With so many new additions to the national Pokedex inPokemon Scarlet and Violet, there are plenty of never-before-seenPokemonthat players can encounter and capture in Paldea. Veterans of the Pokemon franchise have been looking into the new Pokemon to see which ones would be competitively viable for battle, and there are many that make the cut!
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Annihilape is one of the new Pokemon, and one of the few thatadds an evolutionto an older generation Pokemon. Annihilape is thefinal evolutionary form of Primeape,and it is a Ghost and Fighting-type Pokemon. Annihilape is one of thebest Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet,especially for sweeping opposing teams.
Outrage is one of the best Dragon-type moves that a Pokemon can learn, and it’s also one of the most flexible Dragon-type moves in the game as many Pokemon that aren’t a Dragon type are able to learn it. Annihilape is one of those Pokemon that have the ability to learn Outrage.
Outrage is a Dragon-type move that Annihilape can learn at level 53. This move has 120 power and will select an opponent at random, so it is best used for an Annihilape built for single battles. This move will act for 2-3 turns, and the Pokemon becomes confused after.
9Final Gambit
Final Gambit is fairly close in description as it is to its name. Final Gambit is a Fighting-type move that Annihilape can learn at level 57, and it will be the last move that the Pokemon can learn in terms of leveling-up.
When Final Gambit is used, it will knock out Annihilape and deal damage to the opposing Pokemon equal to how much health Annihilape had. Generally, this move will be a one-hit KO at the cost of Annihilape,but with Pawmotor Rabsca in the party, Annihilape can be revived to battle once more.
8Close Combat
Close Combat is arguably the most popularly used Fighting-type move in the series. Annihilape can learn Close Combat at level 39. Close Combat is a Fighting-type move with 120 power, but using this move will lower Annihilape’s Defense and Special Defense stats.
This move can be used to quickly take out an opposing Pokemon – especially at the end of a battle when you don’t need to worry about lowering Annihilape’s stats. In any case, Annihilape can use its high Attack stat to make the best of this move.
7Stomping Tantrum
Stopping Tantrum is a newer move that Pokemon are able to learn in Scarlet and Violet. Stomping Tantrum is a Ground-type move that Annihilape can learn at level 48. This move has 75 power with 100% accuracy.
This move just falls below Earthquake in terms of power, but if Annihilape’s last move failed, then this move’s power is doubled. Quickly, this move can deal immense damage if used in sync with the right attacks. Stomping Tantrum is arguably greater in strategic power than Earthquake, and it only hits one target.
6Phantom Force
Phantom Force is one of the most used Ghost-type Pokemonmoves, and for good reason. Phantom Force is a Ghost-type move that Annihilape can’t learn by leveling-up but can learn by using TM151.
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Phantom Force is basically the Ghost version of Fly or Dig, as it will leave the user invulnerable for one turn, and then the next turn, the user will attack the opposing Pokemon. This move even goes through Protect, which can be great for Pokemon that stall. This move is also physical, so it plays with Annihilape’s Attack stat.
5Drain Punch
Drain Punch is a great Fighting-type move that has the capabilities of healing Annihilape. Drain Punch can be learned by Annihilape by using TM73 on it.
This move has 75 power, though it also has STAB damage thanks to Annihilape being a Fighting-type Pokemon, and it will also heal Annihilape by half of the damage it dealt to the opposing Pokemon. In instances where Annihilape is backed against a wall, especially in doubles, the Pokemon can pull off Drain Punch to harm an opponent and restore its health to stay in battle.
4Poison Jab
Poison Jab is a great Poison-type move for physical attackers, which is exactly what Annihilape is. Poison Jab can be learned by Annihilape by using TM83. This move has 80 power and has a 30% chance of poisoning the opponent.
In general, players may not be using Poison Jab as their focal move for Annihilape – especially without STAB damage (unless using a Poison-type tera Annihilape) – but this move is a great coverage move for Annihilape since Fairy-type Pokemon are weak to Poison-type moves. Fighting-types are weak to Fairy-type Pokemon, so this is good coverage just in case.
3Ice Punch
Ice Punch is, in general, a wonderful move for a Pokemon to learn if there is not any Dragon orIce-type Pokemonon a player’s competitive team. That is because Dragon-type Pokemon are one of, if not the best Pokemon types that exist in the game, and Ice-type moves are super-effective against Dragon-type Pokemon.
Annihilape can learn Ice Punch, which has 75 power, by using TM69 on it. This move even has a 10% chance of freezing the target Pokemon, and it is even better as it plays off of Annihilape’s stellar Attack stat.
2Thunder Punch
Thunder Punch is another one of the elemental punch moves that Annihilape can possibly learn, as is the Fire Punch move, but Thunder Punch is superior in terms of coverage. Annihilape is a Fighting-type Pokemon, and that means it is weak to Flying-type moves.
SinceFlying-type Pokemonare weak to Ice andElectric-type moves, Thunder Punch is another great coverage option for Annihilape if needed. Thunder Punch has 75 power and has a 10% chance to paralyze the opponent.
Protect is a great move for any Pokemon to learn, especially within double battles as to protect itself from ally attacks, or attacks in general. Protect is a Normal-type move that Annihilape can learn by using TM7, an easily obtainable TM.
Protect doesn’t deal damage, but it will protect the user from any incoming attacks. It is also good to note that if the Pokemon used Protect during the last turn, its chance of failing is a lot higher, so it is good to plan accordingly. This move is good for Annihilape to stall or protect itself from ally attacks like Earthquake.
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