Is Shadow Punch Better Than Rage Fist? A Deep Dive into Annihilape’s Movepool

The question of whether Shadow Punch is superior to Rage Fist for Annihilape, the formidable Fighting/Ghost-type Pokémon, is a complex one with no straightforward answer. It hinges heavily on the context of the battle, the strategic role you envision for Annihilape, and the specific opponent you are facing. In essence, while Shadow Punch offers consistent damage, Rage Fist boasts a higher damage ceiling, albeit requiring a buildup phase, and both moves serve different but invaluable purposes.

The immediate answer is this: Shadow Punch is NOT inherently better than Rage Fist. Each move has specific advantages and disadvantages. Shadow Punch has consistent power, never missing and it’s good in a pinch. Rage Fist needs time to charge. Choosing the “better” option entirely depends on the situation you find yourself in.

Shadow Punch: Consistency and Reliability

The Fundamentals

Shadow Punch, a Ghost-type move with a base power of 60, boasts a critical advantage: it never misses. This accuracy makes it a reliable offensive option, especially against foes who are evasive or use moves that decrease accuracy. It’s a consistent damage dealer and can be immediately employed. When you need reliable damage output with no risk of missing, Shadow Punch is the go to move for annihilape.

Advantages of Shadow Punch

• Guaranteed Hit: Its perfect accuracy is invaluable against evasive opponents.
• Immediate Impact: No setup required; it delivers its damage immediately.
• Reliable Damage: Consistent base power ensures predictable output.
• Ghost-Type STAB: benefits from the same-type attack bonus when used by Annihilape, making it a decent attacking move.
• Good coverage Ghost type moves are good type match ups against psychic and other ghost types.

Rage Fist: The Power of Endurance

The Fundamentals

Rage Fist, a Ghost-type move introduced in Generation IX, starts with a modest base power of 50. However, its core mechanic is what makes it so powerful: its power increases by 50 each time the user is hit by a direct-damage move during battle. This boost has a limit, maxing out at an impressive 350 base power after six hits. This means that the longer Annihilape is attacked, the more powerful Rage Fist gets.

Advantages of Rage Fist

• High Damage Potential: When fully charged, Rage Fist boasts an extremely high base power, making it one of the most powerful Ghost-type moves in the game.
• Scalability: Its power scales with the battle, rewarding Annihilape’s ability to endure attacks.
• Unique Mechanic: Its damage-boosting effect is a unique and powerful tool, making it a signature move of Primeape and Annihilape.
• Unpurgeable: The power increase from being hit is never removed when switching out and fainting.
• Excellent against tanks Rage fist can become incredibly powerful against tanky pokemon.

Choosing the Right Move

The choice between Shadow Punch and Rage Fist depends on the specific battle scenario:

• For Consistent Offense: If you need a reliable source of immediate damage, especially against evasive foes, Shadow Punch is a solid option. This move is good for when you need consistent damage and are not trying to stall.

• For High Damage and Sweeping Potential: In longer fights where Annihilape can take some hits, Rage Fist becomes increasingly powerful. This makes it ideal for sweeping through weakened teams, especially in Raid battles where Annihilape can accumulate hits early in the fight from the raid pokemon and can power up rage fist.

• In Raids: The unpurgeable nature of Rage Fist makes it a go-to for raids. Building up stacks of damage early in the battle then using it to deal massive damage to the raid boss, while also using support moves, is the recommended way to use Annihilape in raids.

Conclusion: A Strategic Choice

Ultimately, neither Shadow Punch nor Rage Fist is definitively superior. Shadow Punch provides reliable damage, while Rage Fist scales into a devastating nuke given the time and hits, the user takes. The “better” move is the one that best fits the battle’s context and your overall strategy for Annihilape. If you want to use Annihilape to sweep teams or deal insane damage to one opponent, Rage Fist is your go-to move.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How good is Rage Fist as a move?

Rage Fist is an excellent move due to its ability to scale in power, increasing by 50 for each direct hit Annihilape takes (up to a maximum of 350 base power). It is a good option for battles where Annihilape takes hits, and for a setup move in raids where it can deal massive amounts of damage after taking hits.

2. Is Rage Fist a special attack?

No, Rage Fist is a physical Ghost-type move. This means its damage is based on the user’s Attack stat and the opponent’s Defense stat. This allows it to take advantage of the high attack stat of Annihilape.

3. Does Rage Fist’s power reset when you switch out?

No, the power increase of Rage Fist does not reset upon switching out or fainting, a major bonus for Annihilape in longer battles.

4. How many hits does it take to max out Rage Fist?

Rage Fist reaches its maximum base power of 350 after the user takes 6 hits.

5. Do multi-strike moves count as multiple hits for Rage Fist?

Yes, each strike from a multi-strike move counts as a separate hit for the purposes of increasing the power of Rage Fist. So, if a move hits 3 times, the base power will increase by 150.

6. How do you evolve Primeape into Annihilape?

To evolve Primeape into Annihilape, you must use Rage Fist 20 times in battle and then level up Primeape. You do not have to use it in a single battle.

7. Does Rage Fist work in Raids?

Yes, Rage Fist is highly effective in raids due to its unpurgeable power boost and Annihilape’s utility. Building stacks of power with rage fist early in the battle can make it extremely powerful later in the fight.

8. What are some good held items for Annihilape?

Good held items for Annihilape include the Punching Glove (boosts punching move power), Covert Cloak (protects from secondary move effects) and Muscle Band (increases physical move damage).

9. What is the best way to get to max Rage Fist power?

The best way to get to max Rage Fist power is to use Annihilape in battles where it can withstand hits. Battles with tankier pokemon or raid battles are great for maxing out the power of rage fist.

10. How many times do I need to use Rage Fist to evolve primeape?

You have to use Rage Fist 20 times in battle to evolve Primeape into Annihilape. You can leave the battle or faint and the counter will still increase.

11. Does Rage Powder affect Ghost types?

Rage Powder is a normal-type move, so it does affect Ghost-type pokemon and can be redirected, if they do not have an immunity to it.

12. Does Psychic Terrain stop Rage Powder?

No, Psychic Terrain does not stop Rage Powder. Psychic Terrain blocks only status-inducing moves.

13. Can Rage Powder fail?

Rage Powder will fail if it’s not a Double Battle or Battle Royal. It will also fail if the user is under the effects of Sky Drop.

14. Is Final Gambit a good move against Ghost Types?

No, Final Gambit is not good against Ghost-types since they are immune to it. This makes a move like Final Gambit unsuitable against teams with ghosts.

15. What is the tankiest Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet?

Ting-Lu is considered one of the tankiest Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, having very high defense and HP stats.