Greninja Movesets & Competitive Sets

With a good Speed tier and vast coverage paired with Protean, Greninja is an amazing special attacker for Water teams that nails many Water-resistant foes. Ice Beam nails Dragon-, Grass-, and Flying-types such as Dragonite, Hydreigon, Tapu Bulu, and Zapdos. Grass Knot deals with Water- and Ground-types that can tank an Ice Beam such as Slowbro, Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad. Hidden Power Electric allows Greninja to OHKO Pelipper and Mantine after chip damage. Extrasensory forces out otherwise threatening Poison-types such as Mega Venusaur, Toxapex, and Galarian Weezing. Toxic Spikes can be used instead to act as a valuable entry hazard setter for Water teams, threatening types commonly without Poison-types like Electric, Ice, and Fire. Bloom Doom from Grassium Z heavily damages Water-types that aren't affected as much by Grass Knot, such as Rotom-W, Slowking, and Tapu Fini, while OHKOing Keldeo even after a Calm Mind boost. Alternatively, Expert Belt takes advantage of Greninja's amazing coverage and Protean, dealing better damage against foes like Tapu Bulu and Celebi. Psychium Z may also be used to OHKO the previously mentioned Mega Venusaur and Toxapex. Maximum Speed investment along with a Timid nature allows Greninja to outspeed key threats such as Tornadus-T, Cinderace, Keldeo, and Alakazam. Greninja fits on both offensive and balanced Water teams as a versatile special attacker. Toxapex is an excellent defensive partner, as it deals with revenge killers that can outspeed and OHKO Greninja such as Choice Scarf Terrakion, Mega Lopunny, and Mega Aerodactyl. It also provides a useful Grass neutrality, dealing with foes that Greninja struggles against like Ferrothorn and Rillaboom. Additionally, it absorbs Toxic Spikes and cripples foes with Toxic or Toxic Spikes. Thanks to its good special bulk, Slowking can deal with threatening revenge killers like Choice Scarf Latias and Choice Scarf Nihilego, and it provides Future Sight to defeat Poison-types like Mega Venusaur and Toxapex if Greninja isn't running Extrasensory. It also provides useful momentum and safe switches with Teleport, covering for Greninja's poor bulk. Swampert is a very useful teammate, as its invaluable Electric immunity lets it check fast Electric-types like Regieleki and Zeraora. Additionally, it provides Stealth Rock and Flip Turn support, making Greninja more difficult to consistenly switch into and safely pivoting it in. Mega Swampert is an alternative on rain teams, as it can outspeed Greninja checks under rain such as Tapu Koko, Choice Scarf Galarian Darmanitan, and Choice Scarf Excadrill. Urshifu-R can take on specially defensive walls that Greninja struggles to break through, such as Blissey, Alolan Muk, and Tyranitar, making it a good offensive partner. It also deals with Steel-types such as Heatran and Ferrothorn, while Greninja takes on physically defensive walls like Skarmory and Slowbro in return. Mega Sharpedo acts as a fearsome cleaner that can help in the Ghost and Psychic matchups, taking on Pokemon such as Aegislash, Jirachi, and Slowking. Kingdra is a great sweeper under rain that can take on the Dragon matchup, threatening Dragon-types that Greninja is unable to KO such as Choice Scarf Latias, boosted Mega Altaria, and Choice Scarf Hydreigon. Tapu Fini is an alternative way to deal with Dragon-types, as well as preventing Greninja from being statused thanks to Misty Terrain and crippling walls like Blissey and Alolan Muk with Trick and a Choice Scarf.

Choice Scarf Greninja is great in the role of revenge killer for Water teams thanks to its great Speed tier and extremely versatile coverage alongside Protean and decent mixed attacking stats. Ice Beam heavily damages Dragon- and Flying-types like Kommo-o, Mega Altaria, Landorus-T, and Gliscor. Gunk Shot OHKOes a large number of Fairy-types such as Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, and Azumarill. Dark Pulse lets Greninja threaten Ghost- and Psychic-types like Aegislash, Jirachi, and Latias. Rock Slide is useful in order to nail Fire-types and Flying-types that can take an Ice Beam like Volcarona, Mega Charizard Y, and Mantine. U-turn allows Greninja to freely pivot out of foes that it struggles against, like Blissey and Alolan Muk. Maximum Speed investment with a Naive nature lets Greninja outspeed Choice Scarf Latios, +2 Mega Altaria, and Adamant Excadrill under sand. A Naive nature also doesn't weaken Greninja's physical coverage moves and gives it a better matchup against priority users like Dragonite and Urshifu-S. Toxapex is a great defensive partner for Greninja to deal with Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Rillaboom. It also absorbs Toxic Spikes, preventing Greninja from being easily worn down. Slowking can switch into special attacks for the team and safely bring Greninja in the field with a slow Teleport. Swampert uses its invaluable Electric immunity to deal with threats in Regieleki and Zeraora. It also provides Stealth Rock and safely brings Greninja in via Flip Turn. Mega Swampert can provide the above while acting as a physical wallbreaker that defeats specially defensive walls like Blissey and Alolan Muk for Greninja. Urshifu-R is also a good wallbreaker, pressuring foes that Greninja has difficulty in defeating such as Celesteela, Kyurem, and defensive Rotom-W. Mantine and Pelipper both prevent Ground-types like Sand Rush Excadrill from threatening it. Mantine acts as a useful specially defensive wall that can hinder setup sweepers like Volcarona and Azumarill thanks to Haze, while Pelipper fits on offensive teams, can safely bring Greninja in with U-turn, and overwhelms Grass-types like Ferrothorn and Mega Venusaur with Choice Specs-boosted Hurricane. Tapu Fini can deal with troublesome Dragon-types like boosted Kommo-o thanks to its part-Fairy typing and Calm Mind, and it provides Misty Terrain and Defog support.

Moves Hydro Cannon is Greninja's attack with the highest Base Power, and it can score an OHKO on threats such as Heatran and Mega Diancie with relative ease. Grass Knot is chosen in the second slot to hit the Water-types that resist Hydro Cannon for super effective damage, and it's Greninja's best option for dealing with Mega Slowbro, Mega Gyarados, and Mega Swampert. Ice Beam is fantastic coverage, as it obliterates Pokemon that are weak to it such as Dragonite, Landorus-T, and Naganadel. Dark Pulse gives Greninja good coverage, beating Ghostium Z Aegislash and Mega Slowbro, and it is also a great option in dealing with Mirror Coat users like Avalugg, as Greninja keeping the Dark typing prevents the move from working. Hidden Power Fire is Greninja’s best option against Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Magearna. Ferrothorn and Scizor are both easily OHKOed, while Magearna is 2HKOed. Another benefit of using Hidden Power Fire is that Magearna often will see Greninja as an easy KO, and luring it is very important. Hidden Power Ground can be used to gain an immunity to Electrium Z Magnezone. Blizzard gives Greninja another Ice-type coverage option that hits a bit harder, giving Greninja more consistent KOs on the bulky sets of Dragonite, Kommo-o, and Mega Altaria; however, its 70% accuracy can cause losses. Extrasensory is Greninja’s best option to deal with Mega Venusaur. Hidden Power Electric can be used against Mega Gyarados to confound it, OHKOing normal Gyarados while Grass Knot OHKOes Mega Gyarados. Hidden Power Steel can be run in order to consistently beat Tapu Lele, but this requires heavy Special Defense investment. Gunk Shot can be run in order to gain better matchups against Fairy-types like Mega Gardevoir and offensive Tapu Lele, without drastically shifting EV investment, unlike Hidden Power Steel. Shadow Sneak be used in order to play mind games with Choice-locked Porygon-Z using Hyper Beam. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed EVs are used to let Greninja hit as hard and fast as possible. A Timid nature is chosen so that Greninja can outspeed targets such as Mega Diancie, Blacephalon, Naganadel, and Mega Latios. Choice Specs is used because it gives Greninja as much power as possible to OHKO its targets. Protean gives Greninja STAB on every move, giving it the power it needs to OHKO its targets. A spread of 4 HP / 48 SpA / 204 SpD / 252 Spe with a Timid nature is ideal for using Hidden Power Steel, in order to tank a Shattered Psyche from Tapu Lele. If Greninja is running Gunk Shot, use a Naive nature instead of Timid. Usage Tips Sometimes moves that will allow Greninja to attack again are the better option if Greninja can’t OHKO the opposing Pokemon, such as changing Greninja's type with Hidden Power Fire to resist Magearna's Twinkle Tackle. Some options to cheese a victory in unfavorable matchups can come from Greninja’s moves’ secondary effects. Dark Pulse's 20% flinch rate can be used to cheese a win from a Donphan or Magnezone, but it's not reliable for swinging the matchup. Ice Beam's freeze chance of 10% is less reliable than Dark Pulse's flinch rate, so that move should never be used for its secondary effect unless the Pokemon resists Dark Pulse but not Ice Beam. Despite being a Fire-type Pokemon, both Mega Charizard X and Y can beat Greninja if given proper EV investment, so you will need to predict if your opponent is running bulky sets or not. Team Options Magnezone is a fantastic partner for Greninja, as it helps it deal with unfavorable matchups in Meloetta, Primarina, Mega Charizard Y, and Magearna. It also has a good matchup against Sturdy Pokemon such as Avalugg and Crustle. Greninja also beats many threats to Magnezone in Dragonite, Kommo-o, Zygarde, and Mega Charizard X. Zygarde has a fantastic matchup against almost every Sturdy Pokemon in the tier, which Greninja mostly universally loses to. It also helps Greninja in matchups against faster Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Zeraora. Greninja can also help Zygarde by making quick work of Dragonite, other Zygarde, and Mega Charizard X. Dragonite is another good Pokemon to partner with Greninja, as it has fantastic matchups against Mega Venusaur, Meloetta, Mega Charizard Y, and Magnezone. Greninja also helps Dragonite in shaky matchups against Mega Charizard X and Aegislash. Heatran is a great option because it more reliably beats Charizard and Magearna, letting Greninja use Dark Pulse or a different Hidden Power. Heatran also appreciates Greninja's targeting of Zygarde and Dragonite. Other Electric-types like Raikou and Zapdos can also be used as team options because they are much more reliable at dealing with Gyarados than Magnezone while also beating Primarina, Tapu Fini, and Mega Charizard Y.

Moves Substitute is required for this set to function, allowing Greninja to safely defeat both Mega Charizard X and Y by using Substitute until Torrent and Petaya Berry are activated. Hydro Cannon is also a must-have, sporting a huge 150-Base Power on top of STAB, a Torrent boost, and Petaya Berry or Waterium Z to do incredible amounts of damage. Taunt allows Greninja to shut down stall Pokemon and Substitute users that would wall it, such as Mega Audino and Jumpluff . Work Up helps Greninja defeat Pokemon like Type: Null and non-Hyper Voice Mega Gardevoir that would attempt to boost their defenses to beat it. Alternatively, Water Shuriken can be used to beat Sturdy users like Golem as well as potentially Donphan and Crustle. This move is especially good when paired with a Petaya Berry, allowing Greninja to KO most Sturdy users in three hits instead of four. Haze can also be used as an alternative to Work Up, removing the foe's stat boosts, as well as guaranteeing a win against Dragon Dance Mega Charizard X. Ice Beam can also be used to beat Infestation Jumpluff and non-Choice Scarf Garchomp, but it loses so many other matchups that it's not worth using most of the time. Waterfall can also be used in conjunction with Work Up, as it guarantees a win against other Pokemon that would try to boost their Special Defense like Magearna and allows Greninja to run a mixed offensive set using Waterium Z. Set Details 76 HP EVs and 108 Defense EVs prevent a Mega Charizard X's Flame Charge from breaking Greninja's Substitute. Additionally, the 76 HP EVs mean that Petaya Berry activates after 3 Substitutes, protecting Greninja from many priority moves that it resists. In addition to this, Greninja can now take 3 Seismic Tosses from Registeel, guaranteeing a win in this matchup. 176 Speed EVs with a Timid nature allow Greninja to outspeed maximum Speed Mega Lucario. Although the Mega Lucario matchup isn't a guaranteed win for Greninja, you lose nothing by investing the necessary EVs to outspeed it. The rest of the EVs are put into Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. Petaya Berry and Torrent in conjunction with Substitute allow Greninja to repeatedly use Substitute until the Berry and ability activate, allowing it to unleash a massively boosted Hydro Cannon. Waterium Z is an alternative that provides more consistency and power right out of the gate at the cost of total power; despite the increased accuracy, certain matchups such as Mega Swampert, Magearna, and Mega Gardevoir are made less consistent, making Petaya Berry generally the better option. It also improves certain matchups against Substitute users like Jumpluff, where you need to hit two turns in a row to win. Usage Tips Greninja should be sent out against slower Pokemon without a resistance to Water and stall Pokemon that are weak to Taunt. Avoid using Greninja against Pokemon that can bypass its Substitute like Meloetta. Unless the foe is exclusively a status user like Jumpluff or Type: Null, on turn 1, use Substitute. If the opponent elects to use a Speed-boosting move like Flame Charge or Dragon Dance, keep using Substitute until Greninja hits 25% health, after which you should use Hydro Cannon. If a foe such as Magearna or Mega Gardevoir tries to boost their Special Defense, use Work Up until both Pokemon are at +6, and then use Substitute until at 25% health, or use Haze to nullify their setup. Without Haze, certain matchups like Magearna are a toss-up, as if their Special Defense boosts reach +6, the benefit from Petaya Berry is lost. If you're using Haze, make sure to not Haze away your Petaya Berry boost. Only use Water Shuriken against Sturdy users. Unless the foe uses multi-hit moves and will faint to an unboosted Water Shuriken, like Golem, use Substitute to reach 25% health to get the Torrent and Petaya Berry boosts and then use it to hopefully KO the foe. If an opposing Pokemon uses a move like Shell Smash to boost their Speed, keep using Substitute, as they cannot eliminate Greninja if it is behind a Substitute. Between Petaya Berry and Waterium Z, they play largely similarly except against status users and Pokemon that can survive a hit from a Petaya Berry-boosted Hydro Cannon. Waterium Z allows you to use Hydro Vortex followed by Hydro Cannon the next turn, beating some Substitute users. In addition to this, with Petaya Berry, you cannot let the foe reach +6, as the advantage gained from Petaya Berry is lost. However, you can safely get to +6 with Waterium Z, as you still keep the damage boost. Team Options Pokemon that can deal with common threats to this set like Dragonite, Mega Gyarados, Mega Lopunny, and Choice Scarf users such as Landorus-T, Porygon-Z, and Sawk are very good partners. Examples include Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Tapu Lele, all of which have their weaknesses to Mega Charizard X and Y, Magearna, and Jumpluff covered by Greninja. Pokemon such as Zeraora and Magnezone that can deal with the bulky Water-types that typically beat Greninja like Tapu Fini and Primarina are great teammates as well and appreciate having their matchups against Mega Charizard X and Y and non-Choice Scarf Landorus-T covered.

Moves Taunt is run to prevent Greninja from becoming setup bait for Pokemon like Aurumoth and Magearna. Additionally, it prevents Defog from Pokemon that Greninja can't really touch, like Rotom-Wash. Ice Beam is particularly important for this set to put offensive pressure on Defog users like Tornadus-T and Zapdos. It also pressures Ground- and Grass-types like Landorus-T, Garchomp, Jumbao, and Necturna. Toxic Spikes is the preferred fourth move to wear down bulkier foes like Arghonaut and Tangrowth for Greninja's teammates. Alternatively, Hidden Power Fire can be run to deal with Ferrothorn and Magearna. Set Details A Focus Sash is mandatory to guarantee that Greninja gets to set up entry hazards at the start of a match. Usage Tips Because Greninja is a lead for hyper offensive teams, it's pretty straightforward to use. However, against Pokemon like Mega Sableye and dual screens Tapu Koko, consider not leading with Greninja, because they can prevent it from setting entry hazards. Greninja should aim to set multiple layers of Spikes and Toxic Spikes and pressure Defog users like Tornadus-T to keep them up early-game. If the majority of the opposition is grounded, one layer of Spikes is often enough to pressure these teams. After that, if the opposition does not have a Poison-type like Toxapex or Amoonguss, Greninja should often prioritize setting up Toxic Spikes. Team Options Greninja should primarily be used on hyper offensive builds that can force many switches and thus make optimal use of Spikes. Greninja pairs particularly well with other leads that can set Stealth Rock like Landorus-T and Excadrill to form an entry hazard stacking core on these type teams. This set excels with teammates that make use of Spikes. Thus, setup sweepers like Magearna, Necturna, and Hawlucha are optimal on these kind of teams because they can force many switches and benefit greatly from Spikes damage.

Moves Surf is a solid alternative to Hydro Pump if its perfect accuracy is desired. However, it does miss out on crucial KOs against Pokemon such as Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele. Water Shuriken is a strong, reliable priority STAB move once Battle Bond has been activated and lets Ash-Greninja threaten weakened sweepers such as Hawlucha and Kartana. Spikes pressures defensive answers such as Jumbao, Tangrowth, Arghonaut, and Toxapex. Ice Beam can be used to pressure bulky Jumbao, but leaves Ash-Greninja hopelessly walled by the aforementioned bulky Water-types. It also provides no team support whatsoever, unlike Spikes. Toxic can be run instead of Spikes to cripple common switch-ins like Arghonaut, Jumbao, and Tangrowth, but Spikes provides more support overall. Set Details Choice Specs enhances Greninja's otherwise rather mediocre Special Attack and lets it KO an opposing Pokemon and subsequently transform more easily. Usage Tips Play aggressively with Greninja pre-transformation to weaken targets in order to activate Battle Bond. If running Spikes, use it if there is a Water-resistant Pokemon such as Jumbao, Tangrowth, Arghonaut, or Toxapex present. Once multiple layers of Spikes are set, use Dark Pulse to consistently put pressure on these Pokemon. Water Shuriken is inconsistent pre-transformation, so try to use it minimally before transforming. Greninja is too frail to bring in on direct attacks; you should instead try to bring it into play with VoltTurn support or on a predicted switch. Team Options Tapu Koko, Krilowatt, and Kartana appreciate the support Ash-Greninja provides with Spikes and can pressure bulky Water-types. Additionally, the former two can get Ash-Greninja in with U-turn or Volt Switch. Stealth Rock setters such as Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Heatran can aid Ash-Greninja in pressuring bulky Grass- and Water-types. Other strong wallbreakers such as Tapu Lele and Mega Alakazam can put additional pressure on bulky Grass- and Water-types and benefit from Spikes. Pokemon that can take advantage of Grass-types, like Tornadus-T and Aurumoth are excellent partners, as Ash-Greninja will struggle to deal with Grass-types on a consistent basis. Pelipper can set rain for Greninja on rain teams, which makes its Hydro Pump and Water Shuriken ridiculously strong, and can safely bring Greninja in with a slow U-turn.

Moves Hydro Pump allows Greninja to hit Pokemon such as Equilibra, Kitsunoh, and Heatran. Ice Beam is a good option to pressure Tornadus-T, the most common Defogger, which will often want to keep Spikes off the field. Additionally, it nets good damage against Grass-, Ground-, and Dragon-types like Tangrowth, Necturna, Jumbao, Mega Garchomp, and Pajantom. Extrasensory allows Greninja to pressure Arghonaut and Toxapex, which can otherwise win entry hazard wars against Greninja quite easily. However, Gunk Shot can be run to handle Jumbao better. Additionally, Gunk Shot hits Tapu Lele and Tangrowth harder than any other move. Alternatively, Dark Pulse is an option on Metronome variants to punish slower Calm Mind users like Reuniclus and Mega Latias, which may attempt to boost past Greninja by increasing their Special Defense otherwise. Set Details A Hasty nature is used to outspeed Tornadus-T, and it is preferred over a Naive nature to switch into Heatran a little better. Life Orb increases Greninja's overall damage output, allowing it to net massive damage on Pokemon like Celesteela, Arghonaut, and Toxapex, but it comes at the cost of being worn down quickly. Expert Belt is an alternative option that can be run to increase Greninja's damage output against Pokemon like Heatran, Arghonaut, and Toxapex without taking recoil damage. Metronome is an option to gradually build up damage against Calm Mind users like Reuniclus and Mega Latias with Dark Pulse. It also means Toxapex and Arghonaut can't possibly try and stall Extrasensory Greninja out with Life Orb recoil. With this item, you will want maximum Special Attack investment. Usage Tips To make optimal use out of Greninja, you should attempt to set Spikes or pressure checks like Arghonaut, Toxapex, and Jumbao whenever it forces a switch. However, be wary of attacking too often, because Life Orb recoil will quickly rack up in tandem with damage from entry hazards. Although its bulk is quite poor, Greninja can be used to switch into Heatran once or twice to check it. However, generally speaking, you should not bring Greninja directly into play. Instead, try and bring it in on predicted switches and with VoltTurn support. If Greninja is running Fightinium Z, be careful of using it immediately, because your opponent might scout for it. Team Options Psychic-types like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele benefit greatly from Greninja's presence; they massively appreciate Spikes because of the amount of switches they force. If Greninja is not running Extrasensory itself, these Pokemon become even more important to take advantage of Arghonaut and Toxapex. For similar reasons, setup sweepers like Magearna, Necturna, and Mega Mawile also benefit greatly from Greninja's presence. Because Greninja is so frail, it's often optimal to pair it with VoltTurn users like Krilowatt and Tornadus-T to bring it into play safely. Special wallbreakers such as Volkraken, Magearna, and Mega Latios also capitalize on Greninja's ability to weaken Chansey, the best blanket check to special attackers in general.

Moves Spikes is a really effective means of punishing grounded Pokemon, as it deals up to 25% of the maximum HP in damage to any Pokemon that switches in. This allows your team to more effectively pressure Steel-type threats such as Necrozma-DM and Magearna, which otherwise take minimal damage from Stealth Rock. Taunt stops setup, entry hazards being put up, status spreading, and entry hazard removal, thus being crucial in order for Greninja to effectively perform its role as a suicide lead. Dark Pulse prevents Greninja from being completely passive, preventing it from becoming setup fodder for offensive Necrozma-DM at Team Preview. It also allows Greninja to utilize its ability in Battle Bond, allowing it to become a more offensive threat, most notably outspeeding Mega Gengar and Ultra Necrozma and being able to OHKO them both, as well as 2HKOing Trick Room Necrozma-DM. Substitute is primarily used to stop Smeargle from paralyzing Greninja with Nuzzle, as Taunt doesn't prevent Smeargle from using this move. Once Greninja is behind a Substitute, this puts it in a situation of mind games, rather than Greninja being at a disadvantage. Ice Beam allows Greninja to pressure Mega Salamence and Zygarde better, as it is able to OHKO Salamence even without Battle Bond, whereas after transformation, it's able to outspeed +1 offensive Zygarde-C and OHKO it. It also gives it a chance of 2HKOing Mega Diancie, which otherwise would be able to prevent Greninja from setting up entry hazards, and is immune to Taunt thanks to Magic Bounce, and is able to bring Greninja down to its Focus Sash with Moonblast. Set Details This is a classic offensive set with maximum Special Attack investment for the highest possible damage output and maximum Speed investment so Greninja moves first. A Timid nature is required in order for Greninja to outspeed Arceus formes, which is crucial to prevent it them from using Defog. Usage Tips Greninja's main focus should be to set Spikes and prevent the opposing team from either setting up in front of it, removing these Spikes or setting their own entry hazards by clicking Taunt. Against setup sweepers, such as Rock Polish Primal Groudon and Extreme Killer Arceus, Greninja should prioritize clicking Taunt, as the offensive builds that Greninja fits best on tend to struggle to have the tools to deal with these threats. If it's not able to activate Battle Bond, Greninja should be used to chip away at the foe with either Dark Pulse or Ice Beam, providing its teammates with an easier time of setting up to sweep. Due to its relatively low bulk and damage output prior to activating Battle Bond, if entry hazards are on your side of the field or if its Focus Sash has been broken, Greninja is best used as a sacrifice fodder to provide you with an opportunity to bring in a teammate without taking any extra damage. If Greninja is able to activate Battle Bond, it can be preserved, as it can become a potential revenge killer for weakened foes, as it's only naturally outsped by Deoxys-A, Pheromosa, and Mega Mewtwo Y, and it's able to outspeed a +1 Zygarde. Team Options As Greninja's primary role is to provide offensive pressure by setting Spikes and it is only really used as a dedicated lead, its teammates need to also be offensive Pokemon to compensate for its general lack of offensive pressure and to ensure that Greninja's entry hazards stay on the battlefield after it has been KOed. Strong wallbreakers such as Xerneas, Necrozma-DM or Ultra Necrozma, and Mega Salamence are all incredible partners for Greninja, as the addition of Spikes on the battlefield makes it harder for opposing Pokemon to switch into them. Futhermore, all of these Pokemon are able to punish any attempts to remove entry hazards by setting up with their dedicated boosting move, ultimately making them harder to switch into. Checks to the tier's Magic Bounce users in Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie as well as Fairy-type answers are crucial teammates for Greninja, as Magic Bounce completely removes Greninja's ability to set entry hazards. Offensive Stealth Rock Primal Groudon sets are almost mandatory on teams with Greninja, as Stealth Rock is still able to punish all Ground-immune foes that take no damage from Spikes such as Yveltal, Ho-Oh, and Lugia, providing additional damage to grounded foes. Furthermore, it is able to provide teams with a much-needed answer to Xerneas and is able to comfortably anti-lead against Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie. Fast Taunt users such as Mega Gengar and Yveltal are great partners for Greninja, as they're able to prevent foes from removing entry hazards after Greninja has been KOed, as well as acting as great anti-offense measures, as they prevent setup sweepers from setting up. Mega Gengar is especially noteworthy here, as its super fast Taunt is useful for preventing support Arceus formes from using Defog, as well as punishing Choice-locked Defoggers such as Xerneas, as they risk getting trapped and KOed thanks to Mega Gengar's Shadow Tag.

Moves Hydro Pump is Greninja's strongest move for hitting threats such as Mega Diancie, Heatran, and Excadrill. Ice Beam is great for taking care of Dragon- and Flying-types such as Mega Altaria, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Gunk Shot gives Greninja coverage for Fairy-types such as Clefable, notably OHKOing Azumarill. Extrasensory hits Fighting- and Poison-types that threaten Dark teams such as Keldeo, Mega Venusaur, and Toxapex. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs with a Naive nature allow Greninja to be as fast as possible, outspeeding anything under base 122 Speed with the exception of Choice Scarf users. A Naive nature also keeps Gunk Shot from being weakened. Maximum Special Attack investment grants Greninja more attacking power. Protean is necessary for Greninja to have STAB on all of its attacks. Greninja can't do a lot of damage without a boosting item, so Life Orb is the item of choice. Usage Tips Because Greninja is generally frail, it should switch in for free or on weak, resisted attacks. It can also attempt to come in from a double switch. Greninja's terrifying coverage and decent offensive stats are just enough for it to force switches, so capitalize on that by immediately switching to a teammate that's able to take on the opposing team's check to Greninja. Make sure to save Greninja for fast threats that it'll be able to revenge kill such as Life Orb Latios and Gengar. It's always best to keep Greninja away from revenge killers and Choice Scarf users because Greninja is often needed in later parts of the match thanks to its wide coverage. Remember that Protean can be used to your defensive advantage; for example, Greninja will resist Moonblast after using Gunk Shot. Make sure to keep Greninja away from paralysis, burns, and poison, which will ruin its Speed or longevity. Team Options Greninja doesn't appreciate being worn down by entry hazards, so Mega Sableye and Mandibuzz make for good partners. Mega Sableye also offers protection from Thunder Wave, Toxic, Knock Off, and Fighting-type attacks. Mandibuzz, on the other hand, can get Greninja in safely with its slow U-turn and tank attacks with its physical bulk. Mega Tyranitar can assist Greninja in pressuring teams. With Greninja taking on physically defensive threats, Mega Tyranitar gets rid of special walls such as Chansey. Specially defensive Tyranitar can switch into special attacks for Greninja and provide Thunder Wave support so Greninja can outspeed even Choice Scarf users. Mega Sharpedo can help clean up late-game after Greninja has dealt enough damage to the opposing team. Hydreigon and Greninja together are great in at pressuring teams. Hydreigon can specifically take out Steel-types such as Celesteela and Ferrothorn. Choice Scarf Hydreigon is also a valuable teammate, revenge killing threats Greninja has weakened. Bisharp and Alolan Muk help Greninja take on annoying Fairy-types such as Tapu Bulu and Azumarill, and both can provide Knock Off support. Bisharp specifically can check Ice-types, while Alolan Muk can switch into special attacks. Krookodile is another good Stealth Rock and Knock Off user that is also able to check Electric-types for Greninja. Cacturne can check bulky Water-types like Suicune and Z-Belly Drum Azumarill, which would otherwise give Greninja trouble.

Moves Gunk Shot is necessary for Greninja to check Fairy-types, and it making Greninja Poison-type has some use in avoiding Toxic and resisting Grass. U-turn helps maintain momentum and take advantage of forced switches such as Landorus fearing Ice Beam. Ice Beam lets Greninja hit annoying Flying-types such as Zapdos as well as Dragon- and Ground-types such as Hydreigon and Landorus. Hydro Pump targets threats such as Excadrill and Heatran, 2HKOes Klefki, and does slightly more damage than Gunk Shot to +1 Volcarona. Spikes is a great utility move, and with Greninja's offensive presence and coverage moves forcing so many switches, it's able to get set up, applying pressure on grounded Pokemon. Rock Slide is a reliable move for KOing threats that are really weak to it such as Mega Charizard Y and Volcarona. Set Details Maximum Speed EVs with a Naive nature and a Choice Scarf make Greninja as fast as possible, outspeeding threats such as Tapu Koko, Mega Lopunny, Choice Scarf users such as Tapu Bulu, Latios, Adamant Excadrill in sand, and Modest Kingdra in rain. A Naive nature alongside 4 Attack EVs keeps Greninja from weakening Gunk Shot. 252 Special Attack EVs maximizes Greninja's damage output. Protean is the ability of choice to change Greninja's typing and gain STAB from it. Usage Tips Choice Scarf Greninja takes on the role of a revenge killer, outspeeding and taking on threats such as Tapu Koko, Mega Lopunny, and slower Choice Scarf users. Greninja can also utilize its high Speed to clean late-game, and it can be an effective lead thanks to U-turn and how many Pokemon it forces out. Greninja should try setting up Spikes early-game to begin putting pressure on teams. It needs to come in safely from a slow U-turn user such as Mandibuzz or a fainted teammate because of its frailty. Make sure to take advantage of U-turn so Greninja can escape any possible disadvantages it may encounter. Be careful about what Greninja is locked into, since getting forced out or becoming setup fodder for Pokemon like Terrakion is a momentum drain; it's best to make sure that all of Greninja's checks and counters are gone or weakened so it can sweep late-game. Be aware that even with Protean, Greninja doesn't hit as hard with Choice Scarf; bulky threats will be able to switch in comfortably, so avoid having Greninja take them on. Greninja should avoid paralysis at all costs, as its role as a revenge killer will be ruined. Team Options Mega Tyranitar is an excellent teammate, as it can help wallbreak early- or mid-game and dismantle teams for Greninja to clean late-game. Tyranitar and Krookodile provide Stealth Rock support for Greninja to KO threats more easily. Tyranitar can also paralyze foes with Thunder Wave and tank special attacks, whereas Krookodile can switch into Electric-type moves, supply utility with Knock Off, and revenge kill threats thanks to its Focus Sash. Intimidate from Krookodile can also assist in softening physical attacks for Greninja. Other Knock Off users such as Mega Sableye, Bisharp, and Alolan Muk cripple item-reliant Pokemon, especially Eviolite and Leftovers users such as Porygon2 and Zapdos. Mega Sableye can block status moves, while Bisharp and Alolan Muk can be additional checks to Fairy-types. Mandibuzz can switch into physical attackers for Greninja and punish Swords Dance and Dragon Dance sweepers such as Mega Scizor and Dragonite with Foul Play. Since Greninja will be pivoting out often with U-turn, it also benefits from Mandibuzz's Defog. Hydreigon can wallbreak for Greninja thanks to Choice Specs and switch into Ground-type attacks. Mega Sharpedo and Greninja can help one another clean up late-game, and Mega Sharpedo can use Psychic Fangs to pressure Fighting-types. Cacturne is a great check to problematic Water-types such as Suicune and Z-Belly Drum Azumarill.

Moves Ice Beam hits Dragon-, Flying-, Ground-, and Grass-type Pokemon such as Kommo-o, Tornadus-T, Garchomp, and Tapu Bulu, all of which are very threatening for Water teams. Grass Knot nails Water- and Ground-type Pokemon such as Mega Swampert, Gastrodon, and Hippowdon. Hidden Power Electric is coverage that allows Greninja to specifically target Mantine, which easily switches into its other attacks, while also hitting Toxapex hard. Extrasensory allows Greninja to hit Poison- and Fighting-type threats such as Mega Venusaur, Toxapex, and Keldeo, making Greninja a consistent answer to Poison teams when in combination with Hidden Power Electric. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment alongside a Timid nature allow Greninja to hit as fast and hard as possible. Protean allows Greninja to gain STAB on all of its moves attacks, making it an incredible all-out attacker. Expert Belt increases damage done by super effective attacks, giving it enough damage to 2HKO Toxapex after Stealth Rock damage. Usage Tips Greninja has amazing coverage that it can easily take advantage of. Since it commonly runs Choice Scarf, it can spam one attack to bluff a Choice Scarf and lure in Pokemon that resist the coverage move it is pretending to be locked into. Greninja is amazing in the mirror matchup, as with its combined coverage of Grass Knot and Hidden Power Electric, it can easily hit every Water-type Pokemon super effectively, making it a dangerous threat late-game. The same thing goes for the Flying and Ground matchups, as its Ice- and Grass-type coverage can hit all Pokemon bar Excadrill and Mega Steelix for super effective damage in the Ground matchup. Greninja is frail and therefore weak to common priority attacks such as Dragonite's Extreme Speed and Breloom's Mach Punch, so it should switch out to a teammate such as Toxapex to handle these attacks. Furthermore, it should switch out of offensive Pokemon that it can't OHKO such as Kyurem-B, since it is so frail that oftentimes they will be able to OHKO Greninja in return. Because of this, Greninja should only be brought in safely to avoid taking unnecessary damage. Additionally, while Greninja certainly does not appreciate the chip damage from being poisoned or burned, it should absolutely at all costs avoid paralysis, as it severely cripples its ability to act as a fast revenge killer and allows it to get OHKOed by slower threats such as Kommo-o. Team Options Toxapex is a great defensive pivot that can switch into threats such as Mega Venusaur for Greninja and makes a solid wall thanks to Recover. Additionally, it provides Toxic Spikes support, chipping down Greninja's threats and allowing it to clean late-game more easily. Swampert and Mega Swampert provide Stealth Rock support and an Electric-type immunity. Swampert is a solid defensive tank that can switch into threats such as Tapu Koko and Terrakion for Greninja. Mega Swampert on the other hand is a more offensive option that is extremely threatening with rain, taking on Greninja's checks such as Tapu Koko and Volcarona with Earthquake and Waterfall. Keldeo and Greninja share similar checks and can help break each other's down. Keldeo can break bulky cores from types such as Normal and Flying with Calm Mind and Taunt or be a more offensive threat and just muscle through Pokemon such as Chansey with Choice Specs-boosted Secret Sword. It also takes on Steel-types such as Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn that otherwise wall Greninja. Mega Sharpedo is a great late-game cleaner that appreciates Greninja's ability to weaken many of its checks such as Hippowdon and Celesteela, allowing it to clean more easily. It is also able to outspeed threats such as Tapu Koko and Mega Lopunny for Greninja. Running Mega Sharpedo allows Greninja to run Extrasensory, allowing it to take on Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur that would otherwise wall it. Rotom-Wash and Mantine can clear entry hazards for Greninja as well as provide it with a Ground immunity. Rotom-Wash can provide a slow pivot with Volt Switch and cripple physical attackers such as Azumarill with Will-O-Wisp. On the other hand, Mantine is a solid special wall with access to Roost, allowing it to easily switch into attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor. Gyarados can support Greninja by taking on its checks such as Mega Venusaur and Chansey with boosted Supersonic Skystrike. In return, Greninja can break past physical walls for Gyarados such as Celesteela and Swampert. Additionally, it provides Greninja with a solid switch-in to Ground-type attacks. Thanks to rain and Choice Specs-boosted Hurricane, Pelipper is able to take on a plethora of Grass- and Poison-type Pokemon for Greninja such as Ferrothorn, Mega Venusaur, and Toxapex. Additionally, it can pivot in Greninja safely with U-turn, can clear hazards with Defog, and shares similar checks with Greninja, allowing them to both help break down the other's checks. Manaphy helps break down Poison-type threats to Greninja such as Alolan Muk and Mega Venusaur after one Tail Glow boost thanks to Surf and Psychic, respectively.

Moves U-turn provides switch momentum by allowing Greninja to pivot out of incoming walls into a teammate. Ice Beam gives Greninja a strong option to hit a wide range of threats including Dragon-types like Dragonite and Flying-types like Zapdos. Gunk Shot lets Greninja revenge kill Fairy-types, most importantly Tapu Koko, which is one of the most threatening Pokemon to Water teams. Defensively, it also provides Greninja with a Poison typing, making it a solid choice for 2HKOing Mega Charizard Y and Mega Diancie, both of which cannot OHKO a Poison-type Greninja with Solar Beam and Moonblast, respectively. Dark Pulse is a reliable STAB move that has fantastic coverage with Greninja's other moves and importantly hits Psychic-type walls like Mew, Jirachi, and Slowbro for a lot of damage. Depending on the user's team, Greninja's final moveslot can easily be replaced with more specific coverage moves to hit certain threats in exchange for losing out on the spammable Dark Pulse. For offensive teams that lack defensive switch-ins to these threats, Rock Slide is a solid coverage option that notably OHKOes Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y while 2HKOing Mantine and Kyurem-B. Low Kick is the only option that can OHKO Kyurem-B after Stealth Rock damage or two hits of Life Orb damage. It also 2HKOes Ferrothorn, almost always OHKOes Heatran, and always OHKOes Tyranitar. Hidden Power Fire is useful for 2HKOing both Ferrothorn and Klefki, which often try to switch into Greninja, but it has no other useful targets. Entry hazards in the form of either Spikes or Toxic Spikes are also a viable final option on offensive teams to punish the opposing team's switches. Set Details 252 Speed EVs, a Naive nature, and a Choice Scarf make Greninja as fast as possible, outspeeding almost the entire metagame including Adamant Sand Rush Excadrill and Swift Swim Kingdra. A Naive nature is important to use instead of Hasty to make sure Choice Band Dragonite's Extreme Speed and other powerful priority are not able to KO Greninja. Greninja should use either 252 Special Attack or 252 Attack EVs depending on its fourth moveslot, as that slot typically relies heavily on investment to net the intended KOs. Protean changes Greninja's type to the typing of the move it uses, giving it permanent STAB and defensive flexibility. Usage Tips Greninja can serve as a fantastic lead thanks to its incredible Speed and use of U-turn to get switch advantage from the very beginning of the match, as almost no leads are capable of anti-leading Greninja. It is also a very reliable revenge killer, able to outspeed even many boosted sweepers. If Greninja isn't able to OHKO the threat, though, U-turn can be used to get chip damage at the cost of a teammate taking a hit. Greninja has rather poor damage output when lacking super effective coverage and can rarely touch walls, so if you predict one to switch into Greninja, U-turn should be used to preserve momentum. Once these walls are weakened, though, Greninja is more than capable of serving as a late-game sweeper with its STAB-boosted attacks. In most cases, try to use teammates such as Rotom-Wash to pivot into Greninja safely, as it can't take hits very well at all and should not switch into most attacks outside of those that are Psychic-type. However, when already in play, remember that Protean can be used defensively to give Greninja unusual resistances, such as using Gunk Shot against Mega Diancie's Moonblast or Mega Charizard Y's Solar Beam. Team Options Greninja is best when paired with wallbreakers and stallbreakers such as Choice Specs Keldeo and Kingdra, Perish Trap Azumarill, and Suicune that can take on the walls it can't touch. Greninja's ability to bait walls in and pivot on them with U-turn makes it an even better teammate for these Pokemon. Specifically, this set can't touch the Poison defensive core, so a Pokemon like Gyarados that can beat it is important to have. Other pivots such as Rotom-Wash are great for forming a VoltTurn core with Greninja, able to keep up momentum for each other or for other teammates. While Toxapex lacks a pivoting move, it is still a fantastic option due to its ability Regenerator. It also frequently uses Toxic Spikes, which is crucial for wearing down Greninja's checks to enable a late-game sweep. Pokemon such as Swampert are almost necessary for their Stealth Rock support, which further punishes the switches that Greninja can easily force. Because Greninja likes to switch in and out frequently, hazard control from the likes of Mantine and Empoleon for your side of the field is crucial to avoid letting it get worn down too quickly. Being almost unparalleled in Speed, Greninja is very useful for taking out opposing revenge killers for sweepers, such as Gyarados and Mega Sharpedo. Mega Sharpedo is notable in being able to check Psychic-types, meaning Greninja can more easily choose to use a different coverage option from Dark Pulse.

Moves Extrasensory is the primary attack for this set, able to 2HKO almost every Pokemon on a Poison team including Toxapex and Mega Venusaur. Dig completes the necessary coverage to allow this set to sweep Poison, as Tectonic Rage always OHKOes Alolan Muk, the only commonly used Poison-type that Extrasensory cannot touch. Ice Beam is used for its great coverage to give Greninja a strong, spammable move that no Pokemon is immune to. The final moveslot is used to complete coverage combinations to counter certain types, as this set lacks power if its moves are not super effective. With Tectonic Rage dealing crippling damage to Klefki, Gunk Shot is a great move that can pressure Fairy teams, although Greninja is still outsped by Tapu Koko. While it doesn't pair particularly well with Tectonic Rage, Hidden Power Electric forms the well-known BoltBeam coverage with Ice Beam and can 2HKO Mantine and Mega Charizard Y to break Flying teams. Hidden Power Fire can be used as well, as Heatran is OHKOed by Tectonic Rage, enabling Greninja to spam Hidden Power Fire safely against Steel teams. Set Details Maximum investment into Special Attack gives Greninja enough damage to 2HKO Toxapex and Mega Venusaur. 4 Attack EVs are used to guarantee the OHKO on Alolan Muk. A Naive nature and 252 Speed EVs make sure Greninja outspeeds Pokemon such as Latios, Gengar, Keldeo, and Mega Diancie. Protean gives Greninja's moves STAB, enabling it to deal enough damage to break the Poison teams it's built for. Groundium Z enables Greninja to use Tectonic Rage. Usage Tips Because Tectonic Rage only has one use, be very careful to not waste it needlessly. For Poison teams, Alolan Muk will often be baited in to Pursuit a Psychic-type Greninja, so it is generally safe to use it after it has switched in. Against Fairy teams, though, because Klefki will be able to set Prankster Reflect, it is necessary to hit it on the switch, so try to predict its switch in. Klefki will often try to switch into Gunk Shot, so luring it in by giving Greninja a free switch into Tapu Bulu or even Tapu Koko is relatively easy. In many matchups, Tectonic Rage can be a good surprise for hitting special walls as well. For example, Ground teams expecting Choice Scarf Ice Beam like to switch into Seismitoad on Greninja, and Tectonic Rage almost always OHKOes standard Seismitoad after it switches into Ice Beam. Because Greninja tends to not run Hydro Pump, Tectonic Rage is also typically good for hitting Pokemon like Heatran and Tyranitar that don't expect to take a huge amount of damage. Even though it may be dangerous, many expect Choice Scarf Greninja, so as long as you haven't revealed a teammate's Choice Scarf, it is very possible to bluff it to lure in one of Tectonic Rage's targets. Against Poison teams, it is also very possible to bluff other items too such as Expert Belt before Extrasensory is used. However, Extrasensory is not used outside of this set too often without Life Orb, so once Greninja has used Extrasensory and does not take Life Orb recoil, it is difficult to bluff another set. Due to Greninja's great movepool, it is difficult for your opponent to predict its coverage move. Try to preserve that deception as long as possible, especially if you haven't revealed Dig yet, as the wide range of moves Greninja can pack is part of its strength. Make sure to avoid taking unnecessary damage on Greninja, as it lacks a damage-boosting item and may need to take a hit or two to break walls. As a result, it is best to pair this set with a pivot that can bring Greninja in safely, such as U-turn Pelipper. Ground is a very unusual typing for Greninja to access with Protean, so use that to your advantage against Electric-types that expect to be able to fire off an attack safely. Even though Dig is a two-turn move, it still has utility for this purpose. Team Options Water teams generally have a very rough time beating the Poison defensive core, so almost any team that lacks an alternative solution can use this set. Rain teams in particular appreciate Greninja's support. However, rain weakens Greninja's Hidden Power Fire, so that coverage move should not be used on rain teams. Pelipper can use a slow U-turn to effectively get Greninja into play safely while also packing Defog to protect Greninja from Toxic Spikes and other entry hazards. Rotom-Wash is capable of fulfilling a similar role to Pelipper on non-rain teams. Sweepers such as Swift Swim Kingdra, Mega Gyarados, and Suicune all appreciate Greninja removing their Poison-type checks. This set lacks power when not battling its specific targets, so wallbreakers, such as Choice Band Azumarill, can help break walls for Greninja. Hazard support from Swampert and Toxapex can be helpful for putting Pokemon such as Crobat into range of being OHKOed to alleviate the damage output issue. This set lacks the Speed of Choice Scarf, so it's important to have a teammate like Choice Scarf Keldeo that can help revenge kill Pokemon that can force out Greninja.

Moves Ice Beam is a strong coverage option that can be used to take down various offensive and defensive threats alike, such as Latios, Tapu Bulu, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Hidden Power Electric is used against bulky Flying- and Water-types such as Celesteela, Mantine, and Toxapex. Grass Knot is used against specific foes such as Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, as they can comfortably take on Greninja's other attacks by virtue of ability and typing. Toxic Spikes is great for residual damage against most foes, and the increasing poison damage helps combat most of Greninja's checks such as Chansey and Mega Sableye. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment coupled with a Timid nature allows Greninja to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Expert Belt strengthens the power of its moves whenever they are super effective, which can be important in some cases. For example, Expert Belt-boosted Hidden Power Electric allows Greninja to 2HKO Toxapex. Protean blesses Greninja with the ability to change its typing depending on the move it uses, granting it STAB on all of its moves in the process and thus giving it an incredible offensive presence. Usage Tips Greninja should utilize this set to lure in and remove would-be checks such as Mantine and Toxapex, as its wide movepool and variety of sets makes it very unpredictable. Greninja also should use one move at a time to bluff a potential Choice Scarf set, as it makes luring in foes such as Celesteela and Mantine much more effective, as well as threaten would-be checks such as Mega Lopunny and Tapu Koko out. However, it should still avoid special walls such as Chansey and Ferrothorn, as their incredible special bulk can let them comfortably take any attack it can dish out. Greninja should be conserved as much as possible against Flying, Ground, and Water teams, as its incredible coverage serves as an invaluable asset against them. It shouldn't be immediately switched into attacks, as it's incredibly frail. It should also avoid paralysis, as Greninja relies on its high Speed in order to threaten fast foes such as Mega Diancie and Latios. Greninja should also avoid chip damage from entry hazards and status, as it needs to be as healthy as possible in order to effectively threaten foes. Team Options Mega Sableye can use its typing and well rounded defenses to comfortably handle Greninja's checks, such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Mega Gallade, while also providing a critical Fighting-type immunity. Additionally, Mega Sableye can prevent entry hazards that would chip away at Greninja's health from being set through Magic Bounce. Mandibuzz assists Greninja through its various potential utility moves, including Defog, Taunt, and U-turn. It can also use its high Defense and Ground-type immunity to switch into foes such as Mega Lopunny and Choice Band Excadrill in sand for Greninja. Tyranitar's acts as a strong special wall and supporter under sand, being able to stomach attacks from foes such as Latios and Tapu Koko for Greninja while also providing Stealth Rock support for it. It can also act as a setup sweeper with its combination of Dragon Dance, strong physical moves, and Rockium Z to break down special walls such as Chansey and Mega Venusaur. Alternatively, Mega Tyranitar can also perform the same role as base Tyranitar, exchanging Rockium Z for much better stats and a better Speed tier for outspeeding foes that base Tyranitar wouldn't be able to with one Dragon Dance boost, such as Tapu Koko and Weavile. Alolan Muk can use its typing and high Special Defense to sponge special attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor and Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam for Greninja. Additionally, its access to Knock Off means that it can weaken foes such as Porygon2 and Toxapex, making it easier for Greninja to remove them. Krookodile serves as a solid lead for Greninja, being able to set up Stealth Rock and prevent slower foes from setting their own entry hazards with Taunt. Additionally, Choice Scarf variants can be run to outspeed and revenge kill foes such as Tapu Koko. Hydreigon can stallbreak foes that Greninja has trouble with, such as Chansey and Steel-types such as Choice Scarf Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. Additionally, it can utilize Dragonium Z to devastate slower, bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Rotom-Wash.

Moves Ice Beam is used for its coverage, hitting Flying-, Grass-, and Dragon-types including Zapdos and Cradily super effectively and 2HKOing even Kyurem-B. Gunk Shot hits Fairy-types and special walls such as Mantine hard, making Greninja a mixed attacking threat. Dark Pulse deals wallbreaking damage to Psychic-types, able to at least 2HKO almost every Psychic-type, while having decent spammability on even neutral targets. Greninja can choose from a wide range of options for its last move, selecting whatever its team needs most. Hidden Power Fire can OHKO many Steel-types including Ferrothorn, which tends to be a difficult Pokemon to break. Alternatively, Hidden Power Electric with Ice Beam 2HKOes almost every Flying-type other than Celesteela, making Greninja very difficult to check in that matchup. If these coverage combinations are unneeded, Hydro Pump is Greninja's strongest attack and can be used over Dark Pulse for wallbreaking, as it notably can 2HKO even specially defensive Mega Sableye, but Water-type coverage is relatively redundant with Ice Beam. If Hydro Pump is used, Rock Slide can be used alongside it because it OHKOes Mega Charizard Y and still breaks most Flying teams. Greninja can use Spikes or Toxic Spikes quite effectively, as it forces switches and can take that opportunity to set up entry hazards. Set Details Maximum investment into Special Attack and Speed and a Naive nature make Greninja as strong and as fast as possible. Protean makes Greninja deal significant damage with all of its attacks thanks to STAB. Life Orb gives Greninja great damage on all of its attacks at the cost of recoil damage. To avoid recoil damage, Expert Belt can be used instead and to bluff other sets, but Greninja's neutral damage is pitiful and Hydro Pump should not be used with it. Usage Tips This set looks to come in as often as possible and fire off powerful super effective attacks whenever possible. As a result, try to pivot into it on double switches to Pokemon it outspeeds. It can also be used as a revenge killer with its good Speed, either KOing or forcing out threats like Mega Gallade that Water struggles with. Be careful with Greninja's health, as it has rather poor bulk and Life Orb will chip at Greninja over time. Avoid letting Greninja take hits it doesn't resist, as even neutral damage from weak walls can deal serious damage. Protean can be used for this purpose, giving Greninja unusual resistances to allow it to take hits it otherwise wouldn't be able to. Greninja has a huge range of moves it can viably use, so use that to your advantage, as your opponent will try hard to scout out your moveset. While Greninja's moves are unknown, it has a very easy time firing off attacks without fear. If Greninja uses Expert Belt, bluffing Choice Scarf or Groundium Z is a good strategy for netting surprise KOs. Team Options Even though this is one of Greninja's more powerful sets, it still doesn't have particularly fantastic damage output, so pairing Greninja with a wallbreaker is a good idea to dismantle balance and defensive teams. Choice Specs Keldeo can be a great option for breaking the Normal defensive core, which Greninja has no way of touching. Swift Swim Kingdra can be a great anti-offense option, as it can revenge kill Pokemon like Tapu Koko that outspeed Greninja. Rain in general is useful if Greninja packs Hydro Pump, as rain-boosted Hydro Pump is the only way Greninja can 2HKO Celesteela. Be aware, though, that rain will make Greninja's Hidden Power Fire deal insignificant damage. On more balanced teams, Perish Trap Azumarill can be an unorthodox way of taking out walls for Greninja. Greninja benefits greatly from having its switch-ins chipped away at, so support such as Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes from Swampert and Toxapex is always appreciated. A way to beat the Poison defensive core is needed, so a specific check such as Flyinium Z Gyarados should be used for this purpose.

Moves Ice Beam is a fantastic option on Greninja, letting it KO many prominent threats such as Landorus-T, Naganadel, Mega Salamence, and Thundurus-T. Water Shuriken is a good priority move that has the potential to do a lot of damage due to its multi-hit nature. It helps Greninja pick off weakened Blaziken, Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Excadrill, and other offensive threats. Dark Pulse is the best shot Greninja has against Aegislash and Mega Metagross. It also prevents Cresselia from walling Greninja, and the flinch chance can come in handy. If Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor are serious problems, Hidden Power Fire can be used to deal with them. Hidden Power Fire is also notable for allowing a healthy Greninja to survive any attack a Focus Sash Kartana throws at it thanks to Protean. For the last slot, going mixed with Gunk Shot can be a good choice for OHKOing Tapu Lele, 2HKOing Tapu Fini, and blasting the less common Water / Fairy types, Azumarill and Primarina. Scald is a reliable Water-type attack, while Hydro Pump is a riskier, more powerful option that should be used with Waterium Z. Surf works as a mid-way option between the two if Scald's burn chance isn't appealing for the team. Finally, if using Focus Sash, Rock Tomb is a reasonable choice to give Greninja some speed control and a way to deal serious damage to Charizard formes and Volcarona. Set Details This Greninja set is extremely customizable, so using specific moves or items to cover team weaknesses is worthy of consideration. Focus Sash can have the most devastating potential consequences, making Greninja an excellent lead that can pressure common foes such as Landorus-T thanks to surviving at least one attack from them. Alternatively, Life Orb gives Greninja a significant boost in damage. For example, Dark Pulse has a 75% shot of OHKOing Mega Metagross with Stealth Rock up, Hydro Pump now 2HKOes Assault Vest Tyranitar, and Gunk Shot OHKOes offensive Tapu Fini after Stealth Rock damage. Waterium Z also works well if using Hydro Pump to give Greninja a powerful Water-type STAB attack with Hydro Vortex. If using only special attacks and a Timid nature, put the remaining 4 EVs in Special Defense to survive offensive Mega Gengar's Sludge Bomb. Usage Tips This Greninja is best used mid- or late-game, since missing out on a KO can lead to disaster. Since this is one of Greninja's most unpredictable sets, you can easily force out Pokemon that are weak to its common moves, such as Ice Beam, and predict the switch to gain an edge by using Greninja's less common moves such as Hidden Power Fire and Grass Knot. Greninja's knack for forcing switches also makes it a good candidate to double switch with. With a Focus Sash, using Greninja early in the game becomes a much more feasible task. Since Greninja excels in at forcing switches, consider predicting its switch-in and using an appropriate move. Team Options Since Greninja is frail, Pokemon with U-turn and Volt Switch are a great way to get it in unharmed. Landorus-T is an excellent choice with diverse options, being able to play a supportive role to set up Stealth Rock, use Assault Vest to sponge hits from Tapu Koko, or even run Knock Off to punish Porygon2 switch-ins for Greninja. Rotom-Heat is another great choice, as it's a good check to Tapu Koko and can use Trick to scare off Porygon2. Landorus-T and Rotom-Heat are also notable for underspeeding a wide variety of threats that Greninja can punish, but faster options, such as Tapu Koko and Thundurus-T, are also good choices. While most offensive Pokemon appreciate chip damage, it is key to Greninja's success as a cleaner rather than just a revenge killer. Stealth Rock support from bulky setters such as Landorus-T is the easiest way to achieve this, and Pokemon that can help against Tapu Koko and Choice Scarf Electric-types such as Thundurus-T are particularly good choices. Good examples include Hippowdon, which is notable for kicking up a Sandstorm to rack up even more residual damage, and Ferrothorn, which does an excellent job at defeating Tapu Koko that lack Hidden Power Fire.

Moves This Greninja attempts to bust through bulky foes with powerful Torrent-powered attacks. Substitute is the key to this tactic, safely whittling Greninja's HP into the one-third range for Torrent to activate. Hydro Cannon, when paired with Waterium Z and a Torrent boost, becomes an extremely powerful attack. Even foes that resist Hydro Vortex, such as Ferrothorn and Tapu Fini, will take over 50% from it! Additionally, Hydro Vortex also assassinates Blaziken through its Protect after Stealth Rock damage, thus removing its ability to revenge kill Greninja easily. Water Shuriken further accentuates Greninja's power against Blaziken, KOing Mega Blaziken after a Hydro Vortex through its Protect, in addition to picking off weakened threats. Ice Beam deals massive damage to Mega Salamence, Naganadel, Garchomp, Landorus-T, and Serperior. Dark Pulse is a secondary STAB attack that does good damage to Aegislash and has a chance to make the foe flinch. Set Details Greninja should always have Waterium Z, which makes Hydro Cannon less risky. 4 Special Defense EVs are needed to allow Greninja to survive a Sludge Bomb from offensive Mega Gengar. A Timid nature lets Greninja outspeed Mega Salamence and Naganadel. Usage Tips The general idea is to use Substitute three times against offensive Pokemon, which will put Greninja into Torrent's range. Using Hydro Vortex from Hydro Cannon is the best option when in Torrent range in most cases. While Hydro Vortex is extremely powerful when boosted by Torrent, some bulkier switch-ins to Greninja such as Ferrothorn will still survive it, so it's usually best to save Greninja for mid- or late-game, when such threats are in KO range. With Torrent, Hydro Canon on its own is still very powerful. When using this move, make sure setup sweepers are either gone or easily checked by your team, or you'll be severely punished due to the recharge turn. Regardless, expect to lose Greninja the next turn if this doesn't end the match. Team Options Users of U-turn and Volt Switch are extremely useful to Greninja, since not only do these moves help scout your opponent's team to determine when to set up a Substitute more easily, they also get Greninja in safely. Good examples of such Pokemon that pair well with Greninja include Landorus-T, Rotom-Heat, Thundurus-T, Zapdos, and Scizor. It is a good idea to have checks to bulky Water-types such as Tapu Fini, and Ferrothorn and Snorlax in particular even though Hydro Vortex hits them hard. Thundurus-T hits Tapu Fini hard and smashes Ferrothorn with Focus Blast while helping against Tapu Koko, a potential revenge killer. Mega Charizard X and Y and Blaziken do well against Ferrothorn, deal massive damage to Snorlax, and have ways around Tapu Fini. If bulky Water-types are especially problematic, Tapu Bulu can be used, as it does well against Tapu Fini and Mega Gyarados and can deal heavy damage to Snorlax.

Moves Unlike other Focus Sash Greninja sets, this set focuses on Greninja's ability to disrupt opposing leads. Taunt is an excellent way to stop the opponent's gameplans such as setting up Stealth Rock or Trick Room, coming in handy later to stop other Pokemon from setting up. Greninja needs a reliable Water-type STAB attack to use when Torrent is activated, and Scald is a perfect fit with the bonus of potentially burning targets. Surf is also a reasonable option, as it is slightly more powerful and does not interfere with status from teammates. Water Shuriken is a useful priority attack that can easily pick off lead Blaziken after a hit from Scald as well as let Greninja sweep late-game when Torrent would be activated. The last moveslot is team specific. Ice Beam is useful for hitting Dragon-types like Mega Salamence, Naganadel, and Garchomp hard and does good damage to Breloom and Serperior. Dark Pulse is a reliable STAB attack that has a chance to make opposing Pokemon flinch and isn't affected by Mega Charizard Y's sun. Finally, Toxic may seem strange, but it's useful for crippling bulky switch-ins such as Porygon2 and Snorlax. Set Details A Timid nature with maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed is needed to outspeed major threats such as Mega Salamence and Naganadel and deal as much damage as possible. Since this Greninja usually focuses on using its STAB attacks, Torrent is a better option than Protean to take advantage of boosted Water-type attacks when Greninja is low on health. Usage Tips This Greninja is best used early-game, since Focus Sash will allow it to survive an attack and it does a great job at stopping teams from executing their early-game plans with Taunt. However, Greninja doesn't need to be sacrificed early-game, since, with Torrent, it has the potential to sweep offensive teams late-game, especially if Stealth Rock isn't up on your side. However, note that due to its lower coverage in comparison to Protean Greninja, this Greninja isn't as effcient at late-game sweeping. Team Options Consider Pokemon that benefit from Stealth Rock being off the field, since this Greninja prevents it early-game, as well as setup sweepers that benefit from bulky Pokemon being Taunted. Volcarona is an excellent example — it can easily set up Quiver Dance with Stealth Rock off the field and bulky foes such as Porygon2 and Hippowdon unable to inflict it with status or phaze it due to Taunt. Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y are also reasonable options, but note that Mega Charizard Y's sun will weaken Greninja's Water-type moves. Mega Salamence is an especially notable option, since this Greninja can cripple Porygon2 with Toxic. Landorus-T, having little issue with Stealth Rock can also work well here due to Greninja crippling common checks to it.

Moves Choice Scarf may seem strange on such a fast Pokemon, but it allows Greninja to revenge kill many prominent speedy Pokemon, such as Tapu Koko, and Pokemon that boost their Speed, such as Naganadel, Volcarona, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Salamence. Gunk Shot hits Fairy-types that would otherwise wall Greninja, such as Tapu Fini, and OHKOes Tapu Lele and Tapu Koko. Ice Beam allows Greninja to effectively revenge kill Landorus-T and Dragon-types. U-turn gives Greninja a way to break Mimikyu's Disguise without putting itself in danger and can work well when leading. Rock Slide allows Greninja to revenge kill Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y, deal massive damage to Mega Charizard X, and 2HKO Araquanid switch-ins. Rock Tomb is less powerful than Rock Slide, but its speed control can be useful. Set Details Maximum Speed and Attack EVs are needed so Greninja can revenge kill its targets. A Naive nature is preferred, since this Greninja needs Ice Beam to KO Dragon-types and it leaves Greninja less vulnerable to priority attacks compared to a Hasty nature. Protean is required because Greninja's attacks are fairly weak without a STAB boost. Usage Tips Using U-turn early-game gives Greninja increased scouting potential, making it an excellent lead. Its increased Speed also makes Greninja a great revenge killer of Speed-boosting threats such as Mega Salamence, Mega Charizard Y, Volcarona, and Naganadel. Since this Greninja uses Choice Scarf and is physically based, bulky Pokemon, such as Porygon2, Chansey, and Ferrothorn are massive problems for it, so consider benching it when facing stall teams. Team Options Stealth Rock support helps ensure that Greninja does not miss KOing important threats like Naganadel. Good, bulky candidates include Landorus-T, Hippowdon, and Ferrothorn, but more offensive setters such as Garchomp can also work. Defensive Pokemon that often show up outside of stall teams, such as Porygon2 and Ferrothorn, are also big issues for this Greninja, and Kartana is more threatening than usual due to this Greninja's focus on physical attacks. These factors make Mega Charizard X an excellent teammate, since it easily sets up on Ferrothorn, forces out Kartana that lack Giga Impact, and also takes pressure off Greninja to surprise Tapu Koko. Volcarona is another awesome Fire-type that has the bonus of setting up against Porygon2 that lack a way to inflict paralysis. Mega Lopunny and Blaziken are less bulky but speedy teammates that can threaten many of Choice Scarf Greninja's threats as well.

Moves Toxic Spikes is an entry hazard that affects all Pokemon not immune to poison on the switch in, and it eventually wears down most Pokemon after two layers. Spikes is another hazard that hurts the opponent on the switch in, and it also removes the effect of any Focus Sash. Taunt prevents the opponent from using any status attack against Greninja, most notably Defog, which can remove the hazards Greninja has set up. Shadow Sneak allows Greninja to change its typing to Ghost, which allows it to block Rapid Spin. It also helps Greninja pick off weakened Pokemon and beat Deoxys-A. Hydro Pump is another option to use in order to hit Mega Diancie for super effective damage, which is important as Mega Diancie bounces hazards back and can OHKO Greninja with a super effective Moonblast. Other notable targets for Hydro Pump are Mega Sableye and Landorus-T. Set Details Protean allows Greninja to play around with the opponent by changing its type every time it uses a move with a different typing. Focus Sash is the best item because it prevents Greninja from being OHKOed, guaranteeing that it will be able to get up a hazard or Taunt a Pokemon. The Attack EVs help Greninja to 3HKO Deoxys-S, and the Speed EVs help Greninja to outspeed Arceus variants so that it can Taunt them before they set up. A Jolly nature helps Greninja to outspeed up to base 120 Speed Pokemon, such as Mega Salamence. If Greninja runs Hydro Pump, make sure to use an EV spread of 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe along with a Timid nature because this allows Greninja to OHKO Naive Mega Diancie if it tries to switch in. Usage Tips Greninja works best as a lead, although you must be careful when dealing with Magic Bounce users such as Mega Sableye and Mega Diancie. Set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes depending on the opposing team; Spikes troubles bulky offense teams, while Toxic Spikes beats up defensive teams by dealing damage every turn. Use Taunt when predicting the opponent to set up on you, use Defog, or set up their own hazards. Shadow Sneak is the best option to use if you predict the opponent will try to Rapid Spin away your hazards, and it has the added benefit of beating common leads such as Deoxys-A and Deoxys-S. Team Options Support from offensive Pokemon such as Mega Gengar, Mega Salamence, Genesect, and Primal Groudon is good because they prevent the opponent from using Rapid Spin or Defog. Other Taunt users such as Yveltal or Darkrai can prevent the opponent from removing your hazards with Defog once Greninja has fainted. Aside from those, Pokemon that can deal with a Darkrai lead such as Mega Diancie make for good partners too, as its ability, Magic Bounce, will bounce back Dark Void which would prevent Greninja from setting up hazards. However, when predicting the opponent with Darkrai, lead with Diancie, as it won't bounce back hazards when it switches in as regular Diancie. Furthermore, Primal Groudon is another good partner as it can set up Stealth Rock and benefit from the Toxic Spikes, which wear down its defensive checks. Pokemon such as Mega Salamence, Kyurem-W, and Darkrai that appreciate having hazards on the field to net KOs more easily make good partners. Other examples of good teammates include Mega Scizor and Primal Kyogre, which beat Mega Diancie, and Xerneas, which beats Mega Sableye. Pursuit users, such as Tyranitar or Aegislash, can help to trap Latios and Latias which can try to Defog. Powerful U-turn users such as Scizor and Landorus-T make good partners too, as they can lead and hit opposing Deoxys formes and then switch into Greninja, which can then beat them with a Shadow Sneak. Lastly, Pokemon that can make foes flinch, such as Shaymin-S or Mega Kangaskhan, benefit from poison damage that Toxic Spikes provide.

Moves Hydro Pump is necessary over Scald because Greninja needs Hydro Pump's power to guarantee OHKOs on Gengar, Lucario, and 252 HP / 116 SpD Rotom-H. Hydro Pump also nets several additional KOs when paired with Mega Kangaskhan's Fake Out including Mega Charizard X and Mega Charizard Y with a very small chance to KO uninvested Mega Kangaskhan. Ice Beam hits Venusaur and Amoonguss super effectively, and it is Greninja's strongest option on this set for Ferrothorn. Rock Slide OHKOs both Mega Charizard Y and Talonflame, while Dark Pulse hits Aegislash and Reuniclus extremely hard. Protect is necessary so Greninja's partner can KO a threat without Greninja being harmed. It is not worth replacing Protect with an additional coverage move because Greninja would become too exposed. Set Details The EVs maximize Greninja's damage output and Speed. A Timid nature allows Greninja to outspeed almost every viable VGC Pokemon without a Choice Scarf. Life Orb is nice for power, but Focus Sash is usable for longevity. However, Focus Sash is almost always outclassed by Life Orb because of Tyranitar's popularity and its ability, Sand Stream. Usage Tips One needs to make sure that Greninja is not targeted by enemy attacks that will likely KO it. Greninja has great utility as a lead because it can scout for Choice Scarf users, though it generally needs to Protect turn one to protect itself against Mega Kangaskhan's Fake Out. In addition, Protecting helps to find specific Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Hydreigon and Salamence, which will help the Greninja player throughout the duration of the game. Greninja can also be used regularly if opposing Choice Scarf Pokemon have been eliminated. Team Options Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Mawile, or Choice Band Talonflame are all great partners, as they can protect Greninja from getting KOed by slower Pokemon, as well as provide offensive pressure. Mega Kangaskhan is an especially good partner because it can Fake Out opposing Choice Scarf users that would otherwise outspeed Greninja. Greninja can also be used in hail teams by replacing Ice Beam with Blizzard, which has more power and perfect accuracy in hail, and Greninja can KO Pokemon that resist Blizzard, such as Aegislash, with Dark Pulse.

Moves Ice Beam allows Greninja to threaten Dragon-types such as Mega Salamence and Garchomp, Grass-types such as Amoonguss, and Landorus-T. Dark Pulse hits important targets such as Aegislash, Mega Gengar, and most Trick Room setters super effectively. Gunk Shot is useful to threaten Fairy-types, which can usually take special attacks rather easily, such as Sylveon, Azumarill, and Mega Gardevoir. Low Kick OHKOes threats such as Tyranitar and threatens Heatran and Mega Kangaskhan. Protect allows Greninja to avoid any move while its partner attacks; it also helps to scout Choice Scarf users and avoid Fake Out, which are problems for Greninja otherwise. Set Details Full Special Attack investment is used to maximize Greninja's damage output on the special side, while maximum Speed investment and a Naive nature allow Greninja to outspeed most Pokemon in Battle Spot Doubles. Life Orb increases the power of its attacks, and Protean makes all of Greninja's attacks STAB moves. If you want to guarantee the OHKO on Azumarill with Gunk Shot, Greninja can run an EV spread of 20 Atk / 236 SpA / 252 Spe. Usage Tips Greninja works pretty well as a lead, and it should use Protect to scout Choice Scarf users and avoid Fake Out when necessary. It also works as a late-game sweeper after your team has eliminated priority and Choice Scarf users. Greninja needs to deal lethal damage in order to trade positively with the opposing team, as its lack of bulk means that it can't afford to take any hits in return. It shouldn't be switched into anything other than very weak hits and Psychic-type attacks. Protean can be used defensively as well as offensively. It shouldn't be relied on, but it can be a tool in trading more effectively against foes. Team Options Mega Kangaskhan is a great partner thanks to its access to Fake Out, which can bring threats into Greninja's KO range. Talonflame is able to threaten Fighting-type Pokemon, which usually run a priority move. Redirection support from Pokemon that can take hits for Greninja, such as Amoonguss and Togekiss, is very helpful. Chip damage from sand or hail is appreciated to help Greninja get KOs, and because Greninja is already frail, it does not mind taking residual damage itself. Abomasnow is therefore a pretty good partner, and Greninja can take advantage of a perfectly accurate Blizzard under hail as well. Tyranitar can set sand and deal with Talonflame, Greninja's main counter. Mega Charizard Y has great offensive synergy with Greninja, as Greninja deals with foes such as Landorus-T and Garchomp, while Mega Charizard Y handles Aegislash and other Steel-type Pokemon.

Moves Ice Beam, while not very strong, still gives Greninja enough firepower to assassinate Garchomp, Landorus-T, Mega Salamence, and Gliscor. Dark Pulse is even weaker, but it's the only way Greninja will be 2HKOing Aegislash and maximum HP Mega Gengar. Just note that, unfortunately, Cresselia avoids the 2HKO from Dark Pulse. Thankfully, Hydro Pump gives Greninja some much-needed power, letting it OHKO Talonflame and 2HKO Mega Mawile and Heatran. The last slot depends on your team structure and what threats you feel are more important for Greninja's mission. Grass Knot 2HKOes Suicune and Tyranitar, preventing them from setting up, and protects Greninja from Breloom's Spore and Mach Punch if it attempts to revenge kill Greninja. Extrasensory 2HKOes Mega Venusaur and Assault Vest Conkeldurr and protects Greninja from Fighting-type priority. Hidden Power Fire allows Greninja to 2HKO Ferrothorn, and it does more to Mega Mawile than Hydro Pump does. If none of these options sound like a fit for your team, consider Gunk Shot. While Gunk Shot won't OHKO Azumarill, it still does more damage than any of Greninja's other moves and is guaranteed to KO Azumarill after Belly Drum and Sitrus Berry. Low Kick is also an option if your team despises Tyranitar, nabbing an OHKO before it can set up Dragon Dance. Set Details Maximum Special Attack and Speed investment is the way to go, because Greninja needs as much power as possible to make the best use of Focus Sash. If your team desperately needs an emergency Belly Drum Azumarill check, running Naive with Gunk Shot is needed to defeat Azumarill after a Belly Drum. If running Hidden Power Fire, run 12 HP / 248 SpA / 248 Spe for pure special sets and 12 Atk / 248 SpA / 248 Spe for mixed attacking sets. Because Pokemon in Battle Spot Singles are level 50, running 252 SpA or Spe when using an IV of 30 in both won't give Greninja any extra stat points. Usage Tips The simplest way to use this Greninja is to lead with it. Greninja has a favorable matchup against prominent Pokemon such as Garchomp and Mega Salamence, and thanks to the Focus Sash, Greninja is less vulnerable to surprise Focus Sash and Choice Scarf users. In the case of Choice Scarf users, Focus Sash Greninja is an excellent scout of them, meaning it can provide your team with valuable information without getting KOed in the process. Keeping Focus Sash Greninja in the shadows for the late-game still has plenty of value, though. Focus Sash allows Greninja to get surprise KOs on sweepers such as Mega Salamence and Talonflame, which can be game-winning events if played well. It also saves Greninja from bad matchups against leads such as Breloom, Mega Kangaskhan, and Mega Lopunny. If you plan on taking advantage of Focus Sash's surprise value, being reckless with switching Greninja in is usually not a good plan unless you need to make an emergency switch in. One last factor that is important to note is that Focus Sash Greninja is rather weak compared to the more common Life Orb variant, so don't expect Greninja to sweep through teams as well as usual. Team Options The most important support options Focus Sash Greninja can get are ways to deal with multi-hit Pokemon and Fake Out. This is especially true in the case of Mega Kangaskhan, Breloom, and Mega Lopunny, which are frequently seen as leads. Fast Fighting-types such as Blaziken and Choice Scarf Heracross can scare off Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Lopunny, while Rocky Helmet Cresselia and Zapdos are more reliable switch-ins to them. Breloom can be trickier to deal with because of Spore, but packing leads that match up favorably against Breloom such as Mega Kangaskhan and Lum Berry Garchomp is usually enough. If your team is especially scared of Spore, consider Mega Venusaur and Mandibuzz, which are immune to Spore. Another issue Greninja faces is Sand Stream from Hippowdon and Tyranitar. While neither of these Pokemon has a good matchup against Greninja, the sandstorm damage will ruin Greninja's Focus Sash. The only guaranteed way to deal with this is using Mega Charizard Y or Politoed to make the weather less hostile. Otherwise, consider benching Focus Sash Greninja if you see Tyranitar or Hippowdon. While Focus Sash Greninja is hired for a suicide mission, it still appreciates U-turn and Volt Switch support to ensure a safe passage to the battlefield. Landorus-T, Scizor, Mega Manectric, Rotom-W, and Rotom-H are great partners for this job.

Moves Ice Beam is Greninja's main tool of assassination, allowing Greninja to OHKO most Pokemon 4x weak to Ice, KO physically defensive Hippowdon, and have a 68% chance of OHKOing Zapdos. While Dark Pulse doesn't hit as many targets super effectively, it allows Greninja to 2HKO Cresselia and Aegislash (though you should watch out for Weakness Policy) and OHKO Mega Gengar. Greninja might have a low Attack stat, but Gunk Shot makes Greninja an effective mixed attacker. It OHKOes Azumarill and Sylveon and 2HKOes offensive Rotom-W, Pokemon that would otherwise counter Greninja. Because Greninja also survives a Belly Drum-boosted Aqua Jet at full health, it can be an effective emergency check to Belly Drum Azumarill. Gunk Shot also gives Greninja a Fighting resistance, meaning that users of Mach Punch and Vacuum Wave can no longer check Greninja. The final moveslot depends heavily on what you need Greninja to cover for your team. Low Kick rounds out the set well, doing at least 79% to minimum HP Mega Kangaskhan. It also allows Greninja to OHKO Tyranitar and Bisharp and 2HKO specially defensive Ferrothorn. If you're more worried about Suicune, Grass Knot is an effective way to stop it from setting up, with Grass Knot even having a chance to 2HKO Suicune after it has used Calm Mind once. As a bonus, it will also still 2HKO Tyranitar. Grass Knot does laughable damage to the lightweight Rotom-W, though, so if you care to do more damage to Rotom-W, you can use Hidden Power Grass at the cost of being able to beat Suicune. Water Shuriken might seem like a strange choice, as Greninja is already extremely fast. However, it allows Greninja to snipe Blaziken and Talonflame when they are around half their health (which is especially useful because it means Talonflame will be OHKOed after Stealth Rock damage). Water Shuriken will also prevent Pokemon with Fighting-type priority from OHKOing Greninja before it does anything, allowing Greninja to deal some damage before it gets KOed. If your team needs some extra firepower, consider Hydro Pump. Hydro Pump is Greninja's most powerful weapon, OHKOing Heatran and dealing over 70% to the troublesome Mega Mawile, which Greninja will lose to otherwise. If you're paranoid about Hydro Pump's accuracy and don't mind missing out on the OHKO on Heatran, Surf can be used as a reliable move to 2HKO Mega Mawile, while Scald is slightly less powerful in exchange for a burn rate. If you want a move that can hit both Mega Mawile and Ferrothorn, Hidden Power Fire is also a good option, doing the most to Mega Mawile out of Greninja's tools and OHKOing Scizor and physically defensive Ferrothorn. If Mega Venusaur is a huge problem for your team, Extrasensory can be used to 2HKO it while protecting Greninja from Fighting-type priority. Finally, while U-turn doesn't offer any compelling coverage, it can allow Greninja to be more useful early in the game by giving Greninja the ability to scout the Pokemon your opponent has chosen and perform well against some leads such as Focus Sash Garchomp. One final thing to note about Greninja's complicated move choices: if your team can adequately handle Azumarill, you can elect to replace Gunk Shot with any of the moves listed above. Set Details Greninja should always run maximum Speed to avoid KOs. Additionally, this Greninja should not be leaving the dojo without a Life Orb, because the extra power is necessary to vanquish many foes in the Battle Spot Singles battlefield. With a Naive nature and 20 Attack EVs, Greninja OHKOes Azumarill with Gunk Shot, and the rest of the 236 EVs go into Special Attack for maximum revenge killing power. If for any reason you decide to make your Greninja a full special attacker, run a Timid nature with maximum Special Attack. If you plan on running Hidden Power Fire, use an EV spread of 20 Atk / 240 SpA / 248 Spe, because due to Pokemon being level 50 in this metagame, any extra EVs in Special Attack and Speed would be a waste when the Pokemon is forced to have an IV of 30. Finally, an interesting option to consider is to hone Greninja's martial arts skill by running maximum Attack EVs. This gives the ninja frog a 93% chance to OHKO minimum HP Mega Kangaskhan with Low Kick and a guaranteed OHKO on maximum HP Heatran. Ice Beam will still KO all the targets 4x weak to it, but unfortunately, Dark Pulse will lose the guaranteed 2HKO on Cresselia and the OHKO on Mega Gengar and Mega Slowbro. Usage Tips It's best to keep Greninja hidden in the shadows early in the game; Greninja's defenses leave it OHKOed by many of Battle Spot Singles's powerful offensive Pokemon. Getting Greninja in after a KO is usually the best way for it to enter the battle, and letting Greninja take the stage later in the game when your opponent's team is weary from battle can lead to a clean sweep. If using Greninja earlier in the game, try to get it in on something it can easily scare out and revenge kill. Pokemon that are weak to Ice such as Garchomp, Mega Salamence, and Zapdos are great candidates for Greninja's assaults. It might seem like a good idea to use Greninja early in the game, but think carefully before you do this: Greninja can't handle any leads that run Focus Sash or powerful priority moves. If using U-turn, Greninja can handle the lead position more comfortably by U-turning slower Focus Sash Pokemon that lack priority, such as Garchomp. Finally, because Greninja's mere presence can force switches, you can employ the high-risk, high-reward tactic of double switching, which can give your team an edge against defensive switch-ins such as Porygon2 and Suicune. Team Options The greatest support Greninja's comrades can give it is residual damage. Wearing down the opponent's team can transform Greninja from a simple revenge killer to a terrifying cleaner. The easiest way to support Greninja is to use Pokemon wearing a Rocky Helmet or ones with a contact-damaging ability. Pokemon such as Garchomp, Cresselia, and Zapdos work well here. A big bonus is that Mega Kangaskhan will fall to Greninja after only one round of Rocky Helmet damage. Greninja also appreciates sandstorm support from Tyranitar and Hippowdon. Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar share an unfortunate Mach Punch weaknesses with Greninja, but they can effectively switch into Talonflame and also set up on Porygon2 with Taunt and Dragon Dance. Hippowdon, on the other hand, can defeat troublesome, physically based revenge killers such as Blaziken and Choice Scarf Garchomp. Just note that Sand Stream support is a double-edged katana, as Life Orb and sandstorm damage can wear Greninja down to the KO range of priority attacks. The final form of residual damage support is Stealth Rock, which, while difficult to set up, can be especially effective with Greninja, as Stealth Rock puts Talonflame into the KO range of Water Shuriken. There are some troublesome foes that must be taken into account when hiring Greninja for your team. Porygon2 is near the top of the list, as it is able to effortlessly wall Greninja and either blast the ninja with Tri Attack or destroy its Speed with Thunder Wave. If Greninja isn't running the right moves for it, Mega Mawile will become a terrifying force to face, while Mega Venusaur can use Greninja as an opportunity to stall with Leech Seed. Finally, fast Fighting-type attacks and Talonflame can bypass Greninja's Speed and assassinate it. Mega Gengar is an excellent response to many of Greninja's problems. Mega Gengar haunts Greninja's defensive threats with Shadow Tag, can switch into Fighting-type attacks, and in general can take out fast offensive Pokemon with Destiny Bond. Talonflame also works well, being able to destroy most Fighting-types and Mega Venusaur, and it can also revenge kill Mega Mawile as long as Mega Mawile hasn't used Swords Dance. Other offensive Flying-types such as Mega Salamence also work well against Mega Venusaur and Fighting-type Pokemon. Finally, offensive Fire-types can work well against the troublesome Mega Mawile. Heatran in particular deserves special mention for its ability to handle Talonflame, and it is even able to use Toxic to defeat defensive Porygon2. One final piece of support worth mentioning is U-turn and Volt Switch. Because Greninja often has trouble switching in, using these moves can let Greninja take the stage. Great Pokemon to consider for this role include Landorus-T, Scizor, Rotom-W, Mega Manectric, and Rotom-H.