Quality Control Battle bond Greninja [QC 0/2]

Wildfiree

Resurgence
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[SET]
Battle Bond (Greninja) @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam

[SET COMMENTS]

Greninja is a speedy breaker that finds a niche for its ability to threaten much of the metagame with its STAB and coverage, pressuring metagame staples like Gliscor and Gholdengo. It hits a crucial speed benchmark that gives it the jump on foes like Tornadus-T, Cinderace, and Iron Valiant. Water Shuriken enables Greninja to revenge kill faster Pokemon like +1 Volcarona and weakened Tapu Koko. Ice beam ensures foes like Dragonite and Raging Bolt cannot come in safely. Life Orb is preferred as it can bolster Greninja's moves, helping it reach feats such as a potential OHKO on Kingambit after Battle Bond and a guaranteed 2HKO on Toxapex with Dark Pulse. Battle Bond also gives it the jump on faster Pokemon that would otherwise threaten offense like Zamazenta, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele and Booster Energy Iron Valiant.

Greninja is exclusively used on hyper offense and rain teams. These teams value its speed tier and its ability to win matchups in the late-game versus foes like Dragonite, Volcarona, and Kingambit. While Greninja has a lot of upside, it is very frail and requires good positioning and pivot support from allies like Pelliper, Zapdos, and Landorus-T to get in safely. Since it also is running Life Orb, it’s on timer, thus it is almost always reserved for the late game. In return, Greninja can pressure foes like Ting-Lu, Mega Latios, and Dragonite for them. Greninja has a hard time pressuring Pokemon like Toxapex unboosted; therefore, teammates like Raging Bolt, Tapu Lele and the aforementioned Zapdos are appreciated. Greninja is also vulnerable to hazards; thus, removal options like Great Tusk, Terapagos, and Tornadus-T are appreciated in addition to entry hazard deterrents like Mega Diancie on hyper offense.

[SET CREDITS]
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Last edited:
ADD REMOVE COMMENT
[SET]
Battle Bond (Greninja) @ Life Orb
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam

[SET COMMENTS]

Greninja is a speedy breaker that finds a niche for its ability to threaten much of the metagame with its STAB and coverage, pressuring metagame staples like Gliscor and Gholdengo. It hits a crucial speed benchmark that gives it the jump on foes like Tornadus-T, Cinderace, and Iron Valiant. this sentence feels a bit blocky. I think retooling this and the last sentence to focus on greninja's real strength which is beating down offense should probably be prioritized. because it accumulates chip so quickly I think trying to paint it as a balance breaker first should probably not be prioritized although it isn't bad into balance if that makes sense. Water Shuriken enables Greninja to revenge kill faster Pokemon like +1 Volcarona after a Quiver Dance and weakened Tapu Koko. Ice beam ensures foes like Dragonite and Raging Bolt cannot come in safely. Life Orb is preferred as it can bolster Greninja's moves breaking power, helping it reach feats such as a potential OHKO on Kingambit after Battle Bond and a guaranteed 2HKO on Toxapex with Dark Pulse. Battle Bond also gives it the jump on faster Pokemon that would otherwise threaten offense like Zamazenta, Choice Scarf Tapu Lele and Booster Energy Iron Valiant. I dislike this sentence a bit, think you could reword this to "common checks to offense" but this is more personal preference. This paragraph looks fine if maybe a bit underbaked. I'd try to include what makes Gren more unique besides its great speed,

Greninja is exclusively used on hyper offense and rain teams. I would argue only on rain in any serious capacity but sure These teams value its speed tier and its ability to win matchups in the late-game versus foes like Dragonite, Volcarona, and Kingambit. I think this is not really the major upside of greninja since rain can already put the beatdown on gambit and volc with pert and zapdos. the biggest boon of bond gren is the fact that it beats all the common checks to offense like zama dnite (which you obviously mentioned) ting and msciz. While Greninja has a lot of upside many potential strengths, it is very frail and requires good positioning and pivot support from allies like Pelliper, Zapdos, and Landorus-T to get in safely. Since it also is running Life Orb, it’s on a timer, thus it is almost always reserved for the late game this is not wholly true. gren can function without the end-game situation (although that is a great strength), but it requires teammates that can A. counteract its hazard weakness and B. a way to avoid accumulating even more chip via toxic/priority (the priority bit is solved by zapdos mostly but the toxic issue necessitates a steel like ferro or treads). In return, Greninja can pressure foes like Ting-Lu, Mega Latios, and Dragonite for them. This is the sentiment I mentioned previously and I think this should just get incorporated into the comment above. Greninja has a hard time pressuring Pokemon like Toxapex unboosted av alo too!; therefore, teammates like Raging Bolt, Tapu Lele and the aforementioned Zapdos are appreciated. Greninja is also vulnerable to hazards; thus, removal options like Great Tusk, Terapagos, and Tornadus-T I'd say treads > tusk just for the rbolt and pex matchups are appreciated in addition to entry hazard deterrents like Mega Diancie or Hatterene on hyper offense.

[SET CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/wildfiree.542295/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/username.XXXXXX/
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Grammar checked by:
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Looks solid overall even without my suggestions, they're just mostly there to help beef up the article and hone in on gren's specific strengths a bit more. QC 1/2
 
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