[Monotype/Fighting] Infernape [QC: 0/3][GP: 0/2]

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Dharma

komorebi
is a Top Artist
QC: ×/×/×
GP: ×/×

[OVERVIEW]

-Infernape is a great option on any Fighting team, due to it being able to perform various roles.
-It sits at a great speed tier of 108, letting it outspeed a good portion of the unboosted metagame.
-It has good offensive stats on both sides of the spectrum, making it capable of even being a mixed attacker.
-It has access to both Taunt and Stealth Rock, making it one of the best suicide leads in the game.
-It has a great movepool, having access to great coverage moves like Earthquake, Shadow Claw and Grass Knot, as well as having strong STAB options in Close Combat, Fire Blast and Flare Blitz.
-It also has access to priority in the form of Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave, as well as Fake Out.
-It has stat boosting moves for both sides of the spectrum, with Swords Dance and Nasty Plot, making it capable of full filling whichever role desired.
-Its two abilites, name Blaze and Iron Fist, are capable of being used in multiple ways.
-However, it has poor bulk, making it rely on a Focus Sash most of the time.
-Despite its great speed, it is outsped by almost every viable Choice Scarf user, making it prone to revenge killers.
-Despite its good offensive stats, its offensive presence is subpar without a boosting item.
-Its typing of Fire/Fighting doesn't provide neutrality to any of the type's general weaknesses.

[SET]
name: Suicide Lead
move 1: Taunt
move 2: Stealth Rock
move 3: Fire Blast
move 4: Vacuum Wave/Focus Blast
item: Focus Sash
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Moves
========

-Taunt prevents the opponent from setting up entry hazards and from using stat boosting moves.
-Stealth Rock pressures the foes on switch-ins as well as breaking sashes. It also eases the match up against Flying and Bug teams.
-Fire Blast is STAB that hits common leads such as Foretress, Skarmory, Galvantula, Froslass and Klefki for super effective damage.
-Vacuum Wave is a STAB move that gives Infernape a source of priority, as well as letting it break sashes itself.
-Focus Blast may be used over Vacuum Wave, as it is much stronger. However, it leaves you with no source of priority. Also, Focus Blast's poor accuracy is something to take into account.

Set Details
========

-Focus Sash lets it live any hit at full health.
-Maximum investment in special attack lets it hit as hard as possible with its STAB moves.
-A Timid nature is run to make it as fast as possible, letting it outspeed most leads.
-Blaze lets Fire Blast hit even harder once Infernape is at low health.

Usage Tips
========

-It is necessary to predict when the opponent is going to use a move that is stopped by Taunt, and when they are going to attack, and failure to do so may make Infernape useless.
-Watch out for switch-ins that have Magic Bounce, such as Espeon.
-Froslass outspeeds Infernape, so it is good to hit it with Fire Blast instead of using Taunt, as Froslass leads usually carry Taunt themselves.
-Against Mega Diancie, its isn't good to switch into a different pokemon predicting a Protect, as this may cause you to lose a teammate unnecessarily. A better idea would be to deal as much damage as possible with Vacuum Wave, which is guaranteed to hit twice because of the Focus Sash.
-Skarmory usually attacks Infernape instead of setting up hazards against it, so it is better to set up Stealth Rock instead of using Taunt.

Team Options
========
-Focus Sash Breloom can take advantage of the absence of hazards, and easily turn the match around by making a threat go to sleep. However, it is necessary to make sure that the opponent doesn't try to set up hazards once Infernape is down.
-Choice Scarf Terrakion gets past Flying types that Infernape has trouble with.
-Keldeo is a good option alongside Infernape, as Fighting teams generally lack good special attackers.
-Mega Gallade helps get past Psychic types such as Latias, it is neutral to Psychic type moves and has access to both Knock Off and Shadow Sneak.

[SET]

name: Life Orb Special Attacker
move 1: Fire Blast
move 2: Vacuum Wave
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Nasty Plot
item: Life Orb
ability: Blaze
nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

[SET COMMENTS]

Moves
======

-Fire Blast is the primary STAB move, which hits decently hard with a Life Orb.
-Vacuum Wave gives Infernape a source of priority, and can KO a pokemon at low health.
-Grass Knot hits some of its checks for super effective damage, such as Slowbro and Azumarill. It is also super effective against Mamoswine, which is neutral to Fire Blast due to its ability Thick Fat. Grass Knot also hits Gyarados for neutral damage.
-Nasty Plot doubles its special attack stat, making it capable of sweeping provided revenge killers, priority users and sashes are gone.

Set Details
=========
-Life Orb increases Infernape's damage output by 30%, making its special attackers hit extra hard.
-Blaze ability lets Fire Blast hit even harder once Infernape's health is low.
-Maximum investment in speed and special attack, along with a Timid nature, lets Infernape hit as hard as possible while still outspeeding a large portion of the non-scarfed metagame.

Usage Tips
=========
-Try to not get it hit by Knock Off, as Infernape's offensive presence is hindered without a Life Orb.
-Grass Knot can be used to hurt threats like Azumarill, Jellicient and Slowbro on the switch-in.
-Try to keep Infernape alive, as it can be a good late-game cleaner as well as a set up sweeper.
-Infernape doesn't find many opportunities to set up, so any opportunity should be exploited.

Team Options
==========
-Cobalion helps in preventing the opponent from setting up hazards, which may hinder Infernape's longitivity. It is also a good Fairy check due to its Steel typing, and can also act as speed control due to its acess to Thunder Wave.
-Toxicroak helps Infernape get past Azumarill, due to its ability Dry Skin, as well as being able to KO with Gunk Shot.
-Mega Medicham helps against Mega Diancie, due to it having access to Bullet Punch.
-Scrafty, being immune to Psychic moves, is a good partner with Infernape, as it also acts as a status absorber due to its ability Shed Skin.

[SET]

name: Endeavor + Priority
move 1: Endeavor
move 2: Mach Punch
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Shadow Claw
item: Focus Sash
ability: Iron Fist
nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Att / 252 Spe

[SET DETAILS]

Moves
=====
-Once Infernape is down to 1HP thanks to the Focus Sash, Endeavor lets you bring the oponent down to 1HP as well.
-Mach Punch gives Infernape a source of priority, as well as KOing oponents that are down to 1HP due to Endeavor.
-Close Combat is a strong STAB move that can be used when Endeavor or Mach Punch are not needed.
-Shadow Claw let's Infernape hit Ghost types, as they are immune to both Endeavor and Mach Punch

Set Details
========
-Focus Sash lets Infernape live any hit while at full health, as well as leaving Infernape at a good health to use Endeavor.
-Iron Fist make Infernape's punch-based attacks stronger, letting Mach Punch and Close Combat do decent damage to neutral foes.

Usage Tips
=========
-Infernape may be sent in first, or can be saved for later if another hazard preventer like Cobalion is on the team.
-Even after Infernape has been brought down to low health, it is still work keeping alive, as it maybe help against a threat to the team later on.
-Mach Punch can also be used to KO a foe that has been weakened by a teammate, as well as breaking potential sashes on opposing priority users.
-Close Combat may be used when you are certain that the opponent is try to set up on you, and Endeavor isn't going to hurt much.
-Shadow Claw should only be used against Ghost types, as Close Combat does more against resisting foes than Shadow Claw does to opponents that are neutral to it.

Team Options
==========
-Cobalion helps in preventing hazards from being set up, due to its good speed tier and access to Taunt.
-Mega Medicham is a good partner, as it has access to priority as well, and can take down a foe that has been weakened by Infernape.
-Mega Gallade also serves the same purpose as Mega Medicham, but might be more useful than it, due to it being in a much better speed tier, as well as having access to both Knock Off and Shadow Sneak.
-Keldeo, being the only remaining option for a good special attacker, is necessary, as it helps the team in getting past fat physical walls like Skarmory.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]

Other Options
=============

-Flare Blitz can be used instead of Close Combat, but it further affects Infernape's longitivity, as well as breaking Infernape's sash because of the recoil.
-A physical Life Orb set may be used, but Fighting teams usually have an abundance of physical attackers, and it is more advisable to run a special Infernape, as it is one of the two viable special attackers Fighting has access to.
-A Choice Scarf set may be used, but fails to do decent damage due to its mediocre offensive stats, and is generally outclassed by Terrakion.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Hazards**:
-Hazards break Infernape's sash, so it is advisable to send out Infernape first so the sash is preserved. Hazards also affect Infernape's longitivity with the Life Orb. Sticky Web severely hinders Infernape's good speed stat.
**Water types**:
-Infernape is checked by a vast majority of Water types. Slowbro, Gyarados and Azumarill take negligible damage from both of Infernape's STAB options, and 2HKO with their water STAB options. They do, however, have to watch out for Grass Knot.
**Ghost types**:
-Ghost types are immune to both Endeavor and Mach Punch. Sableye can stop Infernape from setting up with Taunt due to its ability Prankster, as well as being able to Knock Off Infernape's item. Jellicient takes negligible damage from its Fire STAB and 2HKOs with Scald. If does, however, have to watch out for Grass Knot. Chandelure is immune to both of Infernape's STAB moves due to its ability Flash Fire.
**Psychic types**:
-A lot of Psychic types resist both of Infernape's STAB moves, and easily have a way of getting past it. Latios and Latias may use Infernape as set up fodder, while Slowbro and Victini don't mind staying in on Infernape.
**Mega Lopunny**:
-Mega Lopunny breaks Infernape's sash with Fake Out, making it unable to move that turn. It can then KO with either High Jump Kick or Return.
**Magic Bounce**:
-Mega Diancie and Espeon are both faster than Infernape, and with their ability Magic Bounce, preventing Infernape from using Taunt or setting up rocks, as well as being able to KO Infernape.
**Choice Scarf users**:
-Infernape is outsped by every single viable Choice Scarf user, making it easy to be revenge killed due to its poor bulk.
**Status**:
-Infernape's speed is one of the main things that make it good, and status like Paralysis can severely cripple it. Poison also reduces Infernape's longitivity with the Life Orb.
 
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All three of your sets are strange and don't reflect Infernape's strengths. (Lead set should have endeavor, there's no reason to use Vacuum Wave without Endeavor anyway, and Focus Blast is absolutely horrid; Non-mixed offensive Infernape is pretty awful on Fighting, especially if it's a setup set; Endeavor + 3 attacks has never and will never be an Infernape set)

I'm also worried about a lot of other details you have. For example, in the lead set, mentioning Espeon as a Magic Bounce user, when it's really not relevant to the metagame, and not mentioning Magic Bounce when you discuss Mega Diancie. Also in your final set has Shadow Claw of all moves and lacks Fire Blast. Furthermore, you even say that Iron Fist boosts Close Combat's damage, which is completely untrue. In Checks and Counters, Water-types aren't 2HKOing Infernape, they're OHKOing. You can't rely on Focus Sash and say Infernape is 2HKOed when Fighting has no entry hazard removal and it's so inconsistent anyway.

This will be a colossal effort for QC to fix because we'd literally have to start from scratch with none of your sets still standing. QC Rejected 1/3
 

Dharma

komorebi
is a Top Artist
Yeah, I guess so. Probably has too many things that needs to be changed, and I'm a bit lacking on time atm. Dropping this.
Tagging scpinion to move this since the reservation index is locked.
 
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