![[Image: greninja___water_shuriken_by_ishmam-d7dsnjm.png]](http://pre02.deviantart.net/433a/th/pre/i/2014/123/e/f/greninja___water_shuriken_by_ishmam-d7dsnjm.png)
Art by Ishmam
"Nerf Greninja Plz...for Smash at Least"
![[Image: greninja.gif]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/xy/shiny/greninja.gif)
(VGC) Greninja - Attack (Mixed/Special) 2 Options
(VGC) Greninja - Attack (Mixed/Special) 2 Options
Type: Water/Dark
Base Stats: 72 HP / 95 Attack / 67 Defense / 103 Special Attack / 71 Special Defense / 122 Speed
Weaknesses: Fighting, Bug, Grass, Electric, Fairy (all 2x weak)
Resistances: Ghost, Steel, Fire, Water, Dark, Ice (all 2x resistant)
Immunities: Psychic
Ability: Torrent - Increases the power of Water moves if the user's health is 33% or less.
Hidden Ability: Protean (Hidden Ability) - Before the user performs its attack, the user changes types correspond to the move its using (become a single type Pokemon) and receive the same 50% Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) as any ordinary Pokemon.
Overview
With its introduction in the latest generation, Greninja has definitely made a huge splash (and mess on Smogon) in the competitive battling field credited to arguably the one of the best offensive abilities in the game: Protean. Honestly there hasn't been a single abilities known in which Protean can create an immediate offensive pressure (plus some defensive utility) other than Parental Bond from Mega Kangaskhan (still miles ahead as the best ability). Regardless, Protein has definitely made Greninja an offensive threat in XY and a complete monster in ORAS with Move Tutor attacks such as Low Kick, Gunk Shot, Icy Wind, and Ice Punch only adding to its inventory. Other proven moves like Scald, Dark Pulse, Rock Slide, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, and Hidden Power makes Greninja incredibly unpredictable to single out since it has neutral or super effective coverage with almost everything in the game. Most people use Greninja similar to how Mixed Blaziken functions by OHKOing targets before the opponent can even use them thanks to its trollish 122 speed placement. There's no doubting Greninja's natural speed, versatile movepool, and passable 95 Atk / 103 SpA with Protean makes it a smart bomb capable of achieving its role in achieving hyper offensive for the team.
Mixed Attacker
![[Image: greninja.gif]](http://www.pokestadium.com/assets/img/sprites/misc/pokesho/greninja.gif)
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Low Kick
- Gunk Shot / Dark Pulse
- Protect
Milestones:
Greninja is best used mid to late game once the opposing team has taken chip damage enough so the frog ninja can KO targets with either of its three attacks thanks to the Protean. Ice Beam is the most widely used attack on Greninja's inventory for good reasons considering it becomes an Ice type, receives STAB, and hit most Dragon, Flying, Ground, and Grass types. Pretty much with Protein, Greninja will be Ice type most of the time so be careful against Fire, Fighting, Rock, and Steel types especially those who have priority like Breloom, Infernape, Conkeldurr, or Mega Lucario. Essentially Greninja's Protean Ice Beam is strong enough to OHKO Mega Salamence, most AV Landorus-T, offensive Thundurus, Garchomp and deals heavy damage against those weak to Ice. Low Kick and Gunk Shot are two new additions which transform Greninja into one of the most potent offensive threats the game. Life Orb Low Kick with 252 Atk is strong enough to KO Mega Tyranitar, Hydreigon, Heatran, Mega Gyarados, Mamoswine, Terrakion and deals heavy damage to Mega Kangaskhan. Gunk Shot is a powerful base 120 Poison type attack for any Fairy types like Mega Gardevoir or Sylveon who think they can take any hit from Greninja but can't. Factoring in Life Orb, Gunk Shot easily knocks out the bulkiest of Sylveon and Mega Gardevoir as well as deal considerable damage to others Fairy types...provided it hits. Dark Pulse is an option over Gunk Shot in case the accuracy isn't appealing and want a reliable Dark coverage in case Ghost types like Jellicent, Chandelure, Aegislash, etc become an issues. With Ice/Fighting/Dark coverage, the only Azumarill and Marill are able to take any one of Greninja's coverage options. Despite those, Greninja's able to hit basically everything in the game for neutral coverage at least thanks to Protean.
Damage Calculations
All-Out Special Attacker
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 or 1 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Ice Beam
- Grass Knot / Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Scald
- Protect
Notice: If Greninja has just full 31 IVs in at least most of its important stats bar attack or doesn't have the IV combination for HP Ground just run an EV spread of the following: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe.
Milestones
Greninja is still a potent threat in the current format due to its unpredictable movepool so its important to use this to your advantage as best as possible. Though Ice Beam is somewhat staple (and contrary to what was mentioned earlier), but with Life Orb STAB allow Greninja to KO Landorus-T, Garchomp, Salamence and bulky Thundurus/Zapdos depending on the EV spread. Ice overage is one of the best coverage options in the game given most of the highly used Pokemon are weak to Ice and moderately fast. From that list mentioned, Greninja just has to worry about any opposing speed control or potential Choice Scarf users like Landorus-T but its fast enough to outspeed Mega Salamence by only a couple points. Grass Knot allow Greninja to hit a wide array of Pokemon including most bulky Water types like Milotic, Suicune, Jellicent, Gastrodon, Swampert, Slowbro, Azumarill, and even opposing Greninjas (though risking the speed tie) for heavy damage. Additionally Grass Knot allows Greninja to faint a host of Ground/Rock types like Rhyperior, Tyranitar without sand, Mamoswine, and even 2HKO 4 HP Mega Kangaskhan with no issues. Hidden Power Ground might sound like an odd choice for Greninja given special sets tend to carry either Dark Pulse or Scald for Water/Dark "STAB", but there are some key features for this decision. Unlike Scald, LO Protean Hidden Power Ground can OHKO any variant of Heatran bar Shuca Berry/Assault Vest/fully specially defensive (one seen from 6v6 singles) compared to Scald which is doesn't have a guaranteed KO even with Life Orb! Greninja can use HP Ground to transform itself into a Ground type to avoid taking any super effective Electric type attacks or even not get paralyzed by Prankster Thunder Wave by Thundurus. Scald is still a great option to have for a offensive fast Water type like Greninja with the added bonus of netting Burns yet the problem is aside from hitting Fire Types water isn't too great offensively compare to having HP Ground. Dark Pulse is an option in case Aegislash, Gengar, and Mega Metagross become problematic.
One of the reasons why special Greninja still receives usage is the ability to immediately threaten common cores like Whimsicott + Terrakion, Bisharp + Terrakion, Landorus-T + Thundurus, Tyranitar + Mega Salamence, and most Fire-Water-Grass cores like Heatran/Amoonguss/Azumarill. Though some of these Pokemon won't get immediately OHKOed quickly, its best to get prior damage on those Pokemon before going for the kill with Greninja. There's also a moderate level of skill required to use Greninja effectively similar to most other glass cannons like Blaziken or Bisharp. Pretty much its up to the player to make the right call in debating whether to attack either target, call the opponent's protect/switch plays, or even switch out to avoid risking Greninja too earlier.
Damage Calculations
Potential Teammates include, but aren't limited to;
- Offensive Pokemon: Given Greninja's offensive capabilities, Pokemon who are generally fast or just blatantly powerful enough to deal chip damage so the ninja frog can clean up are appreciated. Pokemon like Garchomp, Mega Kangakhan, Thundurus, Zapdos, Sylveon, Mega Salamence, etc are great partners given they can help initiate and maintain offensive pressure. Both Thundurus and Zapdos are able to supply speed control with Thunder Wave/Tailwind to ensure they and Greninja will outspeed targets. Fake Out users like Mega Kangaskhan, Raichu, Scrafty, etc can guarantee a flinch on a target while Greninja can go after a key target. Sylveon and Mega Salamence are great offensive and switch in partners in case Greninja wants to get out of the battlefield. Additionally both Sylveon and Mega Salamence are hard counters for Fighting types since they can KO most of them with powerful Aerilate and Pixilate attacks.
- Spread Damage Dealers: Pokemon who can deal strong spread damage are key partners for Greninja given it cannot KO targets 100% of the time. Practically the same thing I've mentioned about earlier about some partners but Greninja typically want to be at the driver seat initiating the offense pressure and not at the receiving end. Those like Garchomp, Landorus-T, Sylveon, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Salamence, Mega Charizard Y, Heatran, and a host of others who can deal strong spread damage can ensure enough chip damage so the opposing target hopefully doesn't take any of Greninja's Protean hits.
- Redirection + Helping Hand Support: Pretty much any Pokemon who can support Greninja with redirection (Follow Me/Rage Powder and Helping Hand boost work fine. Redirection is somewhat self-explanatory given Greninja is rather frail and just about any strong neutral hit in the format can potentially KO Greninja. Pokemon like Amoonguss, Clefable, Clefairy, Togekiss, and Volcarona can redirect attacks away from Greninja as it continues to break down the opposing team. There are numerous Helping Hand users (Sylveon, Gothitelle, Cresselia, Politoed, etc) who can power up Greninja's Protean hit enough to KO specific targets. For instance, LO Grass Knot from Protean Greninja can get the surprise KOs on standard Milotic and Suicune while Hidden Power Ground can with the boosts can KO 4 HP Shuca Berry Heatran 81.3% of the time. Speed control is appreciated so Greninja can ensure it and its ally are the fast on the field, but don't use this Pokemon with a full Trick Room without any others who can function in a fast mode.
Threats
- Priority: In short, Greninja doesn't enough taking priority hits given its rather low defensive stats and the use of Life Orb will hinder it down. Pokemon like Talonflame, Breloom, Infernape, Conkeldurr, etc can surely KO Greninja provided none of these Pokemon receive and attack drop from like Intimidate.
- Opposing Speed Control : Any form of speed control against an opposing Greninja will slow both its speed and offensive pressure enough so any Pokemon can KO it with a strong neutral hit. Pokemon like Suicune, Zapdos, Milotic, Thundurus, Cresselia, Rotom-W, etc all have some form of speed control (Tailwind, Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, Electroweb, Trick Room), though most of them have to be careful with possibly a potential super effective hit coming from Greninja. Trick Room is probably the most effective since usually Pokemon like Cresselia is able to take any of Greninja's attacks even from a Dark Pulse so that another TR ally can effectively deal with the ninja frog.
- Fighting types: Given that Greninja will usually carry either Ice Beam, Protect, or Dark Pulse means that most Fighting Pokemon can exploit the use of Protean and retaliate with a super effective hit. Pokemon like Breloom, Conkeldurr, Infernape, Lucario, Hitmontop, etc can take out Greninja with a Mach Punch. However be weary of switch most of these Pokemon in as Greninja surely has some form of coverage (Ice Beam, Scald, Extrasensory [rare]) to beat these Fighting types.
- Brute Force Offense: This is pretty much self explanatory but basically most of the common VGC Pokemon are able to apply immediate offensive pressure against Greninja given how frail it is. Pokemon like Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Charizard Y, Aegislash, Thundurus, Terrakion, etc are able capable of knocking out Greninja in one hit provided they're able to get off the attack. Greninja has an overall defensive stats of 72/67/71 so practically most of the strongest attackers in the VGC format can KO the Kalos starter provided it can take the hit.
- Redirection: Since most of Greninja's attacks are single target, Pokemon with Follow Me/Rage powder (Amoonguss, Clefable, Volcarona, Togekiss) are able to redirect attacks away from key targets Greninja would love to faint immediately. However this come at the cost that the Greninja user can just simply target the redirection based Pokemon with a super effective attack.
Other Notable moves
- Rock Slide - Rock coverage with the 30% chance to flinch on either target. A Naive Greninja without no investment can actually faint a standard 252 HP / 4 Def Charizard Y with Rock Slide provided it hits
- Blizzard - Used this attack with a Choice Scarf Abomasnow since it can easily threaten the common Double Genie core in addition to having 100% accuracy.
- Extrasensory - Coverage option in case Fighting and Poison types are somewhat problematic for the team.
- Hidden Power - Pretty much referring to the "other" Hidden Power types like Rock, Electric, Flying, Fire, etc since Greninja can change to any type in the game bar Fairy.
- Icy Wind - A base 55 Ice type move which drops both the opposing Pokemon's speed by about one stage.
- Toxic Spikes or Spikes - Because if Aaron "Cybertron" Zheng lost to Toxic Spikes Greninja at the International Challenge, then its good enough kappa jk don't use hazards in VGC
Other Notable Items
- Expert Belt - A replacement for Life Orb in case the 10% recoil isn't suitable and want just the 1.2x boost against super effective targets only.
- Focus Sash - Allows Greninja to take one hit from a target and live on 1 HP (assuming the opponent doesn't double target).
For those who got this far thanks for reading this article!
