How to Evolve Primeape in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Since the very first generation of Pokemon, the Mankey line, and Primeape especially, has had one defining characteristic: it’s angry. Like, perpetually blood-boiling angry. The thing about anger, though, is that once it passes a certain threshold, it transforms from blind rage into laser-sharp murderous focus. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Primeape can attain that state. Here’s how to evolve Primeape in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

How to Evolve Primeape in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

As a reminder, Primeape evolves from a Mankey starting at level 28. No particular gimmicks there, just a level threshold to cross. Getting Primeape to the next form up, though, requires a little bit of extra doing.

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When a Primeape reaches level 35 in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, it learns a unique move called Rage Fist. This Ghost-type move increases in strength for every time its user (i.e. Primeape) has been attacked in a battle up to the point its used, and if it hits, it’ll be even stronger if used again. This is good, because in order to evolve Primeape, you’re going to need to use it quite a bit.

Using Rage Fist

In order to evolve Primeape, you need to have it use Rage Fist in a battle 20 times, then level it up once. The kind of battle isn’t important; wild Pokemon, Trainer battles, everything’s on the table. The only catch is that you’ll break you Rage Fist chain if you visit a Pokemon Center. You need to use the move 20 times in consecutive battles. Since you only get 10 uses of Rage Fist at a time, you’ll want some Ethers on standby to replenish it.

Once you’ve have Primeape use Rage Fist 20 times, all it has to do is level up once. Afterward, it’ll evolve into its new form, Annihilape. It is now so angry that its strength has transcended the boundaries of conventional logic. Fun! Annihilape’s base ability options are Vital Spirit, which makes it immune to sleep, and Inner Focus, which makes it immune to flinching or Intimidate. It also has the hidden ability Defiant, which raises its Attack whenever one of its other stats are lowered.

Is it entirely ethical to deliberate enrage a Pokemon so much that it turns into an avatar of white-hot anger? Probably not, but Annihilape is literally too angry to care.