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Aggron (GP 2/2)

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ROAR

[Overview]

<p>It's not very difficult to find the main use for Aggron. If you didn't notice, the answer that's likely hitting you in the face right now is its 225 Base Power Head Smash. Before you start wondering why you would ever use Aggron's Head Smash over any other Head Smash, I'll tell you. Aggron can use this powerful force of destruction with no recoil. That's right&mdashAggron can spam a 225 Base Power move all day with no drawbacks. And although Head Smash might be its main attraction, Aggron has more to offer than that. It's one of the few Pokemon in RU to boast the Steel type, allowing it to easily check nearly all of RU's Dragon-types. And although you might be under the impression that the only stat worth mentioning about Aggron is its Attack, this couldn't be further from the truth. It also packs a gigantic base 180 Defense, allowing it to shrug off physical hits with ease. By virtue of its typing it's also one of the only reliable counters to Honchkrow and Swellow in RU. Aggron can also switch in fairly easily, as it resists Stealth Rock and is immune to Toxic Spikes.</p>

<p>However, not all is sunshine and ice cream for this lovely Pokemon. Aggron's typing holds it back, cursing it with weaknesses to the common Fighting-, Ground-, and Water-types. It also possesses a Special Defense stat reminiscent of a paper towel's, which only exacerbates the Water-type weakness. But when all is said and done, Aggron brings to the table what few others can boast. If you're in the mood to get out there and smash things like a Spartan, Aggron is one Pokemon that should always come to mind.</p>

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Heavy Slam
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Aqua Tail
item: Choice Band
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When all you want is pure power, look no further than Aggron's Choice Band set. This item shoots Aggron's attack up to a dazzling 525, allowing it to smash through much of the RU tier. Head Smash is the go-to move on this set, easily crushing threats such as Honchkrow, Entei, Galvantula, and Sceptile in one hit. Aggron's Head Smash also 2HKOs Uxie; few physical attackers can match this claim to fame. When Head Smash is resisted, use Heavy Slam; thanks to Aggron's unnaturally large weight it will hit most Pokemon that resist Head Smash for heavy damage. The last two slots are devoted to covering certain threats&mdash;Earthquake lands a 2HKO on Steelix, and Ice Punch hits other Ground-Types. Alternatively, Aqua Tail can be used in the last slot to hit Ground-types other than Gligar harder.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread on this set is simplistic yet effective. Maximum Attack EVs and an Adamant nature allow Aggron to hit as bone-crushingly hard as possible, while 252 Speed EVs let it outspeed Pokemon with an uninvested base 80 Speed. Choice Band is the obvious item, letting Aggron hit as hard as possible right off the bat. The ability of choice on this set is Rock Head, negating the otherwise-plentiful recoil from Head Smash. Other moves that Aggron could use in its fourth moveslot are Low Kick to smack Steelix, and Superpower to bash Ferroseed, but both are generally outclassed by Aqua Tail or Ice Punch.</p>

<p>The worst enemy of this set is Spikes. As Aggron will be switching in and out a lot, Spikes (the only hazard that has full effectiveness on Aggron), given enough time, is fatal. Therefore, a Rapid Spin user such as Hitmonchan works wonders for Aggron's survival. Entry hazards set by a Pokemon such as Ferroseed can do wonders for Aggron, allowing it to defeat Pokemon such as Steelix with far less effort. For example, Aqua Tail takes out Steelix in one shot after just one layer of Spikes damage. Ironically, Ferroseed is also the greatest enemy of this set; it takes negligible damage from any moves on the main set and won't be 2HKOed by anything short of Superpower.</p>

[SET]
name: SubPunch
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Focus Punch
move 3: Head Smash
move 4: Magnet Rise / Ice Punch
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>The threat of a powerful Head Smash means that Aggron can force switches like there's no tomorrow. And there's no better way to capitalize on a predicted switch than setting up a Substitute, giving Aggron one extra turn (or more) to do whatever it wants. From there, Focus Punch is a no-brainer; this extremely powerful move works best behind a Substitute, sending the toughest of Pokemon running home to their mothers.</p>

<p>The moves on this set are extraordinarily straightforward. When you see a switch coming, set up a Substitute and watch as your opponent quakes in fear of Aggron's tyrannical wrath. Focus Punch is also obvious, as it is extremely powerful and provides nearly flawless coverage in conjunction with Head Smash. Speaking of Head Smash, it's still Aggron's strongest attack, crushing nearly anything not resisting it like a tractor with overlarge treads. The last slot allows you to deal with Gligar and Claydol, but the two options do so in different ways: one (Magnet Rise) allows you to avoid pesky Ground-type attacks, while the other (Ice Punch) allows you to hit them hard on the switch.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread on this set may look a bit complicated, but in reality it's actually rather straightforward. Maximum Attack EVs with an Adamant nature yield an impressive 350 Attack. Running 204 Speed EVs allows Aggron to outspeed Claydol that don't invest in Speed, with the 52 remaining EVs dropped into HP for a slight bulk increase. Aggron will be damaging itself a lot with its relentless Substitute creation, so Leftovers will allow Aggron to regain some of its lost HP.</p>

<p>This set is very hard to wall due to its inconsistent status immunity and amazing two-move coverage. However, Gligar and Claydol both take little damage from Head Smash and Focus Punch, and can OHKO with their Ground-type STAB moves. Gligar must be careful when switching in, however, as it won't like taking an Ice Punch to the face. Claydol won't either, but at least it will never be 2HKOed. If Aggron uses Magnet Rise on the switch, neither Pokemon will be able to touch it. Aggron appreciates entry hazards more than particular teammates, but Ferroseed shines for its ability to set up hazards with ease.</p>

[SET]
name: Autotomize
move 1: Autotomize
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Aqua Tail
item: Life Orb
ability: Rock Head
nature: Adamant
evs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>Most of Aggron's unique power comes from not being forced to set up. Head Smash, with the support of Rock Head, becomes a wrecking ball that few Pokemon can withstand. However, Aggron really suffers in the sweeping department thanks to its lackluster Speed. That's where setup comes in. This set gives Aggron the opportunity to fully sweep a team by boosting its Speed, allowing it to outrun the vast majority of its opponents and lay on the hurt with Head Smash.</p>

<p>The moves on this set really couldn't get much simpler. Autotomize is a complete no-brainer, boosting Aggron's Speed by two stages to allow it to outpace the majority of its foes. In addition, it also reduces Aggron's weight, allowing it to stand up to Grass Knot and Low Kick much better. Head Smash is Aggron's main attacking move, destroying much of RU with its 225 Base Power after STAB. Earthquake offers phenomenal coverage with Head Smash, hitting most Pokemon that resist Aggron's STAB for respectable damage. Ice Punch and Aqua Tail are simply supplementary coverage; Aqua Tail has a higher Base Power and can hit Gligar and Claydol for super effective damage, but Ice Punch hits Gligar harder.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EVs on this set may look slightly complex at first glance, but are actually quite simple. Maximum Attack EVs, supplemented by an Adamant nature, yield a respectable Attack stat, while 204 Speed EVs allow Aggron to outspeed Pokemon with base 120 Speed after a boost. The last few EVs are dumped into HP, giving Aggron just a tad more bulk. Equipping a Life Orb makes Aggron's hits even more powerful, although the recoil certainly isn't great. As far as niche moves go, Low Kick can murder Steelix and Regirock, which both wall this set effectively. Superpower hits those two in addition to murdering Ferroseed, but the Attack and Defense drops end Aggron's sweep instantly by themselves.</p>

<p>Although Aggron resists Stealth Rock and is immune to Toxic Spikes, Spikes can really put a cramp in its day; with Life Orb whittling away at its HP, the steel beast can't afford further passive damage. Thus, a Rapid Spin user such as Claydol or Hitmonchan makes a good teammate for this set. In addition, Ferroseed and Steelix completely wall this set unless Aggron runs a different coverage move; therefore, a Pokemon that can trap and eliminate them such as Magneton also makes a good teammate.</p>

[SET]
name: Support
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head / Sturdy
nature: Careful
evs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

[SET COMMENTS]

<p>When one looks at Aggron's typing, the first thing that comes to mind is its Rock-type STAB on Head Smash. However, Aggron also possesses a Steel typing, which is very rare in RU. This allows Aggron to effectively check threats from types such as Dragon, Ice, and Flying with ease. In particular, Aggron is one of the very few reliable Swellow counters in RU.</p>

<p>The choice of moves on this set is slightly unorthodox. Head Smash, however, is practically a no-brainer, giving Aggron serious attacking power even without any investment into its Attack stat. Stealth Rock is an extremely useful move on any team, and is all the better on Aggron because Crygonal, a common Rapid Spin user, would never dare to switch in on Aggron. Finally, the choice between Thunder Wave and Toxic is between beating offense or defense; Thunder Wave slows down fast attackers, while Toxic wears down walls. The choice of coverage moves is a tricky one; Earthquake gives the best overall coverage with Head Smash, but Aqua Tail can discourage Claydol from using Rapid Spin on Aggron.</p>

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

<p>The EV spread on this set is very simple, if slightly unorthodox. Maximum HP and Special Defense EVs with a Careful nature allow Aggron to take special hits with aplomb, with the remaining four EVs put into Defense for a slight increase in physical bulk. Leftovers allow Aggron to recover its HP over time, greatly aiding its tanking ability. Using Rock Head as your ability is preferable, as it negates the sizable recoil from Head Smash; however, Sturdy allows Aggron to serve as a last-ditch check to nearly anything while at full health, albeit at the cost of devastating Head Smash recoil.</p>

<p>One good type of teammate for Aggron is a spinblocker such as Rotom to increase the longevity of the Stealth Rock that it puts up on the field. Pokemon that can take advantage of Stealth Rock, such as Medicham or Honchkrow, also make good teammates.</p>

[Other Options]

<p>Aggron doesn't have many other options to utilize. It can run a set utilizing Sturdy in conjunction with Metal Burst to nearly always revenge kill one Pokemon, but the prevalence of entry hazards in the RU metagame make it difficult to keep Sturdy intact. It can also run an attacking set with Thunder Wave to slow down opposing threats and blow through them, but the prevalence of Ground-types, in addition to Aggron's raw offensive power, generally yield superior results with a purely offensive set.</p>

[Checks and Counters]

<p>Aggron may have great power, but with great power comes great responsibility&mdash;that is to say, the responsibility of keeping an eye out for Aggron's myriad of checks and counters. Ferroseed can check Aggron, as it resists or is neutral to all of Aggron's commonly used moves besides Superpower. However, even it will fall to repeated uses of Head Smash. Fighting-types such as Hitmonchan can generally outrun Aggron and destroy it with 4x super-effective STAB. Gligar will outspeed Aggron and can Roost to recover damage from Head Smash. Steelix takes very little damage from anything Aggron can throw at it short of Low Kick, and will easily OHKO Aggron with Earthquake. Quagsire also OHKOs Aggron with Earthquake, and has the unique benefit of Unaware to allow it to ignore Aggron's stat boosts. Special attackers in general can whale on Aggron's pathetic Special Defense; without the support of a sandstorm, the steel behemoth will quickly fall. Aggron is also weak to the priority moves Mach Punch, Aqua Jet, and Vacuum Wave, providing an easy way to revenge kill it even if it has boosted its Speed.</p>

[Dream World]

<p>Aggron's Dream World ability, Heavy Metal, doubles its weight; however, considering Aggron's already staggering weight, being able to Head Smash with impunity is far superior to having a slightly stronger Heavy Slam.</p>
 
No mention of Rock Polish ? Not even in OO ? This is the only set, with which Aggron can sweep lategame and with his massive number of resistances he can quite easily find this free turn to use it (Swellow, RU Dragons, etc.). Although it may need some tests anyway as I'm not sure how it works in RU.
 
Possibly a sub + 3 attacks could work, sub protects you from sableye's burn and fighting and ground attackers, hell subpunch could work.
 
Just a little nitpick but you mention Blastoise a few times but Blastoise is UU now.
 
Sub+Three Attacks should definitely be mentioned, as well as Rock Polish/Automotize.
 
-Earthquake 2HKOs Steelix
FALSE! Earthquake only 2HKOes if Steelix is running 252 HP / 252 SpD Sassy, but Steelix should always be running Relaxed this gen (for situations exactly like this). Steelix goes in the Counters section.
 
Bulky Ground-types (Sandslash, Claydol) easily sponge Head Smashes and OHKO back, so mention them in checks & counters, although +1 Aqua Tail and Ice Punch will 2HKO both (Ice Punch needs SR for Sandslash) and +1 Heavy Slam can 2HKO Sandslash.

By the way, what is Aggron out-running exactly with 252 EVs at adamant? Can he not invest some of that in HP to take advantage of his resistances and defence better? He only needs 204 to out-run Claydol, who often runs Relaxed anyway.

Also Rock Polish > Autotomise if you're running Heavy Slam, and +2 Jolly Aggron absolutely does out-run Alakazam and is a great late-game cleaner.
 
I'd call Aggron the best Swellow counter in the game, not just in RU, but that's somewhat of a minor nitpick. Maybe mention an offensive TWave set, it's been proven rather effective with Bisharp in UU. True he doesn't lure in the same pokes, but it at least deserves mention in the OO, imo.

Edit: Quag in Checks/Counters
 
Is there any reason you're not writing a Rock Polish set? RU doesn't have monster physical walls like Skarmory and Hippowdon, and Aggron's 225 Base Power Head Smash is more than powerful enough to sweep unboosted.
 
Yeah, i think a rock polish set is definatley viable, it outspeeds plenty of shit after a boost, and if a base 225 power, good coverage, drawbackless attack cant sweep i dunno what can.
 
^ Autotomize, not Rock Polish. Autotomize is Rock Polish with the added effect of halving the user's weight, which means Low Kick/Grass Knot and other such moves do less damage, unless you're trying to use Heavy Slam, as Spork already mentioned

Autotomize, too slow to beat Alakazam

Not true. Even Adamant +2 Aggron reaches 398 Speed, which outpaces Base 125's with a boosting nature and Alakazam is base 120, which only manages 372 with a boosting nature. Also, as for not being able to outpace Sableye('s ability) after a boost, this is true for every Agility/Rock Polish/Autotomize sweeper and every Choice Scarf user. Does that stop them from getting sets? It's a moot point, not to mention that if you're really that concerned about Will-O-Wisp, you can always run a Lum Berry or something.

Also, "not strong enough to sweep"? Then why the hell is it in the UU analysis? You call 350 Attack with a Life Orb and a 150 BP STAB "not strong enough to sweep"? Somebody seriously needs to check their facts.

Please also mention SubPunch at least. While Focus Punch doesn't always 2HKO Steelix, it still works well against the majority of Head Smash resists, and Aggron can run Magnet Rise to stymie Earthquake.
 
So apparently you guys don't like reading the first sentence of OP's? Ok whatever

Anyway there's pretty big support for an Autotomize (not Rock Polish because you shouldn't be running Heavy Slam) set so I'll add that

Kyurem: SubPunch is the only decent Sub set on Aggron, I'm a little shaky on it right now but if QC gives it the go ahead then sure

MMF: Oh

Honko: Fuck you (bites)

Spork: Bulky Ground-types are a little shaky because Ice Punch or Aqua Tail 2HKOs most of them. Also 244 Spe outruns Mandibuzz and it's better to speedtie with other maxed Aggrons than have 2 extra speed anyway (especially with Sturdy)

col: I'll stick offensive TWave in OO, and yeah Quag is a pain

NWO: Autotomize yeah got it

eon: Disclaimer I didn't look at the UU analysis first; this is all based off my personal experience. And yeah yeah yeah I'll add Autotomize and get input on SubPunch

i'll make these updates later, big math test tomorrow
 
Put Eviolite Gligar into checks and counters. Yes, CB Ice Punch deals a lot of damage, but it's never an OHKO, and CB Head Smash just manages a 2HKO 100% of the time. In addition, Gligar is faster than Adamant Aggron (Jolly outspeeds, but can't always 2HKO with Head Smash) and can Roost off the damage (and resist Head Smash by dropping its flying type) or 2HKO with EQ. Aggron's Earthquake also gives Gligar a free switch-in. Even if it's not a "counter" according to whatever definition you're using, it's still a definite check.

At least mention Steelix under checks and counters because it's the only Pokemon in RU that 4x resists Aggron's Head Smash. Not to mention that nothing short of a CB Low Kick will 2HKO it, and even that requires Spikes to assure it thanks to Steelix's Leftovers.
 
Eon: I think I ran my calcs wrong x.x

Anyway, Gligar isn't the most solid of things to beat Aggron but I guess it could work in a pinch. Steelix is much more solid, I'll add that in when I edit this
 
True, but Gligar has two big advantages over other bulky Ground-types in its defensive BST (Thanks to the Eviolite) and Roost for instant recovery. It's also got the advantage of being faster than Adamant Aggron even without any Speed investment, thus meaning it can work against CB Aggron more effectively provided you switch it in on the right move.
 
Your first sentence is fairly nonsensical (the first part of it anyway). Gligar's typing is a big disadvantage in checking Aggron, as it makes it 4x weak to Ice Punch and neutral to Head Smash. The big advantage of Ground-types against Aggron is that they are only 2x weak to Ice Punch and resist Head Smash.
 
I'd like to see support set and possibly a Metal Burst set.

name: Support
move 1: Head Smash
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Thunder Wave / Toxic
move 4: Earthquake / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers
ability: Rock Head / Sturdy
nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

This was a neat set that saw me through a lot of pain turmoil back when Yanmega and friends ran the streets. Its still a viable set (moreso since Rhyperior doesn't exist) and it can check some annoying Pokemon. (Cryogonal, ice types basically if special if sand is up)

name: Metal Burst
move 1: Metal Burst
move 2: Head Smash
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Ice Punch / Aqua Tail
item: Leftovers / Chople Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Sassy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

Your standard 3 attacks Aggron with Metal Burst thrown in, to help it beat fighting types bulky water types who try to OHKO. If Sturdy is still active you can tear them apart with Metal Burst (and continuously pepper them with strong head smashes) Unfortunately this set needs SpD, otherwise Aggron is flat out OHKOed by most special water moves. With a chople berry, it pretty guarantees that fighting types will be flat out unable to OHKO you.

I'd also mention Sandstorm support on almost all of the sets.
Edit: Ferroseed is NOT an Aggron counter, Alakazam & Sableye are banned from RU.
 
You mention Low Kick for Ferroseed, but it only has 40 BP against Ferroseed, so it's really only good for Steelix and Regirock. Superpower would hit Ferroseed harder, but it's illegal with Head Smash (something you might want to mention in OO.)

Edit: Alright, if Superpower's not illegal then give it a mention in AC for Ferroseed. Thanks pie cream.

QC APPROVED 1/3
 
@ Honko, thats false. you get a male rampardos that has learned super power from move tutor and knows head smash from level up and breed it with a female aggron.
 
Whoa, whoa, hang on guys. I was under the impression that Aggron has valuable bulk and resistances. What are the Speed EVs for? Wouldn't they be better placed in HP?

For the Choice Band set, I mean.
 
The Speed EVs are to beat any wall with 80 base Speed or less that doesn't invest. Things like Weezing and Alomomola and Mandibuzz. Aggron is kind of all-or-nothing when it comes to taking hits. He takes resisted physical hits no problem even without investment, but he can't stand up to powerful special attacks or any Fighting- or Ground-type moves no matter how much bulk you try to give him. Adding some HP EVs won't really help him.
 
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