Pinsir Best Moveset
Held ItemPinsirite transforms Pinsir into Bug/Flying with AbilityAerilate converting Normal moves to Flying at 155 Attack. 105 Speed fires those converted moves on short cooldowns. The moveset becomes a physical Flying attacker that uses Normal-type moves as its strongest TermStab source.
Bug-type with 125 Attack but terrible Bug moves in Gen I (Red & Blue). Bug-type attacks were nearly useless, so Pinsir couldn't use its own impressive STAB stat.
Utility Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Hyper Beam
- Submission
- Bind
Recommended Teammates
Swords Dance plus physical coverage improved in Gen II (Gold & Silver). Submission and Earthquake off 125 Attack after a boost was devastating.
Best Moves
Best Build
Utility Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Body Slam
- Hidden Power Ground
- Submission
Recommended Teammates
Hyper Cutter prevented Intimidate drops in Gen III (Ruby & Sapphire). Choice Band from 125 base Attack hit ridiculously hard.
Physical Attacker Moveset
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Brick Break
- Hidden Power Ghost
Recommended Teammates
X-Scissor finally gave Pinsir reliable physical Bug STAB in Gen IV (Diamond & Pearl). But Scizor with Technician Bullet Punch outclassed it immediately.
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Moxie arrived in Gen V (Black & White) but 85 Speed wasn't fast enough to snowball KOs. Scizor remained the preferred Bug-type in higher tiers.
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
Mega Pinsir with Aerilate turned Normal moves into Flying STAB, making it incredible. Base Pinsir without it was unremarkable in Gen VI (X & Y).
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Tomb
Recommended Teammates
Mega Pinsir was still great in Gen VII (Sun & Moon). Base form had no role without the Mega Stone.
Physical Sweeper Moveset
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Recommended Teammates
No Mega form in Gen VIII (Sword & Shield). Without Aerilate, Pinsir was just a Bug-type with high Attack and not enough Speed to use it.
Physical Revenge Killer Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
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 |
What is Pinsir Weak Against
AvgBest Pokemon Against Pinsir
Dragonite's Extreme Speed hits Pinsir for 36-43%. Blaziken's Flare Blitz also KOs at 196-230%.
A | ||
Recommended Build AbilityMultiscale ItemHeavy-Duty Boots NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Dragonite builds →Extreme Speed36-43% Earthquake23-27% | ||
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySandrush ItemAir Balloon NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Excadrill builds →Earthquake23-27% Rapid Spin23-27% | ||
 Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Recommended Build AbilitySpeed Boost ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Blaziken builds →Close Combat49-58% Flare Blitz 2x196-230%KO | ||
 Staraptor Normal | B | |
Recommended Build AbilityReckless ItemChoice Scarf NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Pinsir View Staraptor builds →Close Combat23-27% U Turn27-32% Double Edge69-81% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemRocky Helmet NatureBold Moves View Skarmory builds →
| ||
Evolution
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.
Pinsir Locations
Pinsir starts showing up in late-game routes at moderate rates across 2 encounter spots. The list below is sorted so you can pick what fits your current progress without scrolling through everything.
Best Locations to Catch Pinsir in Legends: Z-A
Pinsir is available from mid-game routes onward at high spawn rates. 6 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 6 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
Base Stats
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.
These Pokémon judge one another based on pincers. Thicker, more impressive pincers make for more popularity with the opposite gender.
Pinsir Guide
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.
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