Greninja (SSB4): Difference between revisions

:{{cquote|Greninja Makes a Splash!|cite=Introduction Tagline}}

'''Greninja''' ({{ja|ゲッコウガ|Gekkōga}}, ''Gekkouga'') is a playable character in ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''. It was revealed during the April 8th, 2014 [[Nintendo Direct|Super Smash Bros. Direct]], alongside fellow ''Pokémon'' fighter {{SSB4|Charizard}}. Greninja is voiced by Billy Bob Thompson in English and Yūji Ueda in Japanese, both having previously voiced {{iw|bulbapedia|Ash's Greninja}} in the ''Pokémon'' anime. Like numerous other Pokémon, it has different voice actors in the French and German versions due to name changes, similarly to {{SSB4|Jigglypuff}}.

Greninja is ranked 26th out of 55 on the [[tier list]], placing it in the C tier. Greninja's greatest strength is its overall mobility: its [[walk]]ing speed, [[dash]]ing speed, [[air speed]], [[jump]] and [[double jump]] are each among the top 10 within their respective categories. It also has an impressive combo game courtesy of a number of moves, most notably its up and down tilts, its neutral and up aerials, and its down throw, all of which are decently fast. Its recovery is also above average, with [[Shadow Sneak]] being able to cover a noticeable amount of horizontal distance, while [[Hydro Pump]] is decently fast and maneuverable like [[Quick Attack]].

Despite these strengths, Greninja has a number of flaws. It has rather high ending lag on many of its attacks (with its aerials being notorious in this regard), requiring Greninja players to know when they can safely use such attacks. Greninja's recovery is also decent at best: while it has a number of good options to choose from, [[Hydro Pump]] and [[Shadow Sneak]] can both be predictable. Furthermore, while Greninja does boast a number of powerful KO moves, they are difficult to sweetspot due to their unusual hitbox placements, and some of them are slow and unsafe to use in a neutral situation.  

*{{buff|Forward tilt deals 0.8% more damage|6.5%|7.3% and has decreased ending lag: FAF 42 → 33, improving its spacing potential.}}

 

*{{buff|Down throw has decreased ending lag|FAF 50|43, and altered knockback: 65 base/50 growth → 53 base/75 scaling. Alongside the decreased damage, this grants it combo potential especially at low-mid percents.}}

*{{buff|Water Shuriken's startup lag decreased|frame 25|20.}}

*{{nerf|Fixed a glitch where Water Shuriken stalled Greninja in midair after a jump. This removes its recovery potential.}}

|uthrowdesc=Heaves the opponent upward. Possibly Greninja's most useful throw, as it can be followed up with up smash at low percents, up aerial at medium percents and can KO around 150%-200%, the latter of which depends on the opponent's DI and weight.  

|dthrowdmg=6%

|usdefdesc=[[bulbapedia:Hydro Pump (move)|Shoots two streams of water]] from one of its hands in the opposite direction of travel, propelling Greninja in the input directions. Functions similarly to [[Quick Attack]], though it can be used twice in the same direction. Each water stream has a [[push]] effect, allowing it to be used as an unorthodox edgeguarding technique; on the ground, Greninja can also fire a single spurt of water in one direction and then cancel it by aiming downward. While it offers excellent distance, Greninja will immediately start falling once the second water stream ends, making it easy to underestimate vertical distance gained. Unlike other up specials, Greninja's up special input will trigger a Shadow Sneak charge instead if the Control Stick is angled to the side enough.  

|dsdefdmg=14%/13%/11%/13%/14% (based on position)

|dsc2dmg=18%/17%/15%/17%/18% (based on position)

:'''Greninja'''

::{{flag|ntsc}} ''This Water/Dark-type Pokémon is the fully evolved form of Froakie. It's just as fast and dangerous as any other ninja, and the throwing stars it can make out of water can shear metal. In Smash Bros., as well as being a graceful, speedy fighter, it can also use moves like Hydro Pump that let it travel through the air and avoid falling.''

::{{flag|pal}} ''This Water- and Dark-type Pokémon is the fully evolved form of Froakie. It is just as fast and dangerous as its name suggests, and the throwing stars it can make out of water can shear metal. In this game, as well as being a graceful, speedy fighter, it can also use moves like Hydro Pump to let it move through the air and avoid falling.''

{{Trophy games|console1=3DS|game1=Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (10/2013)}}

 

:'''Greninja (Alt.)'''

::{{flag|ntsc}} ''Greninja's Substitute down special lets you teleport to dodge attacks and then strike back, making it an effective and hard-to-predict way to counterattack. You can also control where you reappear by inputting directions. When you vanish, sometimes you'll be replaced by a log, other times by a cuddly toy.''

 

 

{{Trophy games|console1=3DS|game1=Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (10/2013)}}

 

::''In Greninja's Final Smash, it uses its Mat Block move to flip opponents into the air. It then slices them repeatedly in front of the bright moon before smacking them back down to the ground and launching them. The initial Mat Block flip doesn't have much range, but should it hit home, the rest of the attack is unavoidable.''

 

::{{flag|pal}} ''In Greninja's Final Smash, it uses its Mat Block move to flip an opponent into the air. It then slices them repeatedly in front of the shining moon, before smacking them down to the ground so hard they get launched. The initial Mat Block flip doesn't have much range, but if it hits home, there's no evading the rest of the attack.''

 

GreninjaTrophy3DS.png|Classic (3DS)

*Prior to the addition of [[Corrin]] via DLC, Greninja was the most recent playable character in ''Smash 4'', with ''Pokémon X & Y'' predating ''SSB4'''s release by eleven months. Incidentally, {{SSBU|Incineroar}} also held this title in the next game. Both are part Dark types who are the final evolutions of starter Pokémon and they were the only Pokémon debutants in their ''Smash'' debut.

*From December 9, 2014 to January 29, 2015, Japanese players of [[bulbapedia:Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire|''Pokémon Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'']] were able to gain a serial code to download a Greninja based on this Greninja, complete with a moveset consisting of ''SSB4'' Greninja's special moves; an {{s|bulbapedia|Original Trainer}} listed as スマブラ (''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|SmaBra]]''); and the [[bulbapedia:Ability#Hidden Abilities|Hidden Ability]] {{s|bulbapedia|Protean}}.<ref>[http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/List_of_Japanese_region_serial_code_event_Pok%C3%A9mon_distributions_in_Generation_VI#Super_Smash_Bros._Greninja List of Japanese region serial code event Pokémon distributions]</ref>

**Prior to the release of ''Pokémon Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'', [[bulbapedia:Water Shuriken (move)|Water Shuriken]] was also one of Greninja's signature moves. However, [[bulbapedia:Accelgor (Pokémon)|Accelgor]] later gained access to Water Shuriken in ''Omega Ruby'' and ''Alpha Sapphire'', albeit via {{s|bulbapedia|Move Reminder}}.

*Greninja knows six official Pokémon {{s|bulbapedia|move}}s, all of which it can legally learn in the ''Pokémon'' {{s|bulbapedia|core series}}. In addition to Water Shuriken, [[bulbapedia:Shadow Sneak (move)|Shadow Sneak]], [[bulbapedia:Hydro Pump (move)|Hydro Pump]], and [[bulbapedia:Substitute (move)|Substitute]], it uses [[bulbapedia:Mat Block (move)|Mat Block]] to initiate [[Secret Ninja Attack]], and [[bulbapedia:Double Team (move)|Double Team]] during one of its [[victory pose]]s.