NationalDex
greninja
#658

Greninja

Ninja Pokémon

WaterDark

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.

Base Stats

HP 72
Attack 95
Defense 67
Sp. Atk 103
Sp. Def 71
Speed 122
Total 530

Type Effectiveness

Abilities

Torrent Protean (Hidden)

Forms

Evolution Chain

frogadier Frogadier Lv. 16
greninja Greninja Lv. 36

Moves

Locations

Details

Category Ninja Pokémon
Height 1.5 m
Weight 40.0 kg
Base Exp 239
Growth Rate Medium Slow
Capture Rate 45
Base Happiness 70
Gender 87.5% ♂ / 12.5% ♀
Habitat
Egg Groups Water1

Sprites

greninja Front Front
greninja Back Back
greninja Front Shiny Front Shiny
greninja Back Shiny Back Shiny
greninja Official Art Official Art
greninja Official Art (Shiny) Official Art (Shiny)

Competitive

battlespotsingles Usage: 26.7%
Protean Sweeper
Moves
Dark Pulse / Hidden Power Fire
Gunk Shot / Scald / Hydro Pump
Item
Focus Sash / Waterium Z / Life Orb
Ability
Protean
Nature
Naive / Timid
EVs
Atk 4
SpA 252
Spe 252
Substitute + Torrent
Item
Waterium Z
Nature
Timid
EVs
SpA 252
SpD 4
Spe 252
Torrent + Focus Sash
Moves
Scald / Surf
Ice Beam / Dark Pulse / Toxic
Item
Focus Sash
Nature
Timid
EVs
SpA 252
SpD 4
Spe 252
Physically Based Choice Scarf
Item
Choice Scarf
Ability
Protean
Nature
Naive
EVs
Atk 252
SpA 4
Spe 252

Strategy Overview

Greninja's stats may seem mediocre, but much like any accomplished ninja, it's second to none at assassination thanks to a wide variety of unique tools! The most prominent of these tools is its ability Protean, which functionally gives it STAB on every attack in the game, more than making up for its mediocre offenses. Greninja isn't limited to just type changing shenanigans, as it is also the best user of the ability Torrent in Battle Spot Singles, being able to annihilate most offensive Pokemon with a Torrent-boosted Hydro Vortex from Hydro Cannon. Combine this with Greninja's incredible Speed stat, which allows it to outspeed Naganadel and Mega Salamence, and this puts the silent assassin among the deadliest offensive threats in the metagame!

Greninja may be a deadly offensive threat, but it has very lackluster defensive stats that make it very difficult to switch in. Even with Protean or Torrent making up for Greninja's low offensive stats, it still misses out on important KOs against Pokemon it hits for neutral damage and doesn't do particularly well against stall teams, meaning Greninja is a Pokemon that should not be used recklessly.

Most Used Moves

Ice Beam
51.8%
Scald
40.8%
Gunk Shot
27.1%

Most Used Items

Life Orb
12.7%

Competitive data from Smogon University via data.pkmn.cc