Psychic moves don't affect Greninja at all — that's the advantage of Water/Dark typing. Protean changes type to match whatever move it uses. Known as the Ninja Pokemon. Flexible enough to run physical or special sets.
The stat budget goes to damage. Speed and Sp. Atk carry the offense, Defense doesn't even come close. A Ninja Pokemon on a 1.06M XP medium-slow curve, worth 3 Speed EVs per KO.
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.
Greninja Weakness
AvgType-wise, Greninja takes extra damage from Electric, Grass, Fighting, Bug, and Fairy. Psychic moves do nothing thanks to a full immunity. With 6 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Greninja leans offensive (base 95 Atk) rather than trying to tank its weaknesses.
End of the line. Greninja caps a three-stage chain that started at Froakie. Breeding produces the base form, and eggs are average hatch time. Speed grew the most through evolution (+51 over Froakie), and Greninja peaks at 530 total stats.
How to Evolve
Breed with Greninja to get Froakie eggs from the Water1 egg group.
Click U-turn, bring in a teammate, repeat. Greninja's pivot game is backed by Life Orb for extra damage on every hit for a health trade and max Sp. Atk and Speed EVs. Battlebond works in the background while the remaining moves covers bad matchups.
Best Build
Best Greninja Moveset
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Surf
- U Turn
Recommended Teammates
Hard to wall, honestly. Greninja threatens 11 types beyond its own STAB, with Normal and Ghost standing out. Pair that with Hydro Cannon and Hydro Pump and switchins need to think twice.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Protean changes the entire equation for Greninja. The 530 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked S-Tier as a sweeper.
Greninja's biggest threats include Manectric (Electric), Roserade (Grass), and Machamp (Fighting), all carrying super-effective STAB moves. Bug and Fairy-type attackers are also a problem. With 5 weakness types, most competitive teams carry at least one counter. Greninja's base 122 Speed lets it outpace many threats and strike first, which matters more than trying to tank hits.
Protean is what you want on Greninja. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Torrent) work on paper but Protean is what makes Greninja worth using. With base 122 Speed, Protean gives Greninja an edge before opponents can react.
Base 122 Speed lets it outrun most of the field. On offense, Greninja is a mixed attacker — base 95 Attack and 103 Sp. Atk. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a sweeper.
Greninja appears in 6 games, including X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, and Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon.
Since debuting in X & Y, Greninja has appeared in 6 titles over 4 generations. Along the way, it received a Mega form in Generation 6, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
- Gen IY
Yellow - Gen IRB
Red & Blue - Gen IIGS
Gold & Silver - Gen IIC
Crystal - Gen IIIRS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen IIIFRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen IIIE
Emerald - Gen IVPt
Platinum - Gen IVHGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen IVDP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen VBW
Black & White - Gen VB2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen VIXYDebut
X & Y - Gen VIORASMega
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen VIIUSUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen VIISM
Sun & Moon - Gen VIILGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen VIIISwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen VIIIPLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen VIIIBDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen IXSV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen IXLZA
Legends: Z-A