What is a good moveset for Primeape?

Question

If you have a good competitive moveset for Primeape, post an answer below and upvote the best ones. Movesets for any of its pre-evolutions can also be shared on this thread.

Be sure to include full set details in your post, e.g. items, abilities, natures and EVs. Some explanation, including the intended game mode for your set, is also appreciated. Access the full list of guidelines here.

Primeape Pokédex and learnset for reference.

Answer 1

Gen V

Primeape (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch

Again, standard sweeper. Life Orb boosts the power of your moves. Close Combat is STAB, all the other moves are type coverage. Vital Spirit stops the foe from putting you to sleep. Really, not much explanation is required here.

Answer 2

Gen 7 PU

Primeape @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature

• Close Combat
• U-turn
• Gunk Shot
• Earthquake / Ice Punch / Seed Bomb

Close Combat is STAB that destroys Alolan Sandslash, Stoutland, Drampa, Aurorus, Kangaskhan, Regirock, Cryogonal, and Ferroseed. Despite the neutrality, staples Torterra and Eelektross do not want to switch in either. On the topic of switching, U-turn lets Primeape get out of bad situations, and with hazard support from Torterra, Mudsdale, Regirock, Alolan Sandslash, Ferroseed, and Qwilfish, Primeape can overwhelm its checks with not too much effort. This is further exacerbated by Defiant, which gives Primeape a free Swords Dance if hazards are Defogged, putting the enemy team in a lose-lose situation. Gunk Shot terrorizes Silvally-Fairy and Clefairy. Lastly, it levels the leaf-bearers living in the low tier, like Leafeon, Ludicolo, Abomasnow, and Servine. Earthquake covers Poison types, Ice Punch smacks Torterra, Seed Bomb destroys Jellicent.

Answer 3

Gen 8 BDSP RU

Primeape @ Choice Scarf / Choice Band
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Poison Jab
- U-turn

Close Combat is pretty powerful STAB that can chunk quite a bit of Pokemon in the tier. Stone Edge hits Flying-types like Moltres, Xatu, and Mantine super effectively. Poison Jab is used to 2HKO Granbull upon it switching in due to Defiant giving you a +1 attack boost. U-Turn is used to pivot out of bad matchups while chipping opposing Pokemon, and can let you bring in a teammate. Choice Scarf allows Primeape to act as a revenge killer and a late game cleaner, whereas Choice Band gives you more power to make your attacks hit harder.

Answer 4

Role: Physical Sweeper

Primeape (M) @ Fire Gem
Ability Defiant
EVs: 160 Atk / 96 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Acrobatics

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Okay, I really like this guy.

I'm not 100% sure about defiant boosts, but I'm pretty sure he gets them, but even without them, the set is still intact.

Overheat Deals good damage with the Fire Gem And gives Defiant boosts.

Close Combat is Hard hitting STAB and Defiant boosts.

And Acrobatics Is beastly after your Fire gem is Used.

While U-Turn is classically used to escape.

Comments

Nope, self-stat drop does not give boosts with Defiant. As such, you'll be better off with Vital Spirit.

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a defiant move but unfortunately this wont work and rash nature boosts sp.atk and weakens sp.def

Answer 5

A good Physical Sweeper set I found:

Primeape (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brick Break
- U-turn
- Dig
- Rock Slide

Expert Belt works well with the strategy here. Evs are standard Physical Sweeper. Brick Break is STAB, and breaks screens. U-turn is coverage against Psychics, and helps you escape. Dig is just a good move, even though you have to wait two turns. However... When you use Dig, the foe switches to a Flying type to avoid damage. But with Rock Slide, you hit them super effective. Expert Belt helps here. Rock Slide also kills Bug types resisting the rest of the moveset.

Answer 6

Gen III

Primeape (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Cross Chop
- Body Slam
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake

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This Guy laughs at status with a Vital Spirit + Lum Berry Combo, he can't be put to sleep, and you have to use any other status twice for it to last.
Aside from That, Cross Chop is lower accuracy than other choices, but still probably the best if you want him to actually sweep effeciently, Rock Slide is great coverage for Fighting Types, and prior to Gen IV+ it was one of the best rock choices for any Pokemon needing a rock move.
Body Slam gives some brute normal type damage, and can paralyze, which makes it superior to Return/Frustration to be honest. Last but not least, Earthquake gives amazing type coverage for this thing to sweep along, and it's got a reliable 100 accuracy too!

Answer 7

Double/Triple battle

Primeape (M) @ Life Orb / Flying Gem
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Assurance
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Acrobatics / Rock Slide / Aerial Ace

Assurance gets good coverage along with the other moves and gets more powerful when it hits a Pokemon already damaged, great for multi-battles. Earthquake hits multiple Pokemon. Close Combat is STAB. The final move is your choice. Acrobatics is the best move, as it does great damage, gives good coverage, and can hit any foe in a Triple Battle. However, to make best use of it will require a Gem (Flying is best). So you might want to not use Acrobatics in favor of a Life Orb. Rock Slide hits multiple Pokemon, but does not get as good of coverage as Flying. Aerial Ace is weaker than Rock Slide, but it gets slightly better coverage and can hit any foe in a Triple Battle. Defiant works great as Intimidate is a common ability. So, you'll get +1 Attack from Intimidate.

Answer 8

Oh, the last answer is in Dec 2012, guess I can still make it.
Here's my [Berserk-Ape]

Primeape (M) @ Focus Band
Ability: Anger Point
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Reversal
- Bulk Up
- Beat Up
- Stone Edge

Beat Up: well, if you have 6 Pokemons, gonna be pretty badass

Primeape has a pretty low Hp-defense, so everybody tends to go for a 1HKO, and that's how this thing works.

Just make sure you have enough speed, Bulk-up on the very first turn, then Reversal/Stone edge your way to victory. Replace Adamant with Jolly if your Berserk-ape has trouble dealing with speedy-sweepers.

Answer 9

Gen 7 PU

Primeape @ Normalium Z
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Throat Chop
- Bulk Up
- Encore

Z-Encore set. Encore is for Z-Encore, which locks opposing Pokemon into using one move, and raises your speed by one stage. It's best to use it on a Pokemon using a status move like Stealth Rock. Close Combat is STAB. Throat Chop is for coverage against psychic and ghost types. Bulk Up is for boosting your attack and can be used after using Encore.

Answer 10

Gen 9 RU Physical-Attacking Lead

Primeape @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Bulk Up
- Rage Fist
- Stealth Rock

Rage Fist time! Start with a SR, then Bulk Up and Rage Fist to your heart's content. Drain Punch for STAB and recovery. The recovery, Eviolite, and BU make the set especially bulky, always a plus for a lead. Tera Ghost for spinblocking against common spinners such as Cryogonal and Rage Fist STAB, and the 236 Speed and Adamant nature maximize attack while outspeeding Timid Choice Specs Sylveon. Make sure to send out Defiant against common defoggers such as Altaria (especially) and the Oricorios.

Answer 11

Primeape @ Black Glasses / Toxic Orb
Ability: Anger Point
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe or 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid / Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Thunderbolt / Acrobatics / Aerial Ace
- Thief / Knock Off
- Stomping Tantrum
- Toxic

{Yes I know Timid lowers Attack but here me out here.}

Timid boost speed so you have a good fast Primeape. It's good for competitive battling using Thief if you are not using any items {Which powers up Acrobatics} and steal your opponent items such as Leftovers or Choice Scarf. Thunderbolt covers one of its two weakness and if you're not running a Timid, but rather Adamant then using Knock-off better and you can run with your own items with Aerial Ace.

Stomping Tantrum does better than Earthquake, when teamed up with Toxic. Using Toxic twice [second one will fail] will power up Stomping Tantrum. The downside is that there are so many ways of countering that combo.

1. Switching Pokemon or switch out moves [Volt Switch/ U-turn]
2. Using Refresh/Aromatherapy
3. Finishing off your Primeape [since it takes a total of three turns to successfully performing the combo]
4. Using opposing switch-out moves [Dragon Tail, Whirlwind, Roar, etc,.]
5. Using self-fainting moves {Explosion/Self-Destruct/Memento] Of course you would still get them even if you lose Primeape.

You can counter number four however if you are in a double battle. Use moves from your ally that locks in your Primeape in place. [Sticky Web/Mean Look/etc,.]