Nothing about Pinsir screams competitive powerhouse, and that's fine. Bug means only weak to Fire, Flying, and Rock. Sits at a decent but contested Speed tier. Known as the Stag Beetle Pokemon.
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.
With its horns, it digs burrows to sleep in at night. In the morning, damp soil clings to its body.
Swings its long antlers wildly to attack. During cold periods, it hides deep in forests.
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.
- Dark and Steel types added — Fairy does not exist yet
- Moves are Physical or Special based on type, not per move
- Special stat split into Sp.Atk and Sp.Def
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 2 egg moves worth looking into.
How to Evolve
Breed Pinsir easily with 23 breeding partners from the Bug egg group. Pass egg moves like Flail, Fury Attack to offspring.
an ability isn't flashy, but it matters. Combined with Leftovers for passive recovery each turn and flexible EVs EVs, Pinsir fills the setup attacker slot reliably. A nature nature finishes the spread.
Best Build
Best Pinsir Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Body Slam
- Hidden Power Ground
- Submission
Recommended Teammates
Level-up moves are just the starting point for Pinsir. TMs unlock Normal and Fighting coverage and turn a straightforward STAB kit around Fury Cutter into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Pinsir sits at moderate rates across 2 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
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.
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