Tinkaton

Competitive Strategy

Tinkaton is best used as a disruptive utility Pokémon, not as a pure physical sweeper. Its Fairy/Steel typing creates valuable defensive switch-ins: it is immune to Dragon and Poison attacks and resists many common attacking types. That gives it opportunities to spread Thunder Wave, remove an item with Knock Off, or threaten damage with Play Rough. Mold Breaker is a flexible ability for ignoring certain defensive abilities, while its other abilities are more situational. Gigaton Hammer is the centerpiece of the set, but it cannot be selected on consecutive turns. Plan the following turn before using it: Knock Off, Play Rough, Thunder Wave, a pivot, or a switch can keep momentum while Gigaton Hammer is unavailable. This sequencing is why Tinkaton rewards careful play more than simply clicking its strongest move. It can also fit well on balanced teams that need a Dragon immunity, a Fairy resist, and item disruption in one slot. Its two direct type weaknesses are Ground and Fire. Ground attackers such as Great Tusk and Garchomp, or Fire attackers such as Heatran and Cinderace, are natural answers if they enter safely. Pair Tinkaton with Water-, Flying-, or Ground-type teammates that can absorb those attacks, and avoid relying on its average physical bulk against repeated strong hits. Check the Fairy/Steel combination page for the full defensive chart, then use the team calculator to balance its Ground and Fire weaknesses across the rest of the team.