Ash Greninja Confirmed!

[El_]

Well, assuming that this isn't just simply a an anime tie in event due to Pokemon celebrating its 20th anniversary...

I think that Battle Bond may explain why the Ultra Beast resemble certain NPCs in appearance and demeanor. The process itself could be related, which is why the concept was introduced in the first place. Perhaps UBs can take the bonding process further than Pokemon can, or the method Ash used was just a primitive version of it. This would at least give a lore tie in for why Ash-Greninja was included in the games.

 

[Arceus the Dragon]

I hope that the demo is the only way to get Ash-Greninja because I don't want it in my SM games. As long as my SM games are Ash-Greninja free then that be cool. I won't be getting the demo obviously.

 

[Johtohfiller]

Definitely in the full game. They wouldn't promote it otherwise. The whole point is as a bonus for playing the demo - "Download the demo and transfer this cool special Greninja to your game!"

I meant obtainable in the full game without playing the demo rather than whether it's transferable. Either way though I'm going to play the demo.

Does this mean Ash Greninja gets its own sidequest?

 

[Necrozma]

I meant obtainable in the full game without playing the demo rather than whether it's transferable. Either way though I'm going to play the demo.

Does this mean Ash Greninja gets its own sidequest?

I think the line is referring to whatever happens in the demo rather than Greninja getting its own sidequest.

 

[PinkIceFox]

I'm playing the demo just to tide me over for a little while until the games come out. >> I don't want Ash-Greninja.

Don't worry. So long as there is wonder trade someone will enjoy that Greninja. xD

 

[Gengarzilla]

As someone who'd pick Chesnaught when presented with the three fully evolved Kalos starters and Swampert when presented with the six fully evolved Water starters, Ash-Greninja doesn't really interest me all that much. I'd have preferred Eternal Floette in its place, quite honestly.

Ah well, no use crying about it. Just gotta wait another ten days for the next chance.

 

[Ryoma Maser]

I haven't been watching any of the anime, but I'm wondering why they put it in. The Zygarde forms were really enough, Ash-Greninja wasn't that interesting to me, especially the design. There are many better Pokemon they could choose.
Wait a minute; *Dramatic music starts playing.* We have the new Ability Battle Bond, and Greninja has Torrent and Protean as its abilities. That means Greninja is the first starter ever to have 3 abilites(excluding Mega Evolutions, they don't count since Greninja has Battle Bond from the start in its default form).

 

[Esserise]

I'd have preferred Eternal Floette in its place, quite honestly.

I'm still waiting on that one, of course. It's the last holdout among Gen VI's additional forms. I just want everyone to be included, darnit!

 

[Sakuraa]

I'm honestly just surprised that it kept the name "Ash-Greninja".

 

[Tensho]

The thing I'm interested in is the Bond Phenomenon. I really do hope that more Pokemon have it. Please!!!!

 

[Daren]

Ash-Greninja in the games is thematically weird. It's great bond with Ash causes it to power up and turn into him...while being trained by somebody else. I also don't like it when one starter to singled out as "special" over the others, as happened with Charizard last gen, and Blaziken until ORAS came out and gave the other two megas.

On the other hand I need a good water type, I wanted to use Greninja again, and this means I won't have to wait until January for the bank update.

 

[Silktree]

I hope that the demo is the only way to get Ash-Greninja because I don't want it in my SM games. As long as my SM games are Ash-Greninja free then that be cool. I won't be getting the demo obviously.

It's exclusive to the demo, as evidenced by the fact that it is banned from rating battles. I suspect that the demo is their way of doing something unrelated to Alola's lore.

The thing I'm interested in is the Bond Phenomenon. I really do hope that more Pokemon have it. Please!!!!

Why? It doesn't seem that good competitively. Either way, I doubt that Ash Greninja would be exclusive to the demo if Bond Phenomenon were a general mechanic.

 

[Necrozma]

Why? It doesn't seem that good competitively.

Why is that? I mean, yes, the fact it is like Moxie in that it can only be triggered by defeating an opponent's Pokemon is lame, but if Ash-Greninja is anything like its anime counterpart, it will likely be able to match a Mega Pokemon. And without being forced to hold a Mega Stone to trigger the transformation, it is free to hold whichever item we want which is another plus.

 

[Silktree]

Why is that? I mean, yes, the fact it is like Moxie in that it can only be triggered by defeating an opponent's Pokemon is lame, but if Ash-Greninja is anything like its anime counterpart, it will likely be able to match a Mega Pokemon. And without being forced to hold a Mega Stone to trigger the transformation, it is free to hold whichever item we want which is another plus.

Its ability serves no purpose other than the transformation and the strategy is risky to begin with given how frail it is. Protean seems better to me.

 

[Necrozma]

It's a risk that could pay off since you would basically end up with a Mega Evolution that can hold an item.

I wouldn't write off Ash-Greninja just yet. It may not turn out to be the best Pokemon for competitive battles, but it still has potential.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

Its ability serves no purpose other than the transformation and the strategy is risky to begin with given how frail it is. Protean seems better to me.

Yeah but that's just because Protean is busted AF. If you got a decent revenge killer or pursuit trapper like Weavile with Battle Bond it'd be pretty dope - give it a life orb, bring it in on a slightly weakened Latios or w/e, Pursuit, then you get a free +100 BST AND keep your life orb? Nice. It's just a trade off - Megas get to keep their Abilities (or get better ones), Battle Bond lets you keep your item. So for Pokemon with shitty abilities (cough Pickpocket Weavile cough) Battle Bond is just fine. If you have a good ability, better to have a mega so you can hold onto said ability or even do something cool with a double ability combo (like sharpedo speed boost -> strong jaw).

Of course, if you did have a shitty ability like Weavile there's nothing stopping them from making a Mega Weavile with like Tough Claws or Refrigerate or whatever that is strictly better than a Life Orb Battle Bond Weavile, BUT it seems like no new megas so far :[

 

[Silktree]

It's a risk that could pay off since you would basically end up with a Mega Evolution that can hold an item.

The item is offset by the ability, so it would only be comparable to Mega Evolution if it could be unlocked at will.

I wouldn't write off Ash-Greninja just yet. It may not turn out to be the best Pokemon for competitive battles, but it still has potential.

It doesn't even matter all that much considering that it will banned from VGC and rating battles (excluding special rulesets).

Of course, if you did have a shitty ability like Weavile there's nothing stopping them from making a Mega Weavile with like Tough Claws or Refrigerate or whatever that is strictly better than a Life Orb Battle Bond Weavile, BUT it seems like no new megas so far :[

Mega Evolutions generally get improved abiities. The entire discussion is hypothetical since I doubt we're getting more Mega Evolutions or bond phenomenon users in these games.

 

[CynthiaLover]

It's a risk that could pay off since you would basically end up with a Mega Evolution that can hold an item.

I wouldn't write off Ash-Greninja just yet. It may not turn out to be the best Pokemon for competitive battles, but it still has potential.

I'm inclined to agree. It could be classified as a high risk, high reward tactic, and those tactics do payoff well. Sure, Protean is better, but I wouldn't write off this form just yet. For all we know it could give its stats a massive boost like Mega Evolution, only without needing to sacrifice the held item slot. And Greninja in general is pretty flexible and multi-talented in both the causal and competitive field to begin with, so I'm with Tsu on this, as we only know the bare minimum of the form right now.

Anyway, in regards to my earlier comment about Greninja's possible moves, I checked out the Japanese trailer and saw that Greninja in the demo knows Night Slash. So I think I can rule out my theory of it having the combo of Water Shuriken/Cut/Aerial Ace/Double Team now, which is what Ash's knows in the anime.

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

I'm inclined to agree. It could be classified as a high risk, high reward tactic, and those tactics do payoff well. Sure, Protean is better, but I wouldn't write off this form just yet. For all we know it could give its stats a massive boost like Mega Evolution, only without needing to sacrifice the held item slot. And Greninja in general is pretty flexible and multi-talented in both the causal and competitive field to begin with, so I'm with Tsu on this, as we only know the bare minimum of the form right now.

Anyway, in regards to my earlier comment about Greninja's possible moves, I checked out the Japanese trailer and saw that Greninja in the demo knows Night Slash. So I think I can rule out my theory of it having the combo of Water Shuriken/Cut/Aerial Ace/Double Team now, which is what Ash's knows in the anime.

The point silk tree made (and that I agree with at the end of my first post) is that you have to give up the Ability slot instead. And Ability > item. Like, Tough Claws is literally just Life Orb but better (1.33x instead of 1.3x, AND it doesn't cost HP), Refrigerate and Aerilate and such are similar. The only reason I think Bond Phenomenon might be useable is if a) no new megas occur ever and b) the Pokemon who gets Battle Bond has a shitty ability in its base form.

Otherwise if a) is false, then it would be 100% better to just give that Pokemon a Mega instead of a Bond Phenomenon. If b) is false, just use the base form with a good ability instead of a gimmicky boost with no ability.

 

[zoroarctic]

I'm about to ask a really dumb question here, but what is the deal with Ash-Greninja? The last time I really watched the anime was when the Deoxys movie aired on Cartoon Network in 2005. I've been out of the loop.