http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/primeape
Changes:
- Rewrote all sets.
- Fused "Focus Sash" and "Reversal" set to make "Lead" set.
- Fused "Reversal" set with "Hazerider" set.
- Added "Team Options".
- Rewrote "EVs", "Other Options", "Opinion", and "Counters".
Status: COMPLETE! (ready for uploading)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn / Stone Edge / Punishment
item: Choice Band
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Working off of a respectable base 105 Attack stat coupled with its decent base 95 Speed stat and access to a powerful 120 Base Power attack, Primeape can effectively become a powerful Choice Bander. Reaching a grand Attack stat of 463 with a Choice Band equipped, Primeape can deal a considerable amount of damage to those that don't resist its moves.</p>
<p>Close Combat is mandatory on Primeape as it receives a useful STAB boost and is one of the most powerful Fighting-type moves in the game. Earthquake is an excellent choice to pair up with Close Combat, since it deals with the vast amount of Poison-types like Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Toxicroak who resist Close Combat. Ice Punch helps Primeape deal with Pokemon that it would otherwise have trouble with, such as Claydol, Altaria, and Venusaur. For the last moveslot, Primeape can become an effective scout with U-turn. With it, Primeape would be able to switch out to a Pokemon who better handles the switch-in. Stone Edge acts as a decent alternative move in conjunction with Earthquake, as it provides a great type coverage combo, while Punishment allows Primeape to knock out Ghost-types, specifically Mismagius and Rotom, that would take minimal damage from Ice Punch, as most Ghost-types have access to Levitate as an ability and as a result, are immune to Earthquake.</p>
<p>Primeape will definitely appreciate having entry hazards spread onto the opponent's side of the field, as it helps it guarantee necessary KOs that it will need to eradicate its foe. Stealth Rock can be easily set up by Pokemon like Claydol and Registeel because of their decent bulk and ability to set it up more than once if it happened to be Rapid Spinned away. Not to mention that Claydol is capable of Rapid Spinning away entry hazards that would otherwise cause Primeape to lose small chunks of its health every time it switches in, and Registeel is a great team partner as it resists Primeape’s weaknesses to Flying- and Psychic-type moves. Weezing doesn't mind switching in on Primeape with its great defensive stats, and it can then proceed to threaten it with Will-O-Wisp, which Primeape can't afford to let happen. Houndoom enjoys taking on Weezing, since it loves absorbing Will-O-Wisp to increase its Fire-type attacks with Flash Fire and can OHKO Weezing with a powerful Fire Blast. An alternative to Houndoom would be Life Orb Milotic, as it's capable of OHKOing Weezing with Hydro Pump with Stealth Rock factored in.</p>
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Punishment
move 4: U-turn / Stone Edge / Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Even though this set looks similar to the Choice Band set, it still plays a completely different role. From being a powerful hitter with a Choice Band, Primeape takes advantage of using Choice Scarf to become an effective revenge killer, capable of KOing many common threats in the lower tiers.</p>
<p>Once again, Close Combat will be your primary move to deal a decent amount of damage to opposing threats, such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr. Ice Punch helps deal with Pokemon resistant to Primeape’s STAB attack, such as Altaria, while Punishment deals with Espeon and Mismagius trying to set up Calm Mind. U-turn is an excellent option to scout for your opponent’s switch-ins, allowing you to send in a Pokemon to threaten the switch-in. If you don’t like scouting, you can always select another attacking move in the last slot. Stone Edge and Earthquake are viable options and serve for greater coverage paired with the given moves.</p>
<p>The given EV spread allows Primeape to outspeed many common threats as stated before. These include Dragon Dance Feraligatr and Altaria, SubSalac Hitmonlee, Choice Scarf Absol, max Speed Electrode, and Modest Omastar in the rain. Each of these Pokemon lose to Primeape’s appropriate moves mentioned in the set. Max Attack allows Primeape to deal maximum damage, while the remainder of the EVs are dumped into HP to allow a little more survivability.</p>
<p>The same team options from the Choice Band set applies for the Choice Scarf set as well. Primeape can benefit from entry hazards once again. Registeel is a very good pair up with Primeape, since it resists Primeape’s weaknesses to Psychic- and Flying- attacks and can set up Stealth Rock quite easily. Qwilfish is an excellent Spikes supporter due to its reasonably high Speed and ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, which Primeape dislikes being crippled by. Since Primeape will be switching out and in a lot, it’s best to remove entry hazards so Primeape doesn’t have to worry about them taking chunks of its health away as it switches in, Spikes in particular due to the fact that Primeape takes 25% damage from a full layer upon switching in. Claydol is capable of Rapid Spinning away entry hazards, can set up Stealth Rock, and resists Primeape's Psychic-type weakness, making it another great pair up. Once again, Weezing can switch in much more easily since Primeape isn't boosting its Attack stat. Will-O-Wisp can potentially make Primeape useless, so it's best to remove Weezing as soon as possible. Using a Pokemon with Guts can give it a free boost in power, which can be really helpful. Swellow and Ursaring really enjoy taking in Will-O-Wisp and can attempt to hit for heavy damage with Facade. Milotic can take Will-O-Wisp to increase its Defense with Marvel Scale and can proceed to hit Weezing with Surf to deal a reasonable amount of damage.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb Sweeper
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
move 4: U-turn
item: Life Orb
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape is usually seen carrying a Choice item, but this set gives it the added flexibility of being able to alternate between attacks with a Life Orb equipped, while still abusing its expansive offensive movepool to its fullest potential. Close Combat is a powerful STAB attack, doing massive amounts of damage to Pokemon that don’t resist it. Stone Edge provides great coverage alongside Close Combat, hitting the entire UU metagame for at least neutral damage, with the exceptions of Toxicroak, Claydol, and Nidoqueen. Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Punishment are options in the third slot to provide additional coverage against particular threats. Ice Punch is useful for hitting Venusaur and Altaria harder than Primeape's other attacks; Earthquake scores super effective damage on Toxicroak and Nidoqueen, both of which resists Close Combat and Stone Edge; and Punishment can be useful to hit frail Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon, specifically Mismagius and Rotom, with slightly more power and accuracy than Stone Edge. U-turn is the preferred option in the last slot and separates Primeape from other Fighting-types like Hitmonlee and Hitmontop. It's an excellent move for scouting the opposing team keeping the momentum of the match in your favor.</p>
<p>Life Orb Primeape experiences the same problems as any other Primeape set. Physically bulky Pokemon will be a nightmare for Primeape to get through, particularly Weezing, Dusclops, and Slowbro. Weezing and Dusclops both take laughable damage from Close Combat and can cripple Primeape with Will-O-Wisp, while Slowbro can paralyze it and strike back with a STAB Psychic. Houndoom is an excellent switch-in to Weezing and Duslcops, absorbing Will-O-Wisp to activate its Flash Fire ability and proceeding to scorch them with Fire Blast. It is also capable of switching into Slowbro’s Psychic and KOing it with a powerful STAB Dark Pulse. Like Houndoom, Drapion can switch into Psychic and proceed to set up Toxic Spikes or nail Slowbro with a super effective Crunch. Any Pokemon with Rest and Sleep Talk, like Bulk Up Poliwrath, can set up with impunity against Weezing and Dusclops, as their lackluster offenses won't be stopping them any time soon.</p>
[SET]
name: Hazerider
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Close Combat / Reversal
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Stone Edge / Protect
item: Leftovers / Salac Berry
ability: Anger Point
nature: Jolly
evs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Primeape’s often overlooked ability, Anger Point. If Primeape is hit by a critical hit, its Attack will skyrocket by six stages, reaching an incredible stat of 1236. This is not always achievable, as you will need a little bit of luck to gain such power. Leftovers allows Primeape to make five Substitutes, giving you exactly a 27.58% chance of being hit by a critical hit, which is the best Primeape can do. If you dislike the fact that Primeape can be outpaced once it successfully activates Anger Point and lose to the opposing Pokemon, Salac Berry can be used. If you opt to use Salac Berry, you must keep in mind that you've reduced Primeape's chances of receiving a critical hit, only having a 22.75% chance to activate. However, Primeape can be extremely threatening if it has gained both the Salac Berry and Anger Point boost. It's capable of OHKOing everything in UU with Stealth Rock in play, only missing a OHKO on Weezing, as it's only capable of dealing 90% maximum damage to max HP/Def versions with Stone Edge. However, should you choose to run Reversal instead of Close Combat, Weezing won't stand a chance if Primeape is close to one HP.</p>
<p>The moveset is pretty straightforward. Close Combat is your best bet as your main STAB attack, but Reversal can be used since it will have increased power because Primeape will be at low health due to Substitute. Ice Punch and Stone Edge allow for great type coverage in conjunction with Close Combat or Reversal. If you want to give Primeape an even higher chance at taking a critical hit, Protect is an option if you opt to use Leftovers, which allows you to make an additional Substitute. The given EVs allow Primeape to always make five Substitutes, which it definitely needs to increase its chance to activate Anger Point.</p>
<p>Entry hazards can ruin Primeape’s chances at receiving the boost, since they slowly chips off bits of Primeape's HP as it switches in. Toxic Spikes in particular will stop this set cold, so it’s a good idea to remove these before you attempt to pull this off. Claydol is a great Rapid Spinner since it’s unaffected by Toxic Spikes and Spikes while also resistant to Stealth Rock. Hitmontop is also a decent Rapid Spinner with its physical bulk and access to priority moves. Speaking of priority moves, priority users can potentially eliminate Primeape before it even has a chance to sweep once it has activated its ability, so it’s also best to remove these before you attempt a sweep. Common priority users include Sucker Punch Absol, Mach Punch Hitmontop, and Aqua Jet Azumarill. Espeon and Hariyama can handle Absol and Hitmontop reasonably well, as Espeon can use STAB Psychic on Hitmontop (thought it must be wary of Sucker Punch) and Hariyama can switch in on any of Absol's moves, excluding Psycho Cut, and OHKO with its Fighting-type attacks. Venusaur does really well against Azumarill, resisting Aqua Jet and threatening it with a powerful Leaf Storm. Mismagius can be a huge trouble for Primeape, since it can outrun Primeape and deal heavy damage with Shadow Ball. Also, Mismagius is immune to Primeape's STAB Fighting-type moves and takes minimal damage from the other two moves listed. The best way to eliminate Mismagius is to use a Pursuit user that will guarantee a KO. Drapion and Spiritomb are excellent choices for using STAB Pursuit with their overall bulk, the former also being able to absorb Toxic Spikes.</p>
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Counter
move 2: Endeavor / Taunt
move 3: Reversal / Close Combat
move 4: Stone Edge / Ice Punch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Hasty
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape has all the things it needs to become an effective lead. With the ability Vital Spirit, Primeape has no fear of being put to sleep by opposing leads that utilize a sleep inducing move. Primeape also has access to Counter, which can be extremely helpful against physical leads, and Endeavor, which, should Focus Sash activate, can be used after KOing a Pokemon with Counter to drain the opponents switch-in to one HP. On the offensive side, Reversal pairs up very well in conjunction with Focus Sash, since Reversal’s Base Power increases as Primeape’s HP decreases. If you dislike relying on Primeape’s HP to deal decent damage, Close Combat is a great alternative option to hit hard right off the bat. Ice Punch provides the best coverage with Reversal or Close Combat, and it also hits leads such as Nidoqueen and Hippopotas for super effective damage, while Stone Edge can be used to hit Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-type switch-ins that Primeape can't OHKO. Taunt is another viable option to stop opposing leads from setting up entry hazards or stat boosting.</p>
<p>Primeape isn't capable of threatening every UU lead; many of them can defeat it with ease and have no fear of getting OHKOed. Ambipom and Persian can destroy Primeape with their Fake Out and Return combo, leaving it useless in that situation. Registeel and Steelix are probably the most effective switch-ins if that happens, since they laugh at any move Ambipom and Persian attempt to throw at them, while threatening them at the same time with a powerful Iron Head or Gyro Ball, respectively. Uxie doesn't mind facing Primeape since its overall bulk protects it from whatever Primeape attempts to throw at it, and it has the ability to hit for hard damage with a STAB Psychic. Pursuit users like Absol and Honchkrow are decent options for countering Uxie, since they are both immune to Psychic-type attacks and can threaten Uxie with a powerful STAB Pursuit if it attempts to switch out.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Overall, many of Primeape's sets can be severely affected by entry hazards, Spikes and Toxic Spikes in particular. The Choice and Substitute sets can't afford to be always hit with entry hazards upon switching in, since they will gradually reduce Primeape's HP, making it much harder for it to switch in safely. Claydol is an excellent Rapid Spinner as it is immune to Toxic Spikes and Spikes and is resistant to Stealth Rock, while also being able to set up Stealth Rock on its own afterward thanks to its decent bulk. Even though Primeape hates entry hazards on its field, it enjoys having them on the opponent's field to aid it in getting certain KOs on Pokemon. Registeel is one of the best partners for Primeape for setting up Stealth Rock, as it resists all of its weaknesses to Psychic- and Flying-type attacks. Drapion and Qwilfish are great examples of setting up Toxic Spikes or Spikes, respectively, Drapion packing decent overall bulk and Qwilfish with its great Speed, allowing them to lay down multiple layers with relative ease.</p>
<p>Since Primeape has below average defenses, it falls under the risk of being revenge-killed by strong priority users. Mach Punch Hitmontop, Vacuum Wave Blaziken, Sucker Punch Absol, and Aqua Jet Azumarill are just some of the common priority users that can hurt Primeape. Primeape will definitely appreciate it when these threats are gone from the battlefield so it won't have to worry about being KOed by priority moves every time it switches in. Weezing is capable of crippling many of these threats (excluding Blaziken due to its powerful Fire Blast) with Will-O-Wisp, draining their effectiveness so Primeape has an easier time against them. Venusaur and Slowbro can handle Azumarill and Blaziken, respectively, as they are both resistant to their STAB attacks.</p>
<p>Primeape has huge trouble handling opposing bulky Pokemon, namely Weezing and Slowbro. Because of their exceptional bulk, both Weezing and Slowbro are capable of switching with ease into Primeape's STAB attacks and other attacks it tries to throw at them. They can then proceed to cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, respectively. Although Weezing has massive Defense, its below average Special Defense can be taken advantage of to eliminate it in order to stop it from threatening Primeape. Milotic enjoys being burnt since it will boost its Defense thanks to Marvel Scale, and it can proceed to OHKO Weezing with a Life Orb powered Hydro Pump. Venusaur is capable of switching into Slowbro's Surf and destroy it with its high powered Leaf Storm.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Payback powers up to 100 Base Power on incoming switch-ins and can be used as one of the options on the Choice sets instead of Punishment. Fire Punch and Overheat are options if you wish to use Primeape in OU, as the hit Forretress and Skarmory for super effective damage; otherwise they have no real uses since Primeape's Fighting-type moves already hit Steel-types for super effective damage. Aerial Ace has its uses against Bug-types which Primeape fails to hit for super effective damage with its preferred movesets, though it is outclassed in every other instance.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Primeape needs all the attack power it can get to deal a large amount of damage. Therefore, running max Attack is always recommended. Since it has mediocre Speed, it's generally a good idea to always run max Speed to outrun threats so it can fire out some hard hitting STAB attacks. The only exception to running max Speed would be on the Choice Scarf and Hazerider set, since they both have items that would already increase its Speed to a respectable amount.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Although there is an amount of various other Fighters who are much better options, Primeape still occupies its own niche in the Underused environment. With Anger Point, it has the potential to sweep at a moment's notice. Alternatively, Vital Spirit will give you a free switch into any sleep inducing attack, making Primeape a very viable Sleep absorber. Most importantly, Primeape is the second fastest Fighting-type, coming right after Infernape. If used well, Primeape can be really threatening.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Weezing and Slowbro are primary options when it comes to countering Primeape. Boasting extraordinary Defense stats, resisting Fighting-type attacks, and having access to Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, respectively, Weezing and Slowbro are definitely worth considering as they will give Primeape a load of trouble.<p>
<p>Bulky Ghost-types like Spiritomb and Mismagius can also give Primeape trouble, since they are both immune to its Fighting-type attacks and can strike back with Will-O-Wisp or a powerful Shadow Ball. Rotom is capable of switching into Primeape's Fighting-type attacks and can revenge-kill it if it's holding a Choice Scarf, but it must be careful if Primeape decides to use another move as it switches in, since Primeape can deal a large amount of damage due to Rotom's weak defenses.<p>
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Thanks.
Changes:
- Rewrote all sets.
- Fused "Focus Sash" and "Reversal" set to make "Lead" set.
- Fused "Reversal" set with "Hazerider" set.
- Added "Team Options".
- Rewrote "EVs", "Other Options", "Opinion", and "Counters".
Status: COMPLETE! (ready for uploading)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: U-turn / Stone Edge / Punishment
item: Choice Band
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Working off of a respectable base 105 Attack stat coupled with its decent base 95 Speed stat and access to a powerful 120 Base Power attack, Primeape can effectively become a powerful Choice Bander. Reaching a grand Attack stat of 463 with a Choice Band equipped, Primeape can deal a considerable amount of damage to those that don't resist its moves.</p>
<p>Close Combat is mandatory on Primeape as it receives a useful STAB boost and is one of the most powerful Fighting-type moves in the game. Earthquake is an excellent choice to pair up with Close Combat, since it deals with the vast amount of Poison-types like Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Toxicroak who resist Close Combat. Ice Punch helps Primeape deal with Pokemon that it would otherwise have trouble with, such as Claydol, Altaria, and Venusaur. For the last moveslot, Primeape can become an effective scout with U-turn. With it, Primeape would be able to switch out to a Pokemon who better handles the switch-in. Stone Edge acts as a decent alternative move in conjunction with Earthquake, as it provides a great type coverage combo, while Punishment allows Primeape to knock out Ghost-types, specifically Mismagius and Rotom, that would take minimal damage from Ice Punch, as most Ghost-types have access to Levitate as an ability and as a result, are immune to Earthquake.</p>
<p>Primeape will definitely appreciate having entry hazards spread onto the opponent's side of the field, as it helps it guarantee necessary KOs that it will need to eradicate its foe. Stealth Rock can be easily set up by Pokemon like Claydol and Registeel because of their decent bulk and ability to set it up more than once if it happened to be Rapid Spinned away. Not to mention that Claydol is capable of Rapid Spinning away entry hazards that would otherwise cause Primeape to lose small chunks of its health every time it switches in, and Registeel is a great team partner as it resists Primeape’s weaknesses to Flying- and Psychic-type moves. Weezing doesn't mind switching in on Primeape with its great defensive stats, and it can then proceed to threaten it with Will-O-Wisp, which Primeape can't afford to let happen. Houndoom enjoys taking on Weezing, since it loves absorbing Will-O-Wisp to increase its Fire-type attacks with Flash Fire and can OHKO Weezing with a powerful Fire Blast. An alternative to Houndoom would be Life Orb Milotic, as it's capable of OHKOing Weezing with Hydro Pump with Stealth Rock factored in.</p>
[SET]
name: Revenge Killer
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Ice Punch
move 3: Punishment
move 4: U-turn / Stone Edge / Earthquake
item: Choice Scarf
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Adamant
evs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Even though this set looks similar to the Choice Band set, it still plays a completely different role. From being a powerful hitter with a Choice Band, Primeape takes advantage of using Choice Scarf to become an effective revenge killer, capable of KOing many common threats in the lower tiers.</p>
<p>Once again, Close Combat will be your primary move to deal a decent amount of damage to opposing threats, such as Dragon Dance Feraligatr. Ice Punch helps deal with Pokemon resistant to Primeape’s STAB attack, such as Altaria, while Punishment deals with Espeon and Mismagius trying to set up Calm Mind. U-turn is an excellent option to scout for your opponent’s switch-ins, allowing you to send in a Pokemon to threaten the switch-in. If you don’t like scouting, you can always select another attacking move in the last slot. Stone Edge and Earthquake are viable options and serve for greater coverage paired with the given moves.</p>
<p>The given EV spread allows Primeape to outspeed many common threats as stated before. These include Dragon Dance Feraligatr and Altaria, SubSalac Hitmonlee, Choice Scarf Absol, max Speed Electrode, and Modest Omastar in the rain. Each of these Pokemon lose to Primeape’s appropriate moves mentioned in the set. Max Attack allows Primeape to deal maximum damage, while the remainder of the EVs are dumped into HP to allow a little more survivability.</p>
<p>The same team options from the Choice Band set applies for the Choice Scarf set as well. Primeape can benefit from entry hazards once again. Registeel is a very good pair up with Primeape, since it resists Primeape’s weaknesses to Psychic- and Flying- attacks and can set up Stealth Rock quite easily. Qwilfish is an excellent Spikes supporter due to its reasonably high Speed and ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, which Primeape dislikes being crippled by. Since Primeape will be switching out and in a lot, it’s best to remove entry hazards so Primeape doesn’t have to worry about them taking chunks of its health away as it switches in, Spikes in particular due to the fact that Primeape takes 25% damage from a full layer upon switching in. Claydol is capable of Rapid Spinning away entry hazards, can set up Stealth Rock, and resists Primeape's Psychic-type weakness, making it another great pair up. Once again, Weezing can switch in much more easily since Primeape isn't boosting its Attack stat. Will-O-Wisp can potentially make Primeape useless, so it's best to remove Weezing as soon as possible. Using a Pokemon with Guts can give it a free boost in power, which can be really helpful. Swellow and Ursaring really enjoy taking in Will-O-Wisp and can attempt to hit for heavy damage with Facade. Milotic can take Will-O-Wisp to increase its Defense with Marvel Scale and can proceed to hit Weezing with Surf to deal a reasonable amount of damage.</p>
[SET]
name: Life Orb Sweeper
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: Stone Edge
move 3: Ice Punch / Earthquake / Punishment
move 4: U-turn
item: Life Orb
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape is usually seen carrying a Choice item, but this set gives it the added flexibility of being able to alternate between attacks with a Life Orb equipped, while still abusing its expansive offensive movepool to its fullest potential. Close Combat is a powerful STAB attack, doing massive amounts of damage to Pokemon that don’t resist it. Stone Edge provides great coverage alongside Close Combat, hitting the entire UU metagame for at least neutral damage, with the exceptions of Toxicroak, Claydol, and Nidoqueen. Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Punishment are options in the third slot to provide additional coverage against particular threats. Ice Punch is useful for hitting Venusaur and Altaria harder than Primeape's other attacks; Earthquake scores super effective damage on Toxicroak and Nidoqueen, both of which resists Close Combat and Stone Edge; and Punishment can be useful to hit frail Ghost- and Psychic-type Pokemon, specifically Mismagius and Rotom, with slightly more power and accuracy than Stone Edge. U-turn is the preferred option in the last slot and separates Primeape from other Fighting-types like Hitmonlee and Hitmontop. It's an excellent move for scouting the opposing team keeping the momentum of the match in your favor.</p>
<p>Life Orb Primeape experiences the same problems as any other Primeape set. Physically bulky Pokemon will be a nightmare for Primeape to get through, particularly Weezing, Dusclops, and Slowbro. Weezing and Dusclops both take laughable damage from Close Combat and can cripple Primeape with Will-O-Wisp, while Slowbro can paralyze it and strike back with a STAB Psychic. Houndoom is an excellent switch-in to Weezing and Duslcops, absorbing Will-O-Wisp to activate its Flash Fire ability and proceeding to scorch them with Fire Blast. It is also capable of switching into Slowbro’s Psychic and KOing it with a powerful STAB Dark Pulse. Like Houndoom, Drapion can switch into Psychic and proceed to set up Toxic Spikes or nail Slowbro with a super effective Crunch. Any Pokemon with Rest and Sleep Talk, like Bulk Up Poliwrath, can set up with impunity against Weezing and Dusclops, as their lackluster offenses won't be stopping them any time soon.</p>
[SET]
name: Hazerider
move 1: Substitute
move 2: Close Combat / Reversal
move 3: Ice Punch
move 4: Stone Edge / Protect
item: Leftovers / Salac Berry
ability: Anger Point
nature: Jolly
evs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>This set takes advantage of Primeape’s often overlooked ability, Anger Point. If Primeape is hit by a critical hit, its Attack will skyrocket by six stages, reaching an incredible stat of 1236. This is not always achievable, as you will need a little bit of luck to gain such power. Leftovers allows Primeape to make five Substitutes, giving you exactly a 27.58% chance of being hit by a critical hit, which is the best Primeape can do. If you dislike the fact that Primeape can be outpaced once it successfully activates Anger Point and lose to the opposing Pokemon, Salac Berry can be used. If you opt to use Salac Berry, you must keep in mind that you've reduced Primeape's chances of receiving a critical hit, only having a 22.75% chance to activate. However, Primeape can be extremely threatening if it has gained both the Salac Berry and Anger Point boost. It's capable of OHKOing everything in UU with Stealth Rock in play, only missing a OHKO on Weezing, as it's only capable of dealing 90% maximum damage to max HP/Def versions with Stone Edge. However, should you choose to run Reversal instead of Close Combat, Weezing won't stand a chance if Primeape is close to one HP.</p>
<p>The moveset is pretty straightforward. Close Combat is your best bet as your main STAB attack, but Reversal can be used since it will have increased power because Primeape will be at low health due to Substitute. Ice Punch and Stone Edge allow for great type coverage in conjunction with Close Combat or Reversal. If you want to give Primeape an even higher chance at taking a critical hit, Protect is an option if you opt to use Leftovers, which allows you to make an additional Substitute. The given EVs allow Primeape to always make five Substitutes, which it definitely needs to increase its chance to activate Anger Point.</p>
<p>Entry hazards can ruin Primeape’s chances at receiving the boost, since they slowly chips off bits of Primeape's HP as it switches in. Toxic Spikes in particular will stop this set cold, so it’s a good idea to remove these before you attempt to pull this off. Claydol is a great Rapid Spinner since it’s unaffected by Toxic Spikes and Spikes while also resistant to Stealth Rock. Hitmontop is also a decent Rapid Spinner with its physical bulk and access to priority moves. Speaking of priority moves, priority users can potentially eliminate Primeape before it even has a chance to sweep once it has activated its ability, so it’s also best to remove these before you attempt a sweep. Common priority users include Sucker Punch Absol, Mach Punch Hitmontop, and Aqua Jet Azumarill. Espeon and Hariyama can handle Absol and Hitmontop reasonably well, as Espeon can use STAB Psychic on Hitmontop (thought it must be wary of Sucker Punch) and Hariyama can switch in on any of Absol's moves, excluding Psycho Cut, and OHKO with its Fighting-type attacks. Venusaur does really well against Azumarill, resisting Aqua Jet and threatening it with a powerful Leaf Storm. Mismagius can be a huge trouble for Primeape, since it can outrun Primeape and deal heavy damage with Shadow Ball. Also, Mismagius is immune to Primeape's STAB Fighting-type moves and takes minimal damage from the other two moves listed. The best way to eliminate Mismagius is to use a Pursuit user that will guarantee a KO. Drapion and Spiritomb are excellent choices for using STAB Pursuit with their overall bulk, the former also being able to absorb Toxic Spikes.</p>
[SET]
name: Lead
move 1: Counter
move 2: Endeavor / Taunt
move 3: Reversal / Close Combat
move 4: Stone Edge / Ice Punch
item: Focus Sash
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Hasty
evs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
ivs: 0 Def
[SET COMMENTS]
<p>Primeape has all the things it needs to become an effective lead. With the ability Vital Spirit, Primeape has no fear of being put to sleep by opposing leads that utilize a sleep inducing move. Primeape also has access to Counter, which can be extremely helpful against physical leads, and Endeavor, which, should Focus Sash activate, can be used after KOing a Pokemon with Counter to drain the opponents switch-in to one HP. On the offensive side, Reversal pairs up very well in conjunction with Focus Sash, since Reversal’s Base Power increases as Primeape’s HP decreases. If you dislike relying on Primeape’s HP to deal decent damage, Close Combat is a great alternative option to hit hard right off the bat. Ice Punch provides the best coverage with Reversal or Close Combat, and it also hits leads such as Nidoqueen and Hippopotas for super effective damage, while Stone Edge can be used to hit Flying-, Bug-, and Fire-type switch-ins that Primeape can't OHKO. Taunt is another viable option to stop opposing leads from setting up entry hazards or stat boosting.</p>
<p>Primeape isn't capable of threatening every UU lead; many of them can defeat it with ease and have no fear of getting OHKOed. Ambipom and Persian can destroy Primeape with their Fake Out and Return combo, leaving it useless in that situation. Registeel and Steelix are probably the most effective switch-ins if that happens, since they laugh at any move Ambipom and Persian attempt to throw at them, while threatening them at the same time with a powerful Iron Head or Gyro Ball, respectively. Uxie doesn't mind facing Primeape since its overall bulk protects it from whatever Primeape attempts to throw at it, and it has the ability to hit for hard damage with a STAB Psychic. Pursuit users like Absol and Honchkrow are decent options for countering Uxie, since they are both immune to Psychic-type attacks and can threaten Uxie with a powerful STAB Pursuit if it attempts to switch out.</p>
[Team Options]
<p>Overall, many of Primeape's sets can be severely affected by entry hazards, Spikes and Toxic Spikes in particular. The Choice and Substitute sets can't afford to be always hit with entry hazards upon switching in, since they will gradually reduce Primeape's HP, making it much harder for it to switch in safely. Claydol is an excellent Rapid Spinner as it is immune to Toxic Spikes and Spikes and is resistant to Stealth Rock, while also being able to set up Stealth Rock on its own afterward thanks to its decent bulk. Even though Primeape hates entry hazards on its field, it enjoys having them on the opponent's field to aid it in getting certain KOs on Pokemon. Registeel is one of the best partners for Primeape for setting up Stealth Rock, as it resists all of its weaknesses to Psychic- and Flying-type attacks. Drapion and Qwilfish are great examples of setting up Toxic Spikes or Spikes, respectively, Drapion packing decent overall bulk and Qwilfish with its great Speed, allowing them to lay down multiple layers with relative ease.</p>
<p>Since Primeape has below average defenses, it falls under the risk of being revenge-killed by strong priority users. Mach Punch Hitmontop, Vacuum Wave Blaziken, Sucker Punch Absol, and Aqua Jet Azumarill are just some of the common priority users that can hurt Primeape. Primeape will definitely appreciate it when these threats are gone from the battlefield so it won't have to worry about being KOed by priority moves every time it switches in. Weezing is capable of crippling many of these threats (excluding Blaziken due to its powerful Fire Blast) with Will-O-Wisp, draining their effectiveness so Primeape has an easier time against them. Venusaur and Slowbro can handle Azumarill and Blaziken, respectively, as they are both resistant to their STAB attacks.</p>
<p>Primeape has huge trouble handling opposing bulky Pokemon, namely Weezing and Slowbro. Because of their exceptional bulk, both Weezing and Slowbro are capable of switching with ease into Primeape's STAB attacks and other attacks it tries to throw at them. They can then proceed to cripple it with Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave, respectively. Although Weezing has massive Defense, its below average Special Defense can be taken advantage of to eliminate it in order to stop it from threatening Primeape. Milotic enjoys being burnt since it will boost its Defense thanks to Marvel Scale, and it can proceed to OHKO Weezing with a Life Orb powered Hydro Pump. Venusaur is capable of switching into Slowbro's Surf and destroy it with its high powered Leaf Storm.</p>
[Other Options]
<p>Payback powers up to 100 Base Power on incoming switch-ins and can be used as one of the options on the Choice sets instead of Punishment. Fire Punch and Overheat are options if you wish to use Primeape in OU, as the hit Forretress and Skarmory for super effective damage; otherwise they have no real uses since Primeape's Fighting-type moves already hit Steel-types for super effective damage. Aerial Ace has its uses against Bug-types which Primeape fails to hit for super effective damage with its preferred movesets, though it is outclassed in every other instance.</p>
[EVs]
<p>Primeape needs all the attack power it can get to deal a large amount of damage. Therefore, running max Attack is always recommended. Since it has mediocre Speed, it's generally a good idea to always run max Speed to outrun threats so it can fire out some hard hitting STAB attacks. The only exception to running max Speed would be on the Choice Scarf and Hazerider set, since they both have items that would already increase its Speed to a respectable amount.</p>
[Opinion]
<p>Although there is an amount of various other Fighters who are much better options, Primeape still occupies its own niche in the Underused environment. With Anger Point, it has the potential to sweep at a moment's notice. Alternatively, Vital Spirit will give you a free switch into any sleep inducing attack, making Primeape a very viable Sleep absorber. Most importantly, Primeape is the second fastest Fighting-type, coming right after Infernape. If used well, Primeape can be really threatening.</p>
[Counters]
<p>Weezing and Slowbro are primary options when it comes to countering Primeape. Boasting extraordinary Defense stats, resisting Fighting-type attacks, and having access to Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, respectively, Weezing and Slowbro are definitely worth considering as they will give Primeape a load of trouble.<p>
<p>Bulky Ghost-types like Spiritomb and Mismagius can also give Primeape trouble, since they are both immune to its Fighting-type attacks and can strike back with Will-O-Wisp or a powerful Shadow Ball. Rotom is capable of switching into Primeape's Fighting-type attacks and can revenge-kill it if it's holding a Choice Scarf, but it must be careful if Primeape decides to use another move as it switches in, since Primeape can deal a large amount of damage due to Rotom's weak defenses.<p>
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