Primeape Moves and Best Moveset - Pokémon GO (2026)

Back to Pokédex

Mankey

Growlithe

#57

1307

1634

Primeape Best Moveset Rankings

Best Moves

Every fast and charged move combo Primeape can learn, ranked by simulated raid DPS. Pick a raid boss, weather, and level to see how the best moveset changes.

Raid boss

Neutral target

No boss selected. Rankings run against a typeless stand-in, so every move hits for neutral damage.

Defense

180

15,000

Type

None

Weather

Primeape level

Fast Move

Charged Move

1
Counter
Rage Fist
10.72
92.2
1398.7s
8.32
2
Karate Chop
Rage Fist
10.37
89.1
1446.1s
8.04
3
Counter
Cross Chop
10.35
88.9
1449.9s
8.02
4
Low Kick
Rage Fist
10.19
87.6
1471.4s
7.92
5
Counter
Close Combat
9.80
84.2
1530.0s
7.62
6
Karate Chop
Cross Chop
9.80
84.2
1530.6s
7.62
7
Counter
Ice Punch
9.65
82.9
1555.0s
7.48
8
Low Kick
Cross Chop
9.64
82.9
1555.6s
7.48
9
Counter
Low Sweep
9.47
81.4
1583.6s
7.36

10
Karate Chop
Close Combat
9.31
80.0
1610.5s
7.22

Show:

1–10 of 18

Page 1 of 2

Primeape Best PvP Movesets

GO Battle League

Full PvP rankings →

The recommended fast and charged moves for Primeape in each GO Battle League format, from an all-vs-all battle simulation.

Great League

#184 of 1141 · C Tier

Karate Chop

Rage Fist

Ice Punch

Ultra League

#113 of 841 · B Tier

Karate Chop

Rage Fist

Close Combat

Rankings come from an all-vs-all battle simulation across each league's meta. The first chip is the fast move; the rest are the recommended charged moves.

Primeape PvP Move Effects

Trainer Battles

These Primeape moves can raise or lower stats in Trainer Battles, on top of dealing damage.

Close Combat

Fighting type

100% chance to reduce the User's Defense by 33%

Night Slash

Dark type

12.5% chance to increase the User's Attack by 25%

Rage Fist

Ghost type

100% chance to increase the User's Attack by 25%

Primeape Fast Moves

Fast Attacks

Primeape can learn 3 fast moves in Pokémon GO, covering Fighting-type damage. Counter, Karate Chop, and Low Kick match Primeape's own typing and earn a 1.2× STAB bonus.

Counter

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

Duration

1.0s

Damage window

0.8s – 1.0s

DPS

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

Duration

2 turns

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Karate Chop

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

Duration

1.0s

Damage window

0.8s – 1.0s

DPS

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

Duration

2 turns

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Low Kick

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

Duration

0.5s

Damage window

0.2s – 0.5s

DPS

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

Duration

2 turns

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Compare fast moves

Counter
13
9
1.0s
13
Karate Chop
10
13
1.0s
10
Low Kick
5
5
0.5s
10

Fast Attack Type Coverage

Move
Counter	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%
Karate Chop	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%
Low Kick	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%

Primeape Charged Moves

Charged Attacks

Primeape can learn 6 charged moves in Pokémon GO, covering Fighting-, Ice-, Dark-, and Ghost-type damage. Close Combat, Cross Chop, and Low Sweep match Primeape's own typing and earn a 1.2× STAB bonus.

Close Combat

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

105

Energy

-100

Duration

2.5s

Damage window

1.2s – 2.5s

DPE

1.05

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

100

Energy

-45

DPE

2.22

Effect

100% chance to reduce the User's Defense by 33%

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Cross Chop

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

-50

Duration

1.5s

Damage window

0.8s – 1.2s

DPE

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

-35

DPE

1.57

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Ice Punch

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

-33

Duration

2.0s

Damage window

1.4s – 1.7s

DPE

1.52

Weather boost

Snow

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

-40

DPE

1.5

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Grass
Ground
Flying
Dragon
Resisted by: Fire
Water
Ice
Steel

Low Sweep

STAB

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

-33

Duration

2.0s

Damage window

1.4s – 1.8s

DPE

1.21

Weather boost

Overcast (Cloudy)

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

-40

DPE

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Normal
Ice
Rock
Dark
Steel
Resisted by: Poison
Flying
Psychic
Bug
Ghost (0.39×)
Fairy

Night Slash

Gyms & Raids

Power

Energy

-33

Duration

2.0s

Damage window

1.1s – 1.8s

DPE

1.36

Weather boost

Fog

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

-35

DPE

1.43

Effect

12.5% chance to increase the User's Attack by 25%

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Psychic
Ghost
Resisted by: Fighting
Dark
Fairy

Rage Fist

Gyms & Raids

Power

100

Energy

-50

Duration

3.0s

Damage window

2.8s – 3.0s

DPE

Weather boost

Fog

Trainer Battles

Power

Energy

-35

DPE

1.43

Effect

100% chance to increase the User's Attack by 25%

Type effectiveness

Super-effective vs: Psychic
Ghost
Resisted by: Normal (0.39×)
Dark

Compare charged moves

Close Combat
105
-100
2.5s
42
Cross Chop
50
-50
1.5s
33.33
Ice Punch
50
-33
2.0s
25
Low Sweep
40
-33
2.0s
20
Night Slash
45
-33
2.0s
22.5
Rage Fist
100
-50
3.0s
33.33

Charged Attack Type Coverage

Move
Close Combat	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%
Cross Chop	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%
Ice Punch	100%	62.5%	62.5%	100%	160%	62.5%	100%	100%	160%	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%
Low Sweep	160%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%	62.5%	62.5%	160%	39.1%	100%	160%	160%	62.5%
Night Slash	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	62.5%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	62.5%
Rage Fist	39.1%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	160%	100%	100%	160%	100%	62.5%	100%	100%

Second charged move cost

Unlocking a second charged move lets Primeape carry two charged attacks at once, in raids and in Trainer Battles.

50,000

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Primeape's best moveset in Pokémon GO?

Counter and Rage Fist make up Primeape's best raid moveset, dealing 10.7 DPS against a neutral target at Level 40. See the best counters to Primeape for how it holds up as a raid boss.

What is Primeape's best PvP moveset?

In Ultra League, the recommended moveset is Karate Chop with Rage Fist and Close Combat. Primeape's full PvP rankings cover every league.

How many moves can Primeape learn in Pokémon GO?

Primeape can learn 3 fast moves and 6 charged moves. Karate Chop, Cross Chop, and Rage Fist are legacy moves that can only be learned with an Elite TM or during special events.

How much does Primeape's second charged move cost?

Unlocking a second charged move for Primeape costs 50,000 Stardust and 50 Candy.

Mankey

Growlithe

← Back to Primeape