Mega Aerodactyl has 150 base Speed — tied for the fastest non-legendary Mega in Champions. It doesn’t need TailwindTailwindmoveDoubles the Speed of every Pokémon on your side for 4 turns. Often paired with Prankster for instant priority setup.Click to read more →, doesn’t need Speed investment, and doesn’t need any speed tricks. It simply moves first in almost every matchup. Tough ClawsTough ClawsabilityBoosts the power of contact moves by 1.3×. Most physical attacks make contact, so this is effectively a permanent damage buff for physical attackers.Click to read more → pushes its already-high 135 Attack further on contact moves.
Rock/Flying is an interesting type combination. Rock’s offensive coverage is wide (hits Flying, Fire, Bug, Ice). But defensively, Rock/Flying is weak to Water, Electric, Ice, Rock, and Steel — five weaknesses. Mega Aerodactyl survives on Speed rather than bulk.
Key moves
- Rock SlideRock SlidemoveA Rock-type spread move with 75 base power and a 30% flinch chance on each target it hits.Click to read more → — Hits both opponents, 75 base power boosted by Tough Claws (1.3×) and STABSTABmechanicSame-Type Attack Bonus: a move deals ×1.5 damage when its type matches one of the user's types.Click to read more → (1.5×). Reliable spread damage with a flinch chance.
- Aerial Ace — Flying STAB, never misses, boosted by Tough Claws.
- Ice Fang — Coverage against Ground and Dragon types that resist Rock. Boosted by Tough Claws.
- Tailwind — Mega Aerodactyl can set its own Tailwind, though it rarely needs the speed boost for itself.
What stops it
- Water, Electric, and Steel moves — Three of its five weaknesses are common attacking types. Most teams have at least one of these.
- PriorityPrioritymechanicMove priority brackets determine turn order before Speed is checked — +3 Fake Out always moves first, −7 Trick Room always moves last.Click to read more → moves — Even at 150 Speed, it loses to +2 priority (Extreme Speed, Fake OutFake OutmoveA +3 priority Normal-type move that does small damage and forces the target to flinch — only usable on the user's first turn out.Click to read more →). After taking chip damage it’s fragile enough for priority to finish it.
- Low bulk — 80/65/75 defensive stats. If it doesn’t move first or walks into a coverage move, it drops quickly.