Though popular Pokemon Scarlet and Violet critter Tinkaton has several hilarious Pokedex entries detailing how it bullies Corviknight in the wild, in battle it is quite handily beaten by its nemesis. Despite possessing the best typing in all of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Tinkaton lacks the move pool and attack stat necessary to break through a Pokemon as defensively brilliant as Corviknight.
When initial Pokemon Scarlet and Violet leaks first appeared online and showed that the franchise would be receiving another fairy-steel dual type Pokemon, the excitement quickly began to build. This dual typing is arguably the strongest the franchise has to offer, with many deeming Zacian's position as the single strongest Pokemon being due in part to this same typing. As a result, many players fell in love with the concept of Tinkaton before they even first laid eyes on it - though it has certainly garnered a lot of love in the first weeks of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet for also boasting a great design.
Tinkaton might just be the biggest bully in the Pokemon franchise, using its massive hammer to propel rocks towards flying Corviknight and thus single-handedly preventing a Flying Taxi service from operating throughout Paldea. However, Reddit user Plus-Elk-3938 ran the numbers and created an infographic explaining how, contrary to its Pokedex entry, Tinkaton cannot actually bully Corviknight in battle - and is actually completely walled by it.
Tinkaton has two primary issues stopping it from beating Corviknight in battle, the first of which are its lackluster stats that prevent it from being one of the strongest Pokemon Scarlet and Violet steel types. Players should not be fooled by its massive hammer - Tinkaton actually has an attack stat that is individually lower than both Corviknight's own attack and defense. Corviknight is a defensive powerhouse that has been a staple of the competitive scene for years now, so any Pokemon wanting to beat it needs to hit it hard and for super-effective damage, which Tinkaton also cannot do. In fact, Coriknight can typically hit back harder than Tinkaton, who doesn't have a single move that can hit Corviknight super-effectively. Due to its middling attack stat, even a Tinkaton that has maxed its attack through the use of Swords Dance cannot kill an invested Corviknight in a single hit. Corviknight is also able to prevent Tinkaton from setting up in the first place by first using Taunt, then healing off all damage with Roost while simultaneously converting its amazing defensive stats into strong offense through the use of Iron Defense and Body Press.
Though Tinkaton has quickly become a fan-favorite in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, players will be hoping that future generations or rumored Pokemon Scarlet and Violet DLC will grant it access to moves such as Smack Down, Earthquake, and hammer-based elemental moves, all of which would help it hit Corviknight harder and better fulfill its position as the bird's bully rather than just another victim.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.