Nothing about Pinsir screams competitive powerhouse, and that's fine. Bug means only weak to Fire, Poison, 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.
If it fails to crush the victim in its pincers, it will swing it around and toss it hard.
Pinsir Weakness
VulnerablePinsir's Bug typing leaves it vulnerable to Fire, Poison, Flying, and Rock moves. Pinsir's physical bulk (base 100 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
- Only 15 types exist — Dark, Steel, and Fairy are absent
- Ghost has no effect on Psychic (a known bug, fixed in Gen II)
- Special stat governs both offense and defense — no Sp.Atk / Sp.Def split
You won't breed Pinsir or evolve it further. This Bug type brings 500 total stats right out of the encounter.
How to Evolve
an ability isn't flashy, but it matters. Combined with an item for extra utility and flexible EVs EVs, Pinsir fills the setup attacker slot reliably. A nature nature finishes the spread.
Best Build
Best Pinsir Moveset
- Swords Dance
- Hyper Beam
- Submission
- Bind
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 Bug STAB into something with actual range.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Finding Pinsir at moderate rates takes patience. 3 spots are available in mid-game routes, but the rate difference between them matters. Lock in the top one from the sorted list below.
Best Locations
Pinsir isn't a quick catch. 3 walking and gift encounters from Lv. 20-28 with slim rates across the board. Commit to one spot instead of jumping between areas.
Mold Breaker changes the entire equation for Pinsir. The 500 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked B-Tier as a wallbreaker.
Watch for Arcanine (Fire), Gengar (Poison), and Aerodactyl (Flying) when using Pinsir. They all hit it super-effectively with STAB. Rock-type attackers are also a problem.
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