Spotlight Pokemon: Pinsir

Another Bug Pokémon this week, and this one is Pinsir. This Pokémon was in the original 151, and the rival Bug Pokémon to Scyther. In Pokémon X and Pokémon Y, it also has a mega evolution.

Normal Pinsir is a pure Bug type, so it takes double damage from Flying, Rock, and Fire types. It takes half damage from Grass, Fighting, and Ground. All other types to normal damage.

Mega Pinsir changes to Bug/Flying, so it takes quadruple damage from Rock types. It takes double damage from Fire, Electric, Ice and Flying types. It takes half damage from Bug, quarter damage from Fighting and Grass, and is immune to Ground. All other types do normal damage.

The stuff nightmares are made of.

Pinsir is already a pretty decent Pokémon stat wise, and it looks a little creepy. When it mega evolves and is ripping through your party, it is absolutely terrifying. It makes for a great Physical Sweeper. Its Base Stats are:

Normal

• HP: 65
• Attack: 125
  
• Defense: 100
  
• Special Attack: 55
  
• Special Defense: 70
  
• Speed: 85
  

Mega

• HP: 65
  
• Attack: 155
  
• Defense: 120
  
• Special Attack: 65
  
• Special Defense: 90
  
• Speed: 105
  

Pinsir has two normal Abilities and a hidden ability. They don’t matter if you use the mega evolution though. His two normal Abilities are Mold Breaker and Hyper Cutter, his hidden ability is Moxie, and his mega evolution ability is Aerilate.

• Mold Breaker renders Pinsir’s move unaffected by Abilities. For example, if a Pokémon has Levitate, they usually cannot be hit by ground moves. Mold Breaker will allow a Pokémon with Levitate to get hit by Ground moves. This only works on abilities and not types.
• Hyper Cutter makes sure that the opponent cannot lower Pinsir’s Attack. Pinsir can still lower its own Attack though.
• Moxie raises Pinsir’s attack by one stage every time it makes a Pokémon faint.
• Aerilate increases the power of Normal type moves by 30%, then changes the type to Flying. This is what makes mega Pinsir so terrifying.

The power of friendship

Mega Pinsir hits super hard with the move Return. It is a Normal attack that changes power based on how friendly your Pokémon is with you.

Its base power is 101 with max friendship, so with the 30% boost and STAB from being changed to Flying type, it turns to around 197 power. That, mixed with Pinsir’s high Attack, will defeat almost anything that isn’t resistant to Flying.

I recommend maxing both Attack and Speed in Super Training. This will make it hit the hardest and hopefully let it attack first. Check out my Super Training guide if you need help with that.

Adamant is the best Nature because it raises the most important stat of Attack and lowers the least important stat of Special Attack.

The moveset I recommend is: Return, Quick Attack, Earthquake, and Storm Throw/Brick Break. Quick Attack is another Normal move that gets changed to Flying and it is a Priority move. Earthquake is a very strong attack that provides excellent coverage. Storm Throw is normally weaker than Brick Break, but it always crits. Brick Break will destroy Reflect and Light Screen if the enemy puts them up.

That’s another week of Spotlight Pokemon over. For the previous Spotlight Pokemon, or any of my other guides, go to my Pokemon XY Guide Compendium.

Any questions or suggestions? Let me know in the comments!