Greninja, the Ninja Pokémon. It creates throwing stars out of compressed water. When it spins them and throws them at high speed, these stars can split metal in two. It appears and vanishes with a ninja's grace. It toys with its enemies using swift movements, while slicing them with throwing stars of sharpest water.
Overview
The second of the Unrivaled raids and also coasting on popularity power, Greninja makes a triumphant return to Generation 9. Greninja’s superb speed already draws attention, outspeeding the vast majority of opposition and balanced attacking stats make Greninja a potent threat on either side of the attacking spectrum. But the true star of the show is Protean. Protean in conjunction with a movepool as varied as the arsenal of ninjas of yore is what gives Greninja its potent power, hitting hard with whatever coverage move it has to great effect. And fantastic support options including Spikes, Switcheroo and U-Turn further lend to the mind games that Greninja can pull.
However, the generational shift has not been kind to our froggy friend. Protean’s nerf severely cuts down on the mind games Greninja was able to pull off in the past, no longer able to switch to the right resistance or immunity on a whim. Additionally, not having guaranteed Protean on coverage really exposes Greninja’s merely decent attacking stats when not attacking with STAB. The new Terastalization often runs counter to the flexibility Protean provides and enables opponents to play mind games with Greninja. Which is unfortunate considering Greninja treads a narrow line with its lackluster defenses ensuring it either gets its job done or is KO’d in short order. With proper positioning and prediction, Greninja has all the tools it needs to tear through its opposition..
Positives
Base 122 Speed is amazing usually ensuring it will attack and change types before the opposition will.
Balanced attacking stats, absurdly wide coverage and Protean all come together turning Greninja into an effective assassin always able to hit a weak point while having numerous moveset variations.
Solid Support movepool including Spikes, Toxic Spikes, U-Turn, Switcheroo increases the roles Greninja can fill, giving it a place on most teams.
Negatives
Protean’s Nerf means Greninja isn’t always attacking with STAB, making its lack of power more apparent
Poor defenses ensures that even resisted attacks will sting and limiting switch in opportunities
Protean does not mesh well with Terastalizing
Battle Bond is Unavailable AND got nerfed
Movesets
Ninjutsu Master
-Ice Beam
-Dark Pulse
-Surf
-Spikes
Ability: Protean
Item: Life Orb
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 SAtk /252 Spe
Timid Nature
Greninja takes advantage of its higher Special Attack and blistering speed as an effective revenge killer and offensive attacker. Ice Beam is the Star of the show, as a speedy Ice type attacker is wholly invaluable, given Ice’s fantastic coverage and being able to land attacks before your opponent helps make up for Ice’s horrid defensive profile. Surf offers impressive coverage, especially given how many Water weak targets have lackluster Special Defense, up to, but not limited to Garganacl, Great Tusk, Iron Treads, and Skeledirge. Dark Pulse provides further STAB coverage, especially against the near omnipresent Gholdengo. Spikes rounds out the set, punishing switches that are trying to predict Greninja and piling on even more damage to make it easier for Greninja to reach KOs.
Tera Types:
Terastalization is not recommended on Greninja. It relies on Protean too much to benefit from Terastalization in most cases. If out of Super Effective targets, Tera Water and Tera Dark are recommended due to the double STAB being invaluable for breaking through bulkier targets.
EVs and Items:
Standard Sweeper array of Max Special Attack and Speed to ensure Greninja hits hard and fast. Speed boosting natures are heavily recommended for Greninja -it thrives getting the jump on the opposition. Dropping from Timid to Modest opens Greninja up to be outsped by Positive Speed Natured Base Speed 107 and up Pokémon including Cinderace, Iron Moth, Iron Valient and Walking Wake. Life Orb balances power and flexibility, making Greninja more unpredictable, but Choice Specs works well considering the Protean nerf, giving Greninja some badly needed power. If running mixed, swapping out Timid for Hasty or Naďve can be consider so that Greninja can still hit appreciably hard if need be. Choice Scarf is also worth mention, turning Greninja into an incredible revenge killer against opposing Scarf Users and nominally faster targets.
Partners:
With Greninja’s constant switching Hazard Control is precious to keep Greninja from dying too quickly. Great Tusk is great for this role, clearing with Rapid Spin, setting Stealth Rock and pivoting into Electric and Rock attacks while Greninja answers opposing Grass and Psychic types rather easily.
Kingambit makes for a great partner for Greninja, appreciating the hazards and Greninja eliminating opposing Fire and Ground types while Kingambit is an excellent check for Dragapult and Meowscarada, some of the few Pokémon that naturally outspeed Greninja.
Gholdengo is also great, keeping Greninja’s hazards up and reliably pivoting into Fighting, Grass and Fairy moves that often trouble Greninja who’s Fire and Ground elimination capabilities helping improve Gholdengo’s longevity.
Other Options:
Grass Knot -Hits Dondozo very hard and works decently well against most other Water types.
U-Turn -the usefulness of pivoting cannot be understated and the sheer utility and chip of the move is worth considering even on Special sets
Switcheroo -punishes walls who think they can sit on Greninja
Toxic Spikes -if you already have a Spikes setter, Toxic Spikes does just fine.
Hydro Pump -more power for poorer accuracy. Considering Greninja is KO’d if it misses or fails to reach a KO, the choice can be hard.
Frog Ops
-Low Kick
-Rock Slide
-Gunk Shot
-U-Turn
Ability: Protean
Item: Choice Band
EVs and Nature:
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Physical Greninja is no less a threat compared to its special variants, punishing Special Walls that think they can sit on Greninja while still hitting a wide variety of threats. STAB Low Kick has superb coverage, hitting targets like Garganacl, Kingambit, Chien-Pao, Iron Treads, Orthworm, Roaring Moon, Ting-lu, Tera Steel targets, etc. Rock Slide has incredibly complimentary coverage with Low Kick, hitting many fighting resistant Pokémon for Super Effecitve, if not neutral. Gunk Shot is incredibly powerful, turning the tables on Grass and Fairy types that normally trouble Greninja. U-Turn rounds out the set, punishing predicted switch-ins and keeping momentum in your favor while dealing considerable damage to whatever is currently in.
Tera Types:
Terastalization and Protean do not mix well and Greninja is never a recommended Terastalization target. That being said, Tera Electric provides incredible coverage against Corviknight, Toxapex and Dondozo who often trouble physical Greninja.
EVs and Items:
Max Attack and Max Speed for Greninja to hit as hard as possible. Speed boosting natures are heavily recommended for Greninja -it thrives getting the jump on the opposition. Dropping from Jolly to Adamant opens Greninja up to be outsped by Positive Speed Natured Base Speed 107 and up Pokémon including Cinderace, Iron Moth, Iron Valient and Walking Wake. Protean’s nerf causes Greninja to synergize quite well with Choice Band, bolstering its power to impressive levels while the flexibility of Life Orb is gives more play against predicted switch ins. Choice Scarf is also worth mention, turning Greninja into an incredible revenge killer against opposing Scarf Users and nominally faster targets.
Partners:
Given Physical Greninja’s slightly lower power, hazard support is even more crucial. Glimmora’s efficacy at setting up hazards and complimentary offense synergizes well with physical Greninja. Hydreigon can also work as a passible Stealth Rock setter while still having complimentary coverage and pressure to synergize with Greninja.
Armarouge and Ceruledge enjoy physical Greninja’s ability to eliminate/weaken opposing Rock and Dark types enabling Sweeps from them later on.
Other Options:
Ice Beam -as stated before a Speedy Ice type is invaluable and many Ice weak targets have either a Quadruple weakness or poor Special Defense, making this worth consideration on Physical sets.
Spikes -like U-Turn, punishes predicted switch ins and applies pressure to the opposing team.
Countering Greninja
Protean Greninja is incredibly difficult to play against. Balanced Offenses, Protean giving STAB and an absurdly wide movepool gives it a move for every situation and every Pokémon. However, Greninja cannot fit every move it desires and there are always gaps in its coverage.
More physically oriented sets struggle vs physical defensive targets like Corviknight, Toxapex and Dondozo who can tank even banded Low Kicks/Rock Slides fairly well and quickly down Greninja in turn. Defensive Clodsire fares well against Greninja not carrying Ice Punch or Liquidation, but Low Kick can easily eat up several Recover PP, as does Annihilape.
Blissey is a hard wall to Special sets who lack the muscle to break through, though any physical coverage is worrisome and Switcheroo is agonizing. Assault Vest Azumarill also does well when Greninja lacks Grass Knot while Assault Vest Iron Hands excels against sets lacking Extrasensory.
Once Greninja locks itself into a type, it is far easier to play around as its coverage moves (if it can switch) will be much less threatening, though recklessly pivoting in can lead to punishment by Spikes and U-Turn.
Locations in Games
Red/Blue/Yellow:
Not in game
Gold/Silver/Crystal:
Not in game
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald:
Not in game
FireRed/LeafGreen:
Not in game
Colosseum/XD:
Not in game
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum:
Not in game
HeartGold/SoulSilver:
Not in game
Black/White:
Not in game
Black 2/White 2:
Not in game
X/Y:
Evolve Frogadier
Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire:
Trade from X/Y
Sun/Moon:
Trade from Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon:
Poni Wilds
Let's Go, Pikachu!/Let's Go, Eevee!:
Not in game
Sword/Shield:
Not in game
Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl:
Not in game
Legends: Arceus:
Not in game
Scarlet/Violet:
Transfer from HOME / Event
Anime Appearences
