[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir is one of the only notable offensive Bug-types in the tier, possessing a high Attack stat alongside good coverage and Swords Dance, as well as good offensive abilities in Mold Breaker and Moxie: the former allows Pinsir to bypass Levitate and Unaware, making it trickier to check, and also allows Stealth Rock Pinsir to disrupt any team reliant on Xatu for entry hazard control, whereas the latter grants Pinsir snowballing potential. However, Pinsir's Speed is only decent, and its typing gives it weaknesses to all entry hazards and no useful resistances; moreover, while it has the bulk to take some Fighting-type attacks, Pinsir cannot do much to Fighting-types in return. This means Pinsir is more of a glass cannon than it appears to be at first. The Base Power of Pinsir's attacks can also leave a bit to be desired, with its best attack in STAB X-Scissor having only a mediocre 80 Base Power, much lower than that of the STAB moves of most other common attacking types such as Fighting, Flying, and Normal.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker / Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Pinsir's Attack, allowing it to OHKO a far greater number of targets. X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack. Earthquake hits Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker; it also nails Garbodor, whose Rocky Helmet and Aftermath strongly dissuade Pinsir from freely using X-Scissor. Stone Edge hits bulky Flying-types, such as Rotom-S, Scyther, and Pelipper. Quick Attack helps pick off weakened faster Pokemon, especially after a Swords Dance boost, and can easily activate Moxie.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's sweeping prowess. A Jolly nature allows Pinsir to Speed tie with positive-natured Sawk and Articuno, as well as outrun positive-natured Kabutops, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Mesprit plus Adamant Kangaskhan, improving Pinsir's odds of preserving its sweep. An Adamant nature can be used to give Pinsir as much power as possible if Speed tying or outrunning those threats is not as much of a concern. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to bypass abilities like Levitate and Unaware, meaning the likes of Rotom, Weezing, and Quagsire no longer become huge issues. Moxie, on the other hand, can let Pinsir steamroll teams as it snowballs into a sweep with each KO, and it is more useful when paired with Quick Attack. Life Orb gives Pinsir a significant boost in power to OHKO most bulky Pokemon after a boost, though Lum Berry helps Pinsir sets up safely against status users such as Weezing, defensive Mesprit, and Scald users such as Lanturn, Pelipper, and Mantine.
Usage Tips
========
Pinsir can break through most bulky cores without much difficulty after a boost thanks to its impressive neutral coverage. However, finding an opportunity to set up Swords Dance safely is not easy, as Pinsir does not have the best bulk and typing to facilitate this. Slower Psychic- and Grass-types, such as Shiftry, Mesprit, Musharna, Malamar, Ludicolo, and Claydol make for the best opportunities to use Swords Dance, as they will usually switch out of fear of Pinsir's strong X-Scissor. Be warned that Pinsir risks taking significant damage or getting crippled by status should they not switch, so you can keep the opponent on edge by attacking immediately. Pinsir should only really aim to use Swords Dance when pitted against bulkier teams; against faster teams, Pinsir is usually better off throwing out attacks, as its hard-earned Attack boosts can get nullified prematurely by a revenge killer. However, Quick Attack can help improve Pinsir's matchup against offensive teams, especially if they lack a fast switch-in to Normal-type moves such as Rotom or Archeops.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Sawk and Primeape make for good offensive partners, as Pinsir commonly lures and weakens Poison-types while also breaking Psychic-types for them; Stone Edge Pinsir also eliminates Flying-types for them. While Hariyama isn't quite fast enough to make as good use of Pinsir's hole punching abilities, it does offer a switch-in to Fire-type moves for Pinsir by virtue of its ability, Thick Fat, protecting Pinsir from the likes of Pyroar and Speed Boost Combusken. Both Pinsir and Fighting-types share a Flying-type weakness, so that must be remedied. Rhydon covers all of Pinsir's weaknesses and makes for a powerful offensive partner due to Pinsir's ability to crack open the likes of Weezing and Quagsire. Steelix doesn't offer as much defensive synergy or offensive presence as Rhydon, but it does easily handle Mega Audino. Rotom and Rotom-S both tackle Flying-types, can provide Volt Switch support to bring Pinsir into its intended targets more easily, and can handle the bulky Flying-types that Quick Attack Pinsir would struggle to beat.
Pinsir mainly preys on bulkier teams, so teammates should be able to take on offensive teams on its behalf. The likes of Sceptile, Swellow, Tauros, Pyroar, Kangaskhan, Combusken, and Klinklang can take on most faster foes for Pinsir and, in turn, appreciate Pinsir softening up their checks. While it's not mandatory, Pinsir appreciates entry hazard control from the likes of Xatu, Claydol, Hitmonchan, and Pelipper to not get worn down quickly and also facilitate easier boosting opportunities.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Close Combat
item: Choice Band
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack and shreds bulky Psychic-types such as Musharna, Malamar, and Mesprit. Earthquake targets Poison-, Fire-, and Steel-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker. It also bypasses Garbodor's Rocky Helmet and Aftermath, which would otherwise strongly dissuade Pinsir from freely using X-Scissor. Stone Edge hits bulky Flying-types, such as Rotom-S and Pelipper. Close Combat's main target is Ferroseed, but it is Pinsir's best attack in general against Mega Audino and Fighting-types, and it hits Rock- and Steel-types, such as Rhydon and Steelix, harder than Earthquake.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's sweeping prowess. Choice Band gives Pinsir a large boost in power, making the most out of the attack that it uses once or twice before being forced out. An Adamant nature gives Pinsir as much power as possible, which is valuable for this set's hit-and-run role. A Jolly nature allows Pinsir to Speed tie with positive-natured Sawk and Articuno, as well as outrun positive-natured Kabutops, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Mesprit plus Adamant Kangaskhan. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to hit Levitate users with Earthquake, greatly easing prediction against Rotom, Haunter, and Weezing. Moxie may allow Pinsir to pull off a snowball sweep, but Choice-locked Pinsir is so easily forced out that Moxie's boost is almost useless.
Usage Tips
========
This Pinsir set adopts a hit-and-run approach and relies on prediction to make the most out of each attack. Pinsir can start by launching powerful attacks on slower Pokemon, primarily Grass- and Psychic-types such as Shiftry, Mesprit, Musharna, and Malamar, which get swiftly OHKOed by X-Scissor. Pinsir should make use of its wide arsenal of strong coverage moves to cover the opponent's switch-ins to Bug-type attacks, and for the most part, Pinsir only really needs to predict correctly once to do significant, if not irreparable, damage to the opponent's Pinsir check, which is a major draw for this set. Pinsir can occasionally even scare an Audino into Mega Evolving early with the threat of Close Combat, forcing it to lose Regenerator early.
Team Options
========
Because Pinsir is easily forced out, anti-entry hazard support is vital for Pinsir to function at its best, lest it be heavily worn down by Stealth Rock or Spikes just by switching around. Preferably, such support should come from Pokemon that can switch into Pinsir's checks: Claydol, Pelipper, and Xatu can all switch into Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon and can handle Poison-types for the most part, with Claydol also boasting a resistance to Rock. Alternatively, Defog Shiftry is a more offensive entry hazard remover that appreciates Pinsir softening its checks. Conversely, Pinsir appreciates entry hazard support on the opposing side of the field, as it makes it easier for Pinsir to pressure teams. Steelix and Garbodor make for great teammates in this regard thanks to their ability to combat Mega Audino.
VoltTurn support from the likes of Rotom, Mesprit, and Xatu can allow Pinsir to enter the battle more safely, and attain favorable matchups against the Grass- and Psychic-types that usually switch into those Pokemon. Fast, powerful all-out attackers or setup sweepers, such as Sceptile, Lilligant, Swellow, Tauros, Ludicolo, Kangaskhan, and Barbaracle, help to patch up Pinsir's lackluster matchup against offensive teams. In return, Pinsir can weaken their checks to make it easier for them to sweep.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Rock Tomb
move 4: Earthquake
item: Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thanks to Mold Breaker, Pinsir can set up Mold Breaker Stealth Rock without any regard for Xatu switch-ins. X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack. Rock Tomb provides coverage for Flying-types, but its main use is to slow down faster Pokemon, giving Pinsir flexibility in deciding its next move. Earthquake hits Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's offensive presence. Focus Sash allows Pinsir to set up Stealth Rock or use Rock Tomb without fear of being promptly KOed. An Adamant nature is used over Jolly, as Pinsir has little concern about outspeeding foes off the bat, and can use Rock Tomb to slow down anything faster anyway. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to set up Stealth Rock against Magic Bounce Xatu, and bypass Levitate with Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Pinsir's primary objective is to set up Stealth Rock, and it can do so with the knowledge that few Pokemon can stop it, or at least do so while coming out unscathed. Pinsir's best move against faster foes is to use Rock Tomb on the first turn. This allows Pinsir to act accordingly: if its Focus Sash is not broken on that turn, Pinsir can attempt to KO the foe and set up Stealth Rock later. However, this is not an advisable tactic should the foe have a priority move. Stealth Rock Pinsir is not meant to survive long at all, so there is almost no need to preserve it outside of the early-game. In fact, it may be beneficial to sacrifice Pinsir as soon as possible to grant the opponent as few openings as possible, as Pinsir doesn't have a good anti-setup tool outside of relying on its coverage.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock Pinsir best fits on offensive teams that give little wiggle room for the opponent to remove entry hazards. Offensive Ghost-types such as Rotom, Haunter, and Mismagius make for excellent teammates, as they can block Rapid Spin, provide strong offensive and disruptive presence, and can ward off Defog users such as Pelipper, Mantine, and Prinplup through the former's Electric-type STAB moves and the latter two's access to Taunt. Powerful offensive Pokemon, such as Sceptile, Tauros, Sawk, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Samurott, make great use of the quick Stealth Rock Pinsir provides and can easily punish the opponent's attempts to remove said Stealth Rock using their sheer damage output or setup potential.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Pinsir can attempt a Choice Scarf set that steamrolls foes with Moxie boosts, but it is rather weak without any boosts, has difficulty sweeping with any move it locks itself into, and has to work around its entry hazard weakness to boot. Pinsir has access to Knock Off, but its targets boil down to pretty much just Golurk. Pinsir can learn Bulk Up, but the Defense boost is rather insignificant in the long run, and Swords Dance's greater Attack boost is much more important.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Audino**: Any attack Pinsir wants to go for simply bounces off Mega Audino's impenetrable hide, while Mega Audino's unboosted Dazzling Gleam can 3HKO Pinsir as is, much less with Calm Mind boosts, not to mention its access to Fire Blast.
**Poliwrath**: Poliwrath counters Pinsir remarkably well due to its high Defense, resistance to Bug, and lack of weaknesses to any of Pinsir's attacks. It can then retaliate with a powerful Hydro Pump or simply resort to burning Pinsir with Scald. However, non-defensive variants of Poliwrath risk being 2HKOed by Choice Band-boosted Close Combat.
**Flying-types**: Faster Flying-types such as Swellow, Archeops, Scyther, and Vivillon can switch into X-Scissor or Earthquake and promptly KO Pinsir with their STAB moves. Bulkier Flying-types such as Pelipper and Rotom-S can take most of Pinsir's attacks with ease and keep themselves healthy enough to do so repeatedly. However, the fast Flying-types fall to a Rock-type move on the switch, whereas the bulky ones get taken down by a +2 Stone Edge.
**Faster Attackers**: Pinsir shouldn't take any sort of powerful neutral hit if it doesn't have to. Tauros, Rotom, Jynx, Sceptile, Pyroar, Kangaskhan, and +1 Speed Combusken can do some major damage if not outright KO Pinsir.
Pinsir is one of the only notable offensive Bug-types in the tier, possessing a high Attack stat alongside good coverage and Swords Dance, as well as good offensive abilities in Mold Breaker and Moxie: the former allows Pinsir to bypass Levitate and Unaware, making it trickier to check, and also allows Stealth Rock Pinsir to disrupt any team reliant on Xatu for entry hazard control, whereas the latter grants Pinsir snowballing potential. However, Pinsir's Speed is only decent, and its typing gives it weaknesses to all entry hazards and no useful resistances; moreover, while it has the bulk to take some Fighting-type attacks, Pinsir cannot do much to Fighting-types in return. This means Pinsir is more of a glass cannon than it appears to be at first. The Base Power of Pinsir's attacks can also leave a bit to be desired, with its best attack in STAB X-Scissor having only a mediocre 80 Base Power, much lower than that of the STAB moves of most other common attacking types such as Fighting, Flying, and Normal.
[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Earthquake
move 4: Stone Edge / Quick Attack
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry
ability: Mold Breaker / Moxie
nature: Jolly / Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Swords Dance doubles Pinsir's Attack, allowing it to OHKO a far greater number of targets. X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack. Earthquake hits Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker; it also nails Garbodor, whose Rocky Helmet and Aftermath strongly dissuade Pinsir from freely using X-Scissor. Stone Edge hits bulky Flying-types, such as Rotom-S, Scyther, and Pelipper. Quick Attack helps pick off weakened faster Pokemon, especially after a Swords Dance boost, and can easily activate Moxie.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's sweeping prowess. A Jolly nature allows Pinsir to Speed tie with positive-natured Sawk and Articuno, as well as outrun positive-natured Kabutops, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Mesprit plus Adamant Kangaskhan, improving Pinsir's odds of preserving its sweep. An Adamant nature can be used to give Pinsir as much power as possible if Speed tying or outrunning those threats is not as much of a concern. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to bypass abilities like Levitate and Unaware, meaning the likes of Rotom, Weezing, and Quagsire no longer become huge issues. Moxie, on the other hand, can let Pinsir steamroll teams as it snowballs into a sweep with each KO, and it is more useful when paired with Quick Attack. Life Orb gives Pinsir a significant boost in power to OHKO most bulky Pokemon after a boost, though Lum Berry helps Pinsir sets up safely against status users such as Weezing, defensive Mesprit, and Scald users such as Lanturn, Pelipper, and Mantine.
Usage Tips
========
Pinsir can break through most bulky cores without much difficulty after a boost thanks to its impressive neutral coverage. However, finding an opportunity to set up Swords Dance safely is not easy, as Pinsir does not have the best bulk and typing to facilitate this. Slower Psychic- and Grass-types, such as Shiftry, Mesprit, Musharna, Malamar, Ludicolo, and Claydol make for the best opportunities to use Swords Dance, as they will usually switch out of fear of Pinsir's strong X-Scissor. Be warned that Pinsir risks taking significant damage or getting crippled by status should they not switch, so you can keep the opponent on edge by attacking immediately. Pinsir should only really aim to use Swords Dance when pitted against bulkier teams; against faster teams, Pinsir is usually better off throwing out attacks, as its hard-earned Attack boosts can get nullified prematurely by a revenge killer. However, Quick Attack can help improve Pinsir's matchup against offensive teams, especially if they lack a fast switch-in to Normal-type moves such as Rotom or Archeops.
Team Options
========
Fighting-types such as Sawk and Primeape make for good offensive partners, as Pinsir commonly lures and weakens Poison-types while also breaking Psychic-types for them; Stone Edge Pinsir also eliminates Flying-types for them. While Hariyama isn't quite fast enough to make as good use of Pinsir's hole punching abilities, it does offer a switch-in to Fire-type moves for Pinsir by virtue of its ability, Thick Fat, protecting Pinsir from the likes of Pyroar and Speed Boost Combusken. Both Pinsir and Fighting-types share a Flying-type weakness, so that must be remedied. Rhydon covers all of Pinsir's weaknesses and makes for a powerful offensive partner due to Pinsir's ability to crack open the likes of Weezing and Quagsire. Steelix doesn't offer as much defensive synergy or offensive presence as Rhydon, but it does easily handle Mega Audino. Rotom and Rotom-S both tackle Flying-types, can provide Volt Switch support to bring Pinsir into its intended targets more easily, and can handle the bulky Flying-types that Quick Attack Pinsir would struggle to beat.
Pinsir mainly preys on bulkier teams, so teammates should be able to take on offensive teams on its behalf. The likes of Sceptile, Swellow, Tauros, Pyroar, Kangaskhan, Combusken, and Klinklang can take on most faster foes for Pinsir and, in turn, appreciate Pinsir softening up their checks. While it's not mandatory, Pinsir appreciates entry hazard control from the likes of Xatu, Claydol, Hitmonchan, and Pelipper to not get worn down quickly and also facilitate easier boosting opportunities.
[SET]
name: Choice Band
move 1: X-Scissor
move 2: Earthquake
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Close Combat
item: Choice Band
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant / Jolly
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack and shreds bulky Psychic-types such as Musharna, Malamar, and Mesprit. Earthquake targets Poison-, Fire-, and Steel-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker. It also bypasses Garbodor's Rocky Helmet and Aftermath, which would otherwise strongly dissuade Pinsir from freely using X-Scissor. Stone Edge hits bulky Flying-types, such as Rotom-S and Pelipper. Close Combat's main target is Ferroseed, but it is Pinsir's best attack in general against Mega Audino and Fighting-types, and it hits Rock- and Steel-types, such as Rhydon and Steelix, harder than Earthquake.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's sweeping prowess. Choice Band gives Pinsir a large boost in power, making the most out of the attack that it uses once or twice before being forced out. An Adamant nature gives Pinsir as much power as possible, which is valuable for this set's hit-and-run role. A Jolly nature allows Pinsir to Speed tie with positive-natured Sawk and Articuno, as well as outrun positive-natured Kabutops, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Mesprit plus Adamant Kangaskhan. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to hit Levitate users with Earthquake, greatly easing prediction against Rotom, Haunter, and Weezing. Moxie may allow Pinsir to pull off a snowball sweep, but Choice-locked Pinsir is so easily forced out that Moxie's boost is almost useless.
Usage Tips
========
This Pinsir set adopts a hit-and-run approach and relies on prediction to make the most out of each attack. Pinsir can start by launching powerful attacks on slower Pokemon, primarily Grass- and Psychic-types such as Shiftry, Mesprit, Musharna, and Malamar, which get swiftly OHKOed by X-Scissor. Pinsir should make use of its wide arsenal of strong coverage moves to cover the opponent's switch-ins to Bug-type attacks, and for the most part, Pinsir only really needs to predict correctly once to do significant, if not irreparable, damage to the opponent's Pinsir check, which is a major draw for this set. Pinsir can occasionally even scare an Audino into Mega Evolving early with the threat of Close Combat, forcing it to lose Regenerator early.
Team Options
========
Because Pinsir is easily forced out, anti-entry hazard support is vital for Pinsir to function at its best, lest it be heavily worn down by Stealth Rock or Spikes just by switching around. Preferably, such support should come from Pokemon that can switch into Pinsir's checks: Claydol, Pelipper, and Xatu can all switch into Ground- and Fighting-type Pokemon and can handle Poison-types for the most part, with Claydol also boasting a resistance to Rock. Alternatively, Defog Shiftry is a more offensive entry hazard remover that appreciates Pinsir softening its checks. Conversely, Pinsir appreciates entry hazard support on the opposing side of the field, as it makes it easier for Pinsir to pressure teams. Steelix and Garbodor make for great teammates in this regard thanks to their ability to combat Mega Audino.
VoltTurn support from the likes of Rotom, Mesprit, and Xatu can allow Pinsir to enter the battle more safely, and attain favorable matchups against the Grass- and Psychic-types that usually switch into those Pokemon. Fast, powerful all-out attackers or setup sweepers, such as Sceptile, Lilligant, Swellow, Tauros, Ludicolo, Kangaskhan, and Barbaracle, help to patch up Pinsir's lackluster matchup against offensive teams. In return, Pinsir can weaken their checks to make it easier for them to sweep.
[SET]
name: Stealth Rock
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: X-Scissor
move 3: Rock Tomb
move 4: Earthquake
item: Focus Sash
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Thanks to Mold Breaker, Pinsir can set up Mold Breaker Stealth Rock without any regard for Xatu switch-ins. X-Scissor is Pinsir's STAB move and primary attack. Rock Tomb provides coverage for Flying-types, but its main use is to slow down faster Pokemon, giving Pinsir flexibility in deciding its next move. Earthquake hits Fire-, Steel-, and Poison-types, including Weezing and Rotom with the aid of Mold Breaker.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack and Speed investment maximizes Pinsir's offensive presence. Focus Sash allows Pinsir to set up Stealth Rock or use Rock Tomb without fear of being promptly KOed. An Adamant nature is used over Jolly, as Pinsir has little concern about outspeeding foes off the bat, and can use Rock Tomb to slow down anything faster anyway. Mold Breaker allows Pinsir to set up Stealth Rock against Magic Bounce Xatu, and bypass Levitate with Earthquake.
Usage Tips
========
Pinsir's primary objective is to set up Stealth Rock, and it can do so with the knowledge that few Pokemon can stop it, or at least do so while coming out unscathed. Pinsir's best move against faster foes is to use Rock Tomb on the first turn. This allows Pinsir to act accordingly: if its Focus Sash is not broken on that turn, Pinsir can attempt to KO the foe and set up Stealth Rock later. However, this is not an advisable tactic should the foe have a priority move. Stealth Rock Pinsir is not meant to survive long at all, so there is almost no need to preserve it outside of the early-game. In fact, it may be beneficial to sacrifice Pinsir as soon as possible to grant the opponent as few openings as possible, as Pinsir doesn't have a good anti-setup tool outside of relying on its coverage.
Team Options
========
Stealth Rock Pinsir best fits on offensive teams that give little wiggle room for the opponent to remove entry hazards. Offensive Ghost-types such as Rotom, Haunter, and Mismagius make for excellent teammates, as they can block Rapid Spin, provide strong offensive and disruptive presence, and can ward off Defog users such as Pelipper, Mantine, and Prinplup through the former's Electric-type STAB moves and the latter two's access to Taunt. Powerful offensive Pokemon, such as Sceptile, Tauros, Sawk, Magmortar, Shiftry, and Samurott, make great use of the quick Stealth Rock Pinsir provides and can easily punish the opponent's attempts to remove said Stealth Rock using their sheer damage output or setup potential.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Pinsir can attempt a Choice Scarf set that steamrolls foes with Moxie boosts, but it is rather weak without any boosts, has difficulty sweeping with any move it locks itself into, and has to work around its entry hazard weakness to boot. Pinsir has access to Knock Off, but its targets boil down to pretty much just Golurk. Pinsir can learn Bulk Up, but the Defense boost is rather insignificant in the long run, and Swords Dance's greater Attack boost is much more important.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Mega Audino**: Any attack Pinsir wants to go for simply bounces off Mega Audino's impenetrable hide, while Mega Audino's unboosted Dazzling Gleam can 3HKO Pinsir as is, much less with Calm Mind boosts, not to mention its access to Fire Blast.
**Poliwrath**: Poliwrath counters Pinsir remarkably well due to its high Defense, resistance to Bug, and lack of weaknesses to any of Pinsir's attacks. It can then retaliate with a powerful Hydro Pump or simply resort to burning Pinsir with Scald. However, non-defensive variants of Poliwrath risk being 2HKOed by Choice Band-boosted Close Combat.
**Flying-types**: Faster Flying-types such as Swellow, Archeops, Scyther, and Vivillon can switch into X-Scissor or Earthquake and promptly KO Pinsir with their STAB moves. Bulkier Flying-types such as Pelipper and Rotom-S can take most of Pinsir's attacks with ease and keep themselves healthy enough to do so repeatedly. However, the fast Flying-types fall to a Rock-type move on the switch, whereas the bulky ones get taken down by a +2 Stone Edge.
**Faster Attackers**: Pinsir shouldn't take any sort of powerful neutral hit if it doesn't have to. Tauros, Rotom, Jynx, Sceptile, Pyroar, Kangaskhan, and +1 Speed Combusken can do some major damage if not outright KO Pinsir.
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