uploaded -zard
[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir is the best offensive Bug-type in the tier thanks to its impressive base Attack stat, good movepool, and great abilities. It functions best as a mid- or late-game sweeper because Z-Me First and Moxie cause Pinsir to become unstoppable against weakened and more offensive teams. However, it also does well as a wallbreaker thanks to its high Attack and access to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker, which allows it to hit Pokemon with the Levitate ability and bypass Pyukumuku's Unaware ability. These assets allow Pinsir to break through common defensive cores on balanced teams, especially ones centered around Weezing, Mesprit, and Claydol. The similarity between Pinsir's two main sets and the nearly equal popularity of both make it difficult to predict which Pinsir set is being used at first, allowing players to use this to their advantage. However, Pinsir is somewhat limited in power due to its only STAB attack being X-Scissor, which only has 80 Base Power; this, when coupled with Pinsir's merely average Speed stat, makes it hard for Pinsir to consistently wallbreak against more offensive teams. Pinsir's Speed stat, poor defensive typing, and mediocre bulk cause it to be easily revenge killed by the likes of Swanna, Pyroar, and Oricorio-G. Its typing also means Pinsir has to deal with a crippling weakness to Stealth Rock, which wears it down quickly.
[SET]
name: Z-Me First
move 1: Me First
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Normalium Z
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Me First copies a slower foe's move at 1.5x power; when used with Normalium Z, it turns the copied attack into a Z-Move and gives Pinsir a +2 Speed boost that allows it to outspeed the majority of the metagame, making it an excellent late-game cleaner. Earthquake is arguably the best coverage move for Pinsir, as it is a strong attack that also allows Pinsir to hit Rock- and Steel-types like Regirock, Probopass, Togedemaru, and Metang hard. X-Scissor is Pinsir's strongest STAB attack and is helpful in hitting Psychic-types like Mesprit, Musharna, and Claydol super effectively. Stone Edge lets Pinsir KO Flying-types like Oricorio-G and Swanna that would otherwise wall the set and force Pinsir out.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment with an Adamant nature maximizes Pinsir's offensive presence so that it is able to reliably sweep late-game and outspeed the entire unboosted metagame after the boost from Z-Me First. Moxie boosts Pinsir's Attack whenever it KOes a foe. Normalium Z allows Pinsir to double its Speed with Z-Me First, making it faster than common Choice Scarf users such as Primeape, Pyroar, Mesprit, and Oricorio-G, which, when combined with a potential boost from Moxie, can let Pinsir sweep easily.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Pinsir's mediocre Speed and bulk, setting up with Z-Me First requires patience and proper prediction. For example, if it is avoidable, Pinsir should not use Z-Me First against foes that are predicted to use special attacks or attacks that they resist. Pinsir will want to wait until the enemy team is sufficiently weakened so it can easily clean through the rest of the team. However, it is important to keep in mind how Moxie will play into Pinsir's attempts to sweep, as Pinsir can snowball rather quickly and possibly even sweep early-game. The best time to set up with Z-Me First is on slower physical attackers such as Golurk, Hitmonchan, and Kabutops that are likely to be KOed by the copied Z-Move. After the Speed increase and a boost from Moxie, it is very difficult to stop Pinsir from sweeping, so it is wise to be patient when using it due to the one-use nature of the Z-Move. It's better to preserve Pinsir's health as much as possible so it can take priority moves more easily while it is sweeping. Although it is technically possible to outplay Sucker Punch with Me First, eliminating opposing priority users beforehand is generally preferred. It is important to note that this set does not fare well against stall because it does not have enough power or coverage to hit common Pokemon found on the playstyle. The best that can be hoped for is to get a Moxie boost from KOing a Pokemon and become semi-threatening.
Team Options
========
Pinsir will want a team around it that is good at hitting hard and weakening the opponent's Pokemon to ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. Because of this, strong wallbreakers like Choice Specs Drampa, Choice Specs Aurorus, and Choice Band Stoutland make for good partners. Entry hazard support helps to wear down foes as they switch in, so Spikes users like Ferroseed as well as reliable Stealth Rock users such as Regirock and Clefairy make for amazing partners. Clefairy, with its Eviolite intact, also doubles as a reliable check to Pyroar, which threatens Pinsir. Pursuit trapping can be another valuable asset to weaken foes and ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. The most notable Pursuit trapper is Skuntank, but Absol and Stoutland are also fine partners. Pokemon such as Alolan Exeggutor and Gourgeist provide options for dealing with the bulky Ground-types that Pinsir has great trouble dealing with; Alolan Exeggutor can pressure Ground-types because of its wallbreaking potential and threatening STAB attacks, whereas Gourgeist can beat Ground-types because of its bulk and sustainability.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Knock Off / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Pinsir to boost its Attack to sky-high levels so it can wallbreak against balance and stall teams. Earthquake is a powerful coverage move that can hit Poison-, Rock-, and Steel-types super effectively and hit Fighting-types neutrally. X-Scissor is Pinsir's best STAB move and strongest viable attack. Knock Off gives Pinsir a better matchup against walls like Gourgeist-XL that would otherwise give Pinsir a hard time, and it also hits Flying-types neutrally. Stone Edge is an alternative option that hits Flying-types such as Swanna but because of Pinsir's mediocre Speed, most Flying-types outspeed it. For this reason, Stone Edge is rather limited in how it aids Pinsir.
Set Details
========
The EVs are straightforward, with maximum investment in Attack and Speed allowing Pinsir to hit hard against incoming walls, and outspeed bulkier threats. A Jolly nature makes Pinsir harder to revenge kill by letting it outspeed threats like Kabutops, Skuntank, and Stoutland. Life Orb is the preferred item because Pinsir relies a lot on the boosted power to be a substantial threat, but this also comes with the drawback of recoil damage, which can quickly wear down Pinsir throughout the battle. Lum Berry is an alternative choice that makes Pinsir better suited to beat Pokemon like Sableye and other passive status inducers, as it gives Pinsir a free opportunity to set up and saves Pinsir's HP in the long run. It also allows Pinsir to be worn down less due to the lack of a Life Orb, but this comes with the cost of reducing Pinsir's overall damage output, which is useful for reliably KOing Weezing and Carracosta from full at +2 and KOing Regirock with enough chip damage. Mold Breaker is the most preferred ability on this set because it allows Pinsir to KO Pokemon with the Sturdy ability, such as Crustle, Carracosta, and Probopass, and always Pinsir to hit Pokemon with Levitate like Weezing and Eelektross.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance Pinsir functions as a wallbreaker, which means it has the job of boosting up early- or mid-game and powering through bulky Pokemon, making way for other Pokemon to clean up the battle. Swords Dance is only necessary if the opposing team is more defensively oriented and a boost is required to KO opposing bulky Pokemon. Versus offensive teams, attacking is generally better thanks to Pinsir's good coverage and high base Attack, which lets it do enough damage to KO frail foes. This strategy is also preferred sometimes on account of Pinsir's average Speed tier, which limits its ability to effectively utilize a boost because it can be easily revenge killed. Swords Dance can also be hard to set up if the opposing offensive Pokemon threatens to KO Pinsir if it does not attack, further dissuading setup. Thanks to Pinsir's naturally high Attack, however, it can be very threatening unboosted and can force out frail foes to get a setup opportunity.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Primeape make for great partners with Pinsir because Pinsir KOes and pressures opposing Psychic-types and takes on Weezing and Claydol thanks to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker. Late-game cleaners like Floatzel and Pyroar also appreciate Pinsir's wallbreaking ability. Entry hazard removal is very helpful to Pinsir, as it helps deal with Pinsir's susceptibility to Stealth Rock and other hazards. Swanna pairs well with Pinsir because it can provide Defog support and weaken some of the Pokemon that Pinsir has trouble getting through such as Mudsdale and Gurdurr. Blanket defensive Pokemon like Lanturn, Regirock, Weezing, and Ferroseed serve as dedicated switch-ins when Pinsir is threatened out by revenge killers. Many of them can also set entry hazards, which helps Pinsir break through walls.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Choice Scarf set can be used in a similar fashion to Normalium Z by acting as a late-game cleaner with Moxie, but the obvious downside is the inability to switch between its moves, which can make it hard to break through a team with easily wallable moves like X-Scissor and Earthquake. Choice Band Pinsir with Mold Breaker can act as a decently strong threat to many Pokemon with its near-perfect coverage but generally does not find use due to its lackluster Speed and weakness to entry hazards. Close Combat can be run on either the Z-Me First or the Swords Dance set as an alternative to Stone Edge and Knock Off because it gives Pinsir an option to hit specific bulky Pokemon like Type: Null, Ferroseed, and Audino. It does this, however, by giving up needed coverage for Flying- and Ghost-types, and Close Combat makes Pinsir easier to revenge kill, especially with regards to priority. Buginium Z can be used to break past a physically bulky Pokemon like Ferroseed or get a quick KO against an offensive Pokemon without needing to set up. However, Buginium Z finds a hard time being used because Savage Spin-Out is resisted by many Pokemon. Not using a Life Orb also means that Pinsir will have difficulty breaking other walls with its coverage moves. Pinsir can fill in a niche role by utilizing an offensive Stealth Rock set in a couple of ways. Pinsir can attempt to use a suicide lead set with Earthquake, Stone Edge or Rock Tomb, and X-Scissor to set Stealth Rock early-game against foes that attempt to set up. It can also use a set with a Lum Berry and Swords Dance as a way of compressing the two roles of Stealth Rock setter and wallbreaker together, thus making it more justifiable to put on teams. Running a Jolly nature on the Z-Me First set is another option, as it allows Pinsir to outspeed Pokemon such as maximum Speed Kabutops and Skuntank, but those sets are not really that common and the ability to use Z-Me First on Skuntank isn't really helpful. It should be noted that Quick Attack can be used on either Pinsir set, though it is significantly more useful on the Swords Dance set, because the priority helps Pinsir patch up its mediocre Speed versus more offensive teams. This is not recommended as much, however, because Quick Attack is very weak even after a Swords Dance boost and Life Orb.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types that inhabit the tier such as Mudsdale, Gastrodon, and even Golem, if it is invested into Defense, all pose a roadblock to Pinsir. Apart from most of them either resisting or being neutral to Pinsir's coverage, Gastrodon has reliable recovery, and all of them have options to heavily damage Pinsir.
**Physical Walls**: This applies more to the Z-Me First set because it lacks the power necessary to overcome physical walls like Weezing, Ferroseed, Type: Null, and Regirock. However, the Swords Dance set usually requires a Swords Dance boost to be effective against these Pokemon; otherwise, Pokemon like Ferroseed and Regirock can deal massive damage with Gyro Ball and Stone Edge, respectively.
**Revenge Killers**: Pinsir is not very fast, so it is threatened by many offensive Pokemon like Pyroar and Oricorio-G. Pinsir's poor defensive typing also makes it easier to threaten. This applies more to the Swords Dance set because the Z-Me First set outspeeds revenge killers at +2.
**Residual Damage**: Pinsir is a grounded Pokemon that is weak to Stealth Rock, so entry hazards can limit how often Pinsir can switch in, especially if it is using a Life Orb. A weakened Pinsir becomes less of a threat because many bulky Pokemon and priority users will have an easier time KOing it.
[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir is the best offensive Bug-type in the tier thanks to its impressive base Attack stat, good movepool, and great abilities. It functions best as a mid- or late-game sweeper because Z-Me First and Moxie cause Pinsir to become unstoppable against weakened and more offensive teams. However, it also does well as a wallbreaker thanks to its high Attack and access to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker, which allows it to hit Pokemon with the Levitate ability and bypass Pyukumuku's Unaware ability. These assets allow Pinsir to break through common defensive cores on balanced teams, especially ones centered around Weezing, Mesprit, and Claydol. The similarity between Pinsir's two main sets and the nearly equal popularity of both make it difficult to predict which Pinsir set is being used at first, allowing players to use this to their advantage. However, Pinsir is somewhat limited in power due to its only STAB attack being X-Scissor, which only has 80 Base Power; this, when coupled with Pinsir's merely average Speed stat, makes it hard for Pinsir to consistently wallbreak against more offensive teams. Pinsir's Speed stat, poor defensive typing, and mediocre bulk cause it to be easily revenge killed by the likes of Swanna, Pyroar, and Oricorio-G. Its typing also means Pinsir has to deal with a crippling weakness to Stealth Rock, which wears it down quickly.
[SET]
name: Z-Me First
move 1: Me First
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge
item: Normalium Z
ability: Moxie
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Me First copies a slower foe's move at 1.5x power; when used with Normalium Z, it turns the copied attack into a Z-Move and gives Pinsir a +2 Speed boost that allows it to outspeed the majority of the metagame, making it an excellent late-game cleaner. Earthquake is arguably the best coverage move for Pinsir, as it is a strong attack that also allows Pinsir to hit Rock- and Steel-types like Regirock, Probopass, Togedemaru, and Metang hard. X-Scissor is Pinsir's strongest STAB attack and is helpful in hitting Psychic-types like Mesprit, Musharna, and Claydol super effectively. Stone Edge lets Pinsir KO Flying-types like Oricorio-G and Swanna that would otherwise wall the set and force Pinsir out.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment with an Adamant nature maximizes Pinsir's offensive presence so that it is able to reliably sweep late-game and outspeed the entire unboosted metagame after the boost from Z-Me First. Moxie boosts Pinsir's Attack whenever it KOes a foe. Normalium Z allows Pinsir to double its Speed with Z-Me First, making it faster than common Choice Scarf users such as Primeape, Pyroar, Mesprit, and Oricorio-G, which, when combined with a potential boost from Moxie, can let Pinsir sweep easily.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Pinsir's mediocre Speed and bulk, setting up with Z-Me First requires patience and proper prediction. For example, if it is avoidable, Pinsir should not use Z-Me First against foes that are predicted to use special attacks or attacks that they resist. Pinsir will want to wait until the enemy team is sufficiently weakened so it can easily clean through the rest of the team. However, it is important to keep in mind how Moxie will play into Pinsir's attempts to sweep, as Pinsir can snowball rather quickly and possibly even sweep early-game. The best time to set up with Z-Me First is on slower physical attackers such as Golurk, Hitmonchan, and Kabutops that are likely to be KOed by the copied Z-Move. After the Speed increase and a boost from Moxie, it is very difficult to stop Pinsir from sweeping, so it is wise to be patient when using it due to the one-use nature of the Z-Move. It's better to preserve Pinsir's health as much as possible so it can take priority moves more easily while it is sweeping. Although it is technically possible to outplay Sucker Punch with Me First, eliminating opposing priority users beforehand is generally preferred. It is important to note that this set does not fare well against stall because it does not have enough power or coverage to hit common Pokemon found on the playstyle. The best that can be hoped for is to get a Moxie boost from KOing a Pokemon and become semi-threatening.
Team Options
========
Pinsir will want a team around it that is good at hitting hard and weakening the opponent's Pokemon to ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. Because of this, strong wallbreakers like Choice Specs Drampa, Choice Specs Aurorus, and Choice Band Stoutland make for good partners. Entry hazard support helps to wear down foes as they switch in, so Spikes users like Ferroseed as well as reliable Stealth Rock users such as Regirock and Clefairy make for amazing partners. Clefairy, with its Eviolite intact, also doubles as a reliable check to Pyroar, which threatens Pinsir. Pursuit trapping can be another valuable asset to weaken foes and ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. The most notable Pursuit trapper is Skuntank, but Absol and Stoutland are also fine partners. Pokemon such as Alolan Exeggutor and Gourgeist provide options for dealing with the bulky Ground-types that Pinsir has great trouble dealing with; Alolan Exeggutor can pressure Ground-types because of its wallbreaking potential and threatening STAB attacks, whereas Gourgeist can beat Ground-types because of its bulk and sustainability.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: X-Scissor
move 4: Knock Off / Stone Edge
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance allows Pinsir to boost its Attack to sky-high levels so it can wallbreak against balance and stall teams. Earthquake is a powerful coverage move that can hit Poison-, Rock-, and Steel-types super effectively and hit Fighting-types neutrally. X-Scissor is Pinsir's best STAB move and strongest viable attack. Knock Off gives Pinsir a better matchup against walls like Gourgeist-XL that would otherwise give Pinsir a hard time, and it also hits Flying-types neutrally. Stone Edge is an alternative option that hits Flying-types such as Swanna but because of Pinsir's mediocre Speed, most Flying-types outspeed it. For this reason, Stone Edge is rather limited in how it aids Pinsir.
Set Details
========
The EVs are straightforward, with maximum investment in Attack and Speed allowing Pinsir to hit hard against incoming walls, and outspeed bulkier threats. A Jolly nature makes Pinsir harder to revenge kill by letting it outspeed threats like Kabutops, Skuntank, and Stoutland. Life Orb is the preferred item because Pinsir relies a lot on the boosted power to be a substantial threat, but this also comes with the drawback of recoil damage, which can quickly wear down Pinsir throughout the battle. Lum Berry is an alternative choice that makes Pinsir better suited to beat Pokemon like Sableye and other passive status inducers, as it gives Pinsir a free opportunity to set up and saves Pinsir's HP in the long run. It also allows Pinsir to be worn down less due to the lack of a Life Orb, but this comes with the cost of reducing Pinsir's overall damage output, which is useful for reliably KOing Weezing and Carracosta from full at +2 and KOing Regirock with enough chip damage. Mold Breaker is the most preferred ability on this set because it allows Pinsir to KO Pokemon with the Sturdy ability, such as Crustle, Carracosta, and Probopass, and always Pinsir to hit Pokemon with Levitate like Weezing and Eelektross.
Usage Tips
========
Swords Dance Pinsir functions as a wallbreaker, which means it has the job of boosting up early- or mid-game and powering through bulky Pokemon, making way for other Pokemon to clean up the battle. Swords Dance is only necessary if the opposing team is more defensively oriented and a boost is required to KO opposing bulky Pokemon. Versus offensive teams, attacking is generally better thanks to Pinsir's good coverage and high base Attack, which lets it do enough damage to KO frail foes. This strategy is also preferred sometimes on account of Pinsir's average Speed tier, which limits its ability to effectively utilize a boost because it can be easily revenge killed. Swords Dance can also be hard to set up if the opposing offensive Pokemon threatens to KO Pinsir if it does not attack, further dissuading setup. Thanks to Pinsir's naturally high Attack, however, it can be very threatening unboosted and can force out frail foes to get a setup opportunity.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Primeape make for great partners with Pinsir because Pinsir KOes and pressures opposing Psychic-types and takes on Weezing and Claydol thanks to Swords Dance and Mold Breaker. Late-game cleaners like Floatzel and Pyroar also appreciate Pinsir's wallbreaking ability. Entry hazard removal is very helpful to Pinsir, as it helps deal with Pinsir's susceptibility to Stealth Rock and other hazards. Swanna pairs well with Pinsir because it can provide Defog support and weaken some of the Pokemon that Pinsir has trouble getting through such as Mudsdale and Gurdurr. Blanket defensive Pokemon like Lanturn, Regirock, Weezing, and Ferroseed serve as dedicated switch-ins when Pinsir is threatened out by revenge killers. Many of them can also set entry hazards, which helps Pinsir break through walls.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Choice Scarf set can be used in a similar fashion to Normalium Z by acting as a late-game cleaner with Moxie, but the obvious downside is the inability to switch between its moves, which can make it hard to break through a team with easily wallable moves like X-Scissor and Earthquake. Choice Band Pinsir with Mold Breaker can act as a decently strong threat to many Pokemon with its near-perfect coverage but generally does not find use due to its lackluster Speed and weakness to entry hazards. Close Combat can be run on either the Z-Me First or the Swords Dance set as an alternative to Stone Edge and Knock Off because it gives Pinsir an option to hit specific bulky Pokemon like Type: Null, Ferroseed, and Audino. It does this, however, by giving up needed coverage for Flying- and Ghost-types, and Close Combat makes Pinsir easier to revenge kill, especially with regards to priority. Buginium Z can be used to break past a physically bulky Pokemon like Ferroseed or get a quick KO against an offensive Pokemon without needing to set up. However, Buginium Z finds a hard time being used because Savage Spin-Out is resisted by many Pokemon. Not using a Life Orb also means that Pinsir will have difficulty breaking other walls with its coverage moves. Pinsir can fill in a niche role by utilizing an offensive Stealth Rock set in a couple of ways. Pinsir can attempt to use a suicide lead set with Earthquake, Stone Edge or Rock Tomb, and X-Scissor to set Stealth Rock early-game against foes that attempt to set up. It can also use a set with a Lum Berry and Swords Dance as a way of compressing the two roles of Stealth Rock setter and wallbreaker together, thus making it more justifiable to put on teams. Running a Jolly nature on the Z-Me First set is another option, as it allows Pinsir to outspeed Pokemon such as maximum Speed Kabutops and Skuntank, but those sets are not really that common and the ability to use Z-Me First on Skuntank isn't really helpful. It should be noted that Quick Attack can be used on either Pinsir set, though it is significantly more useful on the Swords Dance set, because the priority helps Pinsir patch up its mediocre Speed versus more offensive teams. This is not recommended as much, however, because Quick Attack is very weak even after a Swords Dance boost and Life Orb.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Ground-types**: Bulky Ground-types that inhabit the tier such as Mudsdale, Gastrodon, and even Golem, if it is invested into Defense, all pose a roadblock to Pinsir. Apart from most of them either resisting or being neutral to Pinsir's coverage, Gastrodon has reliable recovery, and all of them have options to heavily damage Pinsir.
**Physical Walls**: This applies more to the Z-Me First set because it lacks the power necessary to overcome physical walls like Weezing, Ferroseed, Type: Null, and Regirock. However, the Swords Dance set usually requires a Swords Dance boost to be effective against these Pokemon; otherwise, Pokemon like Ferroseed and Regirock can deal massive damage with Gyro Ball and Stone Edge, respectively.
**Revenge Killers**: Pinsir is not very fast, so it is threatened by many offensive Pokemon like Pyroar and Oricorio-G. Pinsir's poor defensive typing also makes it easier to threaten. This applies more to the Swords Dance set because the Z-Me First set outspeeds revenge killers at +2.
**Residual Damage**: Pinsir is a grounded Pokemon that is weak to Stealth Rock, so entry hazards can limit how often Pinsir can switch in, especially if it is using a Life Orb. A weakened Pinsir becomes less of a threat because many bulky Pokemon and priority users will have an easier time KOing it.
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