[OVERVIEW]
Dark
========
Greninja's use of an Expert Belt is complemented by its ability Protean, making it painful for many teams to deal with including Flying, Ground, and Water teams.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker (Dark)
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Hidden Power Electric
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Toxic Spikes
item: Expert Belt
ability: Protean
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam is a strong coverage option that can be used to take down various offensive and defensive threats alike, such as Latios, Tapu Bulu, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Hidden Power Electric is used against bulky Flying- and Water-types such as Celesteela, Mantine, and Toxapex. Grass Knot is used against specific foes such as Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, as they can comfortably take on Greninja's other attacks by virtue of ability and typing. Toxic Spikes is great for residual damage against most foes, and the increasing poison damage helps combat most of Greninja's checks such as Chansey and Mega Sableye.
Set Details
========
Maximium Special Attack and Speed investment coupled with a Timid nature allows Greninja to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Expert Belt strengthens the power of its moves whenever they are super effective, which can be important in some cases. For example, Expert Belt-boosted Hidden Power Electric allows Greninja to 2HKO Toxapex. Protean blesses Greninja with the ability to change its typing depending on the move it uses, granting it STAB on all of its moves in the process and thus giving it an incredible offensive presence.
Usage Tips
========
Greninja should utilize this set to lure in and remove would-be checks such as Mantine and Toxapex, as its wide movepool and variety of sets makes it very unpredictable. Greninja also should use one move at a time to bluff a potential Choice Scarf set, as it makes luring in foes such as Celesteela and Mantine much more effective, as well as threaten would-be checks such as Mega Lopunny and Tapu Koko out. However, it should still avoid special walls such as Chansey and Ferrothorn, as their incredible special bulk can let them comfortably take any attack it can dish out. Greninja should be conserved as much as possible against Flying, Ground, and Water teams, as its incredible coverage serves as an invaluable asset against them. It shouldn't be immediately switched into attacks, as it's incredibly frail. It should also avoid paralysis, as Greninja relies on its high Speed in order to threaten fast foes such as Mega Diancie and Latios. Greninja should also avoid chip damage from entry hazards and status, as it needs to be as healthy as possible in order to effectively threaten foes.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye can use its typing and well rounded defenses to comfortably handle Greninja's checks, such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Mega Gallade, while also providing a critical Fighting-type immunity. Additionally, Mega Sableye can prevent entry hazards that would chip away at Greninja's health from being set through Magic Bounce. Mandibuzz assists Greninja through its various potential utility moves, including Defog, Taunt, and U-turn. It can also use its high Defense and Ground-type immunity to switch into foes such as Mega Lopunny and Choice Band Excadrill in sand for Greninja. Tyranitar's acts as a strong special wall and supporter under sand, being able to stomach attacks from foes such as Latios and Tapu Koko for Greninja while also providing Stealth Rock support for it. It can also act as a setup sweeper with its combination of Dragon Dance, strong physical moves, and Rockium Z to break down special walls such as Chansey and Mega Venusaur. Alternatively, Mega Tyranitar can also perform the same role as base Tyranitar, exchanging Rockium Z for much better stats and a better Speed tier for outspeeding foes that base Tyranitar wouldn't be able to with one Dragon Dance boost, such as Tapu Koko and Weavile. Alolan Muk can use its typing and high Special Defense to sponge special attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor and Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam for Greninja. Additionally, its access to Knock Off means that it can weaken foes such as Porygon2 and Toxapex, making it easier for Greninja to remove them. Krookodile serves as a solid lead for Greninja, being able to set up Stealth Rock and prevent slower foes from setting their own entry hazards with Taunt. Additionally, Choice Scarf variants can be run to outspeed and revenge kill foes such as Tapu Koko. Hydreigon can stallbreak foes that Greninja has trouble with, such as Chansey and Steel-types such as Choice Scarf Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. Additionally, it can utilize Dragonium Z to devastate slower, bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Rotom-W.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dark
--------
Grassium Z can be used in place of an Expert Belt in order to unleash a powerful Bloom Doom, which is capable of OHKOing some of Greninja's best checks such as Rotom-W and Suicune. However, this trade-off comes at the cost of an Expert Belt netting other important KOs; for example, Greninja fails to 2HKO Toxapex with Hidden Power Electric without Expert Belt. Extrasensory can be utilized as a means of breaking through Fighting- and Poison-types such as Kommo-o and Mega Venusaur, though it comes at the cost of one of Greninja's other, more important coverage moves. Spikes could be utilized over Toxic Spikes as an immediate way of dealing damage to the foe upon entry, but keep in mind that the poison damage granted through Toxic Spikes is generally better against Greninja's checks. Hydro Pump might be used over Toxic Spikes to give Dark teams a better chance against threatening foes such as Mega Steelix, but not having Toxic Spikes utility may make Greninja less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Havens, 391540]]
- Dark analysis by: [[Havens, 391540]]]
- Quality checked by: [[maroon, 305839], [Decem, 362454], [Moosical, 215618]]
- Grammar checked by: [[<username1>, <userid1>], [<username2>, <username2>]]
Dark
========
Greninja's use of an Expert Belt is complemented by its ability Protean, making it painful for many teams to deal with including Flying, Ground, and Water teams.
[SET]
name: All-out Attacker (Dark)
move 1: Ice Beam
move 2: Hidden Power Electric
move 3: Grass Knot
move 4: Toxic Spikes
item: Expert Belt
ability: Protean
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Beam is a strong coverage option that can be used to take down various offensive and defensive threats alike, such as Latios, Tapu Bulu, Gliscor, and Zapdos. Hidden Power Electric is used against bulky Flying- and Water-types such as Celesteela, Mantine, and Toxapex. Grass Knot is used against specific foes such as Swampert, Gastrodon, and Seismitoad, as they can comfortably take on Greninja's other attacks by virtue of ability and typing. Toxic Spikes is great for residual damage against most foes, and the increasing poison damage helps combat most of Greninja's checks such as Chansey and Mega Sableye.
Set Details
========
Maximium Special Attack and Speed investment coupled with a Timid nature allows Greninja to hit as hard and as fast as possible. Expert Belt strengthens the power of its moves whenever they are super effective, which can be important in some cases. For example, Expert Belt-boosted Hidden Power Electric allows Greninja to 2HKO Toxapex. Protean blesses Greninja with the ability to change its typing depending on the move it uses, granting it STAB on all of its moves in the process and thus giving it an incredible offensive presence.
Usage Tips
========
Greninja should utilize this set to lure in and remove would-be checks such as Mantine and Toxapex, as its wide movepool and variety of sets makes it very unpredictable. Greninja also should use one move at a time to bluff a potential Choice Scarf set, as it makes luring in foes such as Celesteela and Mantine much more effective, as well as threaten would-be checks such as Mega Lopunny and Tapu Koko out. However, it should still avoid special walls such as Chansey and Ferrothorn, as their incredible special bulk can let them comfortably take any attack it can dish out. Greninja should be conserved as much as possible against Flying, Ground, and Water teams, as its incredible coverage serves as an invaluable asset against them. It shouldn't be immediately switched into attacks, as it's incredibly frail. It should also avoid paralysis, as Greninja relies on its high Speed in order to threaten fast foes such as Mega Diancie and Latios. Greninja should also avoid chip damage from entry hazards and status, as it needs to be as healthy as possible in order to effectively threaten foes.
Team Options
========
Mega Sableye can use its typing and well rounded defenses to comfortably handle Greninja's checks, such as Chansey, Ferrothorn, and Mega Gallade, while also providing a critical Fighting-type immunity. Additionally, Mega Sableye can prevent entry hazards that would chip away at Greninja's health from being set through Magic Bounce. Mandibuzz assists Greninja through its various potential utility moves, including Defog, Taunt, and U-turn. It can also use its high Defense and Ground-type immunity to switch into foes such as Mega Lopunny and Choice Band Excadrill in sand for Greninja. Tyranitar's acts as a strong special wall and supporter under sand, being able to stomach attacks from foes such as Latios and Tapu Koko for Greninja while also providing Stealth Rock support for it. It can also act as a setup sweeper with its combination of Dragon Dance, strong physical moves, and Rockium Z to break down special walls such as Chansey and Mega Venusaur. Alternatively, Mega Tyranitar can also perform the same role as base Tyranitar, exchanging Rockium Z for much better stats and a better Speed tier for outspeeding foes that base Tyranitar wouldn't be able to with one Dragon Dance boost, such as Tapu Koko and Weavile. Alolan Muk can use its typing and high Special Defense to sponge special attacks such as Latios's Draco Meteor and Tapu Koko's Dazzling Gleam for Greninja. Additionally, its access to Knock Off means that it can weaken foes such as Porygon2 and Toxapex, making it easier for Greninja to remove them. Krookodile serves as a solid lead for Greninja, being able to set up Stealth Rock and prevent slower foes from setting their own entry hazards with Taunt. Additionally, Choice Scarf variants can be run to outspeed and revenge kill foes such as Tapu Koko. Hydreigon can stallbreak foes that Greninja has trouble with, such as Chansey and Steel-types such as Choice Scarf Excadrill, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. Additionally, it can utilize Dragonium Z to devastate slower, bulkier Pokemon such as Porygon2 and Rotom-W.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Dark
--------
Grassium Z can be used in place of an Expert Belt in order to unleash a powerful Bloom Doom, which is capable of OHKOing some of Greninja's best checks such as Rotom-W and Suicune. However, this trade-off comes at the cost of an Expert Belt netting other important KOs; for example, Greninja fails to 2HKO Toxapex with Hidden Power Electric without Expert Belt. Extrasensory can be utilized as a means of breaking through Fighting- and Poison-types such as Kommo-o and Mega Venusaur, though it comes at the cost of one of Greninja's other, more important coverage moves. Spikes could be utilized over Toxic Spikes as an immediate way of dealing damage to the foe upon entry, but keep in mind that the poison damage granted through Toxic Spikes is generally better against Greninja's checks. Hydro Pump might be used over Toxic Spikes to give Dark teams a better chance against threatening foes such as Mega Steelix, but not having Toxic Spikes utility may make Greninja less of a threat.
[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[Havens, 391540]]
- Dark analysis by: [[Havens, 391540]]]
- Quality checked by: [[maroon, 305839], [Decem, 362454], [Moosical, 215618]]
- Grammar checked by: [[<username1>, <userid1>], [<username2>, <username2>]]
Last edited:
