[SET]
Infernape @ Choice Band
Name: Choice Band (Fire)
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Mach Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Infernape is a great wallbreaker and cleaner on Fire teams. Its Fighting typing grants Infernape and Fire teams a better matchup against Dark teams, being able to threaten the likes of Hydreigon and Chien-Pao while also resisting Kingambit's Sucker Punch, and with Flare Blitz, it can threaten Landorus. Close Combat is Infernape's primary Fighting-type STAB move, massively threaten the likes of Ursaluna-B and Baxcalibur. With U-turn, Infernape can safely pivot out of its switch-ins, such as Dondozo, into a teammate that can threaten them. Infernape is also able to serve as a great revenge killer thanks to its access to an Iron Fist-boosted Mach Punch, being able to pick off weakened sweepers such as Baxcalibur, Choice Scarf Hisuian Arcanine, Greninja, and Chien-Pao.
Ninetales and Torkoal make for great partners for Infernape, as the two of them up sun to further boost Infernape's Flare Blitz. Ninetales also commonly uses Solar Beam, allowing it to OHKO threats to Infernape, such as physically defensive Quagsire, and can heal Infernape with Healing Wish, while Torkoal can remove entry hazards for Infernape with its access to Rapid Spin. Torkoal and Heatran can set Stealth Rock in order to wear down foes for Infernape to pick off. For example, Infernape is guaranteed a 2HKO on Galarian Weezing after Stealth Rock damage. In return, Infernape can OHKO Landorus with Flare Blitz under sun as well as both Ursaluna-B and Mamoswine without sun. Cinderace is another noteworthy teammate, as not only can it remove hazards with Court Change, but it is also able to revenge kill faster Ghost-types Infernape cannot such as Dragapult and Speed-boosted Ceruledge with Sucker Punch. In return, Infernape's Fighting-type STAB move frees up a moveslot for Cinderace, as the latter no longer needs High Jump Kick. Volcanion is another great teammate, as it provides Fire teams an immunity to Water, and in return, Infernape is able to threaten the likes of Iron Treads and Landorus for it. Talonflame and Moltres provide a Ground immunity, Will-O-Wisp support, and they can bring Infernape in via U-turn. The two of them are also able to lure bulky Pokemon like Ursaluna-B and Ting-Lu for Infernape to break. Talonflame also provides Defog support, while Moltres's bulk allows it to take on Dragonite, which Infernape greatly appreciates. Infernape's wallbreaking enables other wallbreakers and sweepers such as Ogerpon-H, Volcarona, and Ceruledge to clean late-game. In particular, Infernape can remove Alolan Muk and Heatran to enable a sweep from Volcarona.
[OTHER OPTIONS]
=============
Fire
--------
Thunder Punch and Knock Off are other options Infernape can choose to run over Close Combat or Flare Blitz. Thunder Punch allows Infernape to threaten several bulky Water-types. It can 2HKO mixed defensive Toxapex most of the time and OHKO Pelipper and Gyarados. With Knock Off, Infernape can not only threaten Ghost-types, such as Skeledirge, but it can also remove key items, such as Heavy-Duty Boots, from the likes of Pelipper, Ninetales, and Baxcalibur to make them susceptible to entry hazards. However, Close Combat is generally more useful due to the amount of targets it can remove like Ursaluna-B and Ting-Lu, benefiting Fire teams. Fire Punch can be run over Flare Blitz. Although weaker, using Fire Punch doesn't result in Infernape taking recoil damage, improving its longevity. However, Flare Blitz is more reliable despite its recoil damage, and the recoil damage can be solved when running Ninetales thanks to the its access to Healing Wish. Choice Scarf is another option for Infernape, as this can allow it to outspeed and threaten would-be faster Pokemon, such as Flutter Mane, but this trades away its ability to win one-on-one against more bulky Pokemon like Ursaluna-B.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
Fire analysis by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
Quality check by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/therealbigc.532450/
Grammar check by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
Infernape @ Choice Band
Name: Choice Band (Fire)
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Mach Punch
[SET COMMENTS]
Infernape is a great wallbreaker and cleaner on Fire teams. Its Fighting typing grants Infernape and Fire teams a better matchup against Dark teams, being able to threaten the likes of Hydreigon and Chien-Pao while also resisting Kingambit's Sucker Punch, and with Flare Blitz, it can threaten Landorus. Close Combat is Infernape's primary Fighting-type STAB move, massively threaten the likes of Ursaluna-B and Baxcalibur. With U-turn, Infernape can safely pivot out of its switch-ins, such as Dondozo, into a teammate that can threaten them. Infernape is also able to serve as a great revenge killer thanks to its access to an Iron Fist-boosted Mach Punch, being able to pick off weakened sweepers such as Baxcalibur, Choice Scarf Hisuian Arcanine, Greninja, and Chien-Pao.
Ninetales and Torkoal make for great partners for Infernape, as the two of them up sun to further boost Infernape's Flare Blitz. Ninetales also commonly uses Solar Beam, allowing it to OHKO threats to Infernape, such as physically defensive Quagsire, and can heal Infernape with Healing Wish, while Torkoal can remove entry hazards for Infernape with its access to Rapid Spin. Torkoal and Heatran can set Stealth Rock in order to wear down foes for Infernape to pick off. For example, Infernape is guaranteed a 2HKO on Galarian Weezing after Stealth Rock damage. In return, Infernape can OHKO Landorus with Flare Blitz under sun as well as both Ursaluna-B and Mamoswine without sun. Cinderace is another noteworthy teammate, as not only can it remove hazards with Court Change, but it is also able to revenge kill faster Ghost-types Infernape cannot such as Dragapult and Speed-boosted Ceruledge with Sucker Punch. In return, Infernape's Fighting-type STAB move frees up a moveslot for Cinderace, as the latter no longer needs High Jump Kick. Volcanion is another great teammate, as it provides Fire teams an immunity to Water, and in return, Infernape is able to threaten the likes of Iron Treads and Landorus for it. Talonflame and Moltres provide a Ground immunity, Will-O-Wisp support, and they can bring Infernape in via U-turn. The two of them are also able to lure bulky Pokemon like Ursaluna-B and Ting-Lu for Infernape to break. Talonflame also provides Defog support, while Moltres's bulk allows it to take on Dragonite, which Infernape greatly appreciates. Infernape's wallbreaking enables other wallbreakers and sweepers such as Ogerpon-H, Volcarona, and Ceruledge to clean late-game. In particular, Infernape can remove Alolan Muk and Heatran to enable a sweep from Volcarona.
[OTHER OPTIONS]
=============
Fire
--------
Thunder Punch and Knock Off are other options Infernape can choose to run over Close Combat or Flare Blitz. Thunder Punch allows Infernape to threaten several bulky Water-types. It can 2HKO mixed defensive Toxapex most of the time and OHKO Pelipper and Gyarados. With Knock Off, Infernape can not only threaten Ghost-types, such as Skeledirge, but it can also remove key items, such as Heavy-Duty Boots, from the likes of Pelipper, Ninetales, and Baxcalibur to make them susceptible to entry hazards. However, Close Combat is generally more useful due to the amount of targets it can remove like Ursaluna-B and Ting-Lu, benefiting Fire teams. Fire Punch can be run over Flare Blitz. Although weaker, using Fire Punch doesn't result in Infernape taking recoil damage, improving its longevity. However, Flare Blitz is more reliable despite its recoil damage, and the recoil damage can be solved when running Ninetales thanks to the its access to Healing Wish. Choice Scarf is another option for Infernape, as this can allow it to outspeed and threaten would-be faster Pokemon, such as Flutter Mane, but this trades away its ability to win one-on-one against more bulky Pokemon like Ursaluna-B.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
Fire analysis by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/captaindaimyo.602431/
Quality check by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/therealbigc.532450/
Grammar check by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/ken.594478/
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