How you beat Aatrox pre nerf

"You couldn't 1v1 Aatrox early! Not a fair lane!"

You get in melee range to avoid his first two Q's, then walk behind him for the 3rd and his damage was cut in HALF.

Meanwhile, these things exist in game;

and they take over the game once lane phase is over.

And the "OMG SO OPPRESSIVE EARLY GAME PUSHING" means he always has priority meaning if your jungler isn't ganking him for easy kills then it's YOUR fault. Aatrox was and is even more so now, SO easy to shut down.