Is Infernape Useful in Gen 5 OU?

Question

I recently started using Choice Band Cinccino but it can’t really hit hard like the rest of my team:
Togekiss
Salamence
Scizor
Galvantula
Zoroark

So I realised that I didn’t have any good Fighting or Fire type Pokemon to check threats like Ferrothorn, Swords Dance Scizor, Hydreigon and Bisharp.
Zoroark has Flamethrower and Salamence has Fire Fang, but Scizor with +2 Attack after one Swords Dance can OHKO them both.
Hazards break the Focus Sash on Salamence and Zoroark, so Bullet Ounch will OHKO them.
So, I decided to replace cinccino with Infernape, because bullet punch won’t be very effective against it. I use it with the set:
Close Combat
Stone Edge
Flare Blitz
Mach Punch
But when I looked up Infernape on Smogon, I realised it was only in the UU Tier
So is Infernape useful for my team?
And should I replace Swords Dance with Mach Punch?
Thanks

Comments

Scizor using Bullet Punch after Swords Dance boost would have a guranteed 2HKO on Infernape after taking Stealth Rock damage.

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252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Salamence: 129-153 (38.9 - 46.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Zoroark: 163-193 (62.4 - 73.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+2 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Infernape: 141-167 (48.1 - 56.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Answer 1

While Infernape would do good on your team, Excadrill is more useful more your team. This team has no way of removing hazards, rending Salamence and Zoroark's Focus Sashes useless. Your team most likely doesn't has a Defogger (maybe Togekiss has, but still Excadrill takes better use of Rapid Spin. Some important calculations:
+2 252+ Atk Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Excadrill: 162-192 (44.8 - 53.1%) -- 9.4% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 8 Def Scizor: 168-198 (59.7 - 70.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Plus, the calc you told are slightly inaccurate. They can no way OHKO you with Bullet Punch.
Hence, Excadrill assists your team better than Infernape, acting as a good hazard clearer along with set-up sweeping with Swords Dance.

Comments

defog doesn't remove hazards in gen five

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on your side anyway

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Oh.... I did't know that anyway. Still Rapid Spin is better.

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Sand stream is very common in gen 5 OU, so focus sashes are usually useless even if you have rapid spin.

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Rain teams are more commonly used
The move defog removes hazards on BOTH sides
Does rapid spin only remove the hazards on your side, or both sides, like defog?

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read the changes on defog. it does not remove hazards on your side of the field pre gen six otherwise spin blocking wouldn't have been a thing. rapid spin removes hazards on your side only

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so Rapid Spin is ofc better.

Answer 2

You should use Keldeo instead of Infernape. Like Infernape, Keldeo has a STAB move that's super effective against Ferrothorn, Bisharp, and Hydreigon, and it resists bullet punch. Keldeo also has higher base special attack, can check special walls using a special move, and is more useful against rain teams.
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