Gen 2 Pinsir (UU) (DONE)

[dawnbuster]

[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has, and its above average Speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover, Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther, which is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in a metagame where its STAB Hidden Power Bug is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, and it can also hit Bug-resistant foes hard with its coverage moves. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but effectively threatens the Pokemon that are often used to check Pinsir, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat with paralysis. Submission targets Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar, which can take both of the other attacking moves, and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========
Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner, as it threatens the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's great attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice a Pokemon to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen and Curse Granbull clean up late-game. Gligar, although a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner because Pinsir has a good matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants, while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside Pinsir to spin entry hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Screen setters such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponent's defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen, as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from Nidoqueen's attacks, letting it beat Nidoqueen in the long run. The point of running Body Slam on this set is to provide neutral damage output on Scyther and Nidoqueen and to paralyze Pokemon that tend to revenge kill Pinsir such as Dodrio, Crobat, and Jumpluff.

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal-resistant Pokemon, it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set, as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent partner, as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of as a status absorber, allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton and Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========
Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option; alongside a Normal-type attack, it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets it beat Haunter and Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail that has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check because it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter use Hypnosis on anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However, if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground, then it can beat Haunter unless it hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond, which can force a trade.

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast, then it will beat Pinsir in a one-on-one matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt offensive Pinsir's momentum—although this is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets—and Moonlight gives decent longevity against RestTalk variants, but it hates getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense, and Haze lets it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the Speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack; this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unless Pinsir sets up and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants, since Encore fails against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either Pinsir variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can also take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk and 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, although Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir one-on-one. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outspeed and OHKO Pinsir and can reliably switch into Hidden Power Bug. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ReeceHughes, 508601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Century Express, 234737]]
- Grammar checked by: [[Rabia, 336073], [Estronic, 240732]]

 

[Earthworm]

Body Slam needs to be added to this analysis. I would first slash it after Double-Edge on the main set and also add a second set (RestTalk SD Body Slam). The RestTalk set takes on Ice Beam Nidoqueen and passive Pokemon like Hypno effectively, although it is walled by Pokemon that resist Normal. Body Slam is also Pinsir's best option for hitting Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat on the switch, all of which are rather annoying for it.

For the teammates section, add in screen support from Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode. It usually features on teams that use screens + setup.

(please also put spaces after your commas and full stops)

 

[Century Express]

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir is the most powerful user of Swords Dance in GSC UU(outside of the unviable Kingler), having one of the highest attack stats in the tier and a very powerful Double Edge to take advantage of that. In addition Pinsir’s STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, The SlowTwins, Hypno and Mr. Mime. Pinsir’s good defense also gives it a good few setup opportunities that it’s biggest competition Scyther doesn’t have. Pinsir‘s above average speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebell and Politoed. However,Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Sp.Def in a mostly special attacking metagame. Moreover Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Haze Qwilfish and Scyther. Lastly Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther who is faster, has better special bulk and Baton Pass.

[SET]
name:Swords Dance
move 1:Swords Dance
move 2:Hidden Power Bug
move 3:Double Edge/Body Slam
move 4:Submission
item:Leftovers/Miracle Berry (Miracle Berry is mostly a niche pick, but feel free to mention it under Other Options)

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description

=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker capable of leaving dents in the opponents team for other teammates to clean up lategame. Pinsir’s type coverage is highly appreciated in a metagame where alot of top threats are Psychic and Rock types, aswell as the fact that Double Edge deals with any other resist. Double Edge is for any Pokemon that resist Bug or Fighting and is Pinsir’s most powerful move, notably OHKOing naturally bulky Pokemon such as Nidoqueen and Vileplume after two Swords Dances (Double-Edge 2HKOes both threats after a single SD boost, also i'd remove the Vileplume mention, since this is a very specific scenario). An alternative option for Double Edge is Body Slam, which doesn’t hit as hard but preventing recoil means it is Pinsir’s best option against Scyther and Crobat, and having a chance to potentially cripple something Paralysis on the switch such as Electabuzz is great. Submission is there for Magneton who resists both of the other moves and having a powerful move for Granbull is nice. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as the Slowtwins, Hypno and Chansey. Pinsir can run Miracle Berry to let it setup much easier,though giving up Leftovers recovery when Pinsir is taking alot of Double Edge recoil makes this only really worthy if you have Body Slam (Like I said before, MiracleBerry is more of a niche pick - I'd mention MiracleBerry under the "Other Options", and only if you plan to use Pinsir as a Baton Pass receiver).

Team Options
=========
Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish,Scyther and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for it as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir’s Psychic Killing role lets Pokemon such as your own Slowbro or Nidoqueen able to Wall, Sleep and Attack the opposing team without fear. In addition Pinsir’s powerful attacking power lets powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen or Curse Granbull clean up late game. Blastoise or Kabutops work well alongside it to Rapid Spin hazards away making easier set up and offsetting Recoil. Users of Light Screen such as Hypno or Chansey can ease Pinsir’s setup because of its low special bulk. Kind of niche, but Gligar can be mentioned here - Pinsir checks handily non-Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants, while Gligar sistematically covers Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants.

[SET]
name:RestTalk
move 1:Rest
move 2:Sleep Talk
move 3:Swords Dance
move 4:Body Slam

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description

=========
This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir’s high defense and alright defensive typing to set up on more passive Pokémon such as Hypno and Chansey to slowly boost it’s attack. This set also let’s Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen (true statement, but I'd give an emphasis on how this moveset reliably checks Nidoqueen long-term, especially because it doesn't need to worry about Lovely Kiss variants). This set is very effective against certain stall teams thanks to its effective immunity to Status. Unfortunately this set is walled by any Normal resist such as Omastar or Kabutops, and is completely blanked by Haunter

Team Options

=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal Resist it is wide to pair it with Spikes so it’s counters are slowly worn down. Like the Swords Dance set Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set as it forces Kabutops and Omastar our forcing them to take damage from Spikes. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos or Hypno is nice for preventing being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull can be mentioned here as a good teammate, both share the same Normal-type coverage and role - Pinsir gives Granbull more freedom to choose its moveset, meaning that Granbull can use Hidden Power Ground to lure many ST Pinsir checks, such as Haunter, Omastar and Magneton.


[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options

=========
Pinsir has a fairly barren movepool. Hidden Power Ground is the most viable other option as it lets Pinsir destroy Haunter and beat Nidoqueen easier, but losing HP Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Slowbro. Substitue can potentially be used to making setup easier but foregoing any of the attacking moves makes it mediocore. Return can be used in place of Double Edge or Body Slam but the significant drop in power and lack of paralysis make It generally not worth it. Lastly, Pinsir has a few other options such as Thief, Flail or Seismic Toss but they are fairly gimmicky (Feel free to add MiracleBerry as an OO here)

Checks and Counters

===================
**Haunter**:Haunter is the best Pinsir counter (check) possible. It 4X resists Hidden Power Bug and is completly Immune to Submission and Double Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter Hypnosis anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground then Pinsir will beat Haunter (don't forget to mention Destiny Bond as way of forcing a trade against Hidden Power Ground variants).

**Nidoqueen:** As long as it runs Fire Blast, Nidoqueen can beat Pinsir on an 1v1 (or finish a weakened Pinsir), although it still needs to be careful against Double-Edge or Hidden Power Ground variants. Lovely Kiss disrupts 3 Attacks Pinsir's momentum, while Moonlight gives it a (slightly) solid longevity against Sleep Talk sets.

**Qwilfish**:Qwilfish has good defense and Haze letting it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can Spike when Pinsir switches out. However Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the speed tie.

**Scyther**:Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOs it with Wing Attack.Scyther also uses Pinsir switching out as a chance to Swords Dance and potentially sweep late game. (True statement, but give an emphasis how Scyther is limited to revenge killing, since it really really hates to risk a Body Slam paralysis).

**Jumpluff**:Jumpluff is faster then Pinsir and is able cripple Pinsir with Sleep or Stun Spore. It’s also able to lock Pinsir into an undesirable move such as Submission. However if Jumpluff misses with Sleep Powder it will get destroyed (Mention Jumpluff's flaws against Sleep Talk variants, since Encore fails against Sleep Talk called moves).

**Rock- and Steel-types:** Mention here Omastar, Kabutops and Magneton here. None of them are reliable against the SD variants, but all of them have a stellar performance against Sleep Talk variants (although Kabutops still needs to be careful with the paralysis threat).

**Fire-types:** Niche picks, but still worth to mention. Arcanine, Magmar should be the main mentions, since both are faster and both can OHKO Pinsir after Spikes damage. Flareon can be mentioned here as well, although he's not reliable at it.

I'll make another quick review after you finish the aforementioned changes, but nice write-up overall - the Overwiew describes accurately mostly of Pinsir's main strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Diophantine]

Gonna nitpick this:

Hide

Pinsir is the most powerful user of Swords Dance in GSC UU

Debatable.

(outside of the unviable Kingler)

Don't need to mention Kingler in a GSC UU analysis.

mostly special attacking metagame.

Not sure about this. Granbull, Scyther and Nidoqueen (granted a mixed attacker) are the top 3 Pokemon and all spam physical attacks.

move 3:Double Edge/Body Slam

I'd mention Return too.

Submission is there for Magneton who resists both of the other moves and having a powerful move for Granbull is nice.

Omastar and Kabutops too.

Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as the Slowtwins, Hypno and Chansey.

I'd say it has to be careful of status moves.

In addition Pinsir’s powerful attacking power lets powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen or Curse Granbull clean up late game.

I'd say it needs a turn to set up to be threatening. It's not like an Explosion or anything.

Users of Light Screen such as Hypno or Chansey can ease Pinsir’s setup because of its low special bulk.

Might as well mention Reflect too.

This set also let’s Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen.

I'd say Nidoqueen without Fire Blast instead.

This set is very effective against certain stall teams

They all have a normal resist/immunity though.

Pinsir will beat Haunter

I'd say "can" instead of "will". If you get hit with a Hypnosis then you're in a bad spot.

Scyther also uses Pinsir switching out as a chance to Swords Dance and potentially sweep late game.

Because of Baton Pass, they don't even need to do this late game.

However if Jumpluff misses with Sleep Powder it will get destroyed

It gets two chances at least since +2 HP Bug is a 2HKO.

Thief, Flail or Seismic Toss but they are fairly gimmicky

You should say why.

Century Express's check is pretty good. Notify me when you've made that and I will check it again.

 

[dawnbuster]

Thank you to Earthworm, Diophantine and Century Express for the criticism. I have added or changed most of the things that were suggested by them to the analysis

 

[Earthworm]

[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir’s good defense also gives it a good few setup opportunities that it’s biggest competition Scyther doesn’t have.

I don't like this sentence much, I can't think of many setup opportunities that Pinsir has over Scyther other than non-FB Nidoqueen.

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description

=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker capable of leaving dents in the opponents team for other teammates to clean up lategame. Pinsir’s type coverage is highly appreciated in a metagame where alot of top threats are Psychic and Rock types, aswell as the fact that Double Edge deals with any other resist.

I don't really understand this sentence. I think you should stick to just mentioning the Psychic-types.

Double Edge is for any Pokemon that resist Bug or Fighting and is Pinsir’s most powerful move,

I think you can take out the part about "any Pokemon that resist Bug or Fighting" as it can cause confusion. For example, Magneton resists Bug but you wouldn't use Double-Edge against it. Politoed doesn't resist either of these and sometimes you would want to be using the Normal-type move against it. You can just say it is Pinsir's most powerful move.

Team Options
=========
Pinsir’s Psychic Killing role lets Pokemon such as your Slowbro or Nidoqueen able to Wall, Sleep and damage the opposing team without fear.

This is questionable because Psychic-types will often switch out of Pinsir if they can afford to.

Blastoise or Kabutops work well alongside it to Rapid Spin hazards away making easier set up and offsetting Recoil.

I don't consider Kabutops to be a viable Rapid Spin user so I would prefer not to mention it here.

Users of Light Screen or Reflect such as Hypno or Electrode can ease Pinsir’s setup because of its low special bulk.

Add Chansey here as well.

I would mention paralysis spreading as being helpful for Pinsir. I would also mention stacking setup sweepers like Sandslash and Scyther together with Pinsir as being a good strategy to overwhelm the opponent's defensive Pokemon when screen support is provided.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options

=========
Hidden Power Ground is the most viable other option as it lets Pinsir destroy Haunter and beat Nidoqueen easier, but losing HP Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Slowbro. Substitue can potentially be used to making setup easier but foregoing any of the attacking moves makes it mediocore. Miracle Berry is an option, altough the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir’s bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir has a few gimmicky options such as Thief which is cool but generally a waste of a slot, Flail which is good along with Endure but not worth it otherwise and Seismic Toss which lets it destroy Shuckle but is niche otherwise

I'd just remove Thief and Seismic Toss from here. Thief is not a good option on Pinsir. Pinsir can also beat Shuckle without Seismic Toss. For Flail, I think you'd better mention it in the context of receiving a Speed boost, otherwise it would be very questionable. Maybe mention the possibility of using Mint Berry with Rest.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Nidoqueen:**If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast then it will beat Pinsir in a 1v1 matchup, altough it takes big damage from either Hidden Power Ground or Double Edge.

Mention that this damage is after a Swords Dance.

In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to desrupt Swords Dance Pinsir’s momentum, and Moonlight has good longevity against RestTalk

I don't like the last bit because even with Moonlight, Body Slam paralysis would be really bad for Nidoqueen to take.

**Scyther:**Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOs it with Wing Attack. Scyther also uses Pinsir switching out as a chance to Swords Dance. However, Scyther can only really revenge kill a lower health Pinsir since it is completly crippled by a Body Slam paralysis

A few things here. Scyther can potentially KO with two Wing Attacks if Pinsir is attacking with +2 Double-Edge and takes recoil. The third sentence is misleading, since Scyther is one of the most common Pokemon used to deal with Pinsir and the odds are still quite decent in its favour to win. +2 Body Slam from Pinsir isn't even guaranteed to 2HKO Scyther. Instead of saying that it can only revenge kill a low health Pinsir, I'd say that it needs to beware of getting paralysed by Body Slam on the switch and also mention that it can potentially lose if it switches into a full health Pinsir as it uses Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff:**Jumpluff is faster then Pinsir and is able cripple Pinsir with Sleep or Stun Spore. It’s also able to lock Pinsir into an undesirable move such as Submission. However Jumpluff only has two chances to hit Pinsir with Sleep Powder’s shaky accuracy because it is 2HKOd. Jumpluff also falls flat against RestTalk variants since Encore falls against called moves from Sleep Talk

Pinsir is really badly beaten by Jumpluff since it has no way to get to +2 without getting locked into Swords Dance against it and it can't 2HKO without a boost. However, if it has Body Slam then it can fish for paralysis. Some Jumpluff also have Reflect or HP Flying which could be troublesome for Pinsir to deal with.

**Crobat:** Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its accsess to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir’s boosts and it can take a few Double Edges because of its decent bulk. Crobat is also able to 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack

Mention the threat from Body Slam paralysis.

**Rock- and Steel-types:** Omastar, Kabutops and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the Swords Dance set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, altough Kabutops hates being paralysed by Body Slam

"the Swords Dance set" is potentially confusing. Maybe call it the offensive set or something.

 

[dawnbuster]

I don't like this sentence much, I can't think of many setup opportunities that Pinsir has over Scyther other than non-FB Nidoqueen.

I don't really understand this sentence. I think you should stick to just mentioning the Psychic-types.
I think you can take out the part about "any Pokemon that resist Bug or Fighting" as it can cause confusion. For example, Magneton resists Bug but you wouldn't use Double-Edge against it. Politoed doesn't resist either of these and sometimes you would want to be using the Normal-type move against it. You can just say it is Pinsir's most powerful move.

This is questionable because Psychic-types will often switch out of Pinsir if they can afford to.
I don't consider Kabutops to be a viable Rapid Spin user so I would prefer not to mention it here.
Add Chansey here as well.

I would mention paralysis spreading as being helpful for Pinsir. I would also mention stacking setup sweepers like Sandslash and Scyther together with Pinsir as being a good strategy to overwhelm the opponent's defensive Pokemon when screen support is provided.


I'd just remove Thief and Seismic Toss from here. Thief is not a good option on Pinsir. Pinsir can also beat Shuckle without Seismic Toss. For Flail, I think you'd better mention it in the context of receiving a Speed boost, otherwise it would be very questionable. Maybe mention the possibility of using Mint Berry with Rest.

Mention that this damage is after a Swords Dance.

I don't like the last bit because even with Moonlight, Body Slam paralysis would be really bad for Nidoqueen to take.

A few things here. Scyther can potentially KO with two Wing Attacks if Pinsir is attacking with +2 Double-Edge and takes recoil. The third sentence is misleading, since Scyther is one of the most common Pokemon used to deal with Pinsir and the odds are still quite decent in its favour to win. +2 Body Slam from Pinsir isn't even guaranteed to 2HKO Scyther. Instead of saying that it can only revenge kill a low health Pinsir, I'd say that it needs to beware of getting paralysed by Body Slam on the switch and also mention that it can potentially lose if it switches into a full health Pinsir as it uses Swords Dance.

Pinsir is really badly beaten by Jumpluff since it has no way to get to +2 without getting locked into Swords Dance against it and it can't 2HKO without a boost. However, if it has Body Slam then it can fish for paralysis. Some Jumpluff also have Reflect or HP Flying which could be troublesome for Pinsir to deal with.

Mention the threat from Body Slam paralysis.

"the Swords Dance set" is potentially confusing. Maybe call it the offensive set or something.

I just implemented all the changes there!

 

[Earthworm]

QC 1/2

 

[Century Express]

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU and a very powerful Double-Edge to take advantage of that. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, The SlowTwins, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has. Its above average speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter (unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground) and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther who is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in metagame where its Bug STAB is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, as well as the fact that Pinsir can hit Bug resists hard. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but its paralysis chance means it is Pinsir's best option for threatening the Pokemon that are often used to check it, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat. Submission is there for Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar who can take both of the other moves and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as the Slowtwins, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========
Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for it as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's powerful attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice something to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen or Curse Granbull clean up late game. Gligar, altough a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner since Pinsir has a decent matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside it to Rapid Spin hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Users of Light Screen or Reflect such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponents defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description

=========
This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from its attacks, letting Pinsir beat Queen in the long run. Unfortunately this set is walled by any Normal resist such as Omastar or Kabutops, and is completely blanked by Haunter. Therefore, this set is best lategame when the Pokemon that beat Pinsir are removed, allowing it to set up and sweep. These points are already mentioned under Team Options, so this section should be removed to avoid redundancy. Instead, elaborate the point of running Body Slam (mention that Body Slam provides neutral damage output against Nidoqueen and Scyther, and provides the consistent paralysis threat against a lot of Pinsir's notable revenge killers).

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal Resist it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent Pinsir partner with this set as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of RestTalker, allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton or Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========
Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option, alongside a Normal attack, it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets Pinsir beat Haunter and beat Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro (don't forget to mention Mr. Mime and Hypno too!). With the extra slot, Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail which has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.

Checks and Counters
===================
**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check since it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter Hypnosis anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground then Pinsir can beat Haunter unless Haunter hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond which can force a trade against HP Ground Pinsir

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast then it will beat Pinsir in a 1v1 matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt Swords Dance Pinsir's momentum (don't forget to mention that Lovely Kiss is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets), and Moonlight has decent longevity against RestTalk but hates getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense and Haze letting it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack, this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unboosted and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants since Encore falls against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk. Crobat is also able to 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, altough Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir in a 1v1. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outsped and OHKO Pinsir and can switch into Hidden Power Bug reliably. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.



[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[CentaurMM6, 508601]]

- Quality checked by: [[], []]

- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

Other than the highlighed points, I have nothing else to suggest! I'm Q/C'ing this analysis after you make the aforementioned changes

 

[dawnbuster]

Other than the highlighed points, I have nothing else to suggest! I'm Q/C'ing this analysis after you make the aforementioned changes

Implemented:)

 

[Century Express]

Small nitpcick: Add Jumpluff, Crobat and Dodrio as examples of targets which are afraid of Body Slam's paralyze threat (otherwise the example might look a bit vague to the reader).

QC 2/2

 

[Rabia]

add remove comments

gp

[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU and a very powerful Double-Edge to take advantage of that. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, The SlowTwins Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has,(period -> comma) and its above-average(AH) Speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover,(AC) Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground (removed parentheses) and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther,(AC) who which is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in a metagame where its Bug STAB Hidden Power Bug is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, as well as the fact that Pinsir and it can also hit Bug resists Bug-resistant foes hard with its coverage moves. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but its paralysis chance means it is Pinsir's best option for threatening effectively threatens the Pokemon that are often used to check it Pinsir, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat, with paralysis. Submission is there for targets Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar,(AC) who which can take both of the other attacking moves,(AC) and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as the Slowtwins Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========

Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner,(AC) for it as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's powerful great attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice something a Pokemon to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen or and Curse Granbull clean up late-game(AH). Gligar, altough although a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner since because Pinsir has a decent matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants,(AC) while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside it Pinsir to Rapid spin hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Users of Light Screen or Reflect Screens setters such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponent's(apostrophe) defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen,(AC) as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from its Nidoqueen's attacks, letting Pinsir it beat Queen Nidoqueen in the long run. The point of running Body Slam on this set is to provide neutral damage output on Scyther and Nidoqueen and to paraylse paralyze Pokemon that tend to revenge kill Pinsir such as Dodrio, Crobat,(AC) and Jumpluff.(AP)

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal Resist Normal-resistant Pokemon,(AC) it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set,(AC) as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent Pinsir partner,(AC) with this set as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of RestTalker RestTalk user (is absorbing status the important trait here? I'd explicitly state "status absorber" if that's the case), allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton or Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========

Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option, alongside a Normal-type attack;(comma -> semicolon) it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets Pinsir it beat Haunter and beat Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro, Hypno,(AC) and Mr. Mime. Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail which that has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check since because it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter use Hypnosis on anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However,(AC) if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground,(AC) then Pinsir it can beat Haunter unless Haunter it hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond,(AC) which can force a trade.(AP) against HP Ground Pinsir

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast,(AC) then it will beat Pinsir in a 1v1 one-on-one matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt offensive Pinsir's momentum(altough this is limited to Non Sleep Talk sets) , and momentum—although this is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets—and Moonlight has gives it decent longevity against RestTalk variants,(AC) but it hates getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense,(AC) and Haze letting lets it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the Speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack;(comma -> semicolon) this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unboosted unless Pinsir sets up and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants,(AC) since Encore falls fails against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either Pinsir variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can also take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk (RP) Crobat is also able to and 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, altough although Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir in a 1v1 one-on-one. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outsped outspeed and OHKO Pinsir and can reliably switch into Hidden Power Bug reliably. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[CentaurMM6, 508601]]
- Quality checked by: [[], []]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

gp 1/2 when done

 

[dawnbuster]

add remove comments

gp

[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU and a very powerful Double-Edge to take advantage of that. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, The SlowTwins Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has,(period -> comma) and its above-average(AH) Speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover,(AC) Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground (removed parentheses) and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther,(AC) who which is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in a metagame where its Bug STAB Hidden Power Bug is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, as well as the fact that Pinsir and it can also hit Bug resists Bug-resistant foes hard with its coverage moves. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but its paralysis chance means it is Pinsir's best option for threatening effectively threatens the Pokemon that are often used to check it Pinsir, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat, with paralysis. Submission is there for targets Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar,(AC) who which can take both of the other attacking moves,(AC) and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as the Slowtwins Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========

Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner,(AC) for it as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's powerful great attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice something a Pokemon to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen or and Curse Granbull clean up late-game(AH). Gligar, altough although a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner since because Pinsir has a decent matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants,(AC) while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside it Pinsir to Rapid spin hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Users of Light Screen or Reflect Screens setters such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponent's(apostrophe) defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========

This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen,(AC) as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from its Nidoqueen's attacks, letting Pinsir it beat Queen Nidoqueen in the long run. The point of running Body Slam on this set is to provide neutral damage output on Scyther and Nidoqueen and to paraylse paralyze Pokemon that tend to revenge kill Pinsir such as Dodrio, Crobat,(AC) and Jumpluff.(AP)

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal Resist Normal-resistant Pokemon,(AC) it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set,(AC) as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent Pinsir partner,(AC) with this set as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of RestTalker RestTalk user (is absorbing status the important trait here? I'd explicitly state "status absorber" if that's the case), allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton or Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========

Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option, alongside a Normal-type attack;(comma -> semicolon) it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets Pinsir it beat Haunter and beat Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro, Hypno,(AC) and Mr. Mime. Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail which that has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.

Checks and Counters
===================

**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check since because it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter use Hypnosis on anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However,(AC) if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground,(AC) then Pinsir it can beat Haunter unless Haunter it hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond,(AC) which can force a trade.(AP) against HP Ground Pinsir

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast,(AC) then it will beat Pinsir in a 1v1 one-on-one matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt offensive Pinsir's momentum(altough this is limited to Non Sleep Talk sets) , and momentum—although this is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets—and Moonlight has gives it decent longevity against RestTalk variants,(AC) but it hates getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense,(AC) and Haze letting lets it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the Speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack;(comma -> semicolon) this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unboosted unless Pinsir sets up and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants,(AC) since Encore falls fails against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either Pinsir variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can also take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk (RP) Crobat is also able to and 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, altough although Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir in a 1v1 one-on-one. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outsped outspeed and OHKO Pinsir and can reliably switch into Hidden Power Bug reliably. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[CentaurMM6, 508601]]
- Quality checked by: [[], []]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

gp 1/2 when done

did

 

[Astra]

add remove (comments)

Hide

[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU and a very powerful Double-Edge to take advantage of that. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has, and its above average Speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover, Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther, which is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in a metagame where its STAB Hidden Power Bug is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, and it can also hit Bug-resistant foes hard with its coverage moves. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but effectively threatens the Pokemon that are often used to check Pinsir, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat with paralysis. Submission targets Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar, which can take both of the other attacking moves, and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========
Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner, as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's great attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice a Pokemon to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen and Curse Granbull clean up late-game. Gligar, although a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner because Pinsir has a good matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants, while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside Pinsir to spin entry hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Screen setters such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponent's defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen, as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from Nidoqueen's attacks, letting it beat Nidoqueen in the long run. The point of running Body Slam on this set is to provide neutral damage output on Scyther and Nidoqueen and to paralyze Pokemon that tend to revenge kill Pinsir such as Dodrio, Crobat, and Jumpluff.

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal-resistant Pokemon, it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set, as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent partner, (spacing) as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of as a status absorber, allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton or and Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========
Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option, alongside a Normal-type attack; it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets it beat Haunter and Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail that has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.


Checks and Counters
===================
**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check because it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter use Hypnosis on anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However, if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground, then it can beat Haunter unless it hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond, which can force a trade.

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast, then it will beat Pinsir in a one-on-one matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt offensive Pinsir's momentum—although this is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets—and Moonlight gives decent longevity against RestTalk variants, but it hates it getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense, and Haze lets it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the Speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack; this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unless Pinsir setups sets up and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants, since Encore fails against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either Pinsir variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can also take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk and 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, although Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir in one-on-one. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outspeed and OHKO Pinsir and can reliably switch into Hidden Power Bug. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ReeceHughes, 508601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Century Express, 234737]] (moved the comma from inside the brackets to outside)
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

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[OVERVIEW]

Pinsir has one of the highest Attack stats of any Swords Dance user in GSC UU and a very powerful Double-Edge to take advantage of that. Its STAB Hidden Power Bug threatens common Pokemon such as Bellossom, Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. It has relatively few weaknesses, notably lacking the problematic weakness to Electric that its biggest competition Scyther has, and its above average Speed also lets it outrun Pokemon such as Nidoqueen, Kabutops, Victreebel, and Politoed. However, Pinsir can be difficult to switch in because of its low HP and Special Defense in a metagame with numerous special threats. Moreover, Pinsir is absolutely stonewalled by Haunter unless it runs the rare Hidden Power Ground and struggles with other common Pokemon such as Fire Blast Nidoqueen, Qwilfish, and Scyther. Lastly, Pinsir faces huge competition from one of the best Pokemon in the tier in Scyther, which is faster, immune to Spikes, has better special bulk, and can do more for its team because of Baton Pass.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hidden Power Bug
move 3: Double-Edge / Body Slam / Return
move 4: Submission
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
Pinsir is a powerful wallbreaker in a metagame where its STAB Hidden Power Bug is highly appreciated due to a lot of top threats being Psychic-types, and it can also hit Bug-resistant foes hard with its coverage moves. Double-Edge is Pinsir's most powerful move, notably 2HKOing Nidoqueen after a single Swords Dance. Two alternative options for Double-Edge are Return and Body Slam. The former has more power than Body Slam and retains the ability to 2HKO Nidoqueen if Spikes are up, while the latter doesn't hit as hard but effectively threatens the Pokemon that are often used to check Pinsir, such as Scyther, Jumpluff, and Crobat with paralysis. Submission targets Magneton, Kabutops, and Omastar, which can take both of the other attacking moves, and having a powerful move for Granbull is very handy. Pinsir sets up best against Pokemon it scares out such as Slowbro, Slowking, Hypno, and Chansey, although it must watch for status.

Team Options
=========
Pinsir struggles with Qwilfish, Scyther, and especially Haunter, so Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner, as it deals with the former two and traps Haunter. Pinsir's great attacking power after a Swords Dance means the opponent will often have to sacrifice a Pokemon to take it down, which can let powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen and Curse Granbull clean up late-game. Gligar, although a niche Pokemon, is a good Pinsir partner because Pinsir has a good matchup against Ice Beam Nidoqueen variants, while Gligar checks Fire Blast Nidoqueen variants. Blastoise works well alongside Pinsir to spin entry hazards away, making setting up easier and offsetting recoil. Screen setters such as Chansey, Hypno, and Electrode can ease Pinsir's setup and make it harder to handle. Paralysis support is very useful for helping Pinsir beat faster Pokemon without taking too many hits. Pinsir is also great when stacked alongside other setup sweepers such as Scyther and Sandslash to overwhelm the opponent's defensive Pokemon when given screen support.

[SET]
name: RestTalk
move 1: Rest
move 2: Sleep Talk
move 3: Swords Dance
move 4: Body Slam
item: Leftovers

[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
=========
This set is designed to take advantage of Pinsir's decent defenses and typing to set up on more passive Pokemon such as Hypno and Chansey without having to worry too much about status. This set also lets Pinsir beat Ice Beam variants of Nidoqueen, as it doesn't care about Lovely Kiss and doesn't take too much from Nidoqueen's attacks, letting it beat Nidoqueen in the long run. The point of running Body Slam on this set is to provide neutral damage output on Scyther and Nidoqueen and to paralyze Pokemon that tend to revenge kill Pinsir such as Dodrio, Crobat, and Jumpluff.

Team Options
=========

Since this Pinsir set is walled by any Normal-resistant Pokemon, it is wise to pair it with Spikes so its counters are slowly worn down. As with the Swords Dance set, Pursuit Electabuzz makes a great partner for this set, as it forces Kabutops and Omastar out and Pursuit traps Haunter. Light Screen support from Electrode, Ampharos, or Hypno is nice for preventing Pinsir from being too overwhelmed by special threats. Granbull makes for an excellent partner, (spacing) as Pinsir can take on Granbull's role of as a status absorber, allowing Granbull to run a more offensive set. Granbull will then be able to lure in Pinsir counters such as Magneton or and Haunter and surprise KO them with Hidden Power Ground.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=========
Hidden Power Ground is Pinsir's most viable other option, alongside a Normal-type attack; it gives Pinsir perfect neutral coverage in only two moves and lets it beat Haunter and Nidoqueen more easily, but losing Hidden Power Bug leaves Pinsir worse off against Psychic-types like Slowbro, Hypno, and Mr. Mime. Pinsir can use Rest alongside Mint Berry in order to bring it back to full health and get rid of status. Alternatively, Substitute can potentially be used to block attempts to inflict status on Pinsir and take advantage of Pokemon that are unable to move due to sleep or paralysis. Miracle Berry is an option, although the lack of Leftovers with Pinsir's bad special bulk make it a niche option. Lastly, Pinsir can run a set with Endure and Flail that has sweeping potential when Pinsir is partnered with a Pokemon that can pass Speed to it, but it is next to worthless otherwise.


Checks and Counters
===================
**Haunter**: Haunter is the best Pinsir check because it 4x resists Hidden Power Bug and is completely immune to Submission and Double-Edge. A Pinsir switching out lets Haunter use Hypnosis on anything that comes in or hit hard with Thunder or Psychic. However, if Pinsir is running Hidden Power Ground, then it can beat Haunter unless it hits Hypnosis or is carrying Destiny Bond, which can force a trade.

**Nidoqueen**: If Nidoqueen is running Fire Blast, then it will beat Pinsir in a one-on-one matchup, although it takes big damage from Hidden Power Ground or Double-Edge after a Swords Dance. In addition, Lovely Kiss is able to disrupt offensive Pinsir's momentum—although this is limited to non-Sleep Talk sets—and Moonlight gives decent longevity against RestTalk variants, but it hates it getting paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Qwilfish**: Qwilfish has good Defense, and Haze lets it get rid of any boosts Pinsir has obtained. It also has a chance to 3HKO with Hydro Pump and can put down Spikes when Pinsir switches out. However, Pinsir can deal massive damage to Qwilfish if it manages to win the Speed tie.

**Scyther**: Scyther outspeeds Pinsir and 3HKOes with Wing Attack; this can also be brought to a 2HKO if Pinsir takes recoil from Double-Edge. If Scyther finds itself against an unboosted Pinsir, it can generally set up Swords Dance freely. However, Scyther must beware of being paralyzed when switching in, and it can potentially lose to Pinsir if it switches into a full health Pinsir that just used Swords Dance.

**Jumpluff**: Jumpluff dominates offensive Pinsir because it is not 2HKOed unless Pinsir setups sets up and can easily lock Pinsir into Swords Dance. It can also cripple Pinsir with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore. Some Jumpluff carry Hidden Power Flying, making it an even worse matchup. However, Jumpluff falls flat against RestTalk variants, since Encore fails against called moves from Sleep Talk, and Jumpluff is crippled by paralysis from Body Slam from either Pinsir variant.

**Crobat**: Crobat is a very reliable Pinsir check because of its access to Haze, letting it remove any of Pinsir's boosts. It can also take a few Double-Edges because of its decent bulk and 3HKO Pinsir in return with Hidden Power Flying or Wing Attack. However, Crobat hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Rock- and Steel-types**: Omastar, Kabutops, and Magneton all are unreliable when dealing with the offensive set because of Submission, but they all dominate the RestTalk set because of their Body Slam resistance and ability to hit Pinsir very hard, although Kabutops hates being paralyzed by Body Slam.

**Fire-types**: While all the Fire-types are rare, they dominate Pinsir in one-on-one. Magmar and Arcanine are able to outspeed and OHKO Pinsir and can reliably switch into Hidden Power Bug. Flareon is also able to OHKO Pinsir, but it is hit rather hard by Double-Edge and is slower.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[ReeceHughes, 508601]]
- Quality checked by: [[Earthworm, 15210], [Century Express, 234737]] (moved the comma from inside the brackets to outside)
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

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