greninja
Generation VI · #0658 — Ninja Pokémon
Greninja, known as the Ninja Pokémon, is a Water/Dark-type Pokémon introduced in Generation VI that represents the final evolutionary stage of Froakie. With a National Pokédex number of #658, Greninja embodies the perfect fusion of aquatic grace and shadowy cunning, earning its ninja designation through both its sleek appearance and its devastating combat tactics. Standing at 1.5 meters tall and weighing 40.0 kilograms, this lithe Pokémon is notably faster than most of its peers, boasting an exceptional base Speed stat of 122 that makes it one of the speedier Water-types in existence. Its complementary Special Attack base stat of 103 allows it to deliver powerful offensive strikes, while its unique typing grants it access to a diverse movepool that few other Pokémon can match. Beyond its impressive stat distribution totaling 530 base points, Greninja's true appeal lies in its distinctive abilities and multiple forms, each offering different strategic advantages to trainers willing to master this enigmatic warrior.
Base Stats
Height
1.5m
Weight
40.0kg
Category
Ninja Pokémon
Gender
Male 87.5% / Female 12.5%
Color
blue
Shape
humanoid
Abilities
Strengthens water moves to inflict 1.5× damage at 1/3 max HP or less.
Changes the bearer's type to match each move it uses.
Greninja Biology & Physical Characteristics
Greninja is a bipedal, frog-like Pokémon with a distinctly sleek and anthropomorphic design that separates it dramatically from its pre-evolutions. Its body is primarily dark blue with lighter blue coloration on its chest and underside, creating a color scheme reminiscent of a ninja's outfit. The most striking feature of Greninja's physiology is its extendable tongue, which the Pokémon can stretch to incredible lengths and compress into throwing stars of razor-sharp water. These aqueous shuriken, formed through the compression of water with such force that they can split metal in two, serve as both offensive weapons and a defining characteristic of Greninja's combat style. The Pokémon possesses a lean, muscular frame that accentuates its speed and agility, with sharp angular features on its face and prominent white eye markings that give it an intense, focused expression. Its fingers and toes are elongated and appear adapted for climbing and precise movement, consistent with its ninja aesthetic. The transition from Frogadier to Greninja represents a dramatic shift toward a more humanoid, warrior-like form, with the Pokémon developing increased sophistication in both appearance and capability.
Pokedex Numbers
Training
Breeding
Greninja Breeding, Gender Ratio & Egg Groups
Greninja exhibits a notable gender distribution of 87.5% male to 12.5% female, indicating that male specimens are significantly more common in the wild. This gender ratio is consistent with its evolutionary line, though the exact biological reasoning behind this skew remains unexplored in official Pokémon lore. The species belongs to the Water 1 egg group, which it shares with numerous other water-dwelling Pokémon including Squirtle, Lapras, and Slowpoke, allowing it to breed with a diverse range of compatible partners. Greninja has a relatively moderate egg hatch time of 20 cycles, equivalent to approximately 4,884 to 5,140 steps, making it accessible to trainers engaged in breeding programs without excessive time investment. The base happiness value of 70 suggests that Greninja is reasonably receptive to bonding with trainers, though it responds better to those who demonstrate discipline and respect for its warrior nature. Notably, Battle Bond Greninja exists as a gender-locked male form exclusively, underscoring the special nature of that particular variant. Trainers seeking to breed Greninja should be prepared for the possibility of obtaining predominantly male offspring, which may impact selective breeding strategies aimed at specific movesets or abilities inherited through the egg group.
Sprites
TMs & HMs
tm01
ultra sun ultra moon
tm01
sun moon
tm02
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm03
yellow
tm03
ruby sapphire
tm03
red blue
tm03
platinum
tm03
firered leafgreen
tm03
heartgold soulsilver
tm03
diamond pearl
tm03
emerald
tm03
xd
tm03
colosseum
tm03
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm03
blue japan
tm03
red green japan
tm04
sword shield
tm05
lets go pikachu lets go eevee
tm06
yellow
tm06
gold silver
+784 more TMs/HMs
greninja's Evolution Chain
Greninja Evolution, Mega Evolution & Special Forms
Greninja evolves from Frogadier at level 36, completing the three-stage evolutionary line that begins with the timid water-type Froakie. This evolution represents not merely a growth in size and power, but a fundamental transformation in the Pokémon's approach to combat and its place in the world. The evolution from Frogadier to Greninja marks the point at which the Pokémon fully embraces its ninja heritage, developing the enhanced speed, special attack power, and strategic sophistication that define the species. Beyond standard evolution, Greninja possesses the remarkable ability to Mega Evolve into Mega Greninja using the Greninjite stone, a transformation that dramatically amplifies its combat capabilities. Mega Greninja's base stats increase substantially, with its Attack rising to 145 and its Special Attack jumping to 153, while its Speed increases to 132, creating an even more formidable physical and special attacker. Additionally, Greninja with the Battle Bond ability can achieve the Ash-Greninja form, a special transformation that occurs after defeating an opponent, which grants it further stat boosts and represents a unique bond between trainer and Pokémon. This form was prominently featured in the anime series and has become iconic among fans for representing the ultimate partnership between trainer and Pokémon.
Where to Find
poni wilds
alola
Greninja Behaviour and Natural Habitat
Greninja lives up to its ninja designation through its remarkable behavioral characteristics, appearing and vanishing with the grace and precision one would expect from a master of stealth. According to Pokédex entries, it toys with its enemies using swift, nearly imperceptible movements before striking with devastating accuracy. The species is known for its disciplined and strategic approach to conflict, carefully analyzing opponents before committing to attack rather than engaging in reckless combat. Greninja demonstrates a level of intelligence and cunning that transcends typical Pokémon behavior, suggesting a self-awareness and tactical mindset more reminiscent of trained warriors than simple creatures. In terms of habitat, Greninja prefers aquatic environments consistent with its Water-typing, though its Dark-type nature suggests it is equally comfortable operating under the cover of darkness and shadows. The species is said to inhabit regions with access to water, from small streams to larger bodies, where it can utilize both its aquatic ancestry and its newfound terrestrial prowess. Trainers who have successfully bonded with Greninja report that the Pokémon demonstrates fierce loyalty and responds particularly well to structured training regimens that appeal to its disciplined nature.
Pokedex Entries
It creates throwing stars out of compressed water. When it spins them and throws them at high speed, these stars can split metal in two.
It appears and vanishes with a ninja’s grace. It toys with its enemies using swift movements, while slicing them with throwing stars of sharpest water.
It creates throwing stars out of compressed water. When it spins them and throws them at high speed, these stars can split metal in two.
It appears and vanishes with a ninja’s grace. It toys with its enemies using swift movements, while slicing them with throwing stars of sharpest water.
Greninja Name Origin & Design Inspiration
The name Greninja derives from a combination of linguistic elements that reflect both its frog heritage and its ninja nature. The 'Gren' portion likely comes from 'grenouille,' the French word for frog, while 'ninja' is directly referenced, creating a portmanteau that perfectly encapsulates the species' dual nature. The Japanese name, Gekkouga, combines 'gekkou' meaning 'moonlight' with 'kaeru,' the word for frog, evoking the nocturnal and shadowy aspects of ninja culture. This naming convention demonstrates how Greninja was deliberately designed as a fusion of amphibian and warrior archetypes, with the moonlit reference pointing toward its Dark-typing and nocturnal associations. The design philosophy behind Greninja involved taking the basic frog template established by its pre-evolutions and reimagining it as a martial artist. The Pokémon's sleek body, extended limbs, and overall silhouette were all crafted to suggest movement, precision, and combat training. The compressed water shuriken attack represents an elegant solution to giving the species a signature move concept that feels simultaneously derived from its aquatic nature and its warrior aesthetic. Every element of Greninja's appearance, from its color scheme to its expressive face, was intentionally designed to communicate competence, discipline, and deadly proficiency.
Learnable Moves
Greninja can learn 93 moves:
Move | Type | Cat. | Power | Acc. | PP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acrobatics | flying | Physical | 55 | 100 | 15 |
| aerial ace | flying | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| attract | normal | Status | — | 100 | 15 |
| blizzard | ice | Special | 110 | 70 | 5 |
| bounce | flying | Physical | 85 | 85 | 5 |
| brick break | fighting | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| brutal swing | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| bubble | water | Special | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| chilling water | water | Special | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| confide | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| counter | fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| cut | normal | Physical | 50 | 95 | 30 |
| dark pulse | dark | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| dig | ground | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| dive | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| double team | normal | Status | — | — | 15 |
| echoed voice | normal | Special | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| endure | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| extrasensory | psychic | Special | 80 | 100 | 20 |
| facade | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| false swipe | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 40 |
| feint attack | dark | Physical | 60 | — | 20 |
| fling | dark | Physical | — | 100 | 10 |
| frustration | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| giga impact | normal | Physical | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| grass knot | grass | Special | — | 100 | 20 |
| growl | normal | Status | — | 100 | 40 |
| gunk shot | poison | Physical | 120 | 80 | 5 |
| haze | ice | Status | — | — | 30 |
| helping hand | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| hidden power | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| hydro cannon | water | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| hydro pump | water | Special | 110 | 80 | 5 |
| hyper beam | normal | Special | 150 | 90 | 5 |
| ice beam | ice | Special | 90 | 100 | 10 |
| ice punch | ice | Physical | 75 | 100 | 15 |
| icy wind | ice | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| lick | ghost | Physical | 30 | 100 | 30 |
| liquidation | water | Physical | 85 | 100 | 10 |
| low kick | fighting | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| low sweep | fighting | Physical | 65 | 100 | 20 |
| mat block | fighting | Status | — | — | 10 |
| mud shot | ground | Special | 55 | 95 | 15 |
| mud slap | ground | Special | 20 | 100 | 10 |
| night slash | dark | Physical | 70 | 100 | 15 |
| pound | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 35 |
| power up punch | fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 20 |
| protect | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| quick attack | normal | Physical | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| rain dance | water | Status | — | — | 5 |
| rest | psychic | Status | — | — | 5 |
| retaliate | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 5 |
| return | normal | Physical | — | 100 | 20 |
| rock slide | rock | Physical | 75 | 90 | 10 |
| rock smash | fighting | Physical | 40 | 100 | 15 |
| rock tomb | rock | Physical | 60 | 95 | 15 |
| role play | psychic | Status | — | — | 10 |
| round | normal | Special | 60 | 100 | 15 |
| scald | water | Special | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| secret power | normal | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| shadow sneak | ghost | Physical | 40 | 100 | 30 |
| sleep talk | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| sludge wave | poison | Special | 95 | 100 | 10 |
| smack down | rock | Physical | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| smokescreen | normal | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| snatch | dark | Status | — | — | 10 |
| snore | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 15 |
| snowscape | ice | Status | 0 | — | 10 |
| spikes | ground | Status | — | — | 20 |
| spite | ghost | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| strength | normal | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| substitute | normal | Status | — | — | 10 |
| surf | water | Special | 90 | 100 | 15 |
| swagger | normal | Status | — | 85 | 15 |
| swift | normal | Special | 60 | — | 20 |
| switcheroo | dark | Status | — | 100 | 10 |
| swords dance | normal | Status | — | — | 20 |
| take down | normal | Physical | 90 | 85 | 20 |
| taunt | dark | Status | — | 100 | 20 |
| tera blast | normal | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| thief | dark | Physical | 60 | 100 | 25 |
| toxic | poison | Status | — | 90 | 10 |
| toxic spikes | poison | Status | — | — | 20 |
| trailblaze | grass | Physical | 50 | 100 | 20 |
| u turn | bug | Physical | 70 | 100 | 20 |
| upper hand | fighting | Physical | 65 | 100 | 15 |
| water gun | water | Special | 40 | 100 | 25 |
| water pledge | water | Special | 80 | 100 | 10 |
| water pulse | water | Special | 60 | 100 | 20 |
| water shuriken | water | Special | 15 | 100 | 20 |
| waterfall | water | Physical | 80 | 100 | 15 |
| weather ball | normal | Special | 50 | 100 | 10 |
| work up | normal | Status | — | — | 30 |
Greninja Competitive Battle Guide
In competitive Pokémon battles, Greninja stands as a formidable threat that has consistently remained relevant across multiple generations of competitive play. Its exceptional base Speed of 122 allows it to outpace the majority of the metagame, while its Special Attack base of 103 combined with access to moves like Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse, and Ice Beam enables it to deal significant damage to common threats. The hidden ability Protean represents Greninja's most valuable competitive asset, automatically changing the user's type to match each move it uses, providing both offensive STAB benefits and defensive type coverage on every turn. This ability makes Greninja exceptionally difficult to predict, as it gains perfect coverage and type advantages throughout the course of a battle. Its standard ability Torrent provides a more traditional water-type boost, amplifying water-move damage to 1.5 times when Greninja's health drops to one-third or below, though Protean is generally preferred in competitive contexts. The versatility of Greninja's movepool allows it to function as a special attacker, physical attacker, or mixed wallbreaker depending on the moveset construction, enabling it to adapt to diverse team compositions. Many competitive players favor specially defensive sets that utilize Greninja's respectable Special Attack to wear down bulky opponents while leveraging its Speed to act first. Mega Greninja further enhances competitive viability through substantially increased Special Attack and Attack stats, though the Mega Evolution mechanic's availability varies by competitive format.
Commonly Asked Questions About Greninja
What type is Greninja?
Greninja is a water and dark type Pokemon.
What does Greninja evolve from?
Greninja evolved from frogadier that evolved from froakie.
What are Greninja's weaknesses?
Greninja is weak to fighting, bug, grass, electric and fairy type moves.
Where can I find Greninja?
Greninja can be found in poni wilds (alola).
Greninja Cultural Impact & Franchise History
Greninja has achieved significant cultural prominence within the Pokémon franchise, transcending its role as a simple Pokédex entry to become an iconic character recognized by casual and competitive fans alike. The Pokémon achieved particular fame through the anime series, where Ash's Greninja demonstrated the Ash-Greninja transformation and formed one of the most emotionally resonant trainer-Pokémon bonds in the series' history. This special form, which emerged from the powerful connection between Ash and his Greninja, captivated audiences and solidified the species' reputation as a Pokémon capable of extraordinary achievements when properly trained and respected. Greninja's ninja aesthetic resonated strongly with fans who appreciated the fusion of traditional Japanese martial culture with Pokémon design philosophy, leading to widespread fan art, cosplay, and merchandise celebrating the species. The Pokémon's competitive success elevated it further in the community consciousness, with numerous high-level players utilizing Greninja in tournament play and it becoming a staple of rental teams in competitive formats. Its appearance in Super Smash Bros. as an Echo Fighter of Sheik brought the Pokémon before an even broader audience, introducing it to fighting game enthusiasts unfamiliar with Pokémon gameplay. The combination of aesthetic appeal, competitive viability, and narrative significance in the anime has established Greninja as one of Generation VI's most beloved and enduring contributions to Pokémon culture.
Where to Find Greninja in Every Pokémon Game
Greninja becomes available to trainers in Pokémon X and Y following the completion of specific storyline events, where it is assigned as the region's Starter Pokémon selection for players who chose Froakie at the game's beginning. The species appears throughout Generation VI games in both its standard form and as part of the endemic Kalos ecosystem, with a capture rate of 45 indicating moderate difficulty in catching wild specimens. In subsequent generations, Greninja has maintained availability through various methods including breeding Frogadier parents who can generate Froakie offspring, trading from previous generations, and in-game encounters or distribution events. The introduction of Battle Bond Greninja, available through specific event distributions and in-game encounters in Pokémon Sun and Moon, provided an alternative avenue for obtaining the special form with its enhanced stats and unique transformation mechanic. More recent games including Pokémon Legends: Z-A have continued to feature Greninja in their Pokédexes, with National Pokédex number 0658 remaining constant across all releases. Trainers looking to acquire Greninja for competitive play should prioritize obtaining specimens with the Protean ability, either through breeding with parents possessing this hidden ability or through event distributions specifically offering Battle Bond variants. The relative accessibility of Greninja across multiple games and regions demonstrates the species' importance to the broader Pokémon franchise, ensuring that players across different generations and platforms can experience training this remarkable ninja Pokémon.
