Infernape, The Flame Pokémon. It uses a special kind of martial arts involving all its limbs. Its fire never goes out. Its crown of fire is indicative of its fiery nature. It is beaten by none in terms of quickness.
Overview
Infernape reprises its role as one of the most dominant Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. Its blistering Speed, balanced offences, fantastic STABs, and a wide movepool that has an answer for everything makes Infernape an incredibly difficult foe to manage. As unpredictable as Infernape can be, it still has some constants that let it down. Infernape’s poor defenses and preference for moves like Close Combat and Flare Blitz make it frail and prone to tearing itself apart. Additionally, it suffers heavily from 4 moveslot syndrome and cannot pack an answer for every situation in one moveset. Finally, Infernape’s great speed is still not the best around with Pokémon like the Lati Twins and Starmie easily able to come in, outspeed and dispatch it.
Positives
Base 108 Speed is fantastic, with select Pokémon able to natively outspeed it, especially in BDSP’s restricted format.
104 Offenses combined with an expansive movepool make Infernape incredibly versatile with clear counters not known until the moveset is known.
Fire Fighting typing gives Infernape incredibly valuable offensive STABs on top of being a Fire type not weak to Stealth Rock
Negatives
Poor defenses ensures that Infernape can take one hit at best and can wear itself down with Close Combat, Flare Blitz and Life Orb.
Infernape may have a tool for every situation, but it can’t bring everything it wants to and will always have gaps in its coverage.
Movesets
Monkey King
-Flare Blitz
-Close Combat
-U-Turn
-Stone Edge
Item Attached: Choice Band
Ability: Blaze
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Choice Banded Infernape trades versatility for immediate power. Flare Blitz and Close Combat are incredibly potent STABs that rip through other Infernape set checks like Clefable and Manaphy on top of eviscerating the popular Steel type walls that its STAB combination provides. U-Turn is not only a great scouting tool, but stings with the Choice Band boost, preventing Latias and Latios from being safe switch ins. Stone Edge rounds out the set, hitting many Flying types like Salamence, Dragonite, Moltres and Zapdos that can otherwise eat Infernape's STABs.
DYNAMAX:
Infernape is unable to Dynamax at this time
EVs and Items:
Standard Sweeper array. You need Infernape to hit as hard and fast as possible, and there are enough faster threats in the game to justify the Max Speed investment as well as to win speed creep wars with other Infernape.
Other Options:
Swords Dance -Infernape can forgo the Choice Band and instead boost up. This gives Infernape an answer against Physical walls and bulky Pokémon that otherwise trouble it, though the lack of immediate power and loss in coverage is noticeable.
Mach Punch/Feint -Priority that is great for Infernape to pick off weakened Pokémon.
Thunderpunch -more reliable than Stone Edge and hits Gyarados, Mantine and Azumarill far harder than most of Infernape's other moves.
Partners:
Other U-Turn and Volt Switch users can form a VoltTurn core with Infernape, pivoting out into the other's counters at the drop of a hat. Rotom-Wash stands out for being able to blow away Ground and Water types while possessing a special offense to compliment Infernape's physical. Scizor also works well as a bane to most Psychic types.
Slowbro and Starmie possess extremely complimentary types to Infernape and can easily take care of physical walls like Hippowdon and Gliscor thanks to their Water STABs. Slowbro provides extra Speed control with Thunderwave, while Starmie can provide entry hazard control with Rapid Spin
Master of Ki
-Nasty Plot
-Fire Blast
-Focus Blast
-Grass Knot
Item Attached: Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
Nasty Plot Infernape is a potent wallbreaker, owing to its wide coverage and blistering power after a Nasty Plot and still performs well against most offensive Pokémon thanks to its high natural speed. Have Infernape come in on a Pokémon it threatens out, setup Nasty Plot and go on a rampage. Fire Blast and Focus Blast are the STABs du jour, hitting many popular defensive staples like Heatran, Blissey, Magnezone, Tangrowth, and Empoleon for super effective damage. Grass Knot rounds out the set, hitting bulky Water, Rock and Ground types like Milotic, Suicune and Gastrodon that otherwise trouble Infernape.
DYNAMAX:
Infernape is unable to Dynamax at this time
EVs and Items:
Max Speed and Special Attack again. You want Infernape to hit hard and fast without a reprieve. Item is up to preference. Focus Sash ensures the Nasty Plot will go off but hampers early game revenge killing without extensive anti-hazard support. Life Orb gives Infernape a noticeable bit of power but makes it frailer.
Other Options:
Flamethrower -more reliable than Fire Blast, and worth consideration if two inaccuracte STABs is too much for your liking.
Vacuum Wave -the rare Special Fighting move, and on priority at that is amazing for picking off targets, but the drop in power from Focus Blast or coverage from Grass Knot is a bitter pill to swallow.
Choice Specs –Infernape can forgo Nasty Plot for immediate power. While this worsens the matchup against opposing walls, it exerts plenty of pressure on more offensive teams.
Partners:
Latias and Latios wall this set hard so answers to them make great partners. Scizor again stands out thanks to its Bug STABs, priority, lack of weaknesses and potential Defog support. Blissey deserves mention as the most reliable Latios answer, clerical capability and ability to setup Stealth Rocks.
Weavile stands out as a physical cleaner to Infernape's special with high speed that dispatches the few Pokémon that can natively outspeed Infernape such as Gengar, Alakazam, Latias and Latios.
Mixed Monkey Wrench
-Close Combat
-Overheat
-Grass Knot
-Stone Edge
Item Attached: Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs and Nature:
168 Atk / 88 SAtk / 252 Spe
Naďve Nature
Infernape can also run a mixed set, with a swiss army knife toolset to shatter many Pokémon by striking at their weak points. Close Combat breaks special sponges like Blissey, Empoleon, Tyranitar and Heatran. Overheat melts physical walls like Skarmory, Scizor, Tangrowth and Bronzong. Grass Knot prevents many Water and Ground types from being safe switch ins, especially Quagsire, Swampert, Gastrodon and Hippowdon. Stone Edge gives Infernape an answer against many Flying types like Gyarados, Dragonite and Salamence.
DYNAMAX:
Infernape is unable to Dynamax at this time
EVs and Items:
Max Speed as usual is necessary for winning speed creep wars against other Infernape, though if you are not concerned about that, 220 Speed EVs is the minimum to outspeed Jolly Garchomp. 168 Attack is necessary for ensuring the one hit KO on Heatran, with everything else going into Special Attack to keep Overheat and Grass Knot’s damage up. Life Orb is preferred for the power boost, but the recoil can make Infernape easy to wear down, so Expert Belt is an acceptable substitute thanks to the wide coverage Infernape has.
Other Options:
Fire Blast -If the Special Attack drop is undesirable, then Fire Blast is another Special Fire STAB option.
Mach Punch/Vaccuum Wave/Feint -Priority for picking off weakened foes.
U-Turn -best option against Latias and Latios and enables Infernape to scout and pivot out.
Slack Off -great to recoup Life Orb and entry hazard damage if your opponent tries to wear Infernape down that way.
Taunt -prevents setup, Entry Hazards and status, giving Infernape a better option against dedicated walls it can’t muscle past.
Partners:
Life Orb and Stealth Rock damage ontop of the constant pivoting add up quickly, so strong Entry Hazard removal is appreciated. Scizor and Starmie excel at this roll and cover troublesome Pokémon that Infernape may have a hard time dealing with like Cresselia, Latios, Salamence and Gliscor.
Latias and Latios enjoy Infernape’s ability to answer Steel, and Dark types and Blissey and in turn can pivot into Water, Ground and Psychic moves that threaten Infernape.
Countering Infernape
Few things can be considered counters for Infernape. Between its high speed, expansive movepool and relative unpredictability, Infernape only has checks on the gaps in its moveset. Azumarill is probably the closest we have to a true Infernape counter. Able to pivot into nearly every one of Infernape’s moves bar a boosted Thunder Punch or Poison Jab and immediately able to threaten a OHKO in turn with a Banded Aqua Jet. Clefable fares well against non boosting sets and sets lacking Poison Jab, able to outlast thanks to Moonlight. Latios and Latias fare well against any Infernape set lacking U-Turn and natively outspeed it making them natural revenge killers as well Salamence and Dragonite do well against sets lacking Stone Edge, able to take several hits and KO right back. Gyarados fears Stone Edge, Thunderpunch and boosted Grass Knot, but otherwise resists both STABs and has Intimidate to ruin Physical attack sets. Revenge KOing Infernape is also a viable option thanks to its speed not being peerless. Alakazam, Dugtrio, and Gengar all outspeed Infernape and can reliable OHKO Infernape thanks to its Poor bulk.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Evolve Monferno
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Trade from Diamond/Pearl/Platinum
Black/White:
Transfer from Generation 4
Black 2/White 2:
Transfer from Generation 4
X/Y:
Trade from Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Evolve Monferno
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Evolve Monferno
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Not in game
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Evolve Monferno
Anime Appearences
