Close Combat isn't really needed in UU, so Quick Attack becomes a decent option to bring down faster enemies, if they have been sufficiently weakened. Either of Pinsir's abilities are very useful here. Mold Breaker gives you a good chance at 2HKOing Rhyperior with Close Combat, and lets you hit Weezing, Bronzong, Gengar and Rotom with Earthquake. Hyper Cutter means any incoming Gyarados, Salamence, or Arcanine will eat a full powered Stone Edge, as their Intimidate fails to sap Pinsir's attack power. Obviously this will work if you switch from Choice Band to Choice Scarf, as Pinsir has rather average Speed. Switch to an Adamant nature if you're using Choice Scarf.
Earthquake is recommended over Close Combat, or Pinsir will get walled by Toxicroak, Nidoking and Nidoqueen. Once again, both abilities have their merits, although Mold Breaker is generally the better option in UU as Intimidate isn't as common, and a well predicted Earthquake will finish Rotom off, so he doesn't get in the way of a sweep later in the game.
Swords Dance if you can, and Substitute/Endure to <4% health, thus maximizing the power of Flail. The drawbacks are that Pinsir lacks both STAB on Flail and something to reliably kill Ghost Pokémon. However thanks to Mold Breaker, Earthquake will easily kill off Rotom, and Banette and Froslass both die to it if Pinsir has a Swords Dance under its belt. Drifblim will wall Flail / Earthquake, but if you switch to Stone Edge to cover him, you're left helpless against every Steel type and Golem. In other words, stick with Earthquake and get the ghostly balloon out of the way with Pursuit before you attempt a sweep. Other OptionsPinsir's movepool does not give you much to work with, but at least now it can run a full moveset of useful attacks. Faint Attack is Pinsir's only attack to hit Ghosts super effectively, but its rather weak base power makes it a poor option. Besides, most Ghosts can be taken off with repeated hits from Earthquake or Stone Edge. He can set up Stealth Rock, but that's better left to more defensive Pokemon. Besides the novelty options of a Thief/Fling combination, every other useful option has been covered. EVsAs with most offensive physical Pokémon, you should be looking to maximize Pinsir's attack. Max Speed with a Jolly nature is recommended for Choice Band and Swords Dance, Adamant for Salac and Choice Scarf sets. If you want more HP, then you can drop Pinsir's Speed down to 270 (Jolly, 160 EVs) to outrun those in his base Speed group who don't use boosting natures, or 275 (Jolly, 176 EVs) to outrun max Speed Absol. Dump the remaining EVs into HP. OpinionPinsir always existed in Heracross' shadow and so it remains. Its unhelpful weakness to Rock means Stealth Rock deals a nasty 25% every time you switch in. Both gained Close Combat this generation, but crucially Heracross gets STAB. However, that 100 base Defense allows Pinsir to take Earthquake and Fighting attacks better. Hitting Gengar and Weezing with Earthquake, or Salamence and Gyarados with a full powered Stone Edge do give Pinsir some advantages over Heracross in OU, but they aren't enough to make him a recommended choice over his fellow Bug type. However, in UU where Heracross is absent, Pinsir is a very effective sweeper. CountersIn OU, Pinsir is not getting past Skarmory or Gliscor any time soon. Dusknoir makes a decent switch in as well. Weezing can take Hyper Cutter versions on, but a Mold Breaker Pinsir can bypass Levitate and Earthquake him. In UU, Pinsir is more dangerous. Toxicroak, Nidoking and Nidoqueen can take on any variants without Earthquake. A defensive Hitmontop can take X-Scissor and Stone Edge and hit back with Stone Edge of its own - Hyper Cutter stops Intimidate, though, and CB Pinsir will 2HKO with Close Combat unless Hitmontop has at least 308 Defense. Rotom won't enjoy switching into CB Stone Edge and is easily killed by a Mold Breaker Earthquake, however he does outrun Pinsir and can cripple him with a burn from Will-o-Wisp. Drifblim can switch into anything barring Stone Edge. |
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