Stats & Training
Primeape's built around physical offense. Attack leads the charge, Defense pays for it. Moderately hard to find, worth 2 Attack EVs. Follows a medium-fast 1M XP curve.
When it becomes furious, its blood circulation becomes more robust, and its muscles are made stronger. But it also becomes much less intelligent.
Primeape Weakness
Flying and Psychic moves hit Primeape for super-effective damage. Its Fighting typing keeps the defensive matchups simple. Primeape leans offensive (base 105 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Flying, Psychic |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Bug, Rock, Dark |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
In Emerald, Salamence's Earthquake hits Primeape for 52-62%. Aerodactyl threatens a KO with Double-Edge (94-111%). Starmie deals 61-71% with Surf.
 Salamence Dragon | S | |
Recommended Build AbilityIntimidate ItemLeftovers NatureRash Moves
Damage vs Primeape View Salamence builds →Earthquake52-62% Rock Slide20-23% | ||
 Aerodactyl Rock | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityRockhead ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Primeape View Aerodactyl builds →Earthquake79-93% Rock Slide44-52% Double Edge94-111%KO | ||
 Starmie WaterPsychic | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityNatural Cure ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Primeape View Starmie builds →Rapid Spin14-17% Ice Beam40-48% Thunderbolt40-48% Surf61-71% | ||
 Alakazam Psychic | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySynchronize ItemLeftovers NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Primeape View Alakazam builds →Psychic 2x149-176%KO | ||
Emerald Evolution
Primeape is partway through a three-stage line between Mankey and Annihilape. The chain involves an evolution item, so it's not a straightforward grind. So far, HP got the biggest boost (+25 from Mankey). The final form adds another 80 stats on top. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Primeape to get Mankey eggs easily using 102 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Beat Up, Counter, Foresight and 5 more.
Emerald Primeape Best Moveset
The recommended build leans into Primeape's strengths as a physical attacker. Scopelens provides extra utility, and max Attack and Speed EVs back that up. Vitalspirit rounds out the package.
Best Build
Primeape best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Cross Chop
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace
Recommended Teammates
Moves
Don't skip the egg moves. Primeape picks up Beat Up and Counter only through breeding, and both fill gaps the natural movepool can't. STAB runs through Focus Punch and Cross Chop while coverage across 9 types adds range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
How to Get Primeape in Emerald
No wild encounters for Primeape in Emerald. Bring Mankey over from Red, Yellow, or Brilliant Diamond, then level through the stages. Each step in the chain is laid out below.
Primeape Guide
In Emerald, Primeape isn't fully evolved, so it's not built for competitive play. You'll want to evolve it into Annihilape to unlock its full potential. At 455 BST, it's a stepping stone rather than a team anchor.
In Emerald, watch for Aerodactyl (Flying) and Alakazam (Psychic) when using Primeape. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Only 2 weaknesses means fewer dedicated counters to worry about.
In Emerald, Mankey evolves into Primeape at level 28. Primeape evolves into Annihilape using a Rage Fist 20 Times. Primeape is a middle-stage evolution in the Mankey line.
Vital Spirit prevents sleep. That's the one you want on Primeape. Defiant is the hidden ability. Niche, but it has its uses. Anger Point works too if your team needs something different.
In Emerald, Primeape fills the attacker role. It's a physical attacker with base 105 Attack. Base 95 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many.
Game Availability
Primeape has been part of the series since Red & Blue, appearing in 20 titles across all 10 generations. As a Gen 1 original, it's one of the most consistently available Pokemon in the franchise.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves