[OVERVIEW]
- Ash-Greninja is a menacing offensive threat in National Dex due to its phenomenal Special Attack and Speed, a formidable offensive typing, and access to potent priority in Water Shuriken.
- Ash-Greninja is one of the metagame’s premier Spikes setters as well, which allows it to singlehandedly make progress against many of its checks and dismantle them in the long run. Said traits lend Ash-Greninja a great matchup against offensive teams, as well as bulkier builds.
- However, Ash-Greninja’s full potential is only reached once it has claimed a kill and activated Battle Bond. Therefore, it is forced to start off a battle in its slower and noticeably weaker base form, which restricts its breaking prowess.
- Ash-Greninja’s bulk is quite mediocre, meaning it cannot even repeatedly pivot into resisted hits such as Heatran’s Magma Storm and Hydreigon’s Dark Pulse. This also makes it prone to faster attackers such as Mega Alakazam, Mega Lopunny, Dragapult, and Choice Scarf users such as Galarian Darmanitan, Hydreigon, and Kartana.
name: Choice Specs
move 1: Hydro Pump
move 2: Dark Pulse
move 3: Water Shuriken
move 4: Spikes
item: Choice Specs
ability: Battle Bond
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Description
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- Spikes gives Ash-Greninja an option to punish the opponent when they attempt to switch their checks into battle, such as Toxapex, Assault Vest Tangrowth, and Ferrothorn, making them less reliable switch-ins as the battles progresses, as well as easing Battle Bond activation.
- Surf may be used over Hydro Pump on teams centered around rain, as it offers a more reliable STAB move without compromising any power in rain. However, it must be noted that there is a considerable power difference outside of rain, which may hinder Ash-Greninja’s overall wallbreaking prowess due to the reduced pressure Ash-Greninja can apply and by situationally missing out on KOes.
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- In order to reach its full potential, Ash-Greninja should intensively work towards activating Battle Bond as soon as possible. Thus, never hesitate to use it as a way to revenge kill weakened threats whenever the opportunity arises. In a worst-case scenario, Ash-Greninja will force a switch, which will give it an opportunity to set up Spikes. However, be cautious of locking Ash-Greninja into Water Shuriken in its base form unless the target is severely weakened, as it is a weak and exploitable move.
- Aim to set up Spikes whenever a switch to one of its checks, such as Toxapex, Assault Vest Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, and Hydreigon is expected. However, in situations where Tapu Fini is on the opponent's team, it is often better to double switch into Pokemon that can take advantage of Tapu Fini, such as Mega Alakazam, Serperior, and Swords Dance Kartana, or attack instead in order to gradually weaken it throughout the match.
- Attempt to bring Ash-Greninja in through either predicted double switches or VoltTurn support, as it is a frail Pokemon that is incapable of taking even strong resisted hits repeatedly, such as Heatran's Magma Storm and Aegislash's Shadow Ball.
Team Options
========
- Ash-Greninja generally fits best on balance and bulky offensive teams capable of providing it with a sturdy defensive backbone it can fall back on, as well as proper offensive support in order to assist it in activating Battle Bond.
- Tapu Fini is the single largest roadblock for Ash-Greninja’s Battle Bond activation, as it can take on both of its STAB moves quite comfortably, as well as neutralize its attempts at making progress by clearing away its Spikes. Thus, strong means of pressuring it through the likes of Mega Alakazam, Galarian Darmanitan, and Magma Storm Heatran, as well as Knock Off support from Tornadus-T, Weavile, Toxapex, and even your own Tapu Fini can immensely assist Ash-Greninja in this matchup. Another option to ease this matchup is by luring Tapu Fini with the likes of Grassium Z Heatran, Electrium Z Dragapult, and Groundium Z Hydreigon.
- Roost Hydreigon is another such obstacle, albeit to a lesser extent, since it can directly switch into an untransformed Ash-Greninja’s attacks and proceed to heal up and regain momentum. Consequently, Pokemon that can switch into it and force it out, such as Tapu Fini and Clefable, are wise team options.
- Furthermore, although Water Shuriken remedies this to an extent, Ash-Greninja remains prone to faster attackers such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Alakazam, and Dragapult, as well as Choice Scarf users such as Galarian Darmanitan, Hydreigon, and Kartana. As a result, pairing it with a sturdy defensive backbone that can combat these threats, consisting of Pokemon such as Tangrowth, the aforementioned Tapu Fini and Clefable, as well as Corviknight, is encouraged.
- Wallbreakers that can assist Ash-Greninja in activating Battle Bond, as well as its own wallbreaking by overwhelming Toxapex, Ferrothorn, and Assault Vest Tangrowth, are sensible teammates as well. Examples include Mega Metagross, Nasty Plot Hydreigon, Rotom-H, and Swords Dance Kartana.
- Ash-Greninja is an immensely powerful staple in rain, which hugely bolsters its chances of activating Battle Bond with the assistance of fellow wallbreakers, as well as the general boost in power of Water-type attacks. As such, rain support from Pelipper, as well as wallbreakers that can pressure Ash-Greninja's checks, such as Mega Swampert, Manaphy, Dracovish, and Tornadus-T, are potent options to pair it with in said archetype.
- Lastly, as Ash-Greninja's bulk is quite mediocre, VoltTurn support from the likes of Galarian Darmanitan, Tornadus-T, Dragapult, and the aforementioned Corviknight can give Ash-Greninja safe opportunities to enter a battle.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
- Ice Beam may be used over Spikes on rain-centred teams with Ferrothorn as the Spikes setter, as it can lure the likes of Hydreigon, Assault Vest Tangrowth, and Kommo-O for teammates to take advantage of. It is, however, strictly inferior to Spikes in any other build, as it leaves Ash-Greninja unable to punish switches to many of its checks.
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**Bulky Water-types**: Most bulky Water-types are some of the best available options to check Ash-Greninja, as they can easily switch into Hydro Pump and take a few uses of Dark Pulse as well. Tapu Fini is the best available counterplay option to Ash-Greninja, as it resists both of its STAB moves, and is even capable of removing Spikes with Defog. Specially defensive Toxapex, especially if running Baneful Bunker, is another solid check that can easily deny Battle Bond activation and create opportunties to set up Toxic Spikes or outright cripple Ash-Greninja with Toxic. The more niche Gastrodon and Mantine are immune to Water-type attacks courtesy of their abilities, and have the bulk and recovery to repeatedly tank Dark Pulse as well. Mantine is even capable of neutralizing any attempts at setting up Spikes as well, due to its access to Defog. However, Tapu Fini lacks reliable recovery and is therefore prone to being overwhelmed in the long run, whereas both Toxapex and Gastrodon are prone to getting overwhelmed by either Spikes or Dark Pulse flinches if they aren't paired with sturdy Dark-resistant Pokemon such as Clefable, Mega Tyranitar, and Magearna.
**Bulky Grass-types**: Bulky Grass-types are great options for checking Ash-Greninja, as they too resist Hydro Pump, and often have the bulk to take repeated uses of Dark Pulse as well. Assault Vest Tangrowth can easily pivot into an untransformed Ash-Greninja and neutralize any damage with Regenerator. Ferrothorn is another such option that, especially with Protect, is able to prevent Battle Bond from activating for quite some time. However, it lacks reliable recovery and is therefore prone to getting overwhelmed by repeated uses of Dark Pulse. Mega Venusaur is also capable of taking on an untransformed Ash-Greninja for quite some time. However, Synthesis having low PP largely restricts it long-term. All of these are also prone to getting overwhelmed by Spikes in the long run, or stray Dark Pulse flinches if they aren't paired with satisfying Dark-resistant Pokemon.
**Dark-resistant Dragon-types**: Both Roost Hydreigon and specially defensive Kommo-O are capable of directly pivoting into an untransformed Ash-Greninja, as they resist both of its STAB moves, and Hydreigon is immune to Spikes as well. From there, Hydreigon can force Ash-Greninja out and Roost off the damage, while Kommo-O can use the opportunity to set up Stealth Rock or cripple a switchin with Toxic. However, Ash-Greninja remains capable of making progress against Kommo-O with Spikes.
**Faster Pokemon**: Ash-Greninja suffers from mediocre bulk and is therefore prone to faster attackers such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Alakazam, Dragapult, and Choice Scarf users such as Galarian Darmanitan, Hydreigon, and Kartana. However, its access to a strong priority move does help it to an extent in these matchups. Moreover, Ash-Greninja also resists common forms of priority, such as Bullet Punch from Mega Scizor and Mega Metagross, Sucker Punch from Bisharp and Mega Mawile, and Water Shuriken from opposing Ash-Greninja, making priority not so much of a concern as long as Ash-Greninja is fairly healthy.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Guardsweeper, 360582]]
- Quality checked by: [[SputnikGT, 475916], [username2, userid2], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]
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