What if Annihilape was in RBY?
(This is part of a weekly series. See [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/stunfisk/comments/1hhy8d2/ksyons_rby_port_ideas_masterpost/) for information on my general methodology, links to previous entries, and a list of pokemon I plan to cover in the future. Since this series is close to wrapping up and I've already chosen the remaining pokemon I want to cover, I am no longer taking requests for reviews.)
**Annihilape**
*Fighting/Ghost type*
* HP: 110 * Attack: 115 * Defense: 80 * Speed: 90 * Special: 50
Moves:
* Scratch * Leer * Low Kick * Karate Chop * Fury Swipes * Focus Energy * Rage * Seismic Toss * Screech * Rage Fist (*signature move*) * Thrash * Mega Punch * Mega Kick * Toxic * Body Slam * Take Down * Double-Edge * Hyper Beam * Pay Day * Submission * Counter * Thunderbolt * Thunder * Dig * Mimic * Double Team * Bide * Metronome * Swift * Skull Bash * Rest * Rock Slide * Substitute * Strength
Making a fighting type that doesn't suck in RBY has been something of a white whale for this series almost since its inception. For the fighting type to be as bad as it is in Gen I despite being the only type super-effective against normal types when normal types are the best they've ever been is kind of bewildering, and it feels like there should be a pokemon out there somewhere that could break through the type's limitations and become the true normal-type counter fighting has always wanted to be. But every attempt to find one before now has resulted in a pokemon that was situational at best (unless you are [Bewear](https://www.reddit.com/r/stunfisk/comments/1q19k97/what_if_bewear_was_in_rby/), who was pretty broken but also didn't really gain anything from being a fighting type).
But one pokemon has been hanging like an almost literal specter over this entire endeavor - Annihilape. Annihilape is probably the single most requested pokemon I've gotten in this whole series, and it's not hard to see why - the ghost typing is potentially one of the most broken in RBY, and compliments fighting well by granting an immunity to normal moves to pair with the fighting type's offensive advantage. Being Primeape's evolution also gives Annihilape a more direct connection to Gen I than most pokemon. However, I had been hesitant to review Annihilape because I felt like I had covered/was going to cover more than enough ghost types as it was, and in regards to the quest for a good fighting type, Annihilape felt like it was "too easy" - like, *of course* it was going to be one of the best options! But now, we are arriving at our *99th* pokemon reviewed. My next review will be my last, and the pokemon I'll be covering then has been picked for a more ceremonial purpose, so if I wanted to have a "climactic" review, this is the moment for it. Let's go out with a bang, shall we?
First, a note about Annihilape's special. Primeape's special stat in Gen 1 is 60, which in later generations became its special attack, while its special defense was a slightly higher 70. Annihilape actually has a *lower* special attack than Primeape does, while having a higher special defense. You can tell that Game Freak has gone in on min-maxed offenses this generation, but as odd as it looks, I've decided to keep with the precedent set by Primeape (and most fighting types, actually) by using Annihilape's special attack as its Gen I special, giving it a lower overall special than its pre-evolved an notably more corporeal version.
Secondly, Rage Fist. Given it's similarities to the move Rage, I've decided that Gen I Rage Fist would be a ghost-type version of Gen I Rage - when you use it, you're locked into the move *permanently* until either Annihilape faints or the battle ends, and you can't even switch or use items. This produces a funny bit of trivia in that it might be really easy to soft-lock the game in single player with this move. Bulbapedia says that Rage won't lock you if the first swing misses, but I can't find anything mentioning whether using rage into a pokemon that's immune to it counts as a "miss". If it *doesn't* though, using Rage Fist on a NPC's normal type pokemon that only knows normal type moves would immediately render the battle unable to finish, since NPC pokemon in RBY don't have PP limits and Rage Fist wouldn't lose PP either after the first attack, so neither of you would be able to damage the other or ever use struggle, and the battle would go on forever until you forcibly shut down the game. You could also soft-lock the game in multiplayer by using Rage Fist on a normal type that then uses normal Rage on you. I think Game Freak would have caught a soft-lock *that* egregious if Rage Fist had actually existed in the game, but it's a funny hypothetical at any rate. Regardless, Rage Fist is pretty much a non-move from a competitive standpoint.
Annihilape has a bit better physical attack than Primeape and much better HP, which gives it a bit better special bulk despite the lower special stat, and much better physical bulk, even before you factor in the normal immunity. It has the exact same movepool as Primeape, with no additional moves (other than the irrelevant Rage Fist), though the lower special makes Thunderbolt, which is otherwise a very notable coverage option on Primeape, a little bit less appealing. Annihilape also has slightly lower speed than Primeape does, which primarily means that Jynx outspeeds you instead of it being a speed tie. But the main attraction, obviously, is the ghost typing. The combination of Annihilape's bulk and normal immunity means that without a crit, Tauros and Snorlax can at best 4HKO you with Blizzard, or 5HKO you if they only have Earthquake, while both can be 2HKOd by Annihilape's Submission. The combination of fighting and ghost would allow Annihilape to be a true hard counter to what are currently the two best pokemon in RBY OU, so Annihilape would definitely find a solid place in the tier.
Unfortunately, Annihilape still suffers from all of the same problems that plague fighting types in general - Psychic types come in on you for almost free, and all of them can 2HKO you (or OHKO with a crit). It's also another pokemon that has no ability to setup or spread status reliably and pretty much only clicks damaging moves, and like always, that only goes so far in a tier where Starmie and Alakazam exist. Annihilape would be another pokemon that spends 90% of its turns clicking Body Slam on Starmie switch-ins and then immediately switching out, but at least getting almost free entry on what are normally the two most dangerous pokemon in the tier makes it pretty good at doing that.
I don't think Annihilape would reach "big 5" levels of use, its presence would force Snorlax and especially Tauros to be played very differently, more similarly to how Zapdos is used in a tier where Rhydon exists. It would unquestionably be OU material, which pretty much automatically makes it the best fighting type I've covered in this series with the possible exception of Bewear, and unlike Bewear, Annihilape actually appreciates its fighting typing despite the drawbacks that come from it, because one of the main weaknesses of ghost types is the lack of a strong STAB move limiting their damage potential, and Annihilape likes being able to scare normal types with the threat of Submission even if it rarely gets the chance to actually use it. Annihilape might even be a better ghost type than Gengar is, though that may be debatable - Gengar's sleep and boom make it a better pokemon at forcing progress quickly if you prefer a quicker game and don't want to waste time trying to push Body Slam paralysis onto Starmie over a dozen turns, while Annihilape is a slower but more reliable pokemon that doesn't have to worry as much about getting made into mincemeat by one bad prediction or a Hypnosis miss.