Greninja (SSBU): Difference between revisions

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REMINDER: Our Manual of Style states that all Pokémon are to use gender-neutral pronouns.
REMINDER: Our Manual of Style states that all Pokémon are to use gender-neutral pronouns.
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Greninja has been greatly buffed from ''Smash 4'' to ''Ultimate''. Its playstyle's traits have been further improved in the transition, while the general engine changes benefit said playstyle.
Greninja was been greatly buffed in the transition from ''SSB4'' to ''Ultimate''. Its playstyle's traits have been further improved, while the general engine changes benefit said playstyle.


Most of the universal changes notably benefit Greninja. As with all other characters in the game, Greninja's already quick mobility is faster like most characters, which benefits its hit-and-run playstyle, allowing Greninja to close in the distance and escape to reset the neutral game much more easily. The ability to run cancel into any ground move allows Greninja to further exploit its amazing ground mobility, allowing for easier setups into its combo starters, such as up and down tilt and dash attack. Furthermore, the reduced landing lag on Greninja's aerial attacks gives it an easier time landing, while the universal 3-frame jumpsquat improves Greninja's ground-to-air potential. The implementation of [[spot dodge]] canceling improves its potential punish game, due to its wide variety of combo starters and fast frame data. Finally, the changes to air dodge mechanics slightly improve its previously below average edgeguarding game.
Most of the universal changes notably benefit Greninja. As with all other characters in the game, Greninja's already quick mobility is faster like most characters, which benefits its hit-and-run playstyle. The ability to [[dash-canceling|run cancel into any ground move]] allows Greninja to further exploit its amazing ground mobility, allowing for easier setups into its combo starters, such as [[up tilt|up]] and [[down tilt]]s and [[dash attack]]. The universally reduced landing lag on aerial attacks gives Greninja an easier time landing and comboing, while the universal 3-frame jumpsquat improves Greninja's ground-to-air potential. The implementation of [[spot dodge]] canceling improves its potential punish game, due to its wide variety of combo starters and fast frame data. Finally, the changes to air dodge mechanics slightly improve its previously below average edgeguarding game.


Aside from the universal changes, Greninja has also received notable direct buffs. The biggest ones were to its grab game: its standing grab is faster and its pummel, previously one of the worst in ''Smash 4'', deals less damage but is significantly faster, which allows Greninja to deal much more damage before throwing the opponent. Greninja's forward throw has higher knockback, allowing it to KO in an emergency, as with up throw. Its up and down throws also have better combo and juggling potential due to the universal changes to mobility - down throw notably now allows for potential KO confirms into forward and back aerial. Other buffs include [[Water Shuriken]] having more range, improving Greninja's camping ability. Greninja now has a new down tilt that has lower ending lag and sends at more favorable angles, and its dash attack sends at a higher angle, further improving Greninja's combo game. Greninja's KO power has also been buffed, with forward smash and forward aerial receiving higher knockback, up smash connecting better into its second hit, and down smash having faster startup. Lastly, [[Substitute]] now slows opponents down and offers Greninja intangibility during all of its attack variations, bringing it in line with other counterattacks.
Aside from the universal changes, Greninja has also received notable direct buffs. The biggest ones were to its [[grab]] game; its standing grab is faster and its pummel, previously one of the worst in ''SSB4'', deals less damage but is significantly faster, making it better all-around. Greninja's [[forward throw]] has higher knockback, allowing it to KO in an emergency, as with [[up throw]]. Its up and [[down throw]]s also have better combo and juggling potential due to the universal changes to mobility down throw notably now allows for potential KO confirms into [[forward aerial|forward]] and [[back aerial]]s Outside of its improved grab game, Greninja now has a new down tilt that has lower ending lag and sends at more favorable angles, and its dash attack sends at a higher angle, further improving Greninja's combo game. [[Water Shuriken]] has more range, improving Greninja's camping ability combined with its faster mobility. [[Substitute]] now slows opponents down and offers Greninja intangibility during all of its attack variations, bringing it in line with other counterattacks. Greninja's KO power has also been buffed, with [[forward smash]] and forward aerial receiving higher knockback, [[up smash]] connecting better into its second hit, and [[down smash]] having faster startup.


On the other hand, Greninja is not without its nerfs. Notably, the ability to tech footstools has made footstool combos harder to pull off, which hinders Greninja's combo ability (specifically from its down aerial); however, this nerf is alleviated by Greninja's buffed combo game, due to other universal changes that impact it more positively. Substitute's attack variants are all weaker while also being more laggy overall, which compensates for the attack's new intangibility. In exchange for its buffed mobility, Greninja is now lighter, which brings it slightly more in-line with other combo-centric and/or hit-and-run characters, while not compensating much for its vulnerability to combos.
On the other hand, Greninja is not without a few nerfs. Notably, the ability to [[tech]] footstools has made footstool combos much harder to pull off, which hinders Greninja's combo ability (specifically from its [[down aerial]]), though this is alleviated by the various buffs to Greninja's moveset that. Substitute's attack variants are all weaker while also being more laggy overall, which compensates for the attack's new intangibility. In exchange for its buffed mobility, Greninja is now lighter, which brings it slightly more in-line with other combo-centric and/or hit-and-run characters, while not compensating much for its vulnerability to combos.


As a result of receiving multiple buffs with relatively few nerfs, Greninja has improved significantly from ''Smash 4'', and has retained its status as a viable character in ''Ultimate'', with above average representation and some strong results in competitive play thanks to smashers such as {{Sm|iStudying}}, {{Sm|Jw}}, {{Sm|Lea}}, {{Sm|Somé}}, and {{Sm|Stroder}}. Because of this, Greninja is considered as a high or even top-tier character by many professional players.
Collectively, Greninja's strengths and weaknesses are more defined. It now performs much better as a hit-and-run, combo-centric character, with excellent mobility and various KO options and set-ups at a variety of percentages, but with its light weight and attributes making it just as vulnerable to combos. Despite its nerfs to its previous footstool combos, Greninja has been generally compensated due to the gameplay changes to the engine and the buffs to its moveset giving it a more traditional combo game. That said, various veterans have also been buffed to varying degrees, especially through game updates, while Greninja has comparatively received minor, unimpactful changes from them. Nevertheless, Greninja has improved from ''SSB4'', keeping up with the rest of the cast and retaining its status as a viable character in competitive play in ''Ultimate''.


{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Greninja}}
{{SSB4 to SSBU changelist|char=Greninja}}
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