Pineco
Pineco is a Bug-type Pokémon, the Bagworm Pokémon, number 204 (#0204) in the National Pokédex. It was introduced in Generation 2 and comes from the Johto region. It is 0.6 m tall and weighs 7.2 kg.
Pineco is the Bagworm Pokémon, a bug that glues tree bark onto its shell until it looks like a pine cone. The Pokédex warns that if its tree is shaken at mealtime, it plummets and blows up without any warning.
How to pronounce Pineco
Pineco is pronounced PINE-koh. The capital letters show the stressed syllable.
Listen to Pineco said out loud:
In Japanese it is クヌギダマ (Kunugidama).
Hear every other name on the Pokémon pronunciation guide.
Lore
Biology
Pineco is 0.6 m (2'00") tall and 7.2 kg (15.9 lbs), with a teal, pine cone-like shell, red eyes, no visible limbs and one spike on top, supposedly its stem. The Pokédex says the shell protects it from birds that peck it by mistake. Bulbapedia says it spits a fluid that hardens in air to glue bark on, so the shell thickens with age.
Behaviour
Pineco hangs patiently from a branch and waits for prey to come to it. The Pokédex says it barely moves by itself and the weight of its shell does not bother it.
Habitat
The Pokédex has it hanging from trees, and Bulbapedia places it in forests. In Scarlet and Violet it is found in the East, South and West Provinces and Tagtree Thicket.
Diet
It waits for flying insects to come near, and the Ultra Sun Pokédex says its favourite prey in Alola is Cutiefly.
Powers
Its Abilities are Sturdy, which lets it survive a hit that would knock it out from full health, and Overcoat, hidden, which guards it from weather damage and powder moves. It learns Self-Destruct at level 6, Spikes at 28 and Explosion at 34. Base Defense 90 but Speed 15 makes it very slow and very tough.
Name origin
Pineco may come from 'pine cone'. The Japanese name is Kunugidama (クヌギダマ), which may combine kunugi (sawtooth oak) and tama (ball).
Design inspiration
A bagworm may be the model for Pineco, since those caterpillars' cases can look like pine cones. Bulbapedia likens its explosions to a grenade and says its ability to learn Spikes may refer to caltrops, which is that move's Japanese name. These are fan readings.
Evolution notes
It evolves into Forretress at level 31.
In the games
In Scarlet and Violet, Pineco appears in 2-star Tera Raid Battles, and it has been around since Gold and Silver. It is not available in Legends: Z-A.
In the anime
Brock caught his Pineco with a Fast Ball in 'Going Apricorn!', which was also the species' debut. Goh caught one in 'Time After Time!' in Pokémon Journeys.
Fun facts
- In the Pokémon Stadium 2 mini-game Eager Eevee, Pineco is sometimes inside the crate, and anyone who goes for it is hit by an Explosion and cannot move the next round.
- Pineco and Forretress have always been able to inherit Swift as an Egg Move, yet could not get it from a TM or Move Tutor before Scarlet and Violet.
- In the Horizons episode 'The Flower Tower', one exploding Pineco knocked Terapagos onto its back.
Base stats
- HP: 50
- Attack: 65
- Defense: 90
- Sp. Atk: 35
- Sp. Def: 35
- Speed: 15
Pineco’s base stat total is 290. Its highest stat is Defense.
Type matchups
What is Pineco weak to?
Pineco takes extra damage from Fire (2×), Flying (2×), Rock (2×) moves.
It resists Grass (½×), Fighting (½×), Ground (½×).
Evolution
How does Pineco evolve?
Pineco evolves into Forretress at level 31.
The whole family: Pineco, Forretress.
Abilities
- Sturdy: Prevents being KOed from full HP, leaving 1 HP instead. Protects against the one-hit KO moves regardless of HP.
- Overcoat (hidden ability): Protects against damage from weather.
Moves
Moves Pineco learns by level up in Scarlet / Violet
| Level | Move | Type | Category | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tackle | Normal | Physical | 40 |
| 1 | Protect | Normal | Status | — |
| 6 | Self-Destruct | Normal | Physical | 200 |
| 9 | Bug Bite | Bug | Physical | 60 |
| 12 | Take Down | Normal | Physical | 90 |
| 17 | Rapid Spin | Normal | Physical | 50 |
| 20 | Rollout | Rock | Physical | 30 |
| 23 | Curse | Ghost | Status | — |
| 28 | Spikes | Ground | Status | — |
| 31 | Payback | Dark | Physical | 50 |
| 34 | Explosion | Normal | Physical | 250 |
| 39 | Iron Defense | Steel | Status | — |
| 42 | Gyro Ball | Steel | Physical | — |
| 45 | Double-Edge | Normal | Physical | 120 |
TM moves (44)
Pineco can learn 44 moves from TMs in Scarlet / Violet: Take Down, Protect, Struggle Bug, Pounce, Facade, Bulldoze, Swift, Rock Tomb, Venoshock, Endure, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Dig, Body Slam, Sleep Talk, Seed Bomb, Reflect, Light Screen, Rock Blast, Poison Jab, Rest, Rock Slide, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Substitute, Iron Defense, Drill Run, Giga Drain, Stealth Rock, Ice Spinner, Helping Hand, Reversal, Bug Buzz, Solar Beam, Tera Blast, Sand Tomb, Gravity, Gyro Ball, Bug Bite, Lunge, Pain Split, Double-Edge, Curse.
Egg moves (7):Counter, Flail, Pin Missile, Power Trick, Sand Tomb, Swift, Toxic Spikes.
Breeding & training
- Gender: 50% male, 50% female.
- Egg groups: Bug.
- Egg cycles: 20 (steps to hatch, Scarlet/Violet: 2,560).
- Catch rate: 190 out of 255.
- Base friendship (Gen 8 onward): 50.
- Growth rate: Medium (1,000,000 experience points to reach level 100).
- Defeating it gives 1 Defense effort value.
- Base experience yield: 58.
Pokédex entries
It sticks tree bark to itself with its saliva, making itself thicker and larger. Elderly Pineco are ridiculously huge. (Ultra Moon)
Motionless, it hangs from trees, waiting for its bug Pokémon prey to come to it. Its favorite in Alola is Cutiefly. (Ultra Sun)
Pineco hangs from a tree branch and patiently waits for prey to come along. If the Pokémon is disturbed while eating by someone shaking its tree, it drops down to the ground and explodes with no warning. (Ruby, Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire)
It looks just like a pinecone. Its shell protects it from bird Pokémon that peck it by mistake. (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, Y)
It likes to make its shell thicker by adding layers of tree bark. The additional weight doesn't bother it. (Gold, HeartGold, X)
It hangs and waits for flying insect prey to come near. It does not move about much on its own. (Silver, FireRed, SoulSilver)
Names around the world
| Japanese | クヌギダマ |
|---|---|
| Romaji | Kunugidama |
| French | Pomdepik |
| German | Tannza |
| Spanish | Pineco |
| Italian | Pineco |
| Korean | 피콘 |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 榛果球 |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 榛果球 |
Trivia
- Lightest Bug type in Gen 2: 7.2 kg.
- Taller than 25% of all Pokémon (0.6 m).
- Heavier than 21% of all Pokémon (7.2 kg).
- Base stat total 290, ranked #892 of 1,025.
- One of 92 Bug-type Pokémon (counting dual types).
- One of 107 gray Pokémon.
- Number 53 of 100 Pokémon introduced in Generation 2 (Johto).
- Part of an evolution family of 2 Pokémon.
- Can learn 54 different moves in Scarlet / Violet.
- Catch rate 190: about 24.8% per Poké Ball at full health.
- Appears in 9 distinct Pokédex entries.
Sources and fact-checking
- Stats, types, abilities, moves, evolutions, forms and Pokédex entries: PokéAPI open game data.
- Lore: written by pokee.si in our own words, researched from Bulbapedia: Pineco (Pokémon), Serebii: Pineco (Scarlet/Violet Pokédex).
- Pronunciation (PINE-koh): it follows how the English anime, games or official videos say it.
Last checked: . Every sentence of the lore was checked against Bulbapedia, Serebii and the game data.
Explore
Bug-type Pokémon · Johto region guide · Sturdy ability · Overcoat ability · Compare Pineco · Full Pokédex · Type chart · All moves
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Gen 2 Bug-type Pokémon · Gen 2 Pokémon list · Gray Pokémon list · Bug egg group · Pokémon that start with P · Bug Pokémon
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