Introduced in the original generation one, with the Pokemon Red, Blue, and Green games, Primeape is a monotype fighting Pokemon. It is the second stage evolution of its two stage evolution line and evolves from Mankey once it reaches the level threshold. Primeape is classified by the Pokedex as the “Pig Monkey Pokemon” which is likely a reference to its general design. This guide will showcase Primeape’s capabilities in battle, its appearances in the anime, as well as other general facts about Primeape.
About Primeape
As one of the original 151 Pokemon, Primeape first appeared in the Original Series of the anime in the episode Primeape goes Bananas. In this episode, a Mankey steals Ash’s hat and soon evolves into a Primeape. The Pokedex mentions that Primeape mentions how furious Primeape can become, as well as how rare it is to view Primeape when it is calm.
| First appearance in anime | Pokemon the Original Series: Primeape goes Bananas |
| First appearance in game | Pokemon Red/Green (Japan) Red/Blue (International) |
| Region | Kanto |
| Evolution | Final evolution of Mankey, not known to evolve into another Pokemon |
| 1st Evo level | 28 |
| 2nd Evo level | N/A |
| Pokedex Entry | When Primeape becomes furious, its blood circulation is boosted. In turn, its muscles are made even stronger. However, it also becomes much less intelligent at the same time. |
Primeape Base Stats
| HP | 65 |
| ATTACK | 105 |
| DEFENCE | 60 |
| SP. ATTACK | 60 |
| SP. DEFENCE | 70 |
| SPEED | 95 |
| TOTAL | 455 |
Appearance
Primeape is a bipedal white Pokemon that resembles a monkey and most of its body is white shaggy fur except for its arms, legs, and pig nose. There are two pointed ears on top of Primeape’s head, and its hands seem permanently balled up like gloves. It has two pointed eyes that are always contorted in an angry fashion. There are also gray bands around its arms and legs. On its forehead there is a tense vein protruding out of Primeape’s head indicating its anger. Primeape is an average sized Pokemon at 3 feet and 3 inches, or 1 meter, tall.
Behavior
In the anime, Primeape is shown to be quick to anger as even a glance at this Pokemon can make it angry. When Primeape becomes angry, it begins to go through an adrenaline rush and its muscles become stronger but that comes at the cost of some of its intelligence. It is prone to chasing and will not stop unless its target escapes. The Pokedex does mention an occasion where Primeape is not furious and stops being angry entirely. Although, this moment is supposedly very difficult.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Primeape has the makings of a powerful offensive Pokemon as it has a good physical attack matched by a decent speed. Unfortunately, the rest of its stats make it frail in battle. However, even then with the ability Vital Spirit, it can be difficult to disable at times. Its physical defense is lower than its special defense, but it does not make too much difference. As a monotype fighting Pokemon, Primeape takes 2x damage from flying, psychic, and fairy type moves. It is immune to no types but is resistant to rock, bug and dark type moves.
Best Moveset
In competitive play, Primeape first saw potential in generation three. This generation introduced abilities to all Pokemon and Primeape was able to ignore sleep effects. Its resilience to status effects and its high base physical attack and speed made it a good choice for an offensive Pokemon. A Choice Scarf, as a held item, would often keep Primeape moving first. It uses U-Turn, Close Combat, Stone Edge, and Ice Punch/Earthquake. You would want to pivot into Primeape when you are sure it can guarantee a knockout. Using a high base power move with Choice Scarf and Primeape could get through a majority of Pokemon. Next you just use U-Turn to set up for the next opportunity.
| U-Turn | Close Combat |
| Stone Edge | Ice Punch/Earthquake |
How to Catch Primeape in Pokemon Go?
If you would like to obtain a Primeape in Pokemon Go, the easiest way to do so would be to first catch a Mankey and eventually evolve it into Primeape. This is because like most final evolution, the base evolution spawns more commonly in the wild as compared to its final evolution. Mankey will spawn in the wild at a boosted rate near gyms, sport centers, stadiums, and recreational areas. You can also hatch a Mankey from 5 km eggs plus both Mankey and Primeape can be found as raid bosses at Pokemon Gyms as tier one and tier two bosses respectively. To evolve Mankey into Primeape, you will need 50 candies.
Trivia
- According to the anime series, Primeape is the reason Pokeballs were invented.
- The inspiration for Primeape’s design is likely based on baboons.
- The name Primeape isa combination of the words prime and ape while also functioning as wordplay for the word primate.
FAQ
Why is Primeape banned?
Recently, Primate was banned in Pokemon League, a mode of play for Pokemon Go. It was banned for a short time due to bug causing Primeape to learn some new moves through TMs. This resulted in Primeape having moves that should never have been allowed to have originally. However, it does not currently seem to be banned in the mainline game’s competitive play.
What happened to Ash’s Primeape?
Ash first captured his Primeape in episode 25 of the original series. While it was featured again in a few more episodes of the original series, and received a short feature in the Black and White season, Primeape was ultimately left with a trainer named Anthony. Under Anthony’s care, Primeape trained to become a P1 champion.
Why is Primeape angry?
Primeape simply seems to have a short temper. While it is paired with unbelievable energy, Primeape could also be considered territorial. The Pokedex confirms that it only calms down when alone. This could imply that Primeape enjoys its space and the company of itself.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you now know just about everything there is to know about this “Pig Monkey Pokemon”. While Primeape’s impact on competitive play was ultimately short-lived, it can still represent an imposing Pokemon. Its offensive set allowed it to deal significant damage quickly while also maintaining an efficient pivoting Pokemon. Reserve a slot on your team for Primeape if you want an aggressive fighting type Pokemon.
