Gen 1 Pinsir (UU) [QC 2/2] [GP 2/2]

[Plague von Karma]

Swords Dance + Hyper Beam is crack​

[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir has a unique place in RBY UU thanks to its access to Bind, decent Speed, and potentially massive damage output by virtue of Slash and Swords Dance. Its Bug typing provides it with a resistance to Earthquake; this makes it work well alongside Tentacruel and Electric-types like Electabuzz and Raichu, especially when checking Dugtrio for them. Pinsir's biggest selling point, however, is its sheer threat level should it boost with Swords Dance, which allows it to flatten paralyzed teams. Few Pokemon can switch into Pinsir's +2 Hyper Beam; some standout calculations include a 41% chance to OHKO Tentacruel and a 2.6% chance to OHKO Hypno. This makes Pinsir a particularly brutal punishment for Pokemon that are often forced to use Rest, such as Vaporeon and Hypno. While not perfect, Pinsir's Speed lets it outpace Dragonite and Hypno, which makes it great at revenge killing them. Further, having a partial trapping move faster than Dragonite can be crucial in many situations, allowing Pinsir to keep Dragonite from setting up with Agility and switch to a counter, such as Tentacruel, for free. Bind allows Pinsir to form a partial trapping core alongside Tentacruel and Dragonite as well, providing teams with significant momentum, especially if the opposing team is stricken with paralysis.

As with almost any Bug-type in RBY, though, Pinsir is held back by some severe flaws. Pinsir has no STAB attacks to speak of and is forced to rely only on Normal- and Fighting-type moves. It thus competes with the Normal-type attackers of the metagame—Persian, Dodrio, and Kangaskhan—for a place on teams. Pinsir's Normal and Fighting reliance also makes it completely invalidated by Haunter, which forces it to switch or pivot out with Bind. It also struggles with Rock-types if it lacks Submission, and its weakness to Rock Slide doesn't help there. While Pinsir's Speed helps in some minor ways, it just isn't good enough: Pinsir is outpaced by common threats like Tentacruel, Dodrio and Kadabra, which are very capable of threatening it due to its mediocre typing or low Special. As a result, Pinsir relies heavily on teams that spread paralysis efficiently, making it somewhat dependent on the player's Hypno to function well. These flaws are only worsened by it being debilitated by paralysis and mandating setup, which can be very difficult to accomplish in the Wrap-infested format. Paralysis isn't the only status to give Pinsir trouble either, as Toxic—a substantially common way to deal with Dragonite—puts a firm cap on Pinsir's use of Bind, causing it to take more damage than it would normally deal, which is only made worse by Bind's inherent inconsistency. Overall, Pinsir has some very strong points in its favor, but it's a high-risk pick that necessitates a team built around it as well as a competent player.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Slash / Submission
move 4: Bind

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

The premise of the set is simple: set up with Swords Dance and put 'em away. Hyper Beam is Pinsir's claim to fame, KOing Pokemon from around half HP even without setup and becoming an OHKO machine if boosted. Slash gives Pinsir immediate and significant power, but Submission—albeit somewhat inconsistently—allows Pinsir to beat Rock-types that try to switch in on Hyper Beam. Finally, Bind allows Pinsir to provide its team with momentum while chipping threats into Hyper Beam KO range, which becomes near-effortless against paralyzed teams. When boosted by Swords Dance, Bind can be surprisingly powerful; for example, it can deal up to 10.4% to Hypno per hit, quickly bringing it into KO range.

Pinsir can be a fairly unwieldy Pokemon to use, relying on a paralyzed team to sweep reliably. However, it has multiple points of entry, particularly Dugtrio, which it can beat outright, 2HKOing it with Slash and only being 3HKOed by Rock Slide 0.1% of the time. Outside of this, Pinsir can punish paralyzed Pokemon heavily, be it by revenge killing them or switching in on their physical attacks, which is made safer by the potential for full paralysis. Paralysis further benefits Pinsir's Bind, giving it a safety net for its more frequent misses than Wrap. Pinsir is capable of exploiting Pokemon using Rest quite well with Swords Dance, which can potentially mean an outright win depending on the game state. Pinsir fits on teams that appreciate its Ground resistance and physical attacking prowess. This particularly applies to those looking to get the most mileage out of Tentacruel and Electric-types, so long as the team is capable of providing extensive paralysis support in return.

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

Body Slam can allow Pinsir to be more self-sufficient in the paralysis department while denying switches in from faster threats. However, Slash's damage is sorely missed in this case, causing Pinsir to miss out on many potential KOs and become more reliant on Swords Dance. Seismic Toss can be utilized, as it's Pinsir's sole option to hit Haunter, but it does little to help the matchup; switching out or pivoting with Bind is really all Pinsir can do. Toxic can be helpful for dealing with Dragonite, which otherwise uses Pinsir as setup fodder. However, Pinsir doesn't necessarily need Toxic, as it can use Bind to safely bring in a counter, such as Tentacruel

Bind can be cut for moveslot flexibility, but this causes Pinsir to be a severe momentum sink mid-game. Should the opponent reveal Haunter or a Rock-type, Pinsir is forced out and has to have a teammate take a hit for it, which can let the opponent open holes. Switching out with Bind ensures momentum isn't lost, as foes are unable to move, even Haunter. However, with Bind cut, Pinsir becomes more consistent late-game, as it's less reliant on Bind's shaky accuracy.

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

**Haunter**: Pinsir can't touch Haunter at all without the largely undesirable Seismic Toss. To make matters worse, Haunter is faster and gets a near-guaranteed 3HKO with Thunderbolt. As such, Pinsir is normally forced to switch out through a manual switch or Bind. It should be noted that Bind still immobilizes Haunter, allowing Pinsir to safely bring in a counter like Dugtrio, so using Bind to catch Haunter switching in is viable counterplay.

**Rock-types**: If Pinsir doesn't run Submission, it's forced out by Rock-types. However, if it does, it usually 2HKOes them at +2, albeit with significant recoil damage and questionable reliability. Golem is adept at coming in on Hyper Beam and outright 2HKOes Pinsir with Rock Slide, meaning it wins in this situation even if Pinsir has boosted. Omastar deals up to 72% with Hydro Pump, which can be followed up with Blizzard to dispatch Pinsir. In addition, considering Submission recoil, Omastar can easily 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. Aerodactyl is another particularly solid counter, only facing a near-guaranteed 4HKO from Submission while 2HKOing in return with Fire Blast.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Pinsir's special bulk is very poor, so threats like Articuno and Kadabra 2HKO it with their STAB moves. However, these matchups are volatile if Pinsir is at full health. Pinsir Speed ties with Articuno and therefore can potentially win if it's boosted; Slash + Hyper Beam will 2HKO Articuno quite frequently. Against Kadabra, Pinsir can deal up to 91% with Slash alone, and +2 Hyper Beam will always OHKO it unless there's an unfortunate miss. As such, Kadabra is restricted to revenge killing Pinsir, which can be stifled by teammates like Hypno, though Pinsir being forced out isn't necessarily ideal. While they are very rare, Fire-type Pokemon like Moltres greatly threaten Pinsir with Fire Blast.

**Tentacruel**: Tentacruel is faster than Pinsir, can pivot out of bothersome situations through Wrap, and heals paralysis with Rest. It's very difficult for Pinsir to set up in games due to the existence of Tentacruel's Wrap, constantly delaying it while chipping Pinsir into KO range. On top of this, Tentacruel is near-guaranteed to 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. However, Pinsir is very capable of exploiting paralyzed Tentacruel, possessing a potential OHKO with +2 Hyper Beam. If Pinsir paralyzes Tentacruel with Body Slam on the switch, Tentacruel is liable to outright lose. Overall, though, this matchup is very unfavorable and using Pinsir against a healthy Tentacruel is strongly discouraged.

**Dodrio**: Dodrio can revenge kill Pinsir with Drill Peck, 2HKOing it. It can't switch in to save its life though, taking massive damage from Slash, which has a small but notable chance to 2HKO; alternatively, Slash + Hyper Beam is a guaranteed 2HKO. Furthermore, if Pinsir has boosted, it can OHKO Dodrio with Hyper Beam 89.7% of the time. Dodrio can't fight Pinsir at all if it's paralyzed.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Volk, 530877]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]

 

[phoopes]

Few Pokemon can switch into a +2 Hyper Beam from Pinsir; some standout calculations include a 41% chance to OHKO Tentacruel and the ability to KO Hypno if it's taken even a modicum of damage.

I'd add the calculation here on Hypno since you say "some standout calculations include..." It makes more sense I think plus it's less vague than "a modicum of damaage." Here's the calc by the way:

+2 Pinsir Hyper Beam vs. Hypno: 317-373 (84.9 - 100%) -- 2.6% chance to OHKO

Bind allows it to form a partial trapping core alongside Tentacruel and Dragonite as well, providing teams with significant momentum, especially if teams are paralyzed.

I'd say "providing teams with significant momentum, especially if the opposing team is stricken with paralysis" or something like that. I think it clears it up a bit.

As such, Pinsir is a good pick for beating these strategies, as it can beat Dugtrio outright, 2HKOing it with Slash, and taking surprisingly little damage from Rock Slide.

I'd again give the specific calc here. You switch in on Earthquake, and Dugtrio still doesn't 2HKO with Rock Slide (barring a crit). Even if you switch in on a Rock Slide, the odds of getting 3HKO'd are slim to say the least. I think it's worth noting the calc to emphasize how safe a switch-in Pinsir is.

Dugtrio Rock Slide vs. Pinsir: 95-112 (28.5 - 33.6%) -- 0.1% chance to 3HKO

However, the damage of Slash is sorely missed in this case, causing Pinsir to miss out on many potential KOs and become more on Swords Dance.

I believe you mean "more reliant on Swords Dance."

After that's in, QC 1/2

 

[Plague von Karma]

cool words

Implemented this!

 

[Volk]

Pinsir finds itself in a unique place in RBY UU for its access to Bind, decent Speed and potentially massive damage output by virtue of Slash and Swords Dance.

Add a comma after "Speed." Also say "thanks to its access" rather than "for."

This makes it work well alongside Tentacruel and Electric-types like Electabuzz and Raichu, while simultaneously opposing the common combination of Tentacruel and Dugtrio.

I get how Pinsir works well against Dugtrio, but how does it work well against Tentacruel? Either elaborate on this beforehand or cut it.

This, overall, makes Pinsir a particularly brutal punishment for Pokemon that are often forced to use Rest, such as Vaporeon and Hypno.

This one is just funny. Neither of the two commas at the start of this sentence are needed.

While not perfect, Pinsir's Speed lets it outpace Dragonite and Hypno, which makes it great at revenge killing them, and having a Bind faster than Dragonite can be crucial in many situations, allowing Pinsir to delay its setup and bring in a counter.

This is a confusing sentence of you are a new player. For one thing, it implies Dragonite has Bind. Secondly, "bring in a counter" is a little vague. Maybe say something like "allowing Pinsir to keep Dragonite from setting up with Agility and switch out to a counter, such as Tentacruel, for free."

Pinsir has no STAB to speak of, and due to the movesets it's forced to use as a result of this, it competes with the Normal-type attackers of the metagame - Persian, Dodrio and Kangaskhan - for a place on teams.

Split into two sentences. "Pinsir has no STAB to speak of and is forced to rely only on Normal- and Fighting-type moves. It thus competes with the Normal-type attackers of the metagame - Persian, Dodrio and Kangaskhan - for a place on teams."

Pinsir has some pressing coverage issues too, being completely blanked by Haunter, meaning it cannot make progress while it exists on the opposing team, forcing it to pivot out with Bind.

"...on the opposing team and will be forced to switch or pivot out with Bind." I mention switching here because Pinsir is slower than Haunter, so hard switching may be necessary if you want to keep Pinsir healthy for later.

As mentioned before, Pinsir's Speed, while it has some minor points in its favor, just isn't good enough: it's outpaced by common threats like Tentacruel, Dodrio and Kadabra, all of which are very capable of threatening it due to its mediocre typing or Special.

Add "low" before "Special." Calling Pinsir's Special mediocre is generous. It's lower than that of Pokemon like Dugtrio and Primeape.

As a result, Pinsir relies heavily on teams that spread paralysis efficiently, making it somewhat reliant on the player's Hypno to function well. This is only worsened by it being debilitated by paralysis and reliant on setting up, which in the Wrap-infested format of RBY UU, can be very difficult to balance out.

You used the word "rely" three times in these two sentences. Consider revising. Specify that the latter of these two things (in the setting up in the second sentence) is what the Wrap-infested environment makes harder.

This isn't the only status to give Pinsir trouble either, as Toxic's presence in the metagame—normally used to deal with Dragonite—puts a firm cap on Pinsir's use of Bind, causing it to take more damage than it would normally deal.

You should also at some point mention that Bind really isn't reliable. There is a big difference between 75% and 85% accuracy, when you compare Bind to Wrap.

Overall, Pinsir has some very strong points in its favor, but it's a high-risk pick that necessitates a team built around it, and a competent player.

Cut the comma before "and" and consider replacing "and" with "as well as."

Hyper Beam is Pinsir's claim to fame, KOing Pokemon from around half-HP even without setup, which becomes an OHKO machine if boosted.

Cut the second comma and replace "which becomes" with "and becoming." Replace "if" with "when."

Slash gives Pinsir immediate and significant power without being reliant on setup, but Submission allows Pinsir to beat Rock-types that try to switch in on Hyper Beam.

Rock-types may also come in because they straight up wall Pinsir if it lacks Submission. Catching Hyper Beam is a reason, but not the only one. It may be superfluous, but mentioning the bad accuracy and recoil might be a good idea. As an example, take a look at the Omastar matchup.

Finally, Bind allows Pinsir to provide its team with momentum while chipping threats into Hyper Beam range.

Bind also naturally synergizes with the spread of Paralysis, which Pinsir already appreciates.

This gives it synergy with leads like Kadabra and Electabuzz, which tend to have their Thunder Wave blocked by Dugtrio while being forced out thereafter.

If someone switches Dugtrio into Kadabra on turn 1, I don't know man... they need some help. More often than anything else, a Kadabra lead, and usually an Electabuzz lead as well, will result in a Hypno switch by the opponent, not a Dugtrio switch. Not to mention the opponent may simply be leading with Hypno, in which case there will be no switch. I kind of doubt that this synergy exists, and if it does, it's not for this reason. Another big issue is that revealing a Pinsir that early just seems like a really bad idea. You want to know if your opponent has a Haunter or other Pinsir counter before Pinsir gets going. Some of Pinsir's counters are so brutal, that simply keeping them around to deal Pinsir long-term is trivial. You need to KO or severely weaken these targets before you can reveal Pinsir, as to maintain its potential to be useful.

As such, Pinsir is a good pick for beating these strategies, as it can beat Dugtrio outright, 2HKOing it with Slash, and only being 3HKOed by Rock Slide 0.1% of the time.

Way too vague. I don't know what "these strategies" are, nor what "As such" is even referring to.

Outside of this, Pinsir can punish paralyzed Pokemon heavily, be it by revenge killing them or switching in on physical attacks, which is made safer by the potential of full paralysis.

Let's "KO" not "kill." Paralysis is also a nice back up when Bind misses.

Pinsir fits on teams that appreciate its Ground resistance and physical attacking prowess while providing paralysis support, which particularly applies to those looking to get the most mileage out of Tentacruel and Electric-types.

This sentence implies Pinsir provides Paralysis support based on the way it is written.

Seismic Toss can be utilized, as it's the sole move in Pinsir's movepool that can hit Haunter, but it does little to help the matchup; pivoting out to a proper Haunter counter with Bind is often a superior option.

Same thing as earlier, Haunter is faster than Pinsir so you may need to bite the bullet and just switch, unless Haunter specifically comes in on a Bind that connected.

Toxic can be helpful for dealing with Dragonite, which otherwise uses Pinsir as setup fodder.

I would still mention Toxic, but believe it or not, Pinsir has the fairly unique distinction of being one of the only Pokemon that needs neither an Ice-type move or status move to keep Dragonite from setting up. Pinsir can simply use Bind and swap to something else, assuming it isn't Paralyzed. The presence of Paralysis and the generally better accuracy, however, still makes Toxic deserving of a mention.

As such, Pinsir is normally forced to switch out, be it through manual switch or Bind. It should be noted that Bind still immobilizes Haunter, allowing Pinsir to safely bring in a counter like Dugtrio.

Mention that Haunter is faster than Pinsir. It also scores a near-guaranteed 3HKO with Thunderbolt.

If Pinsir lacks Submission, it's forced out by Rock-types, as it has no other move that can hit them. However, if it does, it usually 2HKOes them at +2, albeit with significant recoil damage. Golem is adept at coming in on Hyper Beam and is capable of 2HKOing Pinsir with STAB Rock Slide outright, meaning it wins the interaction even if Pinsir has boosted. Omastar deals up to 72% with Hydro Pump, which can be followed up with Blizzard to dispatch Pinsir too.

Two Surfs will also do the trick for Omastar, especially when you factor in Submission Recoil. Additionally, you get to mention Aerodactyl here, as it is arguably Pinsir's hardest non-Ghost counter. Aerodactyl is faster, can 2HKO with Fire Blast, and is merely 4HKOed by an unboosted Submission.

Overall though, this matchup is very unfavorable.

Make sure you really hammer this home. I'd consider giving Tentacruel it's own entry as it is a huge barrier for Pinsir in the tier. It makes set-up virtually impossible, stomachs it hits (if it can even get any off) reasonably well, and can easily pick it off. This is a VERY bad matchup for Pinsir and a very important one.

Checks and Counters

I know it is kind of an un-mon at this point, but Moltres may be worth naming at some point. That (as well as those against other Fires) is another really tough matchup for Pinsir.

I think that is all for now. I'll review it again once implemented and then likely QC. Cheers!

 

[Plague von Karma]

Implemented all except this.

I know it is kind of an un-mon at this point, but Moltres may be worth naming at some point. That (as well as those against other Fires) is another really tough matchup for Pinsir.

I think Moltres is generally self-explanatory, and since it's not ranked on the VR and universally admonished in the tier, I don't think it's wise to note. If the Pinsir user sees Moltres, the incoming heart attack will be telling enough. I know I had one...

 

[Volk]

Round 2!

In addition to this, its Bug typing provides it with a resistance to Earthquake, allowing it to be a very effective Dugtrio check. This makes it work well alongside Tentacruel and Electric-types like Electabuzz and Raichu, while simultaneously checking opposing Dugtrio for them.

You wrote "checking Dugtrio" twice here. Cut one.

As mentioned before, Pinsir's Speed, while it has some minor points in its favor, just isn't good enough: it's outpaced by common threats like Tentacruel, Dodrio and Kadabra, all of which are very capable of threatening it due to its mediocre typing or low Special.

Add a comma after "Dodrio."

lash gives Pinsir immediate and significant power without being reliant on setup, but Submission—albeit somewhat inconsistent—allows Pinsir to beat Rock-types that try to switch in on Hyper Beam.

"Inconsistently."

Paralysis further benefits Pinsir's Bind, which while less consistent than Wrap, gets a safety net for its more frequent misses alongside it.

I like this sentence but the wording is slightly confusing. Maybe say "thanks to" instad of "alongside?" I think that preserves the original meaning.

Aerodactyl is another particularly hard counter, only being 4HKOed by Submission while 2HKOing in return with Fire Blast.

My bad, it's a 98.9% chance to 4HKO. Not sure if you need to note that distinction or not.

Strong special attackers

Just end this section with something like: "While they are very rare, Fire-type Pokemon like Moltres greatly threaten Pinsir with Fire Blast."

Overall though, this matchup is very unfavorable and using Pinsir against Tentacruel is strongly discouraged.

Add "a healthy" before "Tentacruel."

I think that's pretty good. Implement these and it's a QC 2/2 from me. Cheers!

 

[Plague von Karma]

I think that's pretty good. Implement these and it's a QC 2/2 from me. Cheers!

Implemented, thank you so much!

 

[CryoGyro]

GP 1/2

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[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir finds itself in has a unique place in RBY UU thanks to its access to Bind, decent Speed, and potentially massive damage output by virtue of Slash and Swords Dance. In addition to this, Its Bug typing provides it with a resistance to Earthquake; this makes it work well alongside Tentacruel and Electric-types like Electabuzz and Raichu, while simultaneously especially when checking opposing Dugtrio for them. The Pinsir's biggest selling point, however, is the its sheer threat level of Pinsir should it boost with Swords Dance, which allows it to flatten paralyzed teams. Few Pokemon can switch into a Pinsir's +2 Hyper Beam from Pinsir; some standout calculations include a 41% chance to OHKO Tentacruel and a 2.6% chance to OHKO Hypno. This makes Pinsir a particularly brutal punishment for Pokemon that are often forced to use Rest, such as Vaporeon and Hypno. While not perfect, Pinsir's Speed lets it outpace Dragonite and Hypno, which makes it great at revenge killing them, and having a partial trapping move faster than Dragonite can be crucial in many situations, allowing Pinsir to keep Dragonite from setting up with Agility and switch out to a counter, such as Tentacruel, for free. Bind allows Pinsir to form a partial trapping core alongside Tentacruel and Dragonite as well, providing teams with significant momentum, especially if the opposing team is stricken with paralysis.

As is the case with almost any Bug-type in RBY, (comma) though, Pinsir is held back by some severe flaws. Pinsir has no STAB attacks to speak of and is forced to rely only on Normal- and Fighting-type moves. It thus competes with the Normal-type attackers of the metagame—Persian, Dodrio, and Kangaskhan—for a place on teams. Pinsir has some pressing coverage issues too, being completely blanked invalidated by Haunter, meaning it cannot make progress on the opposing team and will be forced to switch or pivot out with Bind. It also struggles with Rock-types as a result of this if it lacks Submission, and its weakness to Rock Slide doesn't help. As mentioned before, Pinsir's Speed, while it While Pinsir's Speed has some minor points in its favor, it just isn't good enough: it's outpaced by common threats like Tentacruel, Dodrio and Kadabra, all of which are very capable of threatening it due to its mediocre typing or low Special. As a result, Pinsir relies heavily on teams that spread paralysis efficiently, making it somewhat dependent on the player's Hypno to function well. This is only worsened by it being debilitated by paralysis and mandating setup, which in the Wrap-infested format of RBY UU, can be very difficult to balance out in the Wrap-infested format. This Paralysis isn't the only status to give Pinsir trouble either, as Toxic's presence in the metagame—normally used to deal with Dragonite—puts a firm cap on Pinsir's use of Bind, causing it to take more damage than it would normally deal, which is only made worse by Bind's inherent inconsistency. Overall, Pinsir has some very strong points in its favor, but it's a high-risk pick that necessitates a team built around it as well as a competent player.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Slash / Submission
move 4: Bind

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

The premise of the set is simple: set up with Swords Dance and put 'em away. Hyper Beam is Pinsir's claim to fame, KOing Pokemon from around half HP even without setup and becoming an OHKO machine if boosted. Slash gives Pinsir immediate and significant power without being reliant on setup, but Submission—albeit somewhat inconsistently—allows Pinsir to beat Rock-types that try to switch in on Hyper Beam. Finally, Bind allows Pinsir to provide its team with momentum while chipping threats into Hyper Beam KO range, which becomes near-effortless against paralyzed teams. When boosted by Swords Dance, Bind can be surprisingly powerful; for example, it can deal up to 10.4% to Hypno at +2, quickly bringing it into KO range.

Pinsir can be a fairly unwieldy Pokemon to use, relying on a paralyzed team to sweep reliably. However, it has multiple points of entry, particularly opposing Dugtrio, which it can beat outright, 2HKOing it with Slash and only being 3HKOed by Rock Slide 0.1% of the time. Outside of this, Pinsir can punish paralyzed Pokemon heavily, be it by revenge killing them or switching in on physical attacks, which is made safer by the potential of full paralysis. Paralysis further benefits Pinsir's Bind, which while less consistent than Wrap, gets a safety net for its more frequent misses than Wrap thanks to it. Pinsir is capable of exploiting Pokemon using Rest quite well, (comma) scoring a free with Swords Dance, which can potentially mean an outright win depending on the game state. Pinsir fits on teams that appreciate its Ground resistance and physical attacking prowess. This particularly applies to those looking to get the most mileage out of Tentacruel and Electric-types, so long as the team is capable of providing extensive paralysis support in return.

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

Body Slam can allow Pinsir to be more self-sufficient in the paralysis department while denying switch-ins switches in from faster threats. However, the damage of Slash's damage is sorely missed in this case, causing Pinsir to miss out on many potential KOs and become more reliant on Swords Dance. Seismic Toss can be utilized, as it's the sole move in Pinsir's movepool that can hit Haunter, but it does little to help the matchup; switching out is really all Pinsir can do. Toxic can be helpful for dealing with Dragonite, which otherwise uses Pinsir as setup fodder. However, Pinsir doesn't necessarily need Toxic, as it can use Bind to pivot out directly into safely bring in a counter, such as Tentacruel.

Bind can be cut to allow for more flexible moveslots, but this causes Pinsir to be a severe momentum sink mid-game. Should the opponent reveal Haunter or a Rock-type, Pinsir is forced out and has to have a teammate take a hit for it, which can lead to holes being opened. Switching out with Bind is significantly more effective and ensures momentum isn't lost, as they're foes are unable to move, providing safe switch-ins to Pinsir's teammates. However, with Bind cut, Pinsir becomes more consistent late-game, as it's less reliant on Bind's shaky accuracy, making it an option worth considering.

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

**Haunter**: Pinsir can't touch Haunter at all without the largely undesirable Seismic Toss. To make matters worse, Haunter is faster and possesses gets a near-guaranteed 3HKO with Thunderbolt. Pinsir straight up doesn't have a move to hit it with outside of Seismic Toss, which is undesirable on Pinsir's moveset, as the set damage doesn't synergize with Swords Dance. As such, Pinsir is normally forced to switch out, (comma) be it through manual switch or Bind. It should be noted that Bind still immobilizes Haunter, allowing Pinsir to safely bring in a counter like Dugtrio, so using Bind to catch Haunter switching in is viable counterplay.

**Rock-types**: If Pinsir lacks doesn't run Submission, it's forced out by Rock-types, as it has no other move that can hit them. However, if it does, it usually 2HKOes them at +2, albeit with significant recoil damage. Golem is adept at coming in on Hyper Beam and is capable of 2HKOing Pinsir with STAB Rock Slide outright outright 2HKOes Pinsir with Rock Slide, meaning it wins the interaction even if Pinsir has boosted. Omastar deals up to 72% with Hydro Pump, which can be followed up with Blizzard to dispatch Pinsir too. In addition, considering Submission recoil, Omastar can easily 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. Aerodactyl is another particularly hard solid counter, only facing a near-guaranteed 4HKOed from Submission while 2HKOing in return with Fire Blast.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Pinsir's special bulk is very poor, and as a result, it takes significant damage from so threats like Articuno and Kadabra, (comma) which 2HKO it with their STABs moves. However, these matchups are volatile if Pinsir is at full health. Pinsir Speed ties with Articuno, and can potentially win if it's boosted because of this; Slash + Hyper Beam will 2HKO Articuno quite frequently. Against Kadabra, Pinsir can deal up to 91% with Slash alone, and a +2 Hyper Beam will always OHKO it unless there's an unfortunate miss. As such, Kadabra is reserved restricted to revenge killing Pinsir, which can be stifled by teammates like Hypno, though being forced out isn't necessarily ideal. While they are very rare, Fire-type Pokemon like Moltres greatly threaten Pinsir with Fire Blast.

**Tentacruel**: Tentacruel is faster than Pinsir, (comma) and can pivot out of bothersome situations through Wrap, as well as Rest off and heals paralysis with Rest. It's very difficult for Pinsir to set up due to Tentacruel's Wrap, constantly delaying it while chipping Pinsir into KO range. On top of this, Tentacruel is near-guaranteed to 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. However, Pinsir is very capable of exploiting paralyzed Tentacruel if it's paralyzed, possessing a potential OHKO with +2 Hyper Beam. If Pinsir catches paralyzes Tentacruel with Body Slam switching in and paralyzes it, Tentacruel is liable to outright lose the interaction. Overall, (comma) though, this matchup is very unfavorable and using Pinsir against a healthy Tentacruel is strongly discouraged.

**Dodrio**: Dodrio can revenge kill Pinsir with Drill Peck, 2HKOing it. It can't switch in to save its life though, taking massive damage from Slash, which has a small but notable chance to 2HKO; alternatively, Slash + Hyper Beam is a guaranteed 2HKO. Furthermore, if Pinsir has boosted, it can OHKO Dodrio with Hyper Beam 89.7% of the time. Finally, Dodrio can't fight Pinsir at all if it's paralyzed.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Volk, 530877]]
- Grammar checked by: [[, ], [, ]]

 

[Plague von Karma]

ayo?

Implemented, thank you so much!

 

[Adeleine]

Add/Fix Remove Comment
(RC): Remove Comma

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[OVERVIEW]
Pinsir has a unique place in RBY UU thanks to its access to Bind, decent Speed, and potentially massive damage output by virtue of Slash and Swords Dance. Its Bug typing provides it with a resistance to Earthquake; this makes it work well alongside Tentacruel and Electric-types like Electabuzz and Raichu, especially when checking Dugtrio for them. Pinsir's biggest selling point, however, is its sheer threat level should it boost with Swords Dance, which allows it to flatten paralyzed teams. Few Pokemon can switch into Pinsir's +2 Hyper Beam; some standout calculations include a 41% chance to OHKO Tentacruel and a 2.6% chance to OHKO Hypno. This makes Pinsir a particularly brutal punishment for Pokemon that are often forced to use Rest, such as Vaporeon and Hypno. While not perfect, Pinsir's Speed lets it outpace Dragonite and Hypno, which makes it great at revenge killing them. (period -> comma) and Further, having a partial trapping move faster than Dragonite can be crucial in many situations, allowing Pinsir to keep Dragonite from setting up with Agility and switch to a counter, such as Tentacruel, for free. Bind allows Pinsir to form a partial trapping core alongside Tentacruel and Dragonite as well, providing teams with significant momentum, especially if the opposing team is stricken with paralysis.

As with almost any Bug-type in RBY, though, Pinsir is held back by some severe flaws. Pinsir has no STAB attacks to speak of and is forced to rely only on Normal- and Fighting-type moves. It thus competes with the Normal-type attackers of the metagame—Persian, Dodrio, and Kangaskhan—for a place on teams. Pinsir has some pressing coverage issues too, being Pinsir's Normal and Fighting reliance also makes it completely invalidated by Haunter, meaning it cannot make progress and will be forced which forces it to switch or pivot out with Bind. It also struggles with Rock-types if it lacks Submission, and its weakness to Rock Slide doesn't help there. While Pinsir's Speed has some minor points in its favor helps in some minor ways, it just isn't good enough: it's Pinsir is outpaced by common threats like Tentacruel, Dodrio and Kadabra, which are very capable of threatening it due to its mediocre typing or low Special. As a result, Pinsir relies heavily on teams that spread paralysis efficiently, making it somewhat dependent on the player's Hypno to function well. This is These flaws are only worsened by it being debilitated by paralysis and mandating setup, which can be very difficult to balance out accomplish (if there's something lost in this change lmk) in the Wrap-infested format. Paralysis isn't the only status to give Pinsir trouble either, as Toxic's presence in the metagame—normally used Toxic—substantially common to deal with Dragonite—puts a firm cap on Pinsir's use of Bind, causing it to take more damage than it would normally deal, which is only made worse by Bind's inherent inconsistency. Overall, Pinsir has some very strong points in its favor, but it's a high-risk pick that necessitates a team built around it as well as a competent player.

[SET]
name: Swords Dance Sweeper
move 1: Swords Dance
move 2: Hyper Beam
move 3: Slash / Submission
move 4: Bind

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

The premise of the set is simple: set up with Swords Dance and put 'em away. Hyper Beam is Pinsir's claim to fame, KOing Pokemon from around half HP even without setup and becoming an OHKO machine if boosted. Slash gives Pinsir immediate and significant power, but Submission—albeit somewhat inconsistently—allows Pinsir to beat Rock-types that try to switch in on Hyper Beam. Finally, Bind allows Pinsir to provide its team with momentum while chipping threats into Hyper Beam KO range, which becomes near-effortless against paralyzed teams. When boosted by Swords Dance, Bind can be surprisingly powerful; for example, it can deal up to 10.4% to Hypno per hit (subjective, minor clarity), quickly bringing it into KO range.

Pinsir can be a fairly unwieldy Pokemon to use, relying on a paralyzed team to sweep reliably. However, it has multiple points of entry, particularly Dugtrio, which it can beat outright, 2HKOing it with Slash and only being 3HKOed by Rock Slide 0.1% of the time. Outside of this, Pinsir can punish paralyzed Pokemon heavily, be it by revenge killing them or switching in on their physical attacks, which is made safer by the potential of for full paralysis. Paralysis further benefits Pinsir's Bind, which gets giving it a safety net for its more frequent misses than Wrap thanks to it. Pinsir is capable of exploiting Pokemon using Rest quite well with Swords Dance, which can potentially mean an outright win depending on the game state. Pinsir fits on teams that appreciate its Ground resistance and physical attacking prowess. This particularly applies to those looking to get the most mileage out of Tentacruel and Electric-types, so long as the team is capable of providing extensive paralysis support in return.

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

Body Slam can allow Pinsir to be more self-sufficient in the paralysis department while denying switches in from faster threats. However, Slash's damage is sorely missed in this case, causing Pinsir to miss out on many potential KOs and become more reliant on Swords Dance. Seismic Toss can be utilized, as it's the sole move in Pinsir's movepool that can Pinsir's sole option to hit Haunter, but it does little to help the matchup; switching out or pivoting with Bind is really all Pinsir can do. Toxic can be helpful for dealing with Dragonite, which otherwise uses Pinsir as setup fodder. However, Pinsir doesn't necessarily need Toxic, as it can use Bind to safely bring in a counter, such as Tentacruel.

Bind can be cut for more flexible moveslots moveslot flexibility, but this causes Pinsir to be a severe momentum sink mid-game. Should the opponent reveal Haunter or a Rock-type, Pinsir is forced out and has to have a teammate take a hit for it, which can lead to holes being opened. let the opponent open holes. Switching out with Bind ensures momentum isn't lost, as foes are unable to move, even Haunter. However, with Bind cut, Pinsir becomes more consistent late-game, as it's less reliant on Bind's shaky accuracy.

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

**Haunter**: Pinsir can't touch Haunter at all without the largely undesirable Seismic Toss. To make matters worse, Haunter is faster and gets a near-guaranteed 3HKO with Thunderbolt. As such, Pinsir is normally forced to switch out through a manual switch or Bind. It should be noted that Bind still immobilizes Haunter, allowing Pinsir to safely bring in a counter like Dugtrio, so using Bind to catch Haunter switching in is viable counterplay.

**Rock-types**: If Pinsir doesn't run Submission, it's forced out by Rock-types. However, if it does, it usually 2HKOes them at +2, albeit with significant recoil damage and questionable reliability. (or something) Golem is adept at coming in on Hyper Beam and outright 2HKOes Pinsir with Rock Slide, meaning it wins in this situation even if Pinsir has boosted. Omastar deals up to 72% with Hydro Pump, which can be followed up with Blizzard to dispatch Pinsir. In addition, considering Submission recoil, Omastar can easily 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. Aerodactyl is another particularly solid counter, only facing a near-guaranteed 4HKO from Submission while 2HKOing in return with Fire Blast.

**Strong Special Attackers**: Pinsir's special bulk is very poor, so threats like Articuno and Kadabra 2HKO it with their STAB moves. However, these matchups are volatile if Pinsir is at full health. Pinsir Speed ties with Articuno (RC) and therefore can potentially win if it's boosted because of this; Slash + Hyper Beam will 2HKO Articuno quite frequently. Against Kadabra, Pinsir can deal up to 91% with Slash alone, and +2 Hyper Beam will always OHKO it unless there's an unfortunate miss. As such, Kadabra is restricted to revenge killing Pinsir, which can be stifled by teammates like Hypno, though Pinsir being forced out isn't necessarily ideal. While they are very rare, Fire-type Pokemon like Moltres greatly threaten Pinsir with Fire Blast.

**Tentacruel**: Tentacruel is faster than Pinsir, can pivot out of bothersome situations through Wrap, and heals paralysis with Rest. It's very difficult for Pinsir to set up in games due to the existence of Tentacruel's Wrap, constantly delaying it while chipping Pinsir into KO range. On top of this, Tentacruel is near-guaranteed to 2HKO Pinsir with Surf. However, Pinsir is very capable of exploiting paralyzed Tentacruel, possessing a potential OHKO with +2 Hyper Beam. If Pinsir paralyzes Tentacruel with Body Slam switching in on the switch, Tentacruel is liable to outright lose. Overall, though, this matchup is very unfavorable and using Pinsir against a healthy Tentacruel is strongly discouraged.

**Dodrio**: Dodrio can revenge kill Pinsir with Drill Peck, 2HKOing it. It can't switch in to save its life though, taking massive damage from Slash, which has a small but notable chance to 2HKO; alternatively, Slash + Hyper Beam is a guaranteed 2HKO. Furthermore, if Pinsir has boosted, it can OHKO Dodrio with Hyper Beam 89.7% of the time. Dodrio can't fight Pinsir at all if it's paralyzed.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Plague von Karma, 236353]]
- Quality checked by: [[phoopes, 96315], [Volk, 530877]]
- Grammar checked by: [[CryoGyro, 331519], [Finland, 517429]]

2/2

 

[Plague von Karma]

After some discussion with Finland, this has been implemented and uploaded!