing, and Vaporeon are weakened. Aerodactyl is prone to being statused by foes like Talonflame and Weezing; make sure to support it with a cleric like Sylveon or Vaporeon so it doesn't lose its ability to sweep late-game. Similarly, Aerodactyl's vulnerability to being revenge killed by common Choice Scarf users like Indeedee-F, Rotom-C, and Passimian before it boosts makes pairing it with defensive answers like Copperajah, Dragalge, and Weezing ideal.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
Wallbreaker sets with Choice Band or Life Orb can make good use of Aerodactyl's coverage options and natural Speed, with Life Orb still allowing it to run Roost to offensively answer certain foes. However, these sets require better entry hazard control than Aerodactyl's more common ones. Aerodactyl can also run a lead set on hyper offense teams with Stealth Rock / Rock Blast / Taunt / Earthquake and a Focus Sash to guarantee its entry hazard and beat Froslass, a common lead on such teams. Hone Claws is another option for setup sets, and it makes Stone Edge perfectly accurate, but the Speed boost from Dragon Dance is crucial against Choice Scarf users.
Checks and Counters
====
**Ground-types**: Quagsire shuts down any attempts at sweeping from Aerodactyl thanks to Unaware, whereas Mudsdale and Gastrodon must be severely weakened for Aerodactyl to ever pose a threat to them. Silvally-Ground's natural bulk is just enough to let it check Aerodactyl in a pinch and revenge kill it with Rock Slide.
**Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Foes like Vileplume, Weezing, and Vaporeon don't resist Aerodactyl's attacks, but their natural bulk and utility moves are enough to let them handle it even when boosted. Before boosting, bulky attackers like Alolan Exeggutor, Passimian, and Escavalier force out Aerodactyl because of its lacking power and bulk.
**Faster Pokemon**: If Aerodactyl can't secure a boost, then foes like Choice Scarf Rotom-C, Indeedee-F, and Passimian can revenge kill it because of its poor bulk. Rotom-C and Passimian even possess enough bulk to take a boosted Stone Edge and KO it in return if necessary, though Rotom-C must be at full.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Rabia, 336073]]
- Quality checked by: [[S1nn0hC0nfirm3d, 231074], [Togkey, 400664]]
- Grammar checked by: [[deetah, 297659]]
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