Type - Electric
Base Stats - 48 HP / 101 Atk / 95 Def / 91 SAtk / 85 SDef / 15 Spe
Abilities- Lightning Rod / Electric Surge (HA)
Moveset
Level Up:
Peck
Thunder Shock
Water Gun
Charge
Fury Attack
Spark
Bubble Beam
Recover
Curse
Electric Terrain
Poison Jab
Zing Zap
Accupressure
Discharge
TMs
Pin Missile
Thunder Wave
Self-Destruct
Rest
Snore
Protect
Attract
Rain Dance
Facade
Brine
Payback
Assurance
Venoshock
Round
Hex
Electric Terrain
TRs
Hydro Pump
Surf
Thunderbolt
Thunder
Substitute
Reversal
Spikes
Endure
Sleep Talk
Muddy Water
Toxic Spikes
Poison Jab
Scald
Venom Drench
Throat Chop
Liquidation
Egg Moves
Memento
Sucker Punch
Peck
Thunder Shock
Water Gun
Charge
Fury Attack
Spark
Bubble Beam
Recover
Curse
Electric Terrain
Poison Jab
Zing Zap
Accupressure
Discharge
TMs
Pin Missile
Thunder Wave
Self-Destruct
Rest
Snore
Protect
Attract
Rain Dance
Facade
Brine
Payback
Assurance
Venoshock
Round
Hex
Electric Terrain
TRs
Hydro Pump
Surf
Thunderbolt
Thunder
Substitute
Reversal
Spikes
Endure
Sleep Talk
Muddy Water
Toxic Spikes
Poison Jab
Scald
Venom Drench
Throat Chop
Liquidation
Egg Moves
Memento
Sucker Punch
Notable Moves-
Physical: Zing Zap, Liquidation, Throat Chop, Poison Jab, Sucker Punch, Self-Destruct
Special: Discharge, Thunderbolt, Scald, Hydro Pump, Hex, Venoshock
Status: Recover, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Memento, Curse
Pros-
- Exclusive access to the meta-defining Electric Surge, which provides unparalleled support for some of the game's biggest threats, most importantly Hawlucha
- Amazing support movepool including both Spikes, reliable recovery, Scald and Memento are great for its support role
- An alright offensive movepool to back up its respectable offenses, which are further augmented by Electric Terrain, lets it exert a respectable offensive presence from either end
- Has a positive matchup against tier staples like Corviknight and Toxapex
Cons-
- Below average bulk means Pincurchin struggles to make consistent use of its defensive tools over the duration of a battle
- Dreadful Speed holds its offensive potential back
- Walled by Ferrothorn almost entirely, regardless of offensive set and has a similar issue with most Dragon-types
- Pure Electric leaves a bit to be desired both offensively and defensively
- Will compete heavily (and generally lose) with Rillaboom for Hawlucha supporter once its HA is released
Dynamax Potential-
Pincurchin is a bad Dynamax user. Its STAB attempts to set up the terrain Pincurchin already provides, while Poison Jab boosting Sp.Atk isn't useful for the Physical sets the move is found on. Its main possible functionality is setting up Rain with its Water move of choice, but generally you should save your Dynamax for a teammate (Hawlucha).
Potential Movesets
Defensive
Pincurchin @ Leftovers
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Def / 176 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Discharge
- Scald
- Spikes
- Recover
This set is probably the most viable Pincurchin set for most teams. Its main goal is to come in on defensive Pokemon, comfortably cushion their hits, spread status and set up its choice of Spike while providing its team with Terrain. Discharge boosted by Electric Terrain has respectable power despite the lack of investment, 2HKOing any Toxapex variant. Scald deters Ground-types and lets Pincurchin deal with physical attackers much better if it gets the burn. The provided spread squeezes as much as possible out of Pincurchin's bulk versus defensive staples- the defense lets it reliably avoid a 2HKO from Ferrothorn's Power Whip after Stealth Rock, while the Sp.Def does the same for Rotom-Wash's uninvested Hydro Pump. Its bulk also lets it avoid an OHKO from Hippowdon's Earthquake after Rocks and sand, or a 2HKO with a Scald burn. Lowered Speed lets Pincurchin provide a valuable role as a revenge killer against Trick Room teams and it doesn't really need the stat anyway.
Physical TR Sweeper
Pincurchin @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Zing Zap
- Liquidation
- Throat Chop / Poison Jab
- Sucker Punch / Self-Destruct
Pincurchin's abyssmal Speed can be turned into an advantage with Trick Room, where its Zing Zaps further boosted by Life Orb are actually quite threatening. Liquidation is an obvious pick. Throat Chop is Pincurchin's best way to hit Dragapult and Ferrothorn, while Poison Jab covers other niche Grass-types like the Applin evos and Eldegoss better. Sucker Punch rounds out the set by giving it a chance to deal damage when Trick Room isn't active whereas Self-Destruct provides momentum and a solid neutral nuke. It hits a hilariously slow 31 Speed at minimum, tying standard Stakataka from the last gen and guaranteeing that nothing relevant will move before it. Recommended for the sharp player who's surchin for something new on their Trick Room.
Special TR Sweeper
Pincurchin @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt / Discharge
- Hydro Pump
- Hex
- Venoshock
Before you take a jab at this set, give it a chance- it may shock you! Well, hopefully it'll shock your opponent This one is a lot more reliant on team support than the physical TR set due to needing poison spread around, but given said support it has potential to be extremely threatening with two 130bp coverage options and even the potential to use Max Ooze for some boosts that stack with terrain. Cofagrigus stands out as a great teammate, providing Trick Room and Toxic Spikes in a single slot.
Pincurchin has a few other niche options, such as an Endure + Salac Berry + Self-Destruct hazard lead, Memento to better support a Hawlucha sweep, and a Curse set. It may not be a defining metagame star, but only a sucker would sleep on Pincurchin. Give it a try!
sorry for any formatting issues it's 2am and I'm writing this up on phone lol any pincurchin fans itt?
