The Primeape Deck is a High-Damage Fighting-type Deck featuring Primeape and Marowak ex from the Genetic Apex Set in Pokemon Trading Card Game Pocket (PTCG Pocket). Read on for the complete list of cards in this deck, basic information on the deck, how to play the deck, and optimal matchups for it!

Related Decks

Primeape Deck Guide

Deck Evaluation

Ace Pokemon						Tier Ranking
Primeape Genetic Apex (A1)			Marowak ex Genetic Apex (A1)
						Energy Type(s)
						F2P Friendly?
						✔️
						Deck Difficulty
						★
Deck Strengths
Primeape can deal 100 damage to its attacker If it has damage on it. Marowak ex is also a powerful attacker.
Deck Weaknesses
Heavily dependent on coin flips to maximize damage. Primeape struggles against aggro decks due to its low HP.

Best Meta Decks Tier List

List of Cards

Primeape Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Primeape ×2				Cubone ×2				Marowak ex ×2				Mankey ×2
Trainer Cards
Sabrina ×2				Potion ×2				X Speed ×2				Poke Ball ×2
Red Card ×2				Professor's Research ×2

Deck Building Guide

Packs Required for Primeape Deck

Packs Needed for Primeape Deck

How to Play Primeape Deck

How to Play Primeape Deck
Core Combos and Interactions Starting Hand Deck Strategies Game Phases

Primeape Deck Core Combos and Interactions

Main Attacker	Tankier Alternative	Description
Primeape	Marowak ex	・Primeape can deal 100 damage via Fight Back if it has damage on it, demanding that it be OHKOd or not damaged at all. ・Marowak ex can replace Primeape if it's in a unfavorable matchup for a tankier Pokemon.

Best Starting Hand

Best Starting Hand

Having Mankey and Primeape right away allows you to setup the deck early on since Primeape is only a Stage 1 evolution. With Sabrina in hand, you can prevent Primeape from facing unfavorable matchups and keep the Pokemon active.

Meanwhile, you can evolve Cubone to Marowak ex while it's still benched in case you need to replace Primeape.

Going second, Promo Mankey's Reckless Charge can set up for a Primeape sweep because it damages itself for 10. This is a risky play though, as it can get KOd by a 40 damage attack like Farfetch'd's Leek Slap.

Other Good Starting Cards

Recommended Starting Hand

Much like the one above, having Mankey and Primeape right away allows you to setup the deck early. But if you have X Speed instead of Sabrina in hand, you can use it to allow Primeape to retreat with no cost if it's in a unfavorable matchup and play Marowak ex.

Best Cards Tier List

Primeape Deck Strategies

Primeape Deck Strategies
Primeape's Fight Back Marowak ex Switch

Strategy 1: Primeape's Fight Back

Once Primeape is setup, it can utilize Fight Back to deal 100 damage to your opponent's active Pokemon. Since Primeape has quite a low HP and needs to take damage to trigger Fight Back's bonus damage effect, having Potion in hand allows Primeape to survive longer in the Active Spot. Do note that Primeape's damage buff is negated if it's healed back to full health.

Should Primeape face an unfavorable matchup, using Sabrina allows Primeape to avoid that situation.

Strategy 2: Marowak ex Switch

If you have Marowak ex benched and Primeape is facing an unfavorable matchup, use X Speed to allow Primeape to retreat at no cost, then put Marowak ex as the active Pokemon.

Game Phases

Early Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	As soon as Mankey evolves into Primeape, keep it in the active zone for as long as possible to deal damage.
2	Use Potion when needed to keep Primeape healthy.

Mid-Game

Key Card(s) Required
Step	Description
1	At this point, Cubone should already be evolved to Marowak ex in case Primeape needs to be swapped out.
2	Use X Speed to allow Primeape to retreat with no cost.

Late Game

Key Card(s) Required
1	Should Primeape face an unfavorable matchup, use Sabrina to force the opponent to bench its active Pokemon.

Primeape Deck Best and Worst Matchups

Best Matchups

Deck	Commentary
None	Type: None ・The Primeape deck isn't particularly good against specific decks due to its low durability and high dependency on coin flips.

Worst Matchups

Deck	Commentary
Pikachu ex Decks	Type: ・Due to its low HP and despite its type advantage, Primeape struggles against aggro decks like Pikachu ex.

Overall Consistency

Although the deck has strong damage potential, Primeape needs to take damage to maximize Fight Back's damage while Marowak ex's Bonemerang damage depends highly on coin flips. This makes the deck highly inconsistent for the most part.

Primeape Deck F2P & Substitutes

Primeape Deck Card Substitutes

Card	Explanation
Marowak	・ Non-ex Marowak gives the deck another non-ex option.
Golbat	・ Golbat is a Darkness-type Pokemon that can attack for Colorless, making it a splashable option for this deck. ・ Golbat can improve the deck's matchup against Mewtwo ex decks, being able to damage them for weakness and being out of range of Psychic Sphere.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Meta Guide

Primeape Deck Other Viable Options

Card	Possible Cuts
Giovanni	・ Replacing Red Card with Giovanni boosts the deck's damage potential and is a favorable exchange.

Primeape and Hitmonchan Deck List

Primeape and Hitmonchan Deck List
Pokemon Cards
Mankey x2	Primeape x2	Cubone x2	Marowak ex x2
Hitmonchan x2
Trainer Cards
Potion x2	Sabrina x2	Poke Ball x2	Professor's Research x2
X Speed x2

Having Hitmonchan improves the deck's matchup against Pikachu ex or any aggro decks. Cutting out Red Card completely for Hitmonchan is a favorable exchange for the deck as the Red Card can actually help your opponent's setup.

Pokemon TCG Pocket Beginner's Guide

Pokemon TCG Pocket Related Guides

Best Meta Decks Tier List

Meta Decks

S Tier Decks
Arceus ex
A+ Tier Decks
Carnivine	Rampardos	Crobat
Magnezone and Skarmory	Exeggutor ex	Heatran
Charizard ex	Palkia ex	Darkrai ex
Weavile ex	Yanmega ex	Origin Forme Palkia
A Tier Decks
Leafeon ex	Garchomp ex	Probopass ex
Infernape ex	Pachirisu ex	Gyarados ex and Greninja
Pikachu ex	Dialga ex	Articuno ex
Gallade ex	Abomasnow	Celebi ex
B Tier Decks
Glaceon ex	Bronzong	Tyranitar
Staraptor	Donphan	Starmie ex and Articuno ex
Mewtwo ex and Gardevoir	Golem	Pidgeot ex
Scolipede and Weezing	Garchomp	Porygon-Z
Arcanine ex	Dialga ex and Bastiodon	-
C Tier Decks
・Houndoom Deck ・Snorlax Deck ・Lucario Deck ・Pikachu ex and Raichu Deck ・Venusaur ex Deck ・Volkner Deck ・Togekiss Deck ・Aerodactyl ex Deck ・Alakazam and Jynx Deck ・Dragonite Deck ・Machamp ex Deck ・Blastoise ex Deck ・Marowak ex Deck ・Torterra Deck ・Empoleon Deck ・Mismagius ex Deck ・Volcarona and Arcanine ex Deck ・Wigglytuff ex Deck ・Gengar ex Deck

Off Meta Decks

(A2)
・Dialga ex and Lickilicky ex Deck ・Lake Trio Deck ・Rhyperior Deck ・Togekiss Deck
(A1)	(A1a)
・Arbok Lock Deck ・Brock Deck ・Cinccino Deck ・Frosmoth Deck ・Kingler and Articuno ex Deck ・Lt. Surge Deck ・Melmetal Deck ・Mewtwo ex and Weezing Deck ・Primeape Deck ・Venusaur ex and Weezing Deck ・Victreebel and Exeggutor ex Deck	・Gyarados ex and Vaporeon Deck ・Mew ex and Weezing Deck ・Vaporeon and Articuno ex Deck

Deck-Building Guides and Articles

All Deck Guides
Deck Building Guide	Best Cards Tier List
Best Rental Deck Tier List	Best F2P Beginner Decks
Deck Articles
How Rental Decks Work	Staple Cards for Decks
Aggro Decks Explained	Deck Matchup Statistics
Best 18 Trainers Decks	Best Misty Decks
Best Erika Decks	10 Match Tests vs Pikachu ex Deck - Statistics
List of Meme or Troll Decks	-