The Primeape evolutionary line is receiving a third stage in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, with players able to evolve Primeape into Annihilape by repeatedly using a specific move in battle. Primeape and its pre-evolved form Mankey were introduced in the very first Pokémon games as part of the original 151 Pokémon species.
With the series having introduced its landmark 1000th Pokémon, more recent series entries haven’t included every Pokémon species, and players are effectively no longer able to catch them all. However, players can still encounter many Kanto Pokémon species when traveling through Paldea. The introduction of the Fighting/Ghost-type Annihilape makes the entire Primeape evolutionary line a viable option for players to follow when seeking powerful pocket monsters for late-game battles.
Mankey's Evolution Line in Pokémon Scarlet And Violet
Both Mankey and Primeape are pure Fighting-type Pokémon and are particularly strong against Normal-type Pokémon such as Lechonk, but fare poorly against Flying, Fairy, and Psychic-type Pokémon and moves. This makes the introduction of Annihilape, a Fighting/Ghost-type Pokémon an interesting choice for players to consider. Annihilape gains an additional weakness to Ghost-type moves, but also gains the Ghost type’s immunity against Normal and Fighting-type moves. Coupled with a relatively easy method of evolution that players can complete by the mid-game, Annihilape makes for an unconventional pick that can give players an edge over other Pokémon Trainers.
According to Serebii, Mankey can be caught in Paldea’s South Province Area One and Area Five, and in West Province Area One. Unlike certain Pokémon with odd evolutionary methods such as Palafin, Mankey evolves into Primeape just by leveling up to Level 28. Primeape itself can also be caught in North Province Area One and West Province Area One. To evolve Primeape into Annihilape, players need to have it use the Ghost-type Rage Fist move 20 times in battle, at which point leveling up will trigger evolution.
Primeape only learns Rage Fist on reaching Level 35, so players will need to battle other Trainers and grind battles against wild Pokémon to get to this point. When fighting other Trainers, it’s best for players to avoid sending out Primeape against Flying, Psychic, Fairy, or Ghost-type Pokémon such as Gimmighoul, as these types either deal super-effective damage on Primeape, or are immune to Primeape’s Normal and Fighting-type moves.
Annihilape learns a variety of powerful moves as it levels up, including the Fighting-type moves Close Combat and Final Gambit, as well as the Dragon-type move Outrage, allowing it to punch well above its weight even when facing high-level Dragon-type Pokémon. Also of interest to competitively-minded players are its passive abilities. Annihilape can possess either the Vital Spirit ability, which prevents it from being affected by the Sleep status, or Inner Focus, which prevents it from flinching. Both add to Annihilape’s defense and can potentially turn the tide of battle.
From Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s three starters to late-game additions, prospective Pokémon Trainers will always be weighing up the pros and cons. However, Annihilape’s strengths and weaknesses are unconventional, and some players may want to add it to their teams simply for the element of surprise.
Source: Serebii
-
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
- Released:
- 2022-11-18
- Developer:
- Game Freak
- Franchise:
- Pokemon
- Genre:
- RPG, Adventure, Action
- Platform:
- Nintendo Switch
- Publisher:
- Nintendo, The Pokemon Company
- ESRB:
- E
- Summary:
- Pokémon returns in its next installment series: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Set in a fictional town near Mediterranean Spain, gamers will explore Paldea, catching new and classic Pokémon. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the first ever open-world game in the series and features new Pokémon that can transform into vehicles. Pokémon staples like gym battles are still present, but co-op exploration and Terastallize battles are also introduced.
- Multiplayer:
- Online Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
- Prequel:
- Pokémon Sword and Shield
- Mode:
- Single Player, Multiplayer
- How Long To Beat:
- 31 Hours
