The Pig Monkey Pokemon. Available wild in Yellow and useful against Brock early on. Mankey evolves into Primeape at level 28.
295HP40Attack80Defense35Speed70Sp.Def35Sp.Atk35
Mankey
Primeape
Weak to
Physical
Balanced
70Speed · Below Avg

Is Mankey Good in Yellow Playthrough?

Route 22 before Brock makes Mankey one of the most important early catches in Yellow. Pikachu can't touch Brock's Rock-types, so Fighting damage from Mankey is one of the few ways to win the first gym without grinding Butterfree. Primeape stays useful through the mid-game after that.

StrongGoodEvenToughBadGTEEEBGEGGEEEBrockGym 1MankeyCatchableMistyGym 2SurgeGym 3PrimeapeEvolveErikaGym 4KogaGym 5SabrinaGym 6BlaineGym 7GiovanniGym 8LoreleiE4BrunoE4AgathaE4LanceE4BlueChamp*
Brock
Gym 1
Good

Mankey has the type edge here and should clean up Brock's team.

You Win
Geodude
Lv 10
RockGround
Rock Head
Tackle
You Win
Onix
Lv 12
RockGround
Rock Head
TackleScreechBindBide
Misty
Gym 2
Tough

Misty's typing presses Mankey's defenses.

Even
Staryu
Lv 18
Water
Illuminate
TackleWater Gun
Avoid
Starmie
Lv 21
WaterPsychic
Illuminate
TackleWater GunHardenBubble Beam
Lt. Surge
Gym 3
Even

Mankey trades roughly evenly with Lt. Surge's team.

Even
Raichu
Lv 28
Electric
Static
ThunderboltMega PunchMega KickGrowl
Erika
Gym 4
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.

Even
Tangela
Lv 30
Grass
Chlorophyll
ConstrictBindMega DrainVine Whip
Even
Weepinbell
Lv 32
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Razor LeafSleep PowderStun SporeAcid
Risky
Gloom
Lv 32
GrassPoison
Chlorophyll
Petal DanceStun SporeSleep PowderAcid
Koga
Gym 5
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.

Even
Venonat
Lv 44
BugPoison
Compound Eyes
ToxicTackleSleep PowderPsychic
Even
Venonat
Lv 46
BugPoison
Compound Eyes
ToxicPsybeamSupersonicPsychic
Even
Venonat
Lv 48
BugPoison
Compound Eyes
ToxicDouble EdgeSleep PowderPsychic
Risky
Venomoth
Lv 50
BugPoison
Shield Dust
Leech LifeDouble TeamPsychicToxic
Sabrina
Gym 6
Bad

Sabrina's Pokemon outpace and outclass Primeape here.

Risky
Abra
Lv 50
Psychic
Synchronize
Flash
Avoid
Kadabra
Lv 50
Psychic
Synchronize
KinesisRecoverPsychicPsywave
Avoid
Alakazam
Lv 50
Psychic
Synchronize
PsywaveRecoverPsychicReflect
Blaine
Gym 7
Good

Primeape has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.

You Win
Ninetales
Lv 48
Fire
Flash Fire
FlamethrowerTail WhipQuick AttackConfuse Ray
You Win
Rapidash
Lv 50
Fire
Run Away
StompGrowlFire SpinTake Down
You Win
Arcanine
Lv 54
Fire
Intimidate
FlamethrowerFire BlastReflectTake Down
Giovanni
Gym 8
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Giovanni's team.

You Win
Dugtrio
Lv 50
Ground
Sand Veil
DigSand AttackFissureEarthquake
Easy KO
Persian
Lv 53
Normal
Limber
ScreechDouble TeamFury SwipesSlash
Even
Nidoqueen
Lv 53
PoisonGround
Poison Point
EarthquakeTail WhipThunderDouble Kick
Even
Nidoking
Lv 55
PoisonGround
Poison Point
EarthquakeLeerThunderDouble Kick
You Win
Rhydon
Lv 55
GroundRock
Lightning Rod
Rock SlideFury AttackHorn DrillEarthquake
Lorelei
Elite Four
Good

Primeape has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.

Easy KO
Dewgong
Lv 54
WaterIce
Thick Fat
Bubble BeamAurora BeamRestTake Down
You Win
Cloyster
Lv 53
WaterIce
Shell Armor
SupersonicClampIce BeamSpike Cannon
Risky
Slowbro
Lv 54
WaterPsychic
Oblivious
PsychicSurfWithdrawAmnesia
You Win
Jynx
Lv 56
IcePsychic
Oblivious
Double SlapIce PunchLovely KissThrash
You Win
Lapras
Lv 56
WaterIce
Water Absorb
Body SlamConfuse RayBlizzardHydro Pump
Bruno
Elite Four
Good

Primeape has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.

You Win
Onix
Lv 53
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock SlideScreechSlamDig
You Win
Hitmonchan
Lv 55
Fighting
Keen Eye
Ice PunchThunder PunchFire PunchDouble Team
Even
Hitmonlee
Lv 55
Fighting
Limber
Double KickMega KickHigh Jump KickDouble Team
You Win
Onix
Lv 56
RockGround
Rock Head
Rock SlideScreechSlamEarthquake
Even
Machamp
Lv 58
Fighting
Guts
LeerKarate ChopStrengthSubmission
Agatha
Elite Four
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Agatha's team.

Even
Gengar
Lv 56
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RaySubstituteLickMega Drain
Even
Golbat
Lv 56
PoisonFlying
Inner Focus
SupersonicToxicWing AttackLeech Life
Even
Haunter
Lv 55
GhostPoison
Levitate
Confuse RayLickHypnosisDream Eater
Even
Arbok
Lv 58
Poison
Intimidate
WrapGlareScreechAcid
Risky
Gengar
Lv 60
GhostPoison
Cursed Body
Confuse RayPsychicHypnosisDream Eater
Lance
Elite Four
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.

Even
Gyarados
Lv 58
WaterFlying
Intimidate
Dragon RageLeerHydro PumpHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
Thunder WaveSlamThunderboltHyper Beam
You Win
Dragonair
Lv 56
Dragon
Shed Skin
Bubble BeamWrapIce BeamHyper Beam
Even
Aerodactyl
Lv 60
RockFlying
Rock Head
Wing AttackSwiftFlyHyper Beam
Risky
Dragonite
Lv 62
DragonFlying
Inner Focus
BlizzardFire BlastThunderHyper Beam
Blue
Champion
Even

Primeape trades roughly evenly with Blue's team.

Even
Sandslash
Lv 61
Ground
Sand Veil
SlashPoison StingEarthquakeFury Swipes
Avoid
Alakazam
Lv 59
Psychic
Synchronize
PsybeamRecoverPsychicKinesis
Even
Exeggutor
Lv 61
GrassPsychic
Chlorophyll
BarrageHypnosisStompLeech Seed
You Win
Ninetales
Lv 61
Fire
Flash Fire
Confuse RayTail WhipQuick AttackFire Spin
You Win
Magneton
Lv 63
Electric
Magnet Pull
ThunderboltThunder WaveSwiftScreech
Even
Vaporeon
Lv 65
Water
Water Absorb
Aurora BeamMistQuick AttackHydro Pump

Catchable

Available after Badge 1
Type
Fighting
Tier
E

Catch Mankey on Route 3 (walking, Lv 9, uncommon).

View Mankey locations

Evolve Mankey to Primeape

Level 28
Type
Fighting
Tier
E

Mankey evolves into Primeape at Level 28. Your Mankey should hit Level 28 before you reach Erika, at typical leveling pace.

View Primeape locations

Recommended Moves

How to Get Mankey in Yellow

Across 4 routes Mankey stays uncommon, but the level band is huge, running from 3 all the way up to 41. Catch one early and it's a low-level project; catch one late and it slots straight in.

4 locations to catch Mankey

Encountered via tall grass encounters

Badge 1
Badge 2
Badge 3
Badge 4
Badge 5
Badge 6
Badge 7
Badge 8

Where To Catch Mankey in Y

Mankey is where the line starts, caught through walking encounters at Lv. 3-41. The chain covers 2 catchable stages before reaching the final form.

  1. Primeape
    Step 2Catch or Evolve into Primeape
    or evolve from Mankey (Step 1)

Not landing the catch? Calculate Mankey catch rates for Yellow by ball, status, and HP.

Mankey Weakness

Mankey is weak to Flying and Psychic. Not many exploitable gaps in the Fighting typing defensive chart. Mankey's Fighting typing only leaves 2 gaps to cover.

Mankey Weakness and Resistance Chart
DamageTypes
2x (Weak)Flying, Psychic
0.5x (Resist)Bug, Rock
Gen I Type Chart
  • Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
  • Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
  • Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split

What is Mankey Weak Against

Avg
2Weak
2Resist
0Immune
Score-2
4xCritical
None
½xResist
¼xResist
None
0xImmune
None

What is Mankey Strong Against

3Strong
4Resisted
1Immune
Score-2
0xImmune

Best Pokemon Against Mankey

Hypno
Hypno
Psychic
C
Kadabra
Kadabra
Psychic
B
Golbat
Golbat
PoisonFlying
C
Scyther
Scyther
BugFlying
C
Butterfree
Butterfree
BugFlying
C

Mankey Evolutions

Mankey evolves into Primeape, but can't breed. At 295 stats as a Fighting type, evolution is the only path. Evolving adds up to 160 stat points total. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.

How to Evolve

2 Forms
Stat Comparison 2 Stages
Mankey
Fighting
Primeape
Fighting
HP
40
65+25
ATK
80
105+25
DEF
35
60+25
SP.ATK
35
60+25
SP.DEF
45
70+25
SPE
70
95+25
BST
305E-Tier
455E-Tier+150
ROLE
Balanced
Attacker
TYPE
Physical
Physical
Breeding not available · Introduced in Gen 2

Y Mankey Best Moveset

80 Attack and 70 Speed, passable physical stats on a Fighting type that Psychic-types completely dismantle. MoveEarthquake and MoveBody Slam often deal more practical damage than the Fighting moves. Primeape improves the numbers while inheriting the same type problem.

Best Build

Experimental
Utility
Ability
Unknown
Item
None
Best Nature for Mankey
HardyNEUTRAL

Utility Moveset

  • SubmissionSTAB
  • Karate ChopSTAB
  • DigCoverage
  • Body Slam

Moves List

Most of Mankey's flexibility comes from TMs. Same-type output runs through Submission and Karate Chop, but Normal and Ground and the rest of the TM pool push it from predictable to genuinely threatening.

Level-Up Moves

Lv 1
Leer
——10030Normal
Lv 1
Scratch
—4010035Normal
Lv 9
Low Kick
D—9020Fighting
Lv 15
Karate Chop
S5010025Normal
Lv 21
Fury Swipes
—188015Normal
Lv 27
Focus Energy
———30Normal
Lv 33
Seismic Toss
D—10020Fighting
Lv 39
Thrash
—12010020Normal
Lv 45
Screech
D—8540Normal

TM Moves

All 24 TMs are obtainable before the Elite Four

TM
TM34D——10Normal
TM08
Body SlamS.S. Annebadge 2
S8510015Normal
TM18
Counter-5Celadon Department Storebadge 3
D—10020Fighting
TM32
Double TeamSafari Zonebadge 3
———15Normal
TM10
Double-EdgeRocket Hideoutbadge 3
C12010015Normal
TM05
Mega KickCeladon Department Storebadge 3
C120755Normal
TM01
Mega PunchMt. Moonbadge 1
D808520Normal
TM35
MetronomePokémon Labbadge 6
D——10Normal
TM31
MimicSaffron Citybadge 5
D——10Normal
TM16
Pay DayRoute 12badge 5
D4010020Normal
TM20
RageRoute 15badge 3
D2010020Normal
TM44
RestS.S. Annebadge 2
C——10Psychic
TM48D759010Rock
TM19
Seismic TossRoute 25badge 1
D—10020Fighting
TM40
Skull BashSafari Zonebadge 4
C10010010Normal
HM04
StrengthFuchsia Citybadge 4
—8010015Normal
TM17
SubmissionCeladon Department Storebadge 3
S1208025Fighting
TM50
SubstituteRocket Game Cornerbadge 3
C——10Normal
TM39
SwiftRoute 12 Gate 2Fbadge 2
D60—20Normal
TM09
Take DownSilph Co.badge 3
C908520Normal
TM25
ThunderKanto Power Plantbadge 5
D1107010Electric
TM24D9510015Electric
TM06C—9010Poison

Tutor Moves

Mankey can't learn any Tutor moves

Base Stats

Base Stats
Below
HP40
D
Attack80
C
Defense35
F
Sp. Atk35
F
Sp. Def35
F
Speed70
C
Total295
Details
Catch Rate
Easy190 / 255
Growth Rate
Medium Fast1M XP
Height0.5 m
Weight28.0 kg
Base XP61
EV Yield
HPAtk+1DefSpASpDSpe
Attack training source
Pokedex Entry

An agile POKéMON that lives in trees. It angers easily and will not hesitate to attack anything.

Pokemon Yellow

Mankey Yellow Guide

  • In Yellow, for a casual playthrough, Mankey works as a placeholder. Fighting coverage is useful early. The real payoff is Primeape. That's where the stats start mattering.

Game Availability

Present since Red & Blue, Mankey appears in 20 games spanning 9 generations. Gen 1 originals like Mankey have the longest track record of availability in the series.

Explore

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