http://veekun.com/dex/pokemon/pineco
[Overview]
- Awesome defense and nice HP
- Good ability in Sturdy, which helps it in Rapid Spinning or setting up entry hazards
- Good support movepool
- Explosion's power was halved this gen, making it a less attractive option
- Hates taunt users since taunt prevents it from setting up entry hazards
- Pineco faces competition with Tesshiido, which is bulkier, and has access to Spikes and Stealth Rock alongside a better defensive typing, but cannot use Rapid Spin
name: Rapid Spinner
move 1: Rapid Spin
move 2: Stealth Rock / Spikes
move 3: Payback / Explosion
move 4: Bug Bite
item: Evolution Stone / Oran Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 196 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Set Description:
- Takes advantage of Pineco's great physical bulk, and support options
- Sturdy acts like an automatic Focus Sash, and helps Pineco do its job
- Rather than going with one of Stealth Rock and Spikes two could be opted for, but this would leave Pineco weak to ghosts, which resist Bug Bite and blocks Rapid Spin
- With an Evolution Stone, Pineco's gets 24HP / 28 Def / 15 SpD, making it quite bulky
- Protect is an option for scouting
- Toxic Spikes is an option in place of one of the moves
- Sweepers who like entry hazards to turn 2HKOs to OHKOes are best partners for Pineco
- Of these, Fire types such as Ponyta, Meraruba, Hitomoshi and Houndour that can absorb Fire type attacks for Pineco deserve mention
- Houndour is a great teammate, as it can switch in to a Fire attack for free, and can also kill most ghosts, which act as spin blockers. However, it cannot handle Pururiru which can kill Houndour with Boiling Water.
- Because of its rather poor Special Defense, special walls like Munchlax deserve mention, to take special attacks aimed at Pineco, while Pineco can take Physical attacks for Munchlax
name: Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Spikes / Toxic Spikes
move 3: Protect / Explosion
move 4: Bug Bite
item: Evolution Stone / Oran Berry
ability: Sturdy
nature: Impish
evs: 196 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Set comments:
- Pineco is a good lead, with great physical bulk and good support options in Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and Sturdy now acting as a pseudo Focus Sash
- Protect is a good option over Explosion, as it can block Fake Out, which can break its pseudo-sash
- Bug Bite can give Pineco an Oran Berry to recover health
- The EVs maximize Pineco's defensive bulk, while the attack investment is to slightly increase the power of its attacks
- Specially based Pokemon with super effective attacks like Houndour can easily make short work of it by their powerful STAB moves, but can't stop it from setting up one of Stealth Rock and Spikes
- Reflect and Light Screen are possible options, but Bronzor with its better bulk and better typing can do that job better
- Most sweepers are good partners as they benefit from entry hazards
- Carvanha can switch in on a Fire type attack, and easily KO Fire types
- Houndour can also switch in on a Fire attack, and get its own Fire attacks boosted
- As mentioned earlier, Fire types or bulky Water types are great partners. Of these, Houndour is particularly useful as it can switch in for free in a Fire type attack and can also eliminate Ghosts with Dark type attacks
- Because its special stats are somewhat lacking, it works well in combination with special tanks like Munchlax and Pururiru
- Pairs well with sweepers who appreciate entry hazards
- Reflect and Light Screen are option in the Lead set, but Natu or Bronzor does this job better
- Earthquake can be used to damage Fire types, but it gets walled by Misdreavus and Gastly who can set up and attempt a sweep
- Pineco has access to Gravity, which could be used to make Spikes affect more Pokemon, and provide team support
- Since its a supporter, it doesn't have any real "counter" technically
- Ghosts like Gastly, Misdreavus, Pururiru, Hitomoshi and Desumasu can block Pineco's Rapid Spin, while also boasting resistance to its STAB attack
- Aron can dispose of Pineco with Head Smash, but won't be able to prevent it from setting up Stealth Rock or Spinning
- Monmon with its priority Taunt is something that can almost put an end to Pineco which relies on setting up entry hazards
- Natu laughs at it if its ability Magic Mirror, and can reflect Spikes and Stealth Rock back at you
- Pineco gets Overcoat from Dream World, which while preventing damage from Hail and Sandstorm, isn't particularly useful.
