One pocket monster opponent that Trainers might face in battle during their travels in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is the Fairy- and Steel-type Hammer Pokémon, Tinkaton. This adorable yet fierce creature wields a massive hammer that is said to weigh over 200 pounds. With such a weapon, Tinkaton is by no means a weak foe capable of dealing and enduring a solid amount of damage. Therefore, if players encounter Tinkaton in combat during a Trainer Battle, understanding this pocket monster’s weakness is essential for victory. Moreover, knowing which elemental Movesets to avoid is also important.
How to Counter Tinkaton in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
To counter Tinkaton in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Trainers must utilize Fire- and Ground-type Moves to deal Super Effective damage to this Fairy- and Steel-type Hammer Pokémon. On the other hand, players must be sure to avoid using Poison-, Dragon-, Bug-, Normal-, Grass-, Ice-, Flying-, Psychic-, Rock-, Dark-, or Fairy-type abilities against Tinkaton.
Related:
How to Evolve Snorunt into Froslass in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Since Fire- and Ground-type attacks are Tinkaton’s weaknesses in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, the best combatants to use against the Hammer Pokémon would be Fire-type Flareon, Fire-type Arcanine, Ground-type Donphan, Ground-type Hippowdon, or Fire- and Ground-type Camerupt. Of course, there are many other choice pocket monsters that could be pitted against Tinkaton, as long as their Movesets include Fire- and Ground-type Moves. Additionally, there are several abilities that Tinkaton possesses, which players should take note of. First, sources at Game8 state that Tinkaton is equipped with Pickpocket, enabling the Hammer Pokémon to snatch away Held Items from attackers. Therefore, be cautious when using pocket monsters whose strength heavily relies on a Held Item.
Next, Tinkaton possesses Own Tempo, meaning that Intimidate and Moves that confuse are rendered useless against this Hammer Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Finally, be wary of Tinkaton’s Mold Breaker, which allows it to utilize abilities without being impacted by an opponent’s Moves. Naturally, there are many other factors to keep in mind, such as an opponent Trainer giving Tinkaton an unexpected Moveset for combat. Nevertheless, preparation for such encounters will likely come from experience. For newer players, the core point to remember is that Tinkaton is weak to Fire and Ground.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are available on the Nintendo Switch.
Source: Game8
