So, after seeing the Encore set go through QC, I noticed Primeape hasn't been updated since May of 2009 by Fuzznip, so I decided to give Primeape an update.
Status: Done, waiting on GP checks
Plans:
- Keep Choice Band? Or just add onto Choice Scarf or Life Orb?
- Strongly question viability of Hazerider set
- Scrap Lead set and add mention in Scarf set
- Rewrite OC, Counters, and Overview
- Obviously add Encore set
- Punishment even worth slash?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/primeape
[Overview]
<p>Primeape is just one among many in UU. His Speed is the highest of the multitude of Fighting-types in UU, his movepool is extensive, and his ability, Vital Spirit, is amazing to have in a tier overrun with Sleep Powder-carrying Grass-types. The only things holding back this furious ape are his low defenses and stiff competition in a tier filled to the brim with other able-bodied Fighting-types. However, Primeape's aforementioned perks are what separate him from the competition and make him a unique and admirable choice for any team.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape's awesome Speed stat is exploited to the fullest extent with a Choice Scarf, turning him into both an efficient scout and an excellent revenge killer. U-turn is the crux of this set, allowing Primeape to come in on a Pokemon whom he can scare out, like Chansey, and scout for the opponent's counter. Close Combat is the obligatory STAB move of choice because of its high Base Power; Primeape will be doing a lot of switching with a Choice item, effectively negating the troubles caused by the defense drops. Stone Edge hits Ghost- and Flying-types, such as Rotom and Moltres respectively, who resist the aforementioned moves. The choice in the final moveslot comes down to personal preference. Ice Punch, in tandem with Vital Spirit, allows Primeape to become an effective check to Venusaur. Earthquake can be used to hit Poison- and Electric-types super effectively, but they are mostly uncommon and are usually already dealt with by Primeape's other moves. Finally, Punishment is an option to score a reliable blow on Ghost-types, particularly Rotom and Mismagius; however, outside of hitting the rare stat boosting Psychic-types, that is quite literally the furthest extent of its uses in UU.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are designed to give Primeape as much attacking power as possible while also giving him enough Speed to outpace the entire UU metagame with a Choice Scarf, including Choice Scarf Rotom. The remaining EVs are placed into HP to give Primeape a minor buffer against weaker attacks from the likes of Registeel and Chansey. An alternative spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with an Adamant or Jolly nature can be utilized to maximize Primeape's offensive game.</p>
<p>With a Choice Scarf and U-turn, Primeape works wonderfully as a scout. When using Primeape, the idea is to switch into a Pokemon whom Primeape will force out, such as Registeel, and proceed to use U-turn, as opposed to Close Combat, to scout your opponent's Primeape counter. In this way, Primeape ensures that momentum will stay on your side and keeps the opponent on his toes. After the majority of your opponent's team has been revealed, Primeape is free to start raining down STAB Close Combats or one of the appropriate coverage moves.</p>
<p>This Primeape can also make an effective lead, as he is immune to Sleep Powder, which forces Choice Scarf Venusaur into attacking on turn one, as well as forcing other sleep inducers out thanks to the threat of Primeape's large movepool. Primeape's early U-turn permits him to do decent damage to Uxie and Mesprit and scouts the opponent's early switch-in to Primeape. He easily beats other common leads such as Ambipom (though Primeape will still get hit by a powerful Fake Out), Alakazam, Mismagius, Moltres, and Registeel. Primeape also beats Scyther, Cloyster, and Omastar if they do not carry Focus Sash. While Primeape can gain you early momentum, he does little to prevent entry hazards from being set up by the opponent, which can prove problematic in the long run considering all the switching he will be doing with U-turn. He also has trouble with lead Arcanine, Hariyama, Qwilfish, and Spiritomb.</p>
<p>To ensure momentum stays on your side, pairing Primeape with other U-turn users who lure out Pokemon he can counter is a good idea. Swellow and Scyther are both good examples, as they lure out Steel- and Rock-types whom Primeape can scare away with his STAB Close Combat. Weezing and Slowbro are hard stops to any attempt Primeape might have for a sweep, so Pokemon who can easily eliminate them, such as Lanturn, will prove useful. Registeel makes a good partner thanks to its ability to absorb various attacks aimed at Primeape when he is locked into the wrong move. Pairing Primeape with a Pursuit user, such as Absol or Skuntank, provides Primeape with a way to easily bypass Rotom and Mismagius and eliminates the need to waste a moveslot for Punishment. Primeape will be issuing a lot of switches, so setting up entry hazards on the opponent's field will help to more quickly wear out the opposition; good teammates to set up entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, and Cloyster. In the same realm, keeping entry hazards off of Primeape's side of the field is recommended. Claydol is a good teammate to provide Rapid Spin support as it can easily switch into Weezing in addition to setting up Stealth Rock. Finally, as Primeape makes a good scout and wallbreaker, pairing him with a second Fighting-type, such as Hitmonlee, is a good strategy. The main idea is to scout out the opponent's Fighting-type counters with Primeape early game and eliminate them with the rest of your team, which will then allow the second Fighting-type to wreak havoc upon your opponent's ravaged team late game.</p>
[SET]
name: Encore
move 1: Encore
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge / Toxic
move 4: Substitute / U-turn
item: Leftovers
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set aims to disrupt and halt the opponent's strategy with Encore while following up with the appropriate move afterward. Encore allows Primeape to lock the foe into a single move, which is useful against set-up and support moves that are not harmful to Primeape. However, if you predict that your foe will switch out instead of attacking Primeape, using Substitute or U-turn to scout is more beneficial. Substitute essentially gives Primeape a temporary extra life against attacks, as well as immunity to status. U-turn does decent damage and gains momentum for your team by allowing Primeape to switch to a counter at the same time. Offensively, Close Combat is Primeape's main STAB attack, dealing deadly damage to any Pokemon who doesn't resist it. Stone Edge has good coverage in conjunction with Close Combat, hitting Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-type Pokemon, such as Moltres, Scyther, and Arcanine, for super effective damage. Lastly, Toxic helps cripple opponents who resist or take little damage from Primeape's attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the preferred item because it recovers HP lost from Substitute and residual damage, greatly extending Primeape's longevity. With the recovery provided by Leftovers, Primeape has more chances to switch in and use Encore on various threats. The HP EVs allow Primeape to use Substitute five times from full health with Leftovers factored in.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support from Omastar, Mesprit, or Drapion is excellent with this Primeape since Encore causes a lot of switches. This means more indirect damage will pile up and weaken your enemy, which allows a late-game sweeper, such as Alakazam, Swellow, or Scyther, to clean up more easily. Even with Toxic Spikes support, using Toxic is an option because it hits Flying-types and Levitators who would otherwise wall Primeape. Stealth Rock is perhaps the best entry hazard to use alongside this set, since it smashes the Bug- and Flying-type Pokemon who resist Close Combat.</p>
<p>Most physical walls or tanks, such as Milotic, Uxie, and Weezing, are annoying to Primeape. However, Primeape can hinder the aforementioned walls (with the exception of Weezing) with Toxic and clean them up later in the match with Close Combat and Stone Edge. Primeape cannot stall them out by himself, though, so bulky Pokemon such as Rotom, Milotic, and Venusaur can help block their advances while Toxic takes effect. Using Scyther and Arcanine can help defeat Venusaur, who takes little damage from any of Primeape's attacks. Pursuit users are also helpful at removing the Psychic-type walls.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set plays very similarly to the Choice sets, but with one big distinction: the ability to switch between moves, giving Primeape the freedom to fire off Close Combats without the fear of Ghost-types setting up on him. Primeape's main job is the same: scout out the opponent by switching into a Pokemon whom Primeape will force out, such as Chansey, and proceed to use U-turn, as opposed to Close Combat, to scout your opponent's Primeape counter. Late-game is where Life Orb Primeape really shines, as he can outpace a large portion of the UU metagame and bring the hurt with his large movepool. The premise is simple: come in after the opposing team has been scouted on a Pokemon who is easily threatened by Primeape, and fire off the appropriate coverage move. Close Combat is the obligatory STAB move, and as Primeape will probably be played at the end of the match and outspeed most threats, the defense drops are negligible. U-turn remains Primeape's strongest hit on bulky Psychic-types such as Uxie, Exeggutor, and Slowbro. Stone Edge has great coverage alongside Close Combat and is Primeape's best attack on Flying-types and scores a good hit on Ghost-types. The last slot is again up to the player's discretion. Ice Punch pairs well with Vital Spirit and gives Primeape a nice way to threaten Venusaur and Tangrowth, whom Primeape can come in on with his immunity to Sleep Powder. Earthquake can be used in the last slot to provide Primeape with the infamous QuakeEdge combo, but it has a lot of overlapping coverage with Close Combat. Finally, Punishment is Primeape's strongest move against Rotom, Mismagius, and Dusclops.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Unlike the Choice Scarf set, since Primeape no longer outspeeds all of the unboosted metagame, he will need some insurance against faster threats. Swellow, Alakazam, Sceptile, Mismagius, and Dugtrio all pose a significant threat to Primeape's existence, so packing checks to them will grant Primeape a new lease on life should he encounter them. Registeel easily switches into the first three threats thanks to his Steel typing and large bulk. Primeape's nemesis Mismagius now outspeeds him, so pairing Primeape with Mixed Houndoom will produce positive results; Houndoom is resistant to Shadow Ball, benefits from Will-O-Wisp, and can eliminate Mismagius with Pursuit. Primeape is again stopped cold by Weezing and Slowbro, so including Lanturn or Milotic, the latter of whom also walls Dugtrio, on your team will again bolster Primeape's performance. With a Life Orb and entry hazards, such as Stealth Rock and Spikes, Primeape obtains a few KOs he normally couldn't, such as against Venusaur. Good teammates to provide entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, Cloyster, and Qwilfish.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Punishment
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Primeape plays extremely similarly to the Choice Scarf variant but trades Speed for more power. Choice Band gives Primeape the capacity to 2HKO many prominent defensive walls, such as Milotic and Donphan, with Close Combat, whom he normally would miss out on. While rushing onto the battlefield with fists flying may seem like the way to play this Primeape, it's usually smarter to feign a Choice Scarf by utilizing Primeape's now-boosted U-turns to scout out the opponent beforehand. The idea is to switch into a Pokemon who will be forced out by Primeape, such as Registeel, and instead of using the obvious Close Combat, scout the opposition with U-turn. After the majority of your opponent's team has been revealed, Primeape is free to start annihilating his opponents with STAB Close Combats or one of the appropriate coverage moves. The extra power in Primeape's U-turn can stealthily chip away his counter's health faster, allowing him to unleash his Close Combats earlier and surprise the opponent with his boosted power.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape may be fast, but he's far from outpacing the entirety of the UU metagame, so you should use him cautiously. Registeel again makes a good partner, as he can absorb blows from most of the fast and powerful hitters who threaten Primeape, including Swellow, Alakazam, and Sceptile. Spikes support is highly recommended with this set, as U-turn + Spikes will quickly rack up a lot more residual damage, especially on grounded walls such as Milotic. Qwilfish and Omastar are good candidates for providing said Spikes, and Omastar can even add Stealth Rock to the mix. Another good teammate to pair up with Primeape is Houndoom, who, with Flash Fire and Pursuit, can switch into the majority of Ghost-types with little worry and eliminate them.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>To ensure that momentum stays on your side, pairing Primeape with other U-turn users who lure out Pokemon he can counter is a good idea. Swellow and Scyther are both good examples as they can lure out Steel- and Rock-types whom Primeape can scare away with the threat of STAB Close Combat. Registeel makes a good partner thanks to his immense bulk and ability to absorb various attacks aimed at Primeape if he is locked into the wrong move or up against faster threats such as Swellow, Alakazam, and Sceptile; Registeel also makes a good candidate to set up Stealth Rock. Including a Dark-type Pursuit user, such as Absol or Drapion, on your team provides Primeape with a way to bypass Rotom and Mismagius. Drapion also has the added benefit of providing Primeape with Toxic Spikes. Mixed Houndoom with Pursuit is another good teammate as he is able to absorb Will-O-Wisp, thanks to his Flash Fire ability, and has the added benefit of easily disposing of Spiritomb.</p>
<p>Primeape will be the cause of a lot of switches, so setting up entry hazards on the opponent's field will allow Primeape to quickly wear out the competition. Good teammates to set up entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, Qwilfish, and Cloyster. In the same vein, keeping entry hazards off of Primeape's side of the field is recommended. A good teammate to provide Rapid Spin support is Claydol, seeing as it resists Psychic-type attacks and can easily switch into Weezing and Donphan. Lanturn makes a good teammate as well, as he can switch into the bulky Water-types of UU who threaten Primeape, such as Slowbro and Milotic, without much trouble and eliminate them with Thunderbolt or spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Finally, as Primeape makes a good scout and wallbreaker, pairing him with a second Fighting-type, such as Hitmonlee, Toxicroak, or Blaziken, is a good strategy to put extra pressure on the opponent at the end of the battle.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Primeape has a very extensive movepool, but unfortunately most of the moves are too situational to be of much use. Primeape is able to utilize a Hazerider set consisting of Substitute, Close Combat, Ice Punch, and Stone Edge while holding a Salac Berry to abuse his other ability, Anger Point. The idea is to continually use Substitute until the opponent scores a critical hit, causing Primeape's Attack stat to be maxed out, and then unleash all of hell with Primeape's attacks. The is a high risk-high reward strategy but is usually too unreliable to be worth a team slot, and Primeape is much better used as a scout. Primeape also lacks the bulk to pull off the strategy multiple times even with the help of a Wish user.</p>
<p>Other Fighting-type moves in Primeape's repertoire include Low Kick, Cross Chop, Focus Punch, and Vacuum Wave. While all of them have their uses, Close Combat is usually the more reliable choice, and its damage output is high enough to outweigh the loss in defenses. Primeape can use Counter in a lead set, but he's better off attacking outright rather than relying on the opponent to attack him. Screech is a unique option to force even more switches and can allow Primeape to easily 2HKO Milotic and Tangrowth, but the accuracy is an issue as Primeape can't afford to miss. Bulk Up is Primeape's only set-up move, but he likes the instant power boost provided by a Life Orb and Choice Band and cannot find time to set up with his below-average defenses. Finally, Primeape's other coverage moves consist of Seed Bomb, Poison Jab, Gunk Shot, Fire Punch, and Payback.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Primeape is hard to counter outright thanks to his constant switching with U-turn. However, whenever he is not switching, Weezing is counter numero uno to any Primeape set. Primeape's only real hope against him is with a Hazerider set as described in the Optional Changes section, which is highly unreliable. Slowbro is another hard stop to any sweep that Primeape may attempt, as it takes little damage from all of Primeape's moves and can easily heal off any damage from U-turn thanks to Slack Off. Paralysis and burn are two of Primeape's greatest fears and will immediately put a stop to Primeape's fun. Venusaur, Tangrowth, Claydol, and Exeggutor can all comfortably check Primeape as they resist or take little damage from Close Combat and Stone Edge. However, they must be wary of Ice Punch and/or U-turn, and Primeape will usually be immune to Sleep Powder thanks to Vital Spirit.</p>
<p>Defensive Arcanine with Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp can easily stop Primeape and eliminate him with either Flare Blitz or ExtremeSpeed. Donphan survives anything that Primeape throws at him, but he can't take repeated hits due to his lack of recovery. Milotic and Blastoise can withstand multiple Close Combats and proceed to KO Primeape with Surf after his defenses have been dropped. Finally, Ghost-types such as Spiritomb, Mismagius, Rotom, and Dusclops get a free switch into Primeape any time he uses Close Combat and can threaten him with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
Status: Done, waiting on GP checks
Plans:
- Keep Choice Band? Or just add onto Choice Scarf or Life Orb?
- Strongly question viability of Hazerider set
- Scrap Lead set and add mention in Scarf set
- Rewrite OC, Counters, and Overview
- Obviously add Encore set
- Punishment even worth slash?
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/primeape
[Overview]
<p>Primeape is just one among many in UU. His Speed is the highest of the multitude of Fighting-types in UU, his movepool is extensive, and his ability, Vital Spirit, is amazing to have in a tier overrun with Sleep Powder-carrying Grass-types. The only things holding back this furious ape are his low defenses and stiff competition in a tier filled to the brim with other able-bodied Fighting-types. However, Primeape's aforementioned perks are what separate him from the competition and make him a unique and admirable choice for any team.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Scarf
move 1: U-turn
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
item: Choice Scarf
nature: Jolly / Adamant
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape's awesome Speed stat is exploited to the fullest extent with a Choice Scarf, turning him into both an efficient scout and an excellent revenge killer. U-turn is the crux of this set, allowing Primeape to come in on a Pokemon whom he can scare out, like Chansey, and scout for the opponent's counter. Close Combat is the obligatory STAB move of choice because of its high Base Power; Primeape will be doing a lot of switching with a Choice item, effectively negating the troubles caused by the defense drops. Stone Edge hits Ghost- and Flying-types, such as Rotom and Moltres respectively, who resist the aforementioned moves. The choice in the final moveslot comes down to personal preference. Ice Punch, in tandem with Vital Spirit, allows Primeape to become an effective check to Venusaur. Earthquake can be used to hit Poison- and Electric-types super effectively, but they are mostly uncommon and are usually already dealt with by Primeape's other moves. Finally, Punishment is an option to score a reliable blow on Ghost-types, particularly Rotom and Mismagius; however, outside of hitting the rare stat boosting Psychic-types, that is quite literally the furthest extent of its uses in UU.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>The EVs and nature are designed to give Primeape as much attacking power as possible while also giving him enough Speed to outpace the entire UU metagame with a Choice Scarf, including Choice Scarf Rotom. The remaining EVs are placed into HP to give Primeape a minor buffer against weaker attacks from the likes of Registeel and Chansey. An alternative spread of 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe with an Adamant or Jolly nature can be utilized to maximize Primeape's offensive game.</p>
<p>With a Choice Scarf and U-turn, Primeape works wonderfully as a scout. When using Primeape, the idea is to switch into a Pokemon whom Primeape will force out, such as Registeel, and proceed to use U-turn, as opposed to Close Combat, to scout your opponent's Primeape counter. In this way, Primeape ensures that momentum will stay on your side and keeps the opponent on his toes. After the majority of your opponent's team has been revealed, Primeape is free to start raining down STAB Close Combats or one of the appropriate coverage moves.</p>
<p>This Primeape can also make an effective lead, as he is immune to Sleep Powder, which forces Choice Scarf Venusaur into attacking on turn one, as well as forcing other sleep inducers out thanks to the threat of Primeape's large movepool. Primeape's early U-turn permits him to do decent damage to Uxie and Mesprit and scouts the opponent's early switch-in to Primeape. He easily beats other common leads such as Ambipom (though Primeape will still get hit by a powerful Fake Out), Alakazam, Mismagius, Moltres, and Registeel. Primeape also beats Scyther, Cloyster, and Omastar if they do not carry Focus Sash. While Primeape can gain you early momentum, he does little to prevent entry hazards from being set up by the opponent, which can prove problematic in the long run considering all the switching he will be doing with U-turn. He also has trouble with lead Arcanine, Hariyama, Qwilfish, and Spiritomb.</p>
<p>To ensure momentum stays on your side, pairing Primeape with other U-turn users who lure out Pokemon he can counter is a good idea. Swellow and Scyther are both good examples, as they lure out Steel- and Rock-types whom Primeape can scare away with his STAB Close Combat. Weezing and Slowbro are hard stops to any attempt Primeape might have for a sweep, so Pokemon who can easily eliminate them, such as Lanturn, will prove useful. Registeel makes a good partner thanks to its ability to absorb various attacks aimed at Primeape when he is locked into the wrong move. Pairing Primeape with a Pursuit user, such as Absol or Skuntank, provides Primeape with a way to easily bypass Rotom and Mismagius and eliminates the need to waste a moveslot for Punishment. Primeape will be issuing a lot of switches, so setting up entry hazards on the opponent's field will help to more quickly wear out the opposition; good teammates to set up entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, and Cloyster. In the same realm, keeping entry hazards off of Primeape's side of the field is recommended. Claydol is a good teammate to provide Rapid Spin support as it can easily switch into Weezing in addition to setting up Stealth Rock. Finally, as Primeape makes a good scout and wallbreaker, pairing him with a second Fighting-type, such as Hitmonlee, is a good strategy. The main idea is to scout out the opponent's Fighting-type counters with Primeape early game and eliminate them with the rest of your team, which will then allow the second Fighting-type to wreak havoc upon your opponent's ravaged team late game.</p>
[SET]
name: Encore
move 1: Encore
move 2: Close Combat
move 3: Stone Edge / Toxic
move 4: Substitute / U-turn
item: Leftovers
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set aims to disrupt and halt the opponent's strategy with Encore while following up with the appropriate move afterward. Encore allows Primeape to lock the foe into a single move, which is useful against set-up and support moves that are not harmful to Primeape. However, if you predict that your foe will switch out instead of attacking Primeape, using Substitute or U-turn to scout is more beneficial. Substitute essentially gives Primeape a temporary extra life against attacks, as well as immunity to status. U-turn does decent damage and gains momentum for your team by allowing Primeape to switch to a counter at the same time. Offensively, Close Combat is Primeape's main STAB attack, dealing deadly damage to any Pokemon who doesn't resist it. Stone Edge has good coverage in conjunction with Close Combat, hitting Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-type Pokemon, such as Moltres, Scyther, and Arcanine, for super effective damage. Lastly, Toxic helps cripple opponents who resist or take little damage from Primeape's attacks.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Leftovers is the preferred item because it recovers HP lost from Substitute and residual damage, greatly extending Primeape's longevity. With the recovery provided by Leftovers, Primeape has more chances to switch in and use Encore on various threats. The HP EVs allow Primeape to use Substitute five times from full health with Leftovers factored in.</p>
<p>Entry hazard support from Omastar, Mesprit, or Drapion is excellent with this Primeape since Encore causes a lot of switches. This means more indirect damage will pile up and weaken your enemy, which allows a late-game sweeper, such as Alakazam, Swellow, or Scyther, to clean up more easily. Even with Toxic Spikes support, using Toxic is an option because it hits Flying-types and Levitators who would otherwise wall Primeape. Stealth Rock is perhaps the best entry hazard to use alongside this set, since it smashes the Bug- and Flying-type Pokemon who resist Close Combat.</p>
<p>Most physical walls or tanks, such as Milotic, Uxie, and Weezing, are annoying to Primeape. However, Primeape can hinder the aforementioned walls (with the exception of Weezing) with Toxic and clean them up later in the match with Close Combat and Stone Edge. Primeape cannot stall them out by himself, though, so bulky Pokemon such as Rotom, Milotic, and Venusaur can help block their advances while Toxic takes effect. Using Scyther and Arcanine can help defeat Venusaur, who takes little damage from any of Primeape's attacks. Pursuit users are also helpful at removing the Psychic-type walls.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
item: Life Orb
nature: Jolly
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set plays very similarly to the Choice sets, but with one big distinction: the ability to switch between moves, giving Primeape the freedom to fire off Close Combats without the fear of Ghost-types setting up on him. Primeape's main job is the same: scout out the opponent by switching into a Pokemon whom Primeape will force out, such as Chansey, and proceed to use U-turn, as opposed to Close Combat, to scout your opponent's Primeape counter. Late-game is where Life Orb Primeape really shines, as he can outpace a large portion of the UU metagame and bring the hurt with his large movepool. The premise is simple: come in after the opposing team has been scouted on a Pokemon who is easily threatened by Primeape, and fire off the appropriate coverage move. Close Combat is the obligatory STAB move, and as Primeape will probably be played at the end of the match and outspeed most threats, the defense drops are negligible. U-turn remains Primeape's strongest hit on bulky Psychic-types such as Uxie, Exeggutor, and Slowbro. Stone Edge has great coverage alongside Close Combat and is Primeape's best attack on Flying-types and scores a good hit on Ghost-types. The last slot is again up to the player's discretion. Ice Punch pairs well with Vital Spirit and gives Primeape a nice way to threaten Venusaur and Tangrowth, whom Primeape can come in on with his immunity to Sleep Powder. Earthquake can be used in the last slot to provide Primeape with the infamous QuakeEdge combo, but it has a lot of overlapping coverage with Close Combat. Finally, Punishment is Primeape's strongest move against Rotom, Mismagius, and Dusclops.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Unlike the Choice Scarf set, since Primeape no longer outspeeds all of the unboosted metagame, he will need some insurance against faster threats. Swellow, Alakazam, Sceptile, Mismagius, and Dugtrio all pose a significant threat to Primeape's existence, so packing checks to them will grant Primeape a new lease on life should he encounter them. Registeel easily switches into the first three threats thanks to his Steel typing and large bulk. Primeape's nemesis Mismagius now outspeeds him, so pairing Primeape with Mixed Houndoom will produce positive results; Houndoom is resistant to Shadow Ball, benefits from Will-O-Wisp, and can eliminate Mismagius with Pursuit. Primeape is again stopped cold by Weezing and Slowbro, so including Lanturn or Milotic, the latter of whom also walls Dugtrio, on your team will again bolster Primeape's performance. With a Life Orb and entry hazards, such as Stealth Rock and Spikes, Primeape obtains a few KOs he normally couldn't, such as against Venusaur. Good teammates to provide entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, Cloyster, and Qwilfish.</p>
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Punishment
move 4: Ice Punch / Stone Edge
item: Choice Band
nature: Jolly
ability: Vital Spirit
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This Primeape plays extremely similarly to the Choice Scarf variant but trades Speed for more power. Choice Band gives Primeape the capacity to 2HKO many prominent defensive walls, such as Milotic and Donphan, with Close Combat, whom he normally would miss out on. While rushing onto the battlefield with fists flying may seem like the way to play this Primeape, it's usually smarter to feign a Choice Scarf by utilizing Primeape's now-boosted U-turns to scout out the opponent beforehand. The idea is to switch into a Pokemon who will be forced out by Primeape, such as Registeel, and instead of using the obvious Close Combat, scout the opposition with U-turn. After the majority of your opponent's team has been revealed, Primeape is free to start annihilating his opponents with STAB Close Combats or one of the appropriate coverage moves. The extra power in Primeape's U-turn can stealthily chip away his counter's health faster, allowing him to unleash his Close Combats earlier and surprise the opponent with his boosted power.</p>
[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape may be fast, but he's far from outpacing the entirety of the UU metagame, so you should use him cautiously. Registeel again makes a good partner, as he can absorb blows from most of the fast and powerful hitters who threaten Primeape, including Swellow, Alakazam, and Sceptile. Spikes support is highly recommended with this set, as U-turn + Spikes will quickly rack up a lot more residual damage, especially on grounded walls such as Milotic. Qwilfish and Omastar are good candidates for providing said Spikes, and Omastar can even add Stealth Rock to the mix. Another good teammate to pair up with Primeape is Houndoom, who, with Flash Fire and Pursuit, can switch into the majority of Ghost-types with little worry and eliminate them.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>To ensure that momentum stays on your side, pairing Primeape with other U-turn users who lure out Pokemon he can counter is a good idea. Swellow and Scyther are both good examples as they can lure out Steel- and Rock-types whom Primeape can scare away with the threat of STAB Close Combat. Registeel makes a good partner thanks to his immense bulk and ability to absorb various attacks aimed at Primeape if he is locked into the wrong move or up against faster threats such as Swellow, Alakazam, and Sceptile; Registeel also makes a good candidate to set up Stealth Rock. Including a Dark-type Pursuit user, such as Absol or Drapion, on your team provides Primeape with a way to bypass Rotom and Mismagius. Drapion also has the added benefit of providing Primeape with Toxic Spikes. Mixed Houndoom with Pursuit is another good teammate as he is able to absorb Will-O-Wisp, thanks to his Flash Fire ability, and has the added benefit of easily disposing of Spiritomb.</p>
<p>Primeape will be the cause of a lot of switches, so setting up entry hazards on the opponent's field will allow Primeape to quickly wear out the competition. Good teammates to set up entry hazards include Uxie, Omastar, Qwilfish, and Cloyster. In the same vein, keeping entry hazards off of Primeape's side of the field is recommended. A good teammate to provide Rapid Spin support is Claydol, seeing as it resists Psychic-type attacks and can easily switch into Weezing and Donphan. Lanturn makes a good teammate as well, as he can switch into the bulky Water-types of UU who threaten Primeape, such as Slowbro and Milotic, without much trouble and eliminate them with Thunderbolt or spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. Finally, as Primeape makes a good scout and wallbreaker, pairing him with a second Fighting-type, such as Hitmonlee, Toxicroak, or Blaziken, is a good strategy to put extra pressure on the opponent at the end of the battle.</p>
[Optional Changes]
<p>Primeape has a very extensive movepool, but unfortunately most of the moves are too situational to be of much use. Primeape is able to utilize a Hazerider set consisting of Substitute, Close Combat, Ice Punch, and Stone Edge while holding a Salac Berry to abuse his other ability, Anger Point. The idea is to continually use Substitute until the opponent scores a critical hit, causing Primeape's Attack stat to be maxed out, and then unleash all of hell with Primeape's attacks. The is a high risk-high reward strategy but is usually too unreliable to be worth a team slot, and Primeape is much better used as a scout. Primeape also lacks the bulk to pull off the strategy multiple times even with the help of a Wish user.</p>
<p>Other Fighting-type moves in Primeape's repertoire include Low Kick, Cross Chop, Focus Punch, and Vacuum Wave. While all of them have their uses, Close Combat is usually the more reliable choice, and its damage output is high enough to outweigh the loss in defenses. Primeape can use Counter in a lead set, but he's better off attacking outright rather than relying on the opponent to attack him. Screech is a unique option to force even more switches and can allow Primeape to easily 2HKO Milotic and Tangrowth, but the accuracy is an issue as Primeape can't afford to miss. Bulk Up is Primeape's only set-up move, but he likes the instant power boost provided by a Life Orb and Choice Band and cannot find time to set up with his below-average defenses. Finally, Primeape's other coverage moves consist of Seed Bomb, Poison Jab, Gunk Shot, Fire Punch, and Payback.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Primeape is hard to counter outright thanks to his constant switching with U-turn. However, whenever he is not switching, Weezing is counter numero uno to any Primeape set. Primeape's only real hope against him is with a Hazerider set as described in the Optional Changes section, which is highly unreliable. Slowbro is another hard stop to any sweep that Primeape may attempt, as it takes little damage from all of Primeape's moves and can easily heal off any damage from U-turn thanks to Slack Off. Paralysis and burn are two of Primeape's greatest fears and will immediately put a stop to Primeape's fun. Venusaur, Tangrowth, Claydol, and Exeggutor can all comfortably check Primeape as they resist or take little damage from Close Combat and Stone Edge. However, they must be wary of Ice Punch and/or U-turn, and Primeape will usually be immune to Sleep Powder thanks to Vital Spirit.</p>
<p>Defensive Arcanine with Intimidate and Will-O-Wisp can easily stop Primeape and eliminate him with either Flare Blitz or ExtremeSpeed. Donphan survives anything that Primeape throws at him, but he can't take repeated hits due to his lack of recovery. Milotic and Blastoise can withstand multiple Close Combats and proceed to KO Primeape with Surf after his defenses have been dropped. Finally, Ghost-types such as Spiritomb, Mismagius, Rotom, and Dusclops get a free switch into Primeape any time he uses Close Combat and can threaten him with Will-O-Wisp.</p>
