this is my preferred EV spread for an infernape lead
Infernape@Focus Sash-Blaze
252 Atk/36 SpA/220 Spe/Naughty(+Atk,-SpD)
Fake Out
Close Combat
Overheat
Stealth Rock
this maximizes his attack (337 Atk, 253 SpA, 307 Spd)
it also outruns max speed roserade, the only other lead in this speed tier
i find this superior to the standard infernape lead primarily because it can deal with aerodactyl better, and can do more with close combat
the only disadvantage is that it will never tie another infernape in a speed tie, and overheat becomes more unreliable than fire blast
1
Infernape vs Metagross
Fake out vs 252 HP/0 Def Metagross
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 17 18 20
Percentages: 4.67% 4.95% 5.49%
364-17=347
Overheat vs 252 HP/0 SpD Metagross
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 354 380 416
Percentages: 97.25% 104.40% 114.29%
Minimum overheat still guarantees KO after fake out
If metagross carries occa, overheat will do minumum ~50%, and the second overheat will finish
2
Infernape vs Azelf
Fake out vs 4 HP/0 Def Naive Azelf
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 56 60 66
Percentages: 15.38% 16.48% 18.13%
292-56=236
Overheat vs Azelf (Naive)
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 241 261 285
Percentages: 66.21% 71.70% 78.30%
the KO is guaranteed against naive azelf, which most lead azelf are
Fake out vs 4 HP/0 Def Hasty Azelf
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 62 67 73
Percentages: 21.23% 22.95% 25.00%
292-62=230
Overheat vs Azelf (Hasty)
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 217 235 256
Percentages: 74.32% 80.48% 87.67%
On average it will KO
The situation is the same as aerodactyl, azelf gets 1 turn to either attack, set up rocks, or taunt
*This has problems against Rain Dance Azelf* (but seriously, a rain dance azelf?)
4
Infernape vs Jirachi
Fake out vs 80 Hp/0 Def Jirachi
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 20 22 24
Percentages: 5.54% 6.09% 6.65%
361-20=341
Overheat vs 80 Hp/0 SpD Jirachi
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 324 350 384
Percentages: 89.75% 96.95% 106.37%
On average this will KO Jirachi
5
Some damage calculations
Fake out vs 4 HP/0 Def Aerodactyl
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 29 32 35
Percentages: 9.60% 10.60% 11.59%
Close Combat vs the same Aerodactyl
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 262 283 309
Percentages: 86.75% 93.71% 102.32%
Assuming fake out hits minumum there is a:
(273-262)/(309-262)=.766 chance to KO
in other words this infernape usually leaves aerodactyl ONE turn before it dies
generally it goes like
Turn 1: Infernape fakes out, aerodactyl flinches
Turn 2: Aerodactyl either uses SR or EQ, if he uses SR he will most likely die and infernape will still have a sash or if he uses EQ neither player will have stealth rock provided that both players have any sort of priority
8
Infernape vs Ninjask
my infernape vs ninjask
Close Combat vs 0 Def Ninjask
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 86 93 101
Percentages: 28.67% 31.00% 33.67%
ignore the percents, i just put in 300 for filler
the more important thing is:
86x4=344
How many EVs does ninjask need so that minimum damage CC cant break a sub?
344-261=81
81x4=
324
I dont see a lot of ninjask with that much HP investment but maybe thats just me
so for those who dont like overheats shaky 90% accuracy or the constant drops, this more powerful CC can do better vs ninjask than the standard infernape
standard leadape vs ninjask
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 66 72 78
Percentages: 22.00% 24.00% 26.00%
again, ignore percents, but a ninjask running 220 HP evs (316 HP) can get 3 swords dances in on a standard infernape using CC, and fire blast is 50% more likely to miss than overheat
again the calcs:
64 Atk Infernape vs 220 HP/0 Def Ninjask Close Combat
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw damage: 66 72 78
Percentages: 20.89% 22.78% 24.68%
and percents mean something this time, how silly would you look letting ninjask getting that many swords dances, or fire blasting til you miss anyways?
The probability that fire blast will hit 4 times in a row is:
(.85^4)=
.522 barely more than half
if this ninjask runs protect then youre gonna have no fire blasts
9
Infernape vs Bronzong
Overheat vs 252 HP/92 SpD Non-Heatproof Bronzong
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw Damage: 264 284 312
Percentages: 78.11% 84.02% 92.31%
Close Combat vs 252 HP/80 Def Bronzong
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw Damage: 151 163 178
Percentages: 44.67% 48.22% 52.66%
Clean 2HKO with overheat+close combat
of course the standard could use fire blastx2, but theres more probability to miss.
10
Close Combat vs 252 HP/252 Def Bold Tyranitar
Min: Avg: Max:
Raw Damage: 504 544 592
Percentages: 124.75% 134.65% 146.53%
Did i really need to post this?...
This lead suffers against other infernape leads who reach 330 speed, against hippowdon whos sandstorm breaks the sash, and swampert. But against 7 of the top 10 leads this will come out on top.
In general this is for teams who don't mind getting rocks out as long as the opponent doesnt.
I always back this up with scarfgar, to revenge kill latias and gyrados, 2 common switchins to leadape.