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.
With its vaunted horns, it can lift an opponent 10 times heavier than itself and fly about with ease.
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.
Pinsir is what you get. No evolutions, but it breeds through one egg group with no compatible partners. Hatching is average hatch time.
How to Evolve
Breed Pinsir easily from the Bug egg group.
One guaranteed turn is all Pinsir needs. Focus Sash buys it, max Attack and Speed EVs make it count, and Mold Breaker adds something extra. The goal: get Stealth Rock up and deal damage with Close Combat. Ground coverage gives it play beyond just the lead turn.
Best Build
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.
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.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
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
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