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Mega Pinsir serves as a rather subpar hyper offense sweeper in National Dex. Aerilate gives it powerful Flying-type STAB and, uniquely, priority moves, allowing it to pressure certain faster Pokemon such as Hawlucha, Greninja, and Serperior. However, it faces heavy competition for the Mega slot on hyper offense teams from Mega Gyarados, Mega Garchomp, and Mega Scizor, which are much better because they bring defensive utility to a team, whereas Mega Pinsir has next to none. It also cannot hit all of the metagame for significant damage at once, as it only has room for one coverage move; Close Combat variants are walled by Zapdos, while Stone Edge variants struggle with Steel-types such as Heatran, Mega Mawile, and Melmetal. It also must run Earthquake to even consider touching Aegislash, which lets Corviknight and Rotom-W wall it completely. Additionally, faster Flying-resistant Pokemon, such as Tapu Koko, Mega Diancie, and Zeraora, halt Mega Pinsir in its tracks. Priority moves from Weavile, Mega Scizor, and Mega Lopunny can mess with it as well. Mega Pinsir's unfortunate Speed tier also leaves it outpaced by several common Pokemon that survive even a +2 Quick Attack; Mega Latias, Kartana, and Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Tapu Lele, and Jirachi all fall into this category. Mega Pinsir's horrible 4x weakness to Stealth Rock also complicates matters, as it can require a lot of support and careful play to get around. These obstacles prevent Mega Pinsir from making progress consistently against many teams in the metagame, making it a poor choice for the vast majority of teams. Close Combat is the preferred last move in order to hit Steel-types such as Melmetal, Heatran, and Ferrothorn for super effective damage. Stone Edge can be used instead, as it hits Zapdos hard. However, this prevents Mega Pinsir from hitting most Steel-types. Earthquake can be considered, as it allows Mega Pinsir to hit Aegislash while also dealing decent damage to Mega Mawile, Heatran, and Toxapex, but being walled completely by Corviknight and Rotom-W is not preferable. Hyper Cutter is the preferred primary ability, as it blocks Intimidate before Pinsir Mega Evolves. Mega Pinsir is best used on hyper offense teams, where it can work with its teammates to beat down its checks and counters and potentially sweep if the opportunity arises. Teams that have Mega Pinsir should also utilize lead Excadrill in order to best keep Stealth Rock off the field. However, due to the plethora of better options hyper offense teams have available, the insane amount of support from its team that's required, and its inconsistency as a sweeper, it's generally best to stay away from using it.

Moves Me First copies a slower foe's move at 1.5x power; when used with Normalium Z, it turns the copied attack into a Z-Move and gives Pinsir a +2 Speed boost that allows it to outspeed the majority of the metagame, making it an excellent late-game cleaner. Earthquake allows Pinsir to hit Rock- and Steel-types like Regirock, Carracosta, Alolan Sandslash, and Metang hard. Stone Edge lets Pinsir KO Flying-types like Oricorio-E and Swanna that would otherwise wall the set and force Pinsir out. Set Details An Adamant nature is preferred over Jolly for the power boost and because Pinsir is capable of outspeeding most of the metagame at +2 Speed with just Speed investment. Moxie boosts Pinsir's Attack whenever it KOes a foe. Normalium Z allows Pinsir to double its Speed with Z-Me First, making it faster than common Choice Scarf users such as Primeape and Dodrio, which, when combined with a potential boost from Moxie, can let Pinsir sweep easily. Usage Tips Due to Pinsir's mediocre Speed and bulk, setting up with Z-Me First requires patience and proper prediction. For example, if it is avoidable, Pinsir should not use Z-Me First against foes that are predicted to use special attacks or attacks that they resist. Pinsir will want to wait until the enemy team is sufficiently weakened so it can easily clean through the rest of the team. However, it is important to keep in mind how Moxie will play into Pinsir's attempts to sweep, as Pinsir can snowball rather quickly and possibly even sweep early-game. The best time to set up with Z-Me First is on slower physical attackers such as Golurk, Hitmonchan, and Stoutland that are likely to be KOed by the copied Z-Move. After the Speed increase and a boost from Moxie, it is very difficult to stop Pinsir from sweeping, so it is wise to be patient when using it due to the one-use nature of the Z-Move. It's better to preserve Pinsir's health as much as possible so it can take priority moves more easily while it is sweeping. Eliminating opposing priority users beforehand is also preferred, as they can halt Pinsir's sweep if is not healthy enough. It is important to note that this set does not fare well against stall because it does not have enough power or coverage to hit common Pokemon found on the playstyle. The best that can be hoped for is to get a Moxie boost from KOing a Pokemon and become semi-threatening. Team Options Pinsir will want a team around it that is good at hitting hard and weakening the opponent's Pokemon to ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. Because of this, strong wallbreakers like Choice Specs Drampa, Choice Specs Aurorus, and Choice Band Stoutland make for good partners. Entry hazard support helps to wear down foes as they switch in, so Spikes users like Qwilfish as well as reliable Stealth Rock users such as Regirock and Clefairy make for amazing partners. Pursuit trapping can be another valuable asset to weaken foes and ease Pinsir's attempts at sweeping. The most notable Pursuit trapper is Skuntank, but Absol and Stoutland are also fine partners. Pokemon such as Victreebel and Tangela provide options for dealing with certain bulky Ground-types that Pinsir has great trouble dealing with; Victreebel can pressure Ground-types because of its wallbreaking potential and threatening STAB attacks, whereas Tangela can beat Ground-types because of its bulk and sustainability.

Moves Earthquake is a powerful coverage move that can hit Eelektross, Lanturn, Skuntank, and Aggron super effectively and hit Fighting-types neutrally. Stone Edge hits Flying-types such as Altaria and Articuno. Knock Off is an alternative option that gives Pinsir a better matchup against walls like Jellicent that would otherwise give Pinsir a hard time, and it also hits Flying-types neutrally. Set Details Life Orb is the preferred item because Pinsir relies a lot on the boosted power to be a substantial threat, but this also comes with the drawback of recoil damage, which can quickly wear down Pinsir throughout the battle. Lum Berry is an alternative choice that makes Pinsir better suited to beat Pokemon like Sableye and other passive status inducers, as it gives Pinsir a free opportunity to set up and saves Pinsir's HP in the long run. It also allows Pinsir to be worn down less due to the lack of a Life Orb, but this comes with the cost of reducing Pinsir's overall damage output, which is useful for reliably KOing Carracosta from full at +2 and KOing Regirock with enough chip damage. Mold Breaker is the most preferred ability on this set because it allows Pinsir to ignore Unaware Pyukumuku, while also hitting Pokemon with Levitate like Eelektross. Usage Tips Swords Dance Pinsir functions as a wallbreaker, which means it has the job of boosting up early- or mid-game and powering through bulky Pokemon, making way for other Pokemon to clean up the battle. Swords Dance is only necessary if the opposing team is more defensively oriented and a boost is required to KO opposing bulky Pokemon. Pinsir should aim to set up by threatening out Pokemon like Eelektross, Torterra, and Skuntank, as taking damage while setting up can prevent Pinsir from taking another hit from potential revenge killers or defensive Pokemon such as Jellicent. Versus offensive teams, attacking is generally better because Pinsir will likely not require a boost to get KOes and doesn't have to worry about finding safer chances to set up. Due to Pinsir's average Speed tier, Pinsir is often prone to getting revenge killed against offensive teams and thus will have any potential Swords Dance sweeps cut short. Team Options Fighting-types such as Gurdurr and Primeape make for great partners with Pinsir because Pinsir KOes and pressures opposing Psychic-types and takes on Qwilfish and Claydol thanks to Swords Dance. Late-game cleaners like Floatzel and Omastar also appreciate Pinsir's wallbreaking ability. Entry hazard removal is very helpful to Pinsir, as it helps deal with Pinsir's susceptibility to Stealth Rock and other hazards. Swanna pairs well with Pinsir because it can provide Defog support and weaken some of the Pokemon that Pinsir has trouble getting through such as Mudsdale and Gurdurr. Blanket defensive Pokemon like Lanturn, Regirock, and Qwilfish serve as dedicated switch-ins when Pinsir is threatened out by revenge killers. Regirock and Qwilfish can also set entry hazards, which helps Pinsir break through walls.

Moves Me First copies a slower foe's move at 1.5x power, but when used with Normalium Z it also turns the copied attack into a Z-Move while doubling Pinsir's Speed. This turns Pinsir into a formidable late-game cleaner, as it outspeeds every relevant Choice Scarf user in the tier after this boost. Earthquake and Stone Edge are Pinsir's best coverage options for sweeping, as they punish the majority of relevant Pokemon that resist Pinsir's STAB attacks such as Altaria, Probopass, Fire-types, and Poison-types. Set Details Normalium Z allows Pinsir to double its Speed with Z-Me First. An Adamant nature is preferred to get the most power out of the set, as Jolly doesn't let Pinsir outspeed anything noteworthy at +2. Moxie's Attack boosts are important to the nature of this set, as it relies on snowballing to sweep. Usage Tips This set is meant to be used as a late-game sweeper, aiming to snowball and clean up teams once physically bulky checks like Gourgeist-XL, Golem, and Avalugg have been severely weakened or removed. Pinsir should be brought in specifically after KOs in order to use Z-Me First more easily, copy a Z-Move, and gain a Moxie boost. Setup opportunities are optimally found when trying to revenge kill slower physical attackers like Komala and offensive Granbull with Z-Me First. Otherwise, Pinsir can use its good physical bulk and typing to set up on forced switches from Grass- and Psychic-types threatened by it or on locked coverage moves that it can tank with ease while also beating the attacker one-on-one. Z-Me First's ability to copy the opposing Pokemon's move as a Z-Move can be used to create setup opportunities on Pokemon that stay in against the Swords Dance set, such as Silvally formes, especially if Pinsir's set has not been revealed. The Z-Move can be used to KO foes like Komala, Toucannon, and Marowak while granting Pinsir both a Speed boost and a Moxie boost. Try to prioritize keeping Stealth Rock off the field before sending Pinsir out, as it appreciates preserving as much health as possible to keep it out of range of priority attacks. Team Options Wallbreakers that excel at weakening bulkier teams to open up sweeping opportunities include Pokemon like Choice Band Komala, Choice Band Golem, mixed Electivire, and Raichu. Entry hazard removers are appreciated to keep Pinsir healthy, and it synergizes well with Pokemon like Silvally-Water and Altaria. Silvally-Water can offensively threaten various defensive Pokemon like Golem, Sandslash, and Gourgeist-XL with its coverage, while Altaria is a good Fire-type check and a solid counter to Gourgeist-XL. Hazard support to weaken checks is optimal, with Golem and Bronzor making solid partners for Stealth Rock support. Toxic Spikes is also one of the most potent ways of weakening Pinsir's checks to this set, with Mareanie having the best synergy due to its ability to pressure Defog users like Silvally-Fighting and set them up on a lot of defensive Pokemon that Pinsir struggles to break through. Pokemon that can switch into Focus Sash Kadabra are recommended, as it's one of the few Pokemon that can revenge kill Pinsir after setting up. Kecleon can beat it one-on-one thanks to Shadow Sneak making it immune to Counter, as well as its great natural special bulk allowing it to switch in on it. Pursuit trappers like Silvally-Dark and Pawniard are good at forcing damage also, with all three also helping pressure physically defensive Pokemon like Golem and Bronzor for Pinsir.

Moves Earthquake targets many typical X-Scissor switch-ins, hitting Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types for heavy damage. Close Combat's coverage is less optimal than Earthquake's, but it lets Pinsir consistently threaten Komala while retaining coverage on Pokemon like Golem and Probopass. It also deals the most damage to Silvally-Fighting. Stone Edge lets Choice Scarf Pinsir threaten faster Flying-types. Knock Off hits bulky Ghost-types like Dusclops, Gourgeist-XL, and Misdreavus harder than any of Pinsir's other attacks, as well as heavily threatening Bronzor. It is also a really solid option for pressuring switch-ins that are reliant on their item for bulk, like Golem, Sandslash, and Avalugg. Set Details An Adamant nature offers the most to this set in terms of power, since Pinsir is already outsped by most Choice Scarf users anyway, but Jolly is situationally useful for revenge killing Jolly Crustle effectively after the Shell Smash Defense drop. Moxie combined with Choice Scarf maximizes Pinsir's ability to clean up late-game. Usage Tips This set is a solid late-game cleaner but a situational revenge killer that mostly relies on super effective coverage to threaten attackers. When sent out early-game, Pinsir should often take advantage of forced switches to cripple checks with Knock Off, as removing Leftovers and Eviolite from checks is pivotal to keep them worn down. Choice Scarf Pinsir is effective at capitalizing on its relative unpredictability, so it can easily punish naturally faster Fire- and Flying-types for staying in. In general, all of Pinsir's non-STAB attacks rely on solid prediction to work, and catching the intended targets is key to opening up sweeping opportunities later. Team Options It's important for this set to be paired with dedicated entry hazard removers that punish Pokemon that can switch into this set. This makes Pokemon like Swanna, Servine, and Silvally-Water effective Defog options, as they punish bulky Pokemon like Golem, Sandslash, Gourgeist-XL, Silvally-Fighting, and Granbull to varying degrees. Wallbreakers that threaten stall archetypes such as Komala, Raichu, and Floatzel are effective, as those types of teams are often roadblocks towards achieving KOs and facilitating a sweep with Moxie. Checks to Fire- and Flying-types such as Altaria, Rotom-Fan, Mareanie, Electivire, and Silvally-Dragon are solid, as they will frequently take advantage of Choice-locked moves to get free turns. Having Pokemon that are more effective at revenge killing as a backup way of keeping faster foes in check is a good idea, as Pinsir is often mediocre in that role. Other Choice Scarf users to fill this role can include Silvally, Electivire, and Rapidash: Silvally can remove fast threats with its powerful Double-Edge and Explosion, can use its filler slot to lure in Gourgeist-XL and Sandslash and take them out with Ice Beam or Toxic, and appreciates Pinsir crippling other Ghost-types with Knock Off. Electivire can check Flying-types and pivot around with Volt Switch, while Rapidash outspeeds all of the relevant faster Choice Scarf users that outpace Pinsir.

Moves X-Scissor in conjunction with Buginium Z is notable for breaking through Pyukumuku and Gourgeist-XL after minimal chip damage and a Swords Dance boost, which is important for optimizing Pinsir's matchup against stall's two most prominent physically defensive Pokemon. Earthquake hits Fire-, Steel-, Rock-, and Poison-types like Combusken, Carbink, Muk, and Probopass much harder than its STAB attacks. Stone Edge is Pinsir's main tool for hitting Flying-types such as Rotom-Fan, Oricorio-F, and Swanna. Set Details Buginium Z's purpose is twofold. On one hand, after a Swords Dance boost, Savage Spin-Out is a one-time nuke that helps Pinsir break through Gourgeist-XL and Pyukumuku as well as other bulky Pokemon such as Sandslash and physically defensive Golem after minor chip damage. It also allows Pinsir to reliably check Celebrate Leafeon lacking Double-Edge, as it tanks Knock Off and can easily KO Leafeon through its +1 Defense with the nuke. Life Orb is an alternative to boost its coverage options, allow it to increase its attacking power without setting up, and free up the team's Z-Crystal slot. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to be an effective wallbreaker, bypassing abilities such as Bronzor's Levitate and Pyukumuku's Unaware. Usage Tips This set is a wallbreaker, so it's best used to soften up defensive teams so that teammates can sweep past the remaining Pokemon. Pinsir can find setup opportunities against Grass- and Psychic-types threatened by it, passive Pokemon lacking options to cripple it (especially burns), and physical attackers locked into a weak coverage move. If bulky Ghost-types are present, avoid setting up unless they are removed or are able to be put in the range of Pinsir's +2 attacks. Avoid switching into Stealth Rock whenever possible, as it's important to keep Pinsir healthy enough to maintain setup opportunities. Given Pinsir's tendency to force in Pokemon that resist its attacks, it's important to assess when to make an aggressive prediction, as it's advantageous to catch faster Fire- and Flying-type checks with the appropriate coverage move to avoid losing momentum. Similarly, if you expect the opponent to send out bulky offensive checks that don't resist Bug like Silvally-Dragon on a predicted Swords Dance, it may be best to fire off Savage Spin-Out for the extra burst damage to bring them down after some prior chip damage. Team Options Stealth Rock support helps maximize Pinsir's damage output against physically defensive Pokemon and punish Flying- and Fire-type checks that switch in. Golem and Bronzor are high-profile partners; Golem checks Rotom-Fan, Zebstrika, and Electivire while blocking their Volt Switches. Sturdy also punishes interactions with Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon that attempt to break through it, as its STAB attacks often KO them in retaliation. Golem also draws in Grass-type Pokemon like Torterra and Leafeon for Pinsir to pressure. While Bronzor adds another Fire weakness, it can still defensively check various Flying-types and faster special attackers, offers a Rock resistance for checking Golem, and draws in certain Knock Off users like Komala and Leafeon that Pinsir can pivot into and threaten. Entry hazard control is also advised to mitigate Pinsir's Stealth Rock weakness. Silvally-Water is a great option due to its resistances to Fire and Water-type attacks, reliably checking faster specially based attackers like Combusken and Simipour that othewise pressure Pinsir. Bulky Komala can blanket check specially based revenge killers while either passing Wishes or pivoting with U-turn. Pinsir can take advantage of non-Rock Slide variants of Silvally-Fighting in return. Altaria can check various Fire-types decently well and function as a status absorber to take advantage of Pokemon like Gourgeist-XL if Pinsir is not in a position to break past them. Setup sweepers such as Muk and Bulk Up Komala appreciate Pinsir's ability to threaten the likes of Gourgeist-XL, Bronzor, and Pyukumuku. Other Flying-type checks apart from the aforementioned Stealth Rock users include Electivire and Rotom-Fan, both of which can also equip a Choice Scarf to check offensive threats and simultaneously offer pivoting options. Fire-type checks apart from Altaria and Silvally-Water can include Rapidash, Floatzel, and Mareanie. Pokemon that can punish bulky Ghost-types are appreciated, as Dusclops and Gourgeist-XL in particular can take boosted hits from this set, retaliate with burns, and recover from damage taken. The aforementioned Komala and Pawniard are good options, as they have Knock Off to remove Dusclops's Eviolite, drastically reducing its survivability.

Moves Giga Impact is Mega Pinsir's strongest move and allows it to OHKO most frail Pokemon like non-Choice Scarf Porygon-Z, Mega Gardevoir, and Tapu Lele. Substitute is used to evade status from Pokemon like Mega Sableye and Mega Swampert. It can also be used to waste the foe's Z-Move, such as against Magearna and Aegislash. Earthquake along with Mold Breaker helps Mega Pinsir OHKO Magnezone through Sturdy and beat other Steel-types like Magearna and Mega Mawile. Swords Dance lets Mega Pinsir boost its power to unrivaled levels, especially when behind a Substitute, helping Mega Pinsir break through defensive Pokemon such as Tapu Fini and Zygarde. Bulk Up can bolster Mega Pinsir's offense and defense simultaneously and is primarily used against other physical attackers like Mega Mawile, which unboosted Mega Pinsir cannot OHKO. Set Details The given Speed investment allows Mega Pinsir to outspeed base 100 Speed Pokemon as well as slightly faster Pokemon such as Garchomp and Nihilego. Maximum Attack investment allows Mega Pinsir to hit as hard and fast as possible, notably OHKOing uninvested Mega Charizard X. The rest of the EVs are put into Defense to improve Mega Pinsir's bulk, giving it better chances to survive Play Rough followed by Sucker Punch from Mega Mawile after Bulk Up. Mega Pinsir's pre-Mega abilities are both useful. Hyper Cutter allows Mega Pinsir to ignore the plethora of Intimidate users in the tier, notably Mega Mawile and Mega Gyarados, in addition to Attack-lowering moves like Charm from Chansey and Umbreon. Mold Breaker, on the other hand, lets Mega Pinsir ignore foes' abilities like Magnezone's Sturdy. Aerilate gives Mega Pinsir that extra bit of power, as well as giving it fantastic Flying-type STAB on Normal-type moves like Giga Impact. Usage Tips With decent physical bulk, Mega Pinsir can tank hits from Pokemon like boosted Mega Gyarados, Zygarde, and Mega Mawile, to buy itself time to set up and retaliate. Against Mega Mawile, Hyper Cutter and Bulk Up are required to be able to survive a Play Rough followed by Sucker Punch while having enough Attack to OHKO in return with +1 Earthquake. Against standard Magearna, use Substitute first. If it keeps attacking, use Substitute again until it is at -2 Special Attack, and then use Swords Dance instead of Substitute, as Mega Pinsir can survive a -2 Fleur Cannon and OHKO it with +2 Earthquake. Otherwise, if it starts setting up with Iron Defense, use Swords Dance while safely behind a free Substitute and then use Earthquake to 2HKO it when it stops setting up. Mega Pinsir can set up against passive Pokemon like Chansey by using Substitute to prevent being statused and boosting past their defenses with Swords Dance. Against Pokemon that cannot deal fatal damage to Mega Pinsir such as Tapu Fini, use Swords Dance to OHKO them with Giga Impact the following turn. Mega Swampert, Mega Blastoise, and Aegislash are matchups that Mega Pinsir can force in its favor, provided the right plays are made. Use Substitute on the first turn. Against the first two, attempt to use Swords Dance without Mega Evolving to avoid taking fatal damage from Ice Beam. For Aegislash, try to attack it in its vulnerable Sword forme, which it will be in after it attacks Mega Pinsir's Substitute. Be wary about sending this into Pokemon that may seem susceptible to Mega Pinsir. Despite the typing advantage, Mega Pinsir has trouble in matchups against Pokemon like Jumpluff, Serperior, and Whimsicott. For Donphan, use Substitute to bait out Head Smash so it takes recoil and loses Sturdy. Proceed to finish it off with Giga Impact. Team Options Mega Pinsir struggles with the majority of Fire-, Rock-, Ground-, Electric-, and Steel-types, so Mega Swampert and Quagsire can help in handling Pokemon like Crustle, Donphan, Zeraora, and Mega Aggron. They also sufficiently deal with the omnipresent Mega Charizard X and Dragonite. Mega Pinsir deals with some of the wallbreakers that threaten them like Normalium Z Porygon-Z, Mega Gardevoir, and Mega Gyarados. Mega Pinsir has trouble with faster offensive threats like Greninja, Naganadel, and Mega Lopunny, so bulky Pokemon like Magearna, Donphan, and Pyukumuku are good partners. Mega Pinsir can handle the Pokemon that threaten them, like Taunt Tapu Fini and Mega Venusaur. As Mega Pinsir has difficulty dealing with physically defensive Pokemon like Mega Slowbro and Mega Metagross, it appreciates special attackers such as Greninja, Aegislash, and Mega Charizard Y. In return, Mega Pinsir can take out specially bulky Pokemon like Mega Gyarados and defensive Kommo-o.

Set Information Swords Dance boosts Mega Pinsir's Attack stat to frighteningly high levels, enabling it to smash through the likes of Zapdos and Melmetal without prediction. X-Scissor is Mega Pinsir's STAB attack of choice, dishing out serious pain to Pokemon such as Mega Gyarados, Mew, and Mega Alakazam, especially after a boost. Earthquake provides valuable coverage against the Pokemon that resist X-Scissor, hitting Melmetal, Mega Charizard X, Rhydon, and Nidoqueen super effectively while also being Mega Pinsir's strongest attack against Poliwrath. Rock Slide hurts the many Flying-types that threaten Mega Pinsir, including Zapdos, Dragonite, Mega Aerodactyl on the switch, and Mega Charizard Y. A Jolly nature is used to outrun Mew, Zapdos, and Mega Charizard X and Y. 29 HP IVs allow Mega Pinsir to take Stealth Rock damage twice without fainting. Usage Tips Bringing Mega Pinsir in before Stealth Rock is up is generally a viable strategy whenever possible. As most Pokemon that can revenge kill Mega Pinsir are OHKOed by its attacks, the opponent will often hesitate with switching them directly in; this can provide a good opportunity to set up and then OHKO the opposing Pokemon. While it is uncommon for Mega Pinsir's revenge killers to be removed early in a battle, if this does happen, or the opponent simply lacks them entirely, Mega Pinsir can sweep with relative ease; otherwise, it is usually limited to one or two KOs. Set up with Swords Dance against Pokemon Mega Pinsir can force out, including Alolan Muk, Mew, and Mega Gyarados, but be wary of potential status moves from these Pokemon. Take advantage of the superior defensive typing of Pinsir's base forme before Mega Evolving. If a Pokemon is within range of being knocked out from an attack by base form Pinsir, don't Mega Evolve on the same turn when going for the attack. If Pinsir is forced out after knocking out an opposing Pokemon, Pinsir won't take more damage from Stealth Rock the next time it comes in. Team Options Mew is an excellent partner for Mega Pinsir. It can utilize Taunt to stop Stealth Rock from going up, use U-turn to bring Mega Pinsir in safely, check common answers to Mega Pinsir such as Melmetal and Poliwrath, and threaten common Stealth Rock setters such as Nidoqueen, Rhydon, and Alolan Dugtrio with Psychic and Scald. Starmie also threatens many of the metagame's Stealth Rock setters, and it can utilize Thunder Wave to cripple faster Pokemon. Starmie can also act as a soft check to Mega Aerodactyl, especially when running a Bold nature, and can viably use dual screens to give Mega Pinsir an easier time setting up. Nidoqueen can handle any potential Rock or Electric attacks aimed at Mega Pinsir and can consistently set up Stealth Rock, helping Mega Pinsir to secure various OHKOs.

Moves Swords Dance allows Mega Pinsir to boost its Attack stat, allowing it to be a good setup sweeper. Return is Mega Pinsir's main STAB Flying-type attack and hits Fighting-, Grass-, and Bug-types such as Breloom, Mega Venusaur, and Volcarona. Quick Attack is a strong priority move that allows Mega Pinsir to revenge kill fast threats such as Infernape and Mega Gallade. Close Combat is coverage that hits Steel- and Rock-types that would otherwise wall Mega Pinsir such as Heatran and Tyranitar. Set Details Maximum Attack investment allows Mega Pinsir to hit as hard as possible. Maximum Speed investment along with a Jolly Nature ensures that Pinsir is as fast as possible, outspeeding threats such as Kyurem-B and Garchomp. Moxie is the preferred ability over Hyper Cutter and Mold Breaker because it lets Pinsir boost its Attack stat if it KOes a Pokemon before Mega Evolving. Pinsirite allows Pinsir to become Mega Pinsir while also granting it the ability Aerilate. Aerilate turns its Normal-type attacks into Flying-type attacks and gives them a slight boost. Usage Tips Remove entry hazards before sending in Mega Pinsir, as it gains a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock when it Mega Evolves. If Pinsir can KO a weakened target, it is usually best not to Mega Evolve so Pinsir can get an Attack boost from Moxie. However, trying to get a free Moxie boost is extremely predictable and can give the opponent a free switch because of Pinsir's mediocre Attack stat. Avoid unnecessarily switching into attacks because Mega Pinsir needs to be at high HP to take most powerful attacks. Use Mega Pinsir early-game to wallbreak to possibly help Heracross and Volcarona clean late-game, while late-game it should be used to sweep the opponent's team. Use pivots such as U-turn Scizor and Volt Switch Galvantula so Mega Pinsir can be brought in safely. Avoid status, especially burn and paralysis, because burns halve its Attack stat, while paralysis leaves it susceptible to revenge killers. Mega Pinsir only has decent Defense, so it is best to set up on a predicted switch or Ground-type attack so Mega Pinsir doesn't take unnecessary damage. Team Options Armaldo and Forretress can remove entry hazards with Rapid Spin while also being able to set up Stealth Rock, making it easier for Mega Pinsir to sweep. Scizor can pivot using U-turn, allowing Mega Pinsir to be brought in safely. Scizor can also run Defog to remove Stealth Rock for Mega Pinsir and check Ice- and Rock-types with its STAB Technician-boosted Bullet Punch. Galvantula can set up Sticky Web, allowing Mega Pinsir to outspeed faster threats such as Choice Scarf Victini and Greninja, and eliminate some of Mega Pinsir's checks and counters such as Skarmory and Staraptor. Volcarona can eliminate physical walls such as Skarmory and Landorus-T with its powerful special attacks, while Mega Pinsir can KO special walls such as Chansey and Empoleon. Volcarona can also set up on Mega Pinsir's checks such as Zapdos and Doublade, while Mega Pinsir can set up on Alolan Muk and Chansey. Heracross, Buzzwole, and Scolipede can use their powerful Bug-type attacks to eliminate bulky Psychic-types such as Slowbro and Mew that can cripple Mega Pinsir. Araquanid can switch into powerful special Fire-type attacks from the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona while also being a good switch-in for Will-O-Wisp and Scald, preventing Mega Pinsir from being burned.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Pinsir's Attack to frighteningly high levels, allowing it to tear through foes and do some late-game cleaning once its checks and counters are out of the way. Return becomes a mighty 199 Base Power Flying-type attack after Aerilate and STAB. Close Combat has great neutral coverage with Return, hitting Pokemon such as Heatran, Bisharp, Tyranitar, and Magnezone for super effective damage, and it inflicts neutral damage on targets such as Rotom-W. Quick Attack is an Aerilate-boosted priority attack that is surprisingly powerful; at +2, it OHKOes faster attackers such as Keldeo, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Medicham. Feint can also be used in order to outprioritize Talonflame and OHKO it at +2 at the cost of being weaker overall; it also avoids contact damage, meaning that it can be useful for picking off very weakened Garchomp and Landorus-T, which commonly run Rocky Helmet. Set Details Pinsirite enables Pinsir to Mega Evolve, allowing it to function as a fearsome late-game cleaner. Attack and Speed are maximized to give Pinsir the greatest possible chance of outspeeding and KOing its foes, and with a Jolly nature, Mega Pinsir outspeeds base 100 Speed Pokemon such as Charizard, Mega Gardevoir, and Mew. One can opt for an Adamant nature should they desire a greater damage output, though Pinsir is generally better off making the most of its Speed tier. Landorus-T, a common switch-in to Pinsir, has its Intimidate negated by Pinsir's Hyper Cutter. Pinsir also needs to keep its Attack from being lowered in order to OHKO defensive Landorus-T variants after a Swords Dance. Hyper Cutter in combination with Earthquake can also allow Pinsir to OHKO Mega Manectric if it tries to switch in the turn Pinsir Mega Evolves. Mold Breaker can be chosen as Pinsir's ability if you run Earthquake, as it allows Pinsir to strike Rotom-W for super effective damage on the switch in. Moxie is a possibility, as it enables Pinsir to nab an Attack boost should it pick off a weakened foe without Mega Evolving, though it isn't generally worth leaving Pinsir open to revenge killing with a middling base 85 Speed, and Pinsir should be doing its boosting via Swords Dance. Usage Tips Pinsir should be sent out to clean up late-game once its teammates have sufficiently removed or weakened Pokemon that could prove to be threatening. Ideally, a teammate should have removed Stealth Rock from your side of the field before you bring Pinsir in. Mega Evolution can be delayed to take advantage of Pinsir's ability; for example, Hyper Cutter variants should delay Mega Evolving and use Swords Dance if you predict defensive Landorus-T to switch in, Mold Breaker variants should delay Mega Evolving and use Earthquake if you predict that Rotom-W will switch in, and Moxie variants should attempt to revenge kill a weakened foe to net an Attack boost in the process. Similarly, Pinsir's typing prior to Mega Evolution can come in handy. For example, Pinsir can survive a Stone Edge or Rock Slide from checks such as defensive Landorus-T and Choice Scarf Excadrill, respectively, which its Mega Evolution cannot do. Team Options Stealth Rock eats a chunk out of Pinsir's HP when it switches in, and this amount of damage is even higher if switches in after having Mega Evolved. Therefore, Rapid Spin or Defog support is mandatory. Excadrill can spin away entry hazards and handle any Thundurus that is not running Focus Blast. Latias also makes for a good partner, as it can provide Defog support as well as give a weakened Mega Pinsir about to fall prey to Stealth Rock a second chance with Healing Wish. Other Flying-type attackers such as Staraptor and Talonflame can lure in Pinsir's checks and wear them down so that the latter can clean up and finish the job. Rotom-W and Landorus-T are good answers to the ubiquitous Talonflame, which would otherwise ruin Mega Pinsir's cleaning spree. As Skarmory is such a menace for Mega Pinsir, it is only natural that one should pair the latter with Magnezone in order to trap and eliminate it. Like any offensive Pokemon, Pinsir appreciates entry hazard support in order to net KOs with greater ease. For example, after Stealth Rock, Heatran is OHKOed by an unboosted Close Combat, and Slowbro is very likely to be OHKOed by a +2 Return. Landorus-T, Mamoswine, and Heatran are examples of Stealth Rock setters.

Moves Swords Dance boosts Mega Pinsir's damage output even further, allowing it to break past walls or attempt a sweep late-game. With Mega Pinsir's high Attack stat and an Aerilate and STAB boost, Return hits incredibly hard with no drawbacks. Even some Pokemon that resist Flying will have trouble switching in. Quick Attack is used to revenge kill faster foes and hits decently hard with the STAB and Aerilate boost. It can also be used to clean up weakened offensive teams in tandem with Swords Dance. Earthquake provides great coverage alongside Return, hitting Electric- and Steel-types that are not immune to Ground-type moves such as Cyclohm, Krilowatt, Magnezone, Kitsunoh, and Heatran super effectively. If running Mold Breaker, Pinsir can lure bulky Rotom-W and 2HKO it after Stealth Rock damage with Earthquake. Close Combat provides stronger coverage against Tyranitar and Colossoil while retaining decent coverage against most Electric- and Steel-types. Close Combat notably allows Mega Pinsir to break past weakened Rotom-W. However, running Close Combat over Earthquake makes Mega Pinsir much more susceptible to Cyclohm, which can tank a +2 Close Combat much more easily than a +2 Earthquake and then OHKO -1 Special Defense Mega Pinsir with Discharge. Additionally, Kitsunoh can switch in and burn Mega Pinsir. Set Details 252 Attack and Speed EVs allow Mega Pinsir to hit as hard and as fast as possible. A Jolly nature allows Mega Pinsir to make the best use of its base 105 Speed, outspeeding the crowded base 100 Speed tier and Speed tying with opposing Krilowatt. All three of Pinsir's abilities are situational, but each can prove to be beneficial under the right circumstances. Hyper Cutter prevents Intimidate users, such as Landorus-T, Mega Manectric, and Cawmodore, from switching in and lowering Pinsir's Attack on the turn it Mega Evolves. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to lure and 2HKO bulky Rotom-W with Earthquake after Stealth Rock. Moxie could be used, as it allows Pinsir to get an Attack boost before Mega Evolving by KOing a foe. However, this means that Pinsir will be forced to stay in its slower base forme for an extra turn, leaving it susceptible to foes it could've otherwise outsped if it had Mega Evolved. Usage Tips Mega Pinsir can be used to wallbreak early- to mid-game, but it's generally most effective as a late-game cleaner once its checks and counters have been sufficiently weakened. For example, some prior damage on physically defensive Cyclohm ensures that Mega Pinsir can KO it with +2 Earthquake. If Mega Pinsir is brought in while its checks and counters are still healthy, it's quite likely that your opponent will switch to them. You can use this opportunity to double switch to a teammate that will have an advantage over their Zapdos, Skarmory, or Rotom-W. Alternatively, Mega Pinsir can set up Swords Dance as a check or counter switches in and heavily weaken it with a +2 Return or coverage move, allowing a teammate like Talonflame to come in and finish them off. Try not to switch Mega Pinsir directly in too much, especially if Stealth Rock is up, as its longevity isn't that great. Ideally, it should be kept healthy so that it can set up Swords Dance more easily late-game. Team Options Other offensive Flying-types, such as Talonflame, Life Orb Tomohawk, and Cawmodore, make for good teammates, as they can wear down each other's similar checks and counters so that one may eventually sweep. Tomohawk and Latias can provide Healing Wish support, giving Mega Pinsir a second shot at setting up and sweeping if it has been heavily weakened. Rapid Spin or Defog support is crucial due to Mega Pinsir's Stealth Rock weakness, as it will have trouble coming in and setting up consistently otherwise. Colossoil is especially notable as a Rapid Spin user, as it can tank attacks from the faster Electric-types that Mega Pinsir fears, such as Mega Manectric and Thundurus. However, Latias, Latios, and Kitsunoh also make for good offensive Defog users. Bulky Ground-types such as tank Garchomp, Hippowdon, and bulky Landorus-T can tank Electric-type moves for Mega Pinsir, check Talonflame, and provide useful Stealth Rock support to help weaken the opposing team. Magnezone or Magneton can be used to trap and remove Skarmory, which Mega Pinsir struggles to get past on its own.

Moves Return is a strong STAB move that is great for inflicting a lot of damage to Grass-, Fighting-, and the occasional Bug-types. It even has the ability to OHKO a common VGC 2014 threat in 4 HP / 0 Def Mega Charizard Y. Adding to Pinsir's already stellar offensive power with Return, Close Combat is great for coverage against Rock-, Dark-, and Steel-types such as Tyranitar, Hydreigon, and Bisharp. However, Earthquake is another viable option for its coverage against Fire-types and Aegislash if you like being able to hit both of the opposing Pokemon hard. Priority STAB Quick Attack is useful for finishing off weakened Pokemon, while Feint allows Pinsir to bypass Protect while also allowing your partner to hit that target; STAB Feint can also act like Quick Attack in most situations as a way to finish off a weakened foe. However, Swords Dance can also be used in the third slot to give Pinsir a scary +2 Attack boost for a potential sweep of the opponent's entire team. Protect is a staple move in any Doubles metagame to disrupt double targeting and scout the opponent, and it allows your partner to take out a specific threat to Mega Pinsir while it is being shielded. Set Details 236 Speed EVs in tandem with a Jolly nature allow Pinsir to outspeed Jolly Garchomp and positive-nature base 100s. 52 HP EVs with 28 Defense EVs enable it to survive Jolly Garchomp's Rock Slide with one turn of Rough Skin damage or Adamant Mega Kangaskhan's Return. Furthermore, 52 HP / 4 SpD Pinsir survives a Fire Blast from Timid Salamence, and the remaining EVs are put into Attack for maximum offensive power. Usage Tips Mega Pinsir is useful for dealing a huge amount of damage early in the game, but it's helpful to save Pinsir for a late-game sweep, especially if there's a threat it can't take out, because it can be easily defeated by certain Pokemon. However, if there is a threat to Pinsir present and you decide to stay in, use Protect to scout the foes while enabling your partner to deal some damage or take out that threat. Utilize Feint to break through Protect, allowing your partner to inflict damage against the Pokemon that used it. Team Options Mega Pinsir is a great partner for Rotom-W, as Pinsir can take out Grass-type threats to it such as Venusaur, while Rotom-W takes out Fire- and Flying-type threats to Pinsir such as Talonflame. Pinsir loves Safeguard users, such as Meowstic-M and Klefki, because they prevent Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave, which cripple Pinsir's effectiveness. Pinsir likes Fake Out or Rage Powder support to enable it to set up Swords Dance and decimate the opponent. Rage Powder also redirects incoming super effective attacks to allow Pinsir to attack freely without worrying about taking a significant amount of damage. Finally, Wide Guard users such as Aegislash prevent Rock Slide and Heat Wave from hitting Pinsir.

Moves Swords Dance increases Mega Pinsir's Attack tremendously and makes Mega Pinsir a great sweeper and late-game cleaner. Return is Mega Pinsir's main STAB attack, as it is boosted by Aerilate. Close Combat lets Mega Pinsir hit Pokemon such as Heatran, Tyranitar, and other Rock- and Steel-type Pokemon. Quick Attack is used to make Mega Pinsir a revenge killer. It also helps Mega Pinsir avoid getting revenge killed by faster Pokemon such as Mega Gallade. Earthquake can be used over Close Combat to hit Doublade and Fire-type Pokemon such as Heatran, Torkoal, and Volcanion, although using Earthquake means Skarmory will easily wall Mega Pinsir. Set Details Maximum Attack EV investment lets Mega Pinsir hit as hard as possible. A Jolly nature with maximum Speed EVs is used to make it as fast as it can possibly be and to outspeed the crowded base 100 Speed tier. Moxie gives Mega Pinsir an Attack boost by KOing a low-HP foe through Quick Attack. Usage Tips Mega Pinsir is a great late-game sweeper and should generally be kept healthy until its checks and counters have been gotten rid of. Pinsir can be sent out against low-HP foes to get off the Mega Evolution safely or to get a Moxie boost. Quick Attack, in particular, lets Pinsir Mega Evolve safely against low-HP foes while KOing them. Mega Pinsir can set up with Swords Dance against non-super effective hits due to its decent bulk. Its ability to force switches can be used as a way to set up Swords Dance. Mega Pinsir can be used as an revenge killer thanks to its Aerilate-boosted Quick Attack. While it should generally wait until late-game to sweep, it can definitely still boost with Swords Dance early-game to gain wallbreaking power. This lets it weaken its checks for its later sweep. Pinsir's Mega Evolution can be delayed if there is Stealth Rock on the field or to take Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type moves better. However, Mega Pinsir has far better Speed than non-Mega Pinsir, so it may be best in some cases to Mega Evolve early to get that Speed increase. Even though Pinsir can revenge kill a low-HP foe and gain a Moxie boost, it's not something that should be relied upon or sought after too hard. Letting a check switch into Pinsir may be a risk not worth the potential Attack boost. As it is 4x weak to Stealth Rock, it should not be sent out while Stealth Rock is still in the field. Mega Pinsir should not be kept in against checks such as Skarmory and physically defensive Zapdos, and it should avoid Pokemon that can use status moves, because even if it sets up on them, being hit by status can be sweep ending. Team Options As it is severely weak to Stealth Rock after Mega Evolution, some form of entry hazard control is definitely a must. Forretress works as a Rapid Spin user while also being able to set up its own Stealth Rock and even Spikes. Forretress can also use Volt Switch to pivot out for Mega Pinsir and Explosion to weaken Pokemon for Mega Pinsir. Armaldo can be used over Forretress, as Armaldo too can Rapid Spin and set up its own Stealth Rock while being able to beat Pokemon like Zapdos on Flying-type teams with its Rock-type STAB moves. Galvantula can set up Sticky Web for Mega Pinsir, which lowers the Speed of opposing grounded foes. This lets Pinsir use an Adamant nature and also outspeed Pokemon such as Cobalion and Weavile after the Speed drop. If used with Jolly-natured Mega Pinsir, it can outspeed Choice Scarf base 100 Speed Pokemon, which is an important reason to still use Jolly over an Adamant nature, as being outsped by Choice Scarf Victini can be problematic. Galvantula also beats Skarmory, which would normally wall Mega Pinsir. Heracross is an excellent partner for Mega Pinsir, as both of them act as sweepers. This lets either Mega Pinsir or Heracross weaken their shared checks so that the other one can clean up late-game. Heracross also takes off pressure from Mega Pinsir against defensive Pokemon. Volcarona and Mega Pinsir work great together, as Volcarona can get rid of Skarmory for Mega Pinsir, while Mega Pinsir can get rid of Heatran for Volcarona. Scizor is another great partner for Mega Pinsir, as it can pivot with U-turn and find opportunities to bring in Mega Pinsir safely while also weakening the foe. Scizor also helps against Rock-types such as Terrakion, Mega Diancie, and Mega Aerodactyl, which would normally trouble Mega Pinsir.

Pinsir's decent Speed, excellent Attack, and great coverage moves make it an effective revenge killer when holding a Choice Scarf. It can OHKO many of RU's most popular sweepers, including Kabutops, Sceptile, Entei, Cinccino, Sigilyph, and Moltres, and its solid Defense allows it to survive powerful priority attacks, including Choice Band Entei's Extreme Speed and +2 Life Orb Kabutops's Aqua Jet. Moxie is the cherry on top of this set, allowing Pinsir to put heavy pressure on the opponent and potentially achieve a late-game sweep. However, beware of focusing too much on trying to get a Moxie sweep. Without a boosting item or the ability to switch moves, Pinsir is quite easy to wall, even at +1, so it usually won't have any shot at sweeping until late in the game when the opponent's team is significantly weakened. This can make it tempting to try to keep Pinsir healthy for the end of the match in order to achieve that sweep. Unfortunately, no matter how healthy it is, there will be many matches when Pinsir simply won't be able to sweep, so keeping it in reserve all match will result in a wasted teamslot and put you at a disadvantage. If your opponent's team looks particularly vulnerable to a Pinsir sweep, go for it, but otherwise you should play Pinsir like any other revenge killer: send it out whenever you need to KO or force out a dangerous opponent. 240 Speed EVs allow Pinsir to outspeed +1 Modest Magmortar and +2 Adamant Aggron. The 16 HP EVs actually do serve a useful purpose: they guarantee that Pinsir will survive a super effective Hidden Power from Life Orb Sceptile if it hasn't taken any previous damage, meaning Pinsir can revenge kill Sceptile even if Sceptile has a Substitute up. Pinsir needs an Adamant nature to consistently get the KOs it should; Entei, Sigilyph, and Emboar will usually survive a hit from Jolly Pinsir even after Stealth Rock, but all three will usually fall to Adamant Pinsir. You should only consider using Jolly if you have multiple layers of hazards to make up for the loss of power and you need Pinsir to outspeed Accelgor and positive-nature +1 base 80 Speed Pokemon, such as Jolly Choice Scarf Medicham and Jolly Weak Armor Kabutops. Speaking of Kabutops, it is an excellent partner for this set. As a revenge killer, Pinsir will want to switch in several times during the match without being crippled by Stealth Rock damage; Kabutops can reliably spin away hazards and has great synergy with Pinsir. Poliwrath is a hard stop to both Pinsir and Kabutops, so make sure you bring something that can beat it, such as Rotom, Sigilyph, or Uxie.

The market for Swords Dance in RU might seem crowded, but Pinsir has plenty of perks that make it a lethal boosting sweeper. Above-average Speed gives Pinsir the advantage against the popular base 80 Speed group, and a solid Defense stat allows it to brush off most priority moves. Bug typing, despite all its defensive disadvantages, is a blessing offensively, as STAB X-Scissor slices through many of RU's top defensive Pokemon, including Tangrowth, Slowking, and Uxie. Earthquake is the coverage move that RU's other Bug-types wish they had, giving Pinsir super effective coverage against Qwilfish, Steelix, and Rhydon. The true magic of this set, however, is the combination of Quick Attack and Moxie. For most Pokemon, non-STAB Quick Attack is dismissed as too weak to be useful, but with Moxie, it becomes an excellent defense against revenge killers and is the key to Pinsir's success. After a Swords Dance boost, Pinsir can OHKO most of RU's best walls with X-Scissor or Earthquake. With Moxie kicking in and boosting Pinsir to +3, Quick Attack becomes powerful enough to OHKO most potential revenge killers with hazard support. Once it reaches +3, the list of Pokemon that can stop Pinsir from sweeping is short: Aerodactyl, Archeops, Durant, Emboar (with a Choice Scarf), Entei, Misdreavus, Quagsire, and Rotom. Unless your opponent has one of those Pokemon healthy, the game is over. Of course, the real trick is getting to +3 in the first place. Pinsir's best chance at setting up is by forcing out slow Pokemon like Slowking and Lanturn. Against fast offensive teams, Pinsir probably won't have the opportunity to set up and is unlikely to single-handedly 6-0 your opponent's team. However, it still has value in offensive match-ups thanks to its Speed, power, and access to priority. Pinsir can OHKO Kabutops attempting to spin or pick off weakened Cinccino and Manectric with Quick Attack, and although a single Moxie boost usually won't be enough to sweep, it does put a lot of pressure on your opponent to play conservatively and predictably to avoid giving Pinsir the opportunity to pick up any more boosts. Here are some damage calculations showing how difficult Pinsir can be to wall at +2 and to revenge kill at +3: +2 X-Scissor vs. 252/252+ Tangrowth 110.6 - 131.2% +2 X-Scissor vs. 252/88 Amoonguss 99.5 - 117.6% +2 X-Scissor vs. 252/124 Druddigon 96.9 - 114.2% +1 Earthquake vs. 252/240+ Qwilfish 119.2 - 140.1% +2 Earthquake vs. 88/0 Eviolite Rhydon 92.8 - 109.4% (94% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock) +2 Earthquake vs. 248/0 Escavalier 84.5 - 99.7% (75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock) +2 Earthquake vs. 252/220+ Steelix 74.9 - 89% (31% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Absol 83.8 - 98.9% (75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Galvantula 80.8 - 95.4% (OHKO after Stealth Rock) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Manectric 80.8 - 95.4% (56% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Moltres 51.4 - 60.7% (OHKO after Stealth Rock) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Cinccino 78 - 92.1% (OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Sceptile 75.8 - 89.7% (94% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes) +3 Quick Attack vs. 0/4 Typhlosion 62.3 - 73.4% (69% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes) Life Orb and an Adamant nature might sound like overkill at first, given that Pinsir will be boosting its Attack with Swords Dance and Moxie, but a look at the calculations above reveals that Pinsir really does need all the power it can get. Switching to a Lum Berry or a Jolly nature makes many of those OHKOs disappear, and if Pinsir can't OHKO its initial switch-in or potential revenge killer, its sweep will end before it begins. Luckily, Kabutops and Gallade usually run Adamant natures, so Adamant Pinsir will still outspeed them, although it will unfortunately miss out on beating Smeargle and Timid Mesprit. Stone Edge is a tempting move to add to this set in order to hit Pokemon such as Aerodactyl, Moltres, and Rotom, but most of its potential targets are faster than Pinsir, so it wouldn't prevent them from stopping Pinsir's sweep; it's certainly not worth giving up Earthquake's coverage against physical walls or Quick Attack's priority. Close Combat would normally be an appealing alternative to Earthquake, but sadly it is illegal with Quick Attack, so it is not recommended on this set. As the calculations above show, Pinsir relies heavily on entry hazard support. Stealth Rock is absolutely essential for wearing down Moltres and Pinsir's other Fire- and Flying-type checks, but Spikes are also very valuable, especially for bringing faster Pokemon into Quick Attack's range. If you can consistently get multiple layers of Spikes up, that extra damage can also make up for the power loss if you choose to use a Jolly nature. Qwilfish is a fantastic teammate for Pinsir, as it can set up Spikes, spread paralysis to help Pinsir beat faster Pokemon that Quick Attack can't OHKO, and check most of the Pokemon that give Pinsir trouble. Uxie and Druddigon are also good teammates that can spread paralysis to additional targets and set up Stealth Rock. Spiritomb and Escavalier provide helpful Pursuit support to take out opposing Rotom, Misdreavus, and Mesprit. Finally, Pinsir greatly appreciates Rapid Spin support. It isn't strictly necessary, as Pinsir should ideally only need to switch in one time per match to sweep, but Kabutops has excellent synergy with Pinsir, so it's usually worth including.

Pinsir makes good use of Choice items thanks to his great Attack and decent Speed stats, similarly to Choice Heracross in OU. X-Scissor is again Pinsir's STAB move of choice, hitting Psychic- and Grass-types such as Slowbro, Uxie, Tangrowth, and Leafeon extremely hard. Earthquake and Stone Edge form the infamous EdgeQuake combo, which gives Pinsir almost perfect coverage with only two moves. Earthquake benefits from Mold Breaker, as it negates Levitate. Finally, Close Combat hits Rock- and Steel-types, such as Registeel, Regirock, and Rhyperior, harder than Earthquake can, 2HKOing all of the aforementioned foes. Pinsir becomes much harder to revenge kill when holding a Choice Scarf, while a Choice Band makes him much more powerful. An Adamant nature is generally better when running Choice Scarf, while a Jolly nature is preferable when Choice Band is Pinsir's item. Jolly can also be used with Choice Scarf to outspeed base 80 Speed Choice Scarf users with a +Spe nature, such as Blaziken. As this set will be utilizing Earthquake, Mold Breaker is the main ability, but Hyper Cutter can be used instead to stop Intimidate from lowering Pinsir's Attack stat. Quick Attack can also be used, especially with Choice Band, as it allows Pinsir to hit frail sweepers such as Alakazam and Swellow quite hard before they manage to hit him. It's illegal with Close Combat, though. Rapid Spin support is mandatory for Pinsir, and this set is not an exception. Stealth Rock support is also important, as it facilitates Pinsir's job. Claydol, Kabutops, and Donphan can provide both quite reliably. Pokemon such as Blaziken, Primeape, Rhyperior, and Donphan who appreciate Choice Scarf Pinsir's ability to get rid of frail sweepers like Alakazam and Sceptile are good partners, too. With Rapid Spin support, using Scyther and Pinsir in the same team is a viable strategy, as they can both break down each other's counters pretty effectively. Scyther can OHKO the Fighting-type Pokemon who trouble Pinsir, while Pinsir has a very strong Close Combat to deal with Rock- and Steel-types.

This set takes advantage of Pinsir's tremendous Attack stat by using Swords Dance to boost it to a whopping 698, which is enough to allow Pinsir to OHKO or 2HKO the entire metagame with his great coverage. X-Scissor is Pinsir's main attack, destroying almost every Pokemon who doesn't resist it. Close Combat hits Rock- and Steel-types for super effective damage, while Earthquake is also a viable option over Close Combat. Thanks to Mold Breaker, Earthquake even hits Pokemon with the ability Levitate, most importantly Rotom and Weezing, who would wall Pinsir otherwise. Close Combat is still usually the preferred option, as it's stronger and has a great chance of OHKOing 252 HP / 252 Def Impish Registeel after a Swords Dance boost (it always OHKOes after Stealth Rock damage if Registeel switches in on it). Finally, Stone Edge destroys Altaria, Articuno, and Moltres, who would otherwise wall Pinsir. The EV spread maximizes Pinsir's Attack and Speed. An Adamant nature can be used to give Pinsir more power, but Pinsir really needs the Jolly nature to outspeed base 80 Speed Pokemon such as Venusaur, Blaziken, and Kabutops. The choice of ability depends on the attacks you use. If you use Close Combat, Hyper Cutter is usually the better choice, since it makes Pinsir immune to Intimidate. If you use Earthquake, Mold Breaker is better as it allows Pinsir to attack Levitating foes with Earthquake. Mold Breaker is also viable without Earthquake, as it lets Pinsir hit Rhyperior harder with Close Combat, bypassing the aforementioned Pokemon's Solid Rock ability. It should be noted that this variant of Pinsir is easily revenge killed by Fire-types and Swellow. For this reason, a defensive Rock-type Pokemon, such as Regirock, is a great partner for this Pinsir, as it can beat most Fire- and Flying-type Pokemon due to his good defenses and access to STAB Stone Edge. Dugtrio is also a good teammate, as he can trap and KO Fire-, Rock-, and Steel-type foes who would otherwise cause problems for Pinsir. This set really appreciates paralysis support since it allows Pinsir to beat some powerful, fast sweepers who would otherwise stop him in his tracks. Bulky Fighting-types, such as Hitmontop and Hariyama, can put a sudden halt to Pinsir's sweep. Hariyama can to phaze Pinsir and remove his Swords Dance boosts. If Pinsir does not have the ability Hyper Cutter, then Hitmontop can Intimidate him and threaten with Stone Edge. As such, Psychic-types such as Uxie, Slowbro, and Espeon are great partners for Pinsir, as they can take care of those pesky Fighting-types with their STAB Psychic. Weezing and Spiritomb are also great choices, but Spiritomb must be wary of Foresight Hitmontop.

Pinsir can work as an effective anti-lead against many common UU leads by balancing considerable attack power with decent physical bulk and Speed. This set makes great use of one of the only moves not shared by Pinsir and his little brother Heracross: Stealth Rock. Although Stealth Rock is an important tool for almost all teams, in this set it takes a back seat to attempting to KO the opposing lead. X-Scissor is another move that Pinsir has that Heracross does not, and although it sacrifices a massive amount of power compared to Heracross's Megahorn, it boasts perfect accuracy, which is especially important at the start of the game. X-Scissor is very useful for Pinsir, allowing him to 2HKO Uxie and Mesprit while also scoring powerful hits on Alakazam, Ambipom, and Electrode. Alakazam and Electrode can then be disposed of with Quick Attack, the third competitive move that Heracross does not have. Unfortunately, Adamant X-Scissor + Quick Attack only has an average shot to 2HKO Ambipom, and Pinsir will also lose to Life Orb-boosted Fake Out + Return. Close Combat is another good tool for Pinsir to use, since it can easily OHKO Ambipom. It is also useful to hit Cloyster, Rhyperior, Registeel, and Steelix for super effective damage. However, it is illegal with Quick Attack, so you should think carefully before using it. Hence, Close Combat pairs well with Stone Edge to hit Flying- and Fire-types, and Quick Attack pairs well with Earthquake to beat Rock-, Steel-, and Poison-types. As Pinsir has many options for covering different threats, this set has a great deal of customizability. Generally speaking, a Jolly nature is most useful if you want to get Stealth Rock up reliably, as it allows you to outrun Modest Moltres, as well as Timid Venusaur and Mesprit, and also gives you more utility mid-game. However, an Adamant nature can also be useful in order to more easily obtain vital KOs against such bulky threats as Kabutops and Omastar. There are four moves that can be used in your two attacking move slots, and almost any combination of moves and nature is usable depending on the foes you wish to prioritize on beating. Stone Edge is effective against several Pokemon who wall Pinsir otherwise, most importantly Moltres. It is also a powerful weapon against Arcanine, usually OHKOing after Flare Blitz recoil, and can 2HKO suicide lead Cloyster. The only real problem with it is its low accuracy. Earthquake provides much of the same coverage as Close Combat, albeit with less power. However, it gives Pinsir a better chance than Close Combat at taking on some lesser-seen leads, such as Qwilfish, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen. Earthquake also has a lot of mid-game utility in hitting Rotom, Weezing, and Mismagius. However, it cannot 2HKO bulky Omastar with Leftovers. It is not advisable to use a combination of Close Combat + Earthquake due to overlapping coverage, and Close Combat + Quick Attack is illegal, but any other legal combination of these four moves is usable. However, any combination lacking Quick Attack is beaten by faster offensive leads such as Alakazam, any combination lacking Close Combat loses to dedicated Spikes leads such as bulky Omastar and Cloyster, any combination lacking Stone Edge loses to Moltres and other Flying-types, and any combination lacking Earthquake loses to Qwilfish and other Poison-types. Generally speaking, Jolly Pinsir should use Close Combat + Stone Edge as this provides the best balance between sheer power and coverage, and as such is most useful both early- and late-game. However, for an Adamant Pinsir, Earthquake + Quick Attack is usually better, since this allows Pinsir to better take advantage of its extra power. Lastly, although Close Combat is illegal with Quick Attack, Superpower is not, and can allow Pinsir to beat Kabutops with greater ease. However, it will leave him as setup fodder for just about everything else. Focus Sash is usually the best item, preventing Pinsir from being OHKOed by the likes of Moltres and Kabutops. Lum Berry can also be useful to avoid Uxie's Thunder Wave and Yawn. Mold Breaker is the most useful ability, though Hyper Cutter will negate Arcanine's Intimidate. The EVs and nature generate maximum Attack, allowing Pinsir to deal as much damage as possible to the opposing team. The Speed stat is also maximized, allowing him to outrun most lead Arcanine and Kabutops. The 4 leftover EVs go in Defense rather than in HP in order to give Pinsir five switches into Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock benefits all kinds of teams, but this Pinsir will usually work best on pure or bulky offense teams. You should also note that if Pinsir lacks Close Combat, bulky lead Omastar or Cloyster can set up two layers of Spikes against him, so you should also carry a Rapid Spinner. Rapid Spinners are also helpful to remove Stealth Rock from the field, which will badly hurt Pinsir if you save him for later in the battle. Good partners on offensive teams include Pokemon who benefit from early-game Stealth Rock, such as Blaziken and Venusaur. Neither of these enjoy taking the Rock-type attacks aimed at Pinsir though, so tread carefully. In an offensive role, Pinsir's greatest joy is in beating down slower Psychic- and Dark-types such as Slowbro and Uxie; thus, he makes a good partner to Fighting-types such as Hitmontop, who in return can Rapid Spin away Stealth Rock for Pinsir. Fast Psychic-types such as Alakazam also make good partners since they are able to strike down Fighting- and Poison-types. Lastly, bulky Water-types such as Milotic can be helpful to deal with Fire- and Rock-type Pokemon, as well as helping to some extent against Swellow and other fast Flying-types who give Pinsir problems.

Other Options: Submission, Body Slam