Sets
Leadactyl
- Item Held
- Focus Sash
- Ability
- Pressure
- Nature
- Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack – 252 Speed – 6 HP
In today’s fast-paced, clearly offensive metagame, fast Pokémon holding a Focus Sash are some of the most common leads, known as “Suicide Leads”. Aerodactyl is one of the best candidates for this place due to its magnificent base 130 Speed. Focus Sash guarantees that Aerodactyl almost always sets Stealth Rock. Taunt, especially when used by a Pokémon with such Speed, can easily mess with some defensive minded leads, such as Hippowdon. The offensive combination of a Ground-type and a Rock-type move covers the majority of the OU metagame, plus, Aerodactyl takes advantage of Rock Slide’s 30% chance of flinching the opponent.
The nature and Effort Points are pretty straightforward. Aerodactyl must be as fast as possible, hence the Jolly nature. Since it’s not meant to defend, Attack should be maxed out too.
Choice Band Sweeper
- Item Held
- Choice Band
- Ability
- Pressure
- Nature
- Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack – 252 Speed – 6 HP
One of the best Choice Banders of Advance is here again with some new moves to play. Stone Edge can be used now over Rock Slide for that extra power but with Aerodactyl’s 130 base Speed, having a move that can flinch your opponent isn’t bad. Platinum gave Aerodactyl Aqua Tail, which takes care of Ground-types, especially Rhyperior. Earthquake does what it did in Advance, hitting hard Jirachi and Metagross among other Steel-types. Pursuit is probably Aerodactyl’s best move for the last slot, giving it the ability to hit Pokémon like Gengar and Blissey as they switch out expecting a boosted Rock Slide. Fire Fang is an option for dealing some damage to Bronzong and Forretress, but they are better left to some other Pokémon.
Since a Choice Band user is meant to switch in and out a lot, Aerodactyl should be always paired with a Rapid Spinner as its weakness to Stealth Rock will quickly take its toll, reducing its HP by 25% every time it switches in.
Life Orb Sweeper
- Item Held
- Life Orb
- Ability
- Pressure
- Nature
- Hasty (+Speed, -Defense)
- Effort Points
- 252 Attack – 252 Speed – 6 Special Attack
As mentioned in the previous set, Aerodactyl’s weakness to Stealth Rock won’t favor the hit-and-run style of a Choice Bander. So, sacrificing the 1.5x boost for a 1.3x one and the ability to use a different move without havng to switch is not a bad idea. The concept is pretty much the same. The only difference between this set and the Choice Band one is Fire Blast, which guarantees the 2HKO on Skarmory taking Life Orb into account.
Other Possible Options
As mentioned in the Choice Band set, Fire Fang is an option for dealing with floating Steel-types like Skarmory and Bronzong. Crunch is your best option against Claydol and Cresselia but Aqua Tail and Stone Edge will do the job whatsoever. Aerial Ace is Aerodactyl’s most powerful Flying-type move in case you want to take advantage of a second STAB, but it only hits Heracross and Breloom. Thunder Fang and Ice Fang can OHKO Gyarados and Salamence respectively, but Rock Slide/Stone Edge covers both of them.
Curse along with White Herb can be used as means of setting up, and when used in Sandstorm, you can have a pretty sturdy sweeper. The downside is that you can only use Curse once without losing the advantage of Aerodactyl’s biggest asset, its Speed. Since Aerodactyl’s trait is Pressure, a stalling moveset with Substitute, Roost, and Protect could be possible but Zapdos is way batter at stalling. Substitute is also an option in the Life Orb set and it can prove quite useful if you are not good at prediction wars, but sacrifices coverage. Finally, Aerodactyl is great for setting Rain Dance or Sunny Day for a themed team, of course holding Wet Rock and Heat Rock respectively.
Counters
Bulky Ground- and Water-type Pokémon are the most common switch-ins to Aerodactyl. Swampert, being both, sports a resistance to Rock, is neutral to Aqua Tail and Earthquake and is able to hit back with its Water-type move of choice. Bulky Ground-types include Hippowdon, Donphan, Gliscor and Rhyperior. None of them would enjoy a Choice Band boosted Aqua Tail though. Water-types like Slowbro, Milotic and Suicune can take hits from the Choice Band variant and hit back with their STAB boosted Surf. Weezing is also a quite awesome counter, being immune to Earthquake and carrying Will-O-Wisp. Cresselia works in the same manner, crippling Aerodactyl with Thunder Wave.
Bronzong and Forretress only need to look out for Fire Fang/Fire Blast. If they avoid it, they can both get rid of Aerodactyl with Gyro Ball. Scizor can also revenge kill Aerodactyl with its STABed, Technician boosted (and possibly Choice Band boosted too) Bullet Punch.
Final Thoughts
The 4th generation left Aerodactyl with mixed feelings. While the additions of Focus Sash, Life Orb and Stone Edge and Aqua Tail are welcome, two major changes make it wish it could go back in Advance. In the first place, Choice Scarf makes it worry about Pokémon it would outspeed back in Advance (like Gengar for example). Secondly, Stealth Rock ruins what used to be the fastest Choice Band user. And of course, let’s not forget Bullet Punch, allowing Scizor and Metagross to end Aerodactyl’s rampage anytime. However, Aerodactyl still remains the lightning-fast hitter it was, with the added asset of being one of the best leads out there.
Do note that Aerodactyl’s other ability, Rock Head, doesn’t block Life Orb’s recoil damage so there’s no reason to use it in the third set.