Shadow Sneak

Shadow Sneak
Shadow Sneak in Ultimate.
User	Greninja
Universe	Pokémon
Article on Bulbapedia	Shadow Sneak (move)

Shadow Sneak (かげうち, Shadow Strike) is Greninja's side special move.

Overview

The move allows Greninja to suddenly disappear and reappear to ambush foes. The longer the button is held down, the greater the distance, and Greninja can still move about freely, jump, and even taunt, but cannot dash, attack (except for its down taunt), shield, or grab.

When performed, a duplicate of Greninja's shadow on the floor will move forward as long as the button is pressed. Should Greninja move while the shadow creeps forward, the shadow will move relative to its position. Releasing the button or after a set time will teleport Greninja to the shadow, doing a quick kick upon reappearing. By default, Greninja will kick forwards (a backflip kick in Smash 4, and a crescent kick in Ultimate) to deal 10% of damage, but holding backwards on the control stick or directional pad will have Greninja perform a back bounce-off kick behind it, dealing 12% damage and slightly stronger knockback. If Greninja reappears directly next to a foe, it will use whichever kick would hit that target, overriding the player's input - this also depends on which direction Greninja faces; if Greninja used the attack to the right, turns left, and teleports to target's left side, it will use the backwards kick instead of the crescent kick.

When used towards an edge while on the ground, Greninja will not teleport past the edge. If the shadow is sent down a slope, Greninja will teleport to the shadow's horizontal position with its current vertical position, putting it in the air. Shadow Sneak also doesn't cause helplessness in mid-air, extending Greninja's already impressive recovery.

Due to the shadow being the only indicator, performing the move in the air, on a stage where the shadow is less visible (e.g. Pictochat 2), or when the stage is tilted in a way so that the floor is not visible makes timing the move more difficult, but also works as a mindgame, as a player opponent might also have difficulty seeing the shadow. The shadow is also more subtle in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U than Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, but is even less subtle in Ultimate, where the shadow's "eyes" glint as Greninja begins the teleport.

Taking hitstun while charging the move will remove the shadow and cancel the attack.

Instructional quotes

case foldout		Hold to move the shadow. Release to attack.
Move List		Sends a shadow along the ground. When the button's released, it warps to that point and strikes!

Customization

Special Move customization was added in Super Smash Bros. 4. These are the variations:

1. Shadow Sneak	2. Shadow Strike	3. Shadow Dash
"Send a shadow along the ground. Release the button to warp to that point and strike!" "Sends a shadow along the ground in front of you. Release the button to warp to that point and strike!"	"A slower, more powerful form of Shadow Sneak that delivers a truly decisive blow." "A slower but more powerful form of Shadow Sneak, for delivering a truly decisive blow."	"Instantly warp a set distance. Less flexible than the standard Shadow Sneak, but more speedy." "Instantly warps a set distance. Less flexible than the standard Shadow Sneak, but more speedy."

1. Shadow Sneak: Default.
2. Shadow Strike: The shadow moves farther but slower through the ground, while the attack deals more knockback.
3. Shadow Dash: The teleport is instant, and there is no moving shadow; Greninja teleports a specific distance equal to about 75% of Shadow Sneak's max range. The attack deals less knockback.

Origin

Shadow Sneak in Generation VI Pokémon games.

Introduced in Generation IV, Shadow Sneak is a physical Ghost-type attack. Essentially, it is a Ghost-type variation of Quick Attack, as it is identical in function in all ways including having a priority of +1. Greninja is capable of learning Shadow Sneak, but at level 23, long before it evolves, so it requires the Move Reminder to learn it.

In the Super Smash Bros. series, Shadow Sneak is a slow but strong move which is opposite how it works in the Pokémon games.

• 

  Shadow Sneak in Generation VII Pokémon games.

Gallery

• 

  Shadow Sneak being used in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS.

• 

  Shadow Sneak being used in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

• 

  Greninja uses Shadow Sneak near Charizard in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

• 

  Greninja performing Shadow Sneak on Luigi's Mansion.

• 

  Shadow Sneak as shown by the Move List in Ultimate.

Names in other languages

Language	Name
Japanese	かげうち
English	Shadow Sneak
French	Ombre Portée
German	Schattenstoß
Spanish	Sombra Vil
Italian	Furtivombra
Chinese (Simplified)	影子偷袭
Chinese (Traditional)	影子偷襲
Korean	야습
Dutch	Schaduwsluip
Russian	Сумеречный Проныра

Trivia

• Although Greninja can't shield while using the move, it can use the move while shielding. It also applies to the custom moves as well. It is the only special move with this distinction.
  • This also makes it the only out of shield option that doesn't require jumping or the up direction.
• There is a glitch involving this move being used in a Team Battle where if a Greninja player has a lower port number than their partner, they won't be able to perform the backwards kick of the move against a member of a red team.. It does not appear to happen in the 3DS version of Smash 4 due to the version being on a handheld.

See also

Similar variations include:

• Farore's Wind
• Teleport
• Warp
• Dimensional Cape
• Vanish

References

Greninja's special moves

Neutral special	Water Shuriken
Side special	Shadow Sneak
Up special	Hydro Pump
Down special	Substitute
Final Smash	Secret Ninja Attack