Hello-ski, I'm Russian Rey and for the next couple of weeks or so I'll be writing articles about my favourite aspect of the whole Gym Leader series-Giovanni!

I'll be writing and providing detailed accounts of all of his pokemon included in the series, and even comparing them to their predecessors.

First up-Pinsir!

 

Ah-ski, the good old formidable Pinsir. I decent inclusion for this series in the Russian one's opinion, and I don't think many other people would overly disagree. Now then, the stats...

 

Giovanni's Pinsir                Lv27            HP70

 

G, C,               Spiritual Pinch

effect-flip a coin. if heads this attack does an additional 20 damage.

 

G, C, C,           Toss Behind

effect-flip a coin. if tails, choose one of your benched pokemon, and give it 20 damage (don't apply weakness or resistance).

 

- C, C,              Retreat

Fire                  Weakness

                       Resistance

 

 

The first attack, Spiritual Pinch, is a no lose offensive manoeuvre, even if it is a little bit costly with the energy requirements (emphasis on the 'little'). Needing only one grass energy though, it makes this attack perfectly acceptable.

 

Toss Behind, on the other hand, does have it's undeniable draw backs. The fact that on tails, one of your beefy benched pokemon could take a considerable 20 damage, doesn't really bare thinking about. The advantages, however, are that for just one grass energy and two other colourless energies, you can have a hefty 40 damage to deal out.