Infernape #392

Leading Ape

Name: Infernape

Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze

- Fake Out
- Stealth Rock

- Close Combat
- Fire Blast / Overheat
EVs: 252 Atk / 196 Spd / 62 SAtk

Nature: Naive (+Spd, -Def)

Moves:

Fake Out, starter move, major role is to get free damage while cuting opposing Focus Sash. Beware of pokemons that might have Inner Focus, speacially Lucario and Dragonite, you don't want to use it versus them.

Stealth Rock with Fake Out + Focus Sash it garantees that you cut opposing leads using Focus Sash and you always have a chance to Stealth Rock cutting further ones while you start dealing passive damage early on.

Close Combat your main STAB attack, you'll be using this as your default attack, great damage and accuracy and supper effective versus many OU leads and walls, the drawback doesn't affect you at all with this build.

Fire Blast is the usual pick for steady damage, but you should consider Overheat for higher dmg on 1st attack and better accuracy, specially if you expect to die soon or switch out. Don't forget the 50% Blaze bonus after Focus Sash activation. In many cases I prefer to burn out than to "fade" away ;)

Other moves:

If you need a better Infernape on mid game to counter some threats to your team you can adapt usually at the cost of Fake Out or Stealth Rock.

Taunt is useful for stopping slower pokemons from using Stealth Rock and Spikes. It also stops stat boosts, healing and PHazers.
Mach Punch is nice versus Focus Sash Lucario if you expect to see those.
Stone Edge versus Dragons and Gyarados.
Grass Knot versus Water.
U-Turn good scout move and hurts Psychics, worth a mention against Starmie and Latios/Latias.

Counters:
Usual bulky water pokemon. Since you should already have Stealth Rock up, don't mind the switches and get a counter on your team ready. Special attention to Starmie, as it resists your 2 STAB moves and can clean your Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin.
Dragons pose a big threat if you don't have Stone Edge, but they probably won't risk it if you have Stealth Rock on. If they do switch.