What separates Pinsir from the pack is Mold Breaker — it ignores opposing abilities when attacking. Combine that with Bug typing and it sits at a decent but contested Speed tier. Only weak to Fire, Flying, and Rock.
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 in half. What it can’t tear, it tosses far.
Pinsir Weakness
AvgPinsir's Bug typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Flying, and Rock moves. Pinsir's physical bulk (base 100 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
- Fairy type does not exist — Dragon has fewer checks
- Physical / Special split now per-move (introduced Gen IV)
Pinsir is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with plenty of partners. Hatching is average hatch time. It's got 9 egg moves worth looking into.
How to Evolve
Breed Pinsir easily with 64 breeding partners from the Bug egg group. Pass egg moves like Bug Bite, Close Combat, Feint and 6 more to offspring.
Prediction matters here. Choice Scarf means Pinsir can't change moves after clicking, but the payoff is speed patching through item lock. Max Attack and Speed EVs with Hypercutter back that up. Ground coverage prevents free switches.
Best Build
Best Pinsir Moveset
- X Scissor
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
Recommended Teammates
The natural movepool does the job, but Bug Bite and Close Combat from the egg pool give Pinsir something extra.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Transfer Moves
Pinsir tops out at moderate rates across 4 locations in endgame routes. The encounters below are sorted by rate so you can see exactly what you're working with.
Best Locations
Which version you're playing matters for Pinsir. 4 walking spots at Lv. 50-60 spread across Black and White, and some routes only appear in one cartridge. Check the version badges below.
Mold Breaker changes the entire equation for Pinsir. The 500 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Watch for Arcanine (Fire), Dodrio (Flying), and Aerodactyl (Rock) when using Pinsir. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB.
Pinsir doesn't evolve and has no evolutionary line. It's a Bug-type Pokemon with strong stats at 500 BST — no evolution needed.
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.
Pinsir appears in 20 games, including Yellow, Red & Blue, and Gold & Silver.
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Pinsir has appeared in 20 titles over 9 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXY
X & Y - Gen VIORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A