
Is Pinsir Good in FireRed & LeafGreen Playthrough?
LeafGreen only. AbilityHyper Cutter prevents Attack drops from Intimidate. Bug with high physical Attack, but Bug is Special in Gen 3 and Pinsir's strength is physical. The same mismatch as Scyther. Handles Erika through Bug contact moves. Scyther fills this slot in FireRed. Neither Bug escapes the physical/special problem.
Pinsir resists most of Brock's coverage and hits back hard.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Misty's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Lt. Surge's team.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Erika's team.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Koga's team.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Sabrina's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Blaine's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Giovanni's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Lorelei's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Bruno's team.
Pinsir has the type edge here and should clean up Agatha's team.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Lance's team.
Pinsir trades roughly evenly with Terry's team.
Pinsir is given to you as a gift on Celadon City at Lv 18. 2,500 Coins. Exchange coins at the Celadon Game Corner prize counter
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- LV 31FightingBrick Break75100%15
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch150100%20
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
Catch Pinsir on Safari Zone (walking, Lv 23, rare).
- After Lt. Surge
- TM28GroundDig80100%10
- After Erika
- TM15NormalHyper Beam15090%5
- HM04NormalStrength80100%15
- LV 31FightingBrick Break75100%15
- After Koga
- TM01FightingFocus Punch150100%20
- After Giovanni
- TUTORNormalDouble-Edge120100%15
- TM26GroundEarthquake100100%10
- Post-Game
- TUTORNormalBody Slam85100%15
- TM42NormalFacade70100%20
FireRed & LeafGreen Pinsir Locations
Game Corner prize for 2,500 coins or rare in the Safari Zone. Pinsir has three encounters total in LeafGreen only, filling Scyther's slot from FireRed.
2 locations to catch Pinsir
Encountered via tall grass encounters
Best Locations to Catch Pinsir in FireRed & LeafGreen
Catching Pinsir takes patience. The 3 walking and gift encounters at Lv. 18-28 all have low spawn rates, so pick one location and stay put for the best odds.
Pinsir Weakness
Pinsir's Bug typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Flying, and Rock. Pinsir's physical bulk (base 100 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 2x (Weak) | Fire, Flying, Rock |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Grass, Fighting, Ground |
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
What is Pinsir Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Pinsir
Charmander Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodPallet Town Gift | ||
Pidgey Normal | D | |
Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charmeleon builds →Ember 2x43-53% Aerial Ace 2x29-35% | ||
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Spearow Normal | C | |
Zubat Poison | D | |
Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charmeleon builds →Ember 2x43-53% Aerial Ace 2x29-35% | ||
Butterfree Bug | C | |
Geodude RockGround | C | |
Spearow Normal | C | |
Zubat Poison | D | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charmeleon builds →Flamethrower 2x86-102%KO Aerial Ace 2x26-31% | ||
Fearow Normal | C | |
Gyarados Water | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Magikarp (Pallet Town Old Rod) | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Dodrio Normal | B | |
Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charmeleon builds →Flamethrower 2x88-103%KO Aerial Ace 2x24-29% | ||
Fearow Normal | C | |
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Golbat Poison | C | |
Dodrio Normal | B | |
Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charmeleon builds →Flamethrower 2x88-103%KO Aerial Ace 2x24-29% | ||
Fearow Normal | C | |
Charizard Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charizard builds →Overheat 2x158-186%KO Fly 2x50-59% | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Dodrio Normal | B | |
Golbat Poison | C | |
Aerodactyl Rock | A | |
Obtain MethodCinnabar Island Gift Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Aerodactyl builds →Fly 2x60-70% Ancient Power 2x52-61% Fire Blast 2x56-67% | ||
Moltres Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodMt Ember Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Moltres builds →Overheat 2x184-216%KO Fly 2x58-69% | ||
Charizard Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charizard builds →Overheat 2x164-193%KO Fly 2x51-60% | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
Magcargo FireRock | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Magcargo builds →Overheat 2x140-165%KO Rock Slide 2x38-45% | ||
Rapidash Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Rapidash builds →Overheat 2x127-150%KO Bounce 2x47-56% | ||
Ho-oh Fire | S | |
Obtain MethodNavel Rock Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Ho-oh builds →Overheat 2x163-192%KO Fly 2x71-84% | ||
Moltres Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodMt Ember Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Moltres builds →Overheat 2x183-216%KO Fly 2x58-69% | ||
Charizard Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Charmander (Pallet Town Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Charizard builds →Overheat 2x163-192%KO Fly 2x50-59% | ||
Entei Fire | B | |
Obtain MethodRoaming Interact Encounter | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Celadon City Gift) | ||
In FireRed & LeafGreen, Blaziken can KO Pinsir with Fire Blast (116-136%).
Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityBlaze ItemSalacberry NatureHasty Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Blaziken builds →Fire Blast 2x116-136%KO | ||
Pinsir Evolutions
Pinsir is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with a decent partner pool. Hatching is average hatch time. It's got 4 egg moves worth looking into. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
FRLG Pinsir Best Moveset
125 Attack is massive for a Bug type, and AbilityHyper Cutter prevents any Attack drops from AbilityIntimidate or other effects. Bug is physical in this format, matching that Attack. The moveset fires MoveEarthquake for coverage alongside Bug TermStab, and MoveSwords Dance doubles the already-high Attack for devastating sweeps.
Best Build
Pinsir best EVs are Attack and Defense
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Brick Break
- Hidden Power Ghost
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
The natural movepool does the job, but False Swipe and Feint Attack from the egg pool give Pinsir something extra. Pair those with Bug STAB for STAB and Normal and Fighting coverage and more for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Base Stats
Its two long pincer horns are powerful. Once they grip an enemy, they won’t release until the foe is torn.
If it fails to crush the foe in its pincers, it will swing around and toss the opponent.
Pinsir FireRed & LeafGreen Guide
- Where in the FireRed & LeafGreen Safari Zone can I find Pinsir?
See the Locations section above for where to find Pinsir in FireRed & LeafGreen.
Safari rules: You can only use Safari Balls. No battling. Two tactical items shift the catch/flee trade-off:
Action Catch chance per ball Flee rate per turn Default 7% 45% Bait 7% (floor) 10% Rock 15% 90% Effects last 2-6 random turns; throwing one cancels the other. Catch chance assumes full HP and a Safari Ball (the only ball allowed). (floor) = halving was clamped at the catch-factor floor of 3, so catch chance does not change.
- Why can't I find Pinsir in FireRed?
Pinsir is exclusive to Pokemon LeafGreen. FireRed players have to trade for one.

See the Locations section above for where to find Pinsir in LeafGreen.
How to trade in FireRed and LeafGreen
GBA cartridges: You need a Game Boy Advance Game Link Cable and both players' FireRed/LeafGreen cartridges. Trade at the Cable Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, which opens up shortly after Oak gives you the Pokedex.Nintendo Switch (2026 release): Trading uses local wireless only. There is no online play, and no Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required. Both players head to the Pokemon Wireless Club on the 2nd floor of any Pokemon Center, then step into a Union Room. Up to four other players can join. Available once you have the Pokedex from Professor Oak. Pinsir costs 2,500 Coins in LeafGreen. Earn coins by playing the slot machines on the Game Corner floor or buying them at the counter (1,000 coins for ₽10,000).
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Pinsir has appeared in 20 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut

Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS

Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS

Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG

FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP

Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS

HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW

Black & White - Gen 5B2W2

Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY

X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega

Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SM

Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE

Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh

Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV

Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW

Winds & Waves