[OVERVIEW]
Primeape hangs on the cusp of viability in NU thanks to its coverage and excellent base Speed, which allows it to outpace crucial threats like Mr. Mime and Venomoth. Moves like Body Slam, Thunderbolt, Rock Slide, and Submission ensure that it has an effective option against every foe, notably 2HKOing bulky foes like Clefable, Kabutops, and Moltres. Its Speed makes it hard to switch into and lets it deal considerable damage to Mr. Mime before falling, and Rock Slide lets it threaten Charizard. Primeape hits slightly harder with coverage moves than Raticate, one of its main competitors, allowing it to KO foes like Clefable and Water-types from slightly wider ranges. It also competes with Arcanine; Primeape's advantages include a far stronger Charizard matchup and better coverage for Rock- and Water-types, while Arcanine provides far better bulk, Agility, and a much better Mr. Mime matchup. This makes it effective on teams that utilize many Pokemon with high Speed, like Arcanine, Raticate, and Electrode, which can brute force through the opposing team by using their Speed advantage to inflict heavy damage on shared checks and break through.
Unfortunately, Primeape offers little beyond these traits and comes with a slew of weaknesses. Fighting is an awful defensive type, leaving Primeape weak to Psychic from Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute and giving it almost no useful resistances. It lacks the bulk to effectively win many fights without critical hits and cannot switch into attacks from any foe. To defeat foes like Clefable and Kabutops, Primeape is forced to rely on the inaccurate Submission, worsening its matchups and inflicting noticeable recoil. While Primeape is fast, it's still outrun by Charizard, Ninetales, and Raticate as well as the rare Rapidash; it cannot afford a burn from any Fire-type, and it's too weak to OHKO Charizard with Rock Slide even if it avoids a burn. It also falls a bit short in other matchups; Mr. Mime 2HKOes it while Primeape 3HKOes at best, and Charizard 2HKOes with Fire Blast, so Primeape is far more likely to lose these matchups. While trading Primeape for a more valuable Pokemon appears good on the surface, it's likely to be KOed first, which usually leaves an opening for an opposing Venomoth to get in and put something to sleep after you revenge kill the opposing lead. All in all, Raticate generally provides similar utility with stronger upsides, and Arcanine offers a generally stronger matchup spread despite its poor coverage.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Submission
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Hyper Beam / Thunderbolt
[SET COMMENTS]
Submission 2HKOes Clefable, Kabutops, Raticate, and Wigglytuff and is Primeape's best option against Golem. Body Slam allows Primeape to spread paralysis against foes like Mr. Mime, Charizard, and Nidoking, allowing Primeape to turn matchups around on them or weaken them for allies; Body Slam followed by Rock Slide KOes Charizard, for example, giving Primeape a shot to win the matchup. Rock Slide 2HKOes Charizard and Moltres and 3HKOes Ninetales; it also has a small chance to 2HKO the rare Fearow. Hyper Beam is Primeape's strongest attack, notably dealing over 50% to Mr. Mime; this is generally Primeape's best choice for its final move. Thunderbolt allows Primeape to be more effective against Water-types, such as Kingler, Blastoise, and Seadra. It also can finish off Kabutops after a high damage roll on Submission. It also provides some protection from Swords Dance Charizard, allowing Primeape to finish it off even if burned. Primeape has a few other options for moves; it can use Counter to try to punish attackers like Raticate or to catch switches, and it can use Seismic Toss for consistent damage into any foe without risking Submission's accuracy.
Primeape functions best as a fast revenge killer and mid-game attacker, hoping to aggressively weaken or remove a Mr. Mime or Charizard to open up room for allies to keep up the pressure. In this role, it pairs well with fast attackers and status spreaders like Mr. Mime, Venomoth, Charizard, and Raticate. It also pairs well with Arcanine; Primeape can weaken or remove Fire- and Water-types for Arcanine, and Arcanine can easily break past Mr. Mime and break holes in the rest of the opposing team. Primeape can also switch into Rock Slide to protect allies like Charizard, Arcanine, and Venomoth. Primeape can challenge foes like Kingler, Mr. Mime, and Clefable, acting as a slightly bulkier Raticate with slightly more damage and a better Charizard matchup, allowing other fast Pokemon like Raticate and Electrode to be preserved for later.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mrsoup.375193/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/juoean.486979/
Grammar checked by:
all comments are optional / at your discretion so this is a QC 2/2 (but i will also come back to re-read after whatever edits you make anyway)
Primeape hangs on the cusp of viability in NU thanks to its coverage and excellent base Speed, which allows it to outpace crucial threats like Mr. Mime and Venomoth. Moves like Body Slam, Thunderbolt, Rock Slide, and Submission ensure that it has an effective option against every foe, notably 2HKOing bulky foes like Clefable, Kabutops, and Moltres. Its Speed makes it hard to switch into and lets it deal considerable damage to Mr. Mime before falling, and Rock Slide lets it threaten Charizard. Primeape hits slightly harder with coverage moves than Raticate, one of its main competitors, allowing it to KO foes like Clefable and Water-types from slightly wider ranges. It also competes with Arcanine; Primeape's advantages include a far stronger Charizard matchup and better coverage for Rock- and Water-types, while Arcanine provides far better bulk, Agility, and a much better Mr. Mime matchup. This makes it effective on teams that utilize many Pokemon with high Speed, like Arcanine, Raticate, and Electrode, which can brute force through the opposing team by using their Speed advantage to inflict heavy damage on shared checks and break through.
Unfortunately, Primeape offers little beyond these traits and comes with a slew of weaknesses. Fighting is an awful defensive type, leaving Primeape weak to Psychic from Mr. Mime, Venomoth, and Exeggcute and giving it almost no useful resistances. It lacks the bulk to effectively win many fights without critical hits and cannot switch into attacks from any foe. To defeat foes like Clefable and Kabutops, Primeape is forced to rely on the inaccurate Submission, worsening its matchups and inflicting noticeable recoil. While Primeape is fast, it's still outrun by Charizard, Ninetales, and Raticate as well as the rare Rapidash; it cannot afford a burn from any Fire-type, and it's too weak to OHKO Charizard with Rock Slide even if it avoids a burn. It also falls a bit short in other matchups; Mr. Mime 2HKOes it while Primeape 3HKOes at best, and Charizard 2HKOes with Fire Blast, so Primeape is far more likely to lose these matchups. While trading Primeape for a more valuable Pokemon appears good on the surface, it's likely to be KOed first, which usually leaves an opening for an opposing Venomoth to get in and put something to sleep after you revenge kill the opposing lead. All in all, Raticate generally provides similar utility with stronger upsides, and Arcanine offers a generally stronger matchup spread despite its poor coverage.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker
move 1: Submission
move 2: Body Slam
move 3: Rock Slide
move 4: Hyper Beam / Thunderbolt
[SET COMMENTS]
Submission 2HKOes Clefable, Kabutops, Raticate, and Wigglytuff and is Primeape's best option against Golem. Body Slam allows Primeape to spread paralysis against foes like Mr. Mime, Charizard, and Nidoking, allowing Primeape to turn matchups around on them or weaken them for allies; Body Slam followed by Rock Slide KOes Charizard, for example, giving Primeape a shot to win the matchup. Rock Slide 2HKOes Charizard and Moltres and 3HKOes Ninetales; it also has a small chance to 2HKO the rare Fearow. Hyper Beam is Primeape's strongest attack, notably dealing over 50% to Mr. Mime; this is generally Primeape's best choice for its final move. Thunderbolt allows Primeape to be more effective against Water-types, such as Kingler, Blastoise, and Seadra. It also can finish off Kabutops after a high damage roll on Submission. It also provides some protection from Swords Dance Charizard, allowing Primeape to finish it off even if burned. Primeape has a few other options for moves; it can use Counter to try to punish attackers like Raticate or to catch switches, and it can use Seismic Toss for consistent damage into any foe without risking Submission's accuracy.
Primeape functions best as a fast revenge killer and mid-game attacker, hoping to aggressively weaken or remove a Mr. Mime or Charizard to open up room for allies to keep up the pressure. In this role, it pairs well with fast attackers and status spreaders like Mr. Mime, Venomoth, Charizard, and Raticate. It also pairs well with Arcanine; Primeape can weaken or remove Fire- and Water-types for Arcanine, and Arcanine can easily break past Mr. Mime and break holes in the rest of the opposing team. Primeape can also switch into Rock Slide to protect allies like Charizard, Arcanine, and Venomoth. Primeape can challenge foes like Kingler, Mr. Mime, and Clefable, acting as a slightly bulkier Raticate with slightly more damage and a better Charizard matchup, allowing other fast Pokemon like Raticate and Electrode to be preserved for later.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sabelette.583793/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/mrsoup.375193/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/juoean.486979/
Grammar checked by:
all comments are optional / at your discretion so this is a QC 2/2 (but i will also come back to re-read after whatever edits you make anyway)
Last edited:
