Attack and Defense carry most of Pinsir's stat budget. Sp. Atk's the obvious dump stat. Tough to catch and yields 2 Attack EVs. Follows a slow 1.25M XP grind.
It grips prey with its pincers until the prey is torn apart. What it can’t tear, it tosses far away.
It grips prey with its pincers until the prey is torn apart. What it can’t tear, it tosses far away.
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 |
Volcarona can KO Pinsir with Heat Wave (148-174%). Glimmora threatens a KO with Power Gem (107-126%). Pelipper's Hurricane also KOs at 143-168%.
 Volcarona BugFire | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityFlame Body ItemGrassyseed NatureModest Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Volcarona builds →Heat Wave 2x148-174%KO | ||
 Glimmora RockPoison | A | |
Recommended Build AbilityToxicdebris ItemRed Card NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Glimmora builds →Power Gem 2x107-126%KO | ||
 Pelipper Water | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityDrizzle ItemFocus Sash NatureTimid Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Pelipper builds →Hurricane 2x143-168%KO | ||
 Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySpeed Boost ItemFocus Sash NatureAdamant Moves View Blaziken builds →
| ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Band NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Staraptor builds →Close Combat34-40% U Turn40-47% Double Edge102-121%KO | ||
Pinsir is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with plenty of partners. Hatching is average hatch time. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed Pinsir easily with 91 breeding partners from the Bug egg group.
Bulk and offense in one package. Pinsir runs Heavy-Duty Boots for hazard immunity on every switch-in with a Jolly nature, so it survives long enough to threaten with Xscissor. Max Attack and Speed EVs and Ground coverage make it hard to safely switch into.
Best Build
Pinsir best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
Recommended Teammates
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee uses different battle mechanics.
Competitive build content is not applicable for this game. Select a main series game for builds.
Moves
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Pinsir. TMs unlock coverage across 7 types and turn a straightforward STAB kit around X-Scissor and Lunge into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
The natural movepool does the job, but Bug Bite and Close Combat from the egg pool give Pinsir something extra.
The natural movepool does the job, but Feint and Flail from the egg pool give Pinsir something extra. Pair those with X-Scissor and Bug Bite for STAB and Normal and Fighting coverage and more for reach, and the kit fills out nicely.
Leveling does the heavy lifting. Pinsir picks up Thrash and Superpower along the way, building toward a complete offensive set. TMs add Normal and Fighting coverage and more, but the foundation's already strong by then.
No wild encounters for Pinsir in Legends: Z-A. It's available in Blue, Yellow, or Ultra Sun and can be transferred over. The details below show where to find it.
Pinsir is available from mid-game routes onward at high spawn rates. 9 encounter spots give you plenty of options. Grab one early and it'll be ready to evolve or train by mid-game.
Best Locations to Catch Pinsir in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Walking encounters at Lv. 16-63 across 9 spots for Pinsir. Sorted by progression so you can see what's reachable at your current point in the game.
Pinsir sits at moderate rates across 9 spots in early-game routes. Pick one from the sorted list and commit to it. Jumping between areas wastes more time than waiting in the right location.
Best Locations to Catch Pinsir in Sword & Shield
Catching Pinsir takes patience. The 9 walking encounters at Lv. 13-18 all have low spawn rates, so pick one location and stay put for the best odds.
You'll want late-game access before hunting Pinsir. Low spawn rates across 2 encounter spots means the location matters. Sort by Best below and target the top-rated area first.
Best Locations to Catch Pinsir in Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee
Mold Breaker changes the entire equation for Pinsir. The 500 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Pinsir can Mega Evolve into Mega Pinsir. That's 600 BST, up from 500. The stat redistribution often changes its best role. Mega Stone required, one per battle.
Watch for Arcanine (Fire), Dodrio (Flying), and Aerodactyl (Rock) when using Pinsir. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.
Mold Breaker is what you want on Pinsir. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Hyper Cutter, Moxie) work on paper but Mold Breaker is what makes Pinsir worth using. On wall sets, Mold Breaker pairs with Pinsir's base 100 Defense to absorb physical hits on the switch.
Base 85 Speed is workable. Faster than some, slower than many. On offense, Pinsir is a physical attacker with base 125 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a wallbreaker.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Pinsir has appeared in 20 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7SM
Sun & Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves