Shadow Pinsir Raid Counters Guide

Shadow Pinsir

Shadow Pinsir can be captured from Tier 3 Shadow Raids and these raids can only be accessed by using in-person raid passes. It can be shiny!

This Bug Raid Boss be caught with the following CP values, with an IV floor of 6/6/6:

• 1552 – 1690 CP (no weather boost, 100% Pinsir at Level 20)
• 1940 – 2113 CP (Rainy weather, 100% IV Pinsir at Level 25)

Shadow Pinsir is a Bug type and as such, it has three weaknesses: Fire, Flying and Rock type attacks. Shadow Pinsir is a challenging Tier 3 raid due to how Shadow Raids work. You should be well prepared with the best counters, correct moveset, powered-up Pokémon, and most importantly, Purified Gems.

Avoid weather that boosts Pinsir, that is Rainy weather, and ensure that you are using top-tier counters. These are much more difficult raids than your usual tier 3 raid. If you are a higher level trainer, you can solo it. However, if you’re a lower level or without ideal counters, you will definitely need to bring a friend, or two!

Best Shadow Pinsir Counters

The best raid counters according to our GO Hub battle simulator for Shadow Pinsir are:

#	Attacker	Fast Move	Charge Move	Faints	TTW
1.	Mega Rayquaza	Air Slash Flying	Dragon Ascent Flying	2	90s
2.	Rayquaza	Air Slash Flying	Dragon Ascent Flying	4	117s
3.	Mega Y Charizard	Fire Spin Fire	Blast Burn* Fire	4	127s
4.	Mega Blaziken	Fire Spin Fire	Blaze Kick Fire	6	118s
5.	Shadow Rampardos	Smack Down Rock	Rock Slide Rock	13	110s
6.	Shadow Chandelure	Fire Spin Fire	Overheat Fire	4	131s
7.	Shadow Moltres	Fire Spin Fire	Sky Attack* Flying	5	128s
8.	Dawn Wings Necrozma	Shadow Claw Ghost	Moongeist Beam Ghost	3	148s
9.	Shadow Rhyperior	Smack Down Rock	Rock Wrecker* Rock	8	126s
10.	Shadow Salamence	Dragon Tail Dragon	Fly Flying	6	134s
11.	Mega Salamence	Dragon Tail Dragon	Fly Flying	4	150s
12.	Shadow Blaziken	Fire Spin Fire	Blaze Kick Fire	9	130s
13.	Yveltal	Sucker Punch Dark	Oblivion Wing* Flying	6	142s
14.	Mega Gengar	Shadow Claw Ghost	Shadow Ball Ghost	3	161s
15.	Primal Groudon	Mud Shot Ground	Fire Punch* Fire	5	150s
16.	Chandelure	Fire Spin Fire	Overheat Fire	4	155s
17.	Mega Pidgeot	Air Slash Flying	Brave Bird Flying	8	141s
18.	Shadow Entei	Fire Spin Fire	Flamethrower Fire	7	142s
19.	Shadow Honchkrow	Snarl Dark	Sky Attack Flying	13	132s
20.	Mega X Charizard	Fire Spin Fire	Blast Burn* Fire	7	145s
21.	Moltres	Fire Spin Fire	Sky Attack* Flying	5	154s
22.	Shadow Charizard	Fire Spin Fire	Blast Burn* Fire	7	146s
23.	Rampardos	Smack Down Rock	Rock Slide Rock	14	133s
24.	Dusk Mane Necrozma	Metal Claw Steel	Sunsteel Strike Steel	7	149s
25.	Mega Diancie	Rock Throw Rock	Rock Slide Rock	8	145s
26.	Shadow Unfezant	Air Slash Flying	Sky Attack Flying	11	139s
27.	Shadow Mewtwo	Psycho Cut Psychic	Flamethrower Fire	9	145s
28.	Blacephalon	Incinerate Fire	Mystical Fire Fire	6	155s
29.	Mega Tyranitar	Smack Down* Rock	Stone Edge Rock	10	143s
30.	Shadow Zapdos	Thunder Shock* Electric	Drill Peck Flying	7	153s

Shadow Pinsir Stats and Max CP

Shadow Pinsir Bug
Max CP at Level 40 2959 | Max CP at Level 50 3345
ATK 238		DEF 182		HP 163
Weak To: Resistances: Fire Flying Rock  Fighting Ground Grass

Shadow Pinsir Moveset

Pinsir can have the following moves as a raid boss:

Shadow Raid Information & Advice

As a shadow raid, Pinsir will dish out more damage than ever before, so make sure your counters are powered up, have the right moveset, and aren’t weak to the raid bosses moves. These tier 3 raids are tough to beat, even for the most prepared trainers, and you will need Purified Gems to defeat them. Shadow Raid Bosses will grow enraged as you battle them, boosting their attack and defense.

You will need to subdue Shadow Pinsir by using Purified Gems, a new item that can be assembled from Shadow Shards.

Shadow Shards are mysterious gem pieces that may be dropped by Team GO Rocket grunts, leaders, and Shadow Raids. You will need to gather enough shards to use Professor Willow’s newly invented Shard Refiner, and in return, you’ll be rewarded with a Purified Gem. Be sure to have collected as many as you can before you attempt a Shadow Pinsir raid, as without them you won’t be able to return it to its normal, non-enraged state.

There are multiple ways Purified Gems can assist your battle against enraged Shadow Raid Bosses:

• When you use a Purified Gem during a Shadow Raid, the enraged Shadow Raid Boss’s attack and defense will be lowered temporarily. This can give you the opening you need to take them down.
• You and your fellow Trainers can use more than one Purified Gem during a Shadow Raid. If used at the same time, their effects will stack.
• If enough Purified Gems are used, the enraged Shadow Raid Boss will be subdued—returned to its non-enraged state—which might give you the edge you need to defeat it!

Purified Gems will show in the bottom left corner of the raid battle when you are able to use them, so be sure to communicate with your raid group to stack their effects!