[RU] Primeape (Choice Band) (QC 0/3)

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

I love using Primeape, this set is pretty decent imo.

Always Angry

[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Ice Punch
item: Choice Band
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

• Primeape is a bit weak with its cookie cutter Scarf set, but with a CB on it can pull off some more power while still being a great scout with its fast U-turn
• With its great speed and CB, Primeape is also a perfectly capable physical sweeper and can pull off a sweep as long as faster opponents are out of the way
• U-turn and being the fastest Fighting-type in RU give Primeape the key advantages
• Close Combat is a strong and reliable STAB move that hits hard coming off of Primeape
• U-turn allows Primeape to scout the team while providing a decently strong blow to Mesprit, Slowking, etc.
• Stone Edge hits Scolipede, Sigilyph, etc.
• Ice Punch is a reliable move to hit Golurk

[ADDITIONAL COMMENTS]

• Vital Spirit is useful to avoid being put to sleep by Smeargle and Lilligant
• Jolly nature is needed to make effective use of Primeape's good Speed
• Defiant could be useful to bypass Intimidate, but Primeape can't touch Qwilfish unless it runs EQ for some reason and U-turn makes Defiant boosts kind of useless
• Absol is the perfect teammate for Primeape, being able to get into the Ghost- and Psychic-types Primeape attracts via the latter's U-turn, and using Pursuit, Night Slash, or Sucker Punch to gamble with them
• Scolipede and Roselia can provide hazard support for Primeape to pull off a sweep more easily, the former also has a STAB Megahorn to hit Psychic-types hard while the latter screws with Alomomola and Tangrowth
• Since Primeape is still kinda weak wallbreakers are good choices; Aggron, Moltres, or E-belt Rotom-C are good examples
• Sceptile is also a very good teammate to handle Alomomola
• Other U-turn or Volt Switch users like Mesprit or Manectric are also good picks, forming a VoltTurn core; the former can provide Rocks/healing Wish support and the latter can beat birds like Swellow

 

[Magcargo]

Earthquake should probably get an AC mention, as it 2HKOes offensive Spiritomb and Defensive Qwilfish after Stealth Rock. There should also be a mention of a few suicide leads that can provide Primeape with entry hazard support (Omastar and Smeargle for instance).

 

[Swamp-Rocket]

I'm a little bit unsure about this set tbh for a few reasons

• Without a Scarf Primeape has limited use most of the time. Without its Scarf, Encore is a really helpful move for Primeape to help differentiate itself ad can help it defeat some walls, or at the very least throw off their game plan for another teammate, that it otherwise cannot, but without Encore, well, it can't do this.
• Choice Band Primeape is still kinda weak for a Fighting-type and it also cannot grab momentum nearly as easily as the Choice Scarf set due to focusing on power over speed (so it has the risk of getting hit). U-turn and being slightly faster than other Fighting-types are pretty much the only advantages it has, and the former is no longer as easy to use.
• Life Orb recoil isn't that much of an issue. It always will have problems with Spikes, resists Stealth Rock, and struggles to take any hits, so CB lacking it isn't as big of a deal as it would be for others (although it is certainly present)
• It is still walled by the same Pokemon (like most ghosts) pretty much equally as hard as well.

If you can tell me why I would use this over Life Orb and/or Scarf that would be great, because right now I feel unsure about CB's viability. If I do approve though Earthquake is better than Ice Punch for the reasons Magcargo 2 mentioned.

 

[col49]

Uhh, ok. I'm open to the idea of this set tbh, mostly b/c scarf is lame 'n a strong ape is actually pretty decent, but my primary concern here is that it's getting run in manner that's a little too similar to an LO set (which we have, even if it's a little weirdly slashed, what with U-Turn being optional 'n stuff). While I'd like to say LO is typically better, since dropping survivability is meh when it allows the ability to switch up moves and run utilities such as Encore well, the extra damage against 'mons like Qwilfish, Drudd, and Spiritomb definitely give some merit to CB when strictly considering Primeape as a breaker of sorts. That said, and this is just something to throw out for consideration atm, would it perhaps be more appropriate to simply merge the two sets? I would think it would look something like this:

[SET]
name: All-Out Attacker (whatever, idk *-*)
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge / Ice Punch
move 4: Encore / Earthquake
item: Life Orb / Choice Band
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe


Standard fair, cover what it needs to; CC+U-Turn should be obvious, Edge / IPunch for coverage, and Encore / EQ for utility value (Encore, especially w/U-Turn just generates good momentum overall, and EQ offers a reliable means to pressure Qwilfish / 'Tomb). Generally, I'd say Edge+Encore is better to LO, whereas IPunch+EQ better suits the banded set (where EQ is actually consistently strong enough to 2HKO Qwilfish / 'Tomb under normal circumstances), but teams can mix-and-match as seen fit. Thoughts?

 

[Oglemi]

I agree with col that a LO set is probably better in most cases than a CB set, unless there's some KOes that are being missed out on.

 

[Brawlfest]

Hm if we are running Encore at all, you honestly should be running either Fist Plate or Expert Belt to at least bluff the standard scarf set for as long as possible, until you get the chance to shut down a setup sweeper or wall's game plan. LO simply shows off that you are not choiced far too quickly, making encore less effective and more predictable.

That being said, Choice Banded Primeape is a very viable set, but I feel is outclassed in RU. In NU, it serves as a fast wallbreaker that doesn't lose much momentum for a team, but in RU it simply lacks. It's niche purely sits in being able to revenge kill or encore, as bulkier wallbreakers such as Emboar, Entei, and Druddigon completely outclass it in a more bulky-offensive environment imo.

Proposed Encore Set:

[SET]
name: Encore
move 1: Close Combat
move 2: U-turn
move 3: Stone Edge / Ice Punch / Punishment
move 4: Encore
item: Fist Plate / Expert Belt
ability: Vital Spirit
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe

Close Combat, Encore, and U-Turn are pretty much self explanatory. The first is a primary STAB which hits relatively hard, and the second is the crux of the set itself, efficiently bluffing until you cease the opportunity to shut down a threat to your team. The final spot uses either Stone Edge or Ice Punch to round of coverage on flying types and Golurk + Egg, or Punishment to encore slower CM users such as Musharna or Mesprit.

 

[Oglemi]

OK I talked to SV, Nails, and a few others and CB should probably get its own set, and the current LO set onsite should have Fist Plate slashed first or second and edited appropriately.

U-turning constantly with LO just isn't desired, and CB's main goal is different enough from Scarf or FP to warrant its own set.

 

[col49]

Well I guess someone mahswell do a thing here ?_?

I'd slash EQ with Ice Punch, rather than give it AC, 'cuz despite being a fairly bogus lock-in given it's non-STAB and all, it is Primeape's best bet at breaking Qwilfish+Spiritomb ('cuz hitting back-to-back Edges is impossible, from my personal experience). It's also cooler b/c there's been a significant rise in usage for faster Qwilfish and resist berry Golurk, both of which are much consistently 2HKOed by EQ. A major plus to Ice Punch that I would mention is hitting Amoonguss / physically defensive Roselia, the latter of which I haven't personally run (I ran a hefty Defense investment for reasons others have stated in defense of the set, but never at the expense of a Calm nature, at the least), but SV has given high praise to, which I can't really deny :>

I'm not a huge fan of Spikes support mentions here, since the only real KO's I can see them procuring are 2HKO on Momo and defensive 'Growth (which are meh, given even with Regen, they're not that frequently at full coming in, and Primeape is typically U-Turning out of them early- to mid-game 'til they aren't), then the guaranteed OHKO on Drudd, who lives after SR ~60% of the time and can get off Sucker Punch+1 extra round of Rough Skin damage as chip. Nonetheless, I won't pry on it, since it technically does fit decently into the sort of team Primeape is splashed in on ("Volt-Turn", physically-based heavy offense, etc.). I kinda dislike the point indicating that Primeape should get backed by breakers itself, but maybe its just a phrasing thing. EBelt Electric-types aren't bad b/c they can do a lot more once Golurks / Amoonguss compile some chip damage, and stuff like Scecstile makes a good recipient for Primeape's U-Turn since most switch-ins struggle with it, but idk how actively one should be striving for a CB Ape sweep under normal circumstances, all things considered.

but yeah, gl hf haha

qc 1/3