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Unlocking Greninja’s Breeding Potential: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’ve got a Greninja and you’re itching to breed it? Excellent! Breeding is a cornerstone of the Pokémon experience, allowing you to meticulously craft the perfect team. But who can Greninja cozy up to in the Day Care? The answer boils down to Egg Groups and one very special, genderless Pokémon: Ditto.

Greninja belongs to the Water 1 Egg Group. This means it can breed with any Pokémon that is both:

A member of the Water 1 Egg Group
Of the opposite gender

And, as a wild card, Ditto can breed with almost any breedable Pokémon, regardless of Egg Group or gender.

Delving Deeper into Greninja’s Breeding Options

Let’s break this down further to ensure you have a crystal-clear understanding. The Water 1 Egg Group is vast and contains a diverse array of Pokémon. To find Greninja’s eligible partners, consult a comprehensive list of Water 1 Pokémon. Some notable examples (spanning multiple generations) include:

Psyduck and Golduck
Poliwag, Poliwhirl, and Politoed
Slowpoke and Slowbro
Shellder and Cloyster
Krabby and Kingler
Horsea, Seadra, and Kingdra
Totodile, Croconaw, and Feraligatr
Wooper and Quagsire
Mudkip, Marshtomp, and Swampert
Lotad, Lombre, and Ludicolo
Corphish and Crawdaunt
Feebas and Milotic
Piplup, Prinplup, and Empoleon
Oshawott, Dewott, and Samurott
Sobble, Drizzile, and Inteleon

If you have a female Greninja, you’ll need a male Pokémon from this list. The resulting egg will always hatch into a Froakie, the base form of Greninja.

If you have a male Greninja, you can either use a female Pokémon from the Water 1 group or, more conveniently, Ditto.

If you want to get a shiny Froakie, breeding is the best way.

The Versatility of Ditto: Your Breeding Swiss Army Knife

Ditto simplifies the breeding process considerably. Since Ditto can breed with almost any Pokémon capable of breeding, it’s an invaluable tool for completing your Pokédex or breeding for competitive purposes.

Here’s how it works with Greninja:

If you have a male or female Greninja, Ditto will produce Froakie eggs.
Ditto is especially useful if you don’t have access to Pokémon within the Water 1 Egg Group, or if you simply prefer a hassle-free breeding experience.

Breeding for Specific Traits and Abilities

Breeding isn’t just about obtaining more Pokémon; it’s about crafting Pokémon with specific traits. You can influence the following characteristics through careful breeding:

Natures: By having one of the parents hold an Everstone, there’s a 50% chance the hatched Pokémon will inherit that nature.
Individual Values (IVs): By having one or both parents hold a Destiny Knot, the hatched Pokémon will inherit 5 IVs from its parents. This is crucial for competitive battling.
Abilities: If a female Pokémon has a Hidden Ability, there’s a chance (80% in recent generations) that the offspring will inherit it. For male Pokémon and genderless Pokémon, Ditto needs to have the Hidden Ability for it to pass down. Protean is Greninja’s Hidden Ability, so keep this in mind!
Egg Moves: Certain Pokémon can learn moves that they wouldn’t normally learn through leveling up or TMs. These Egg Moves can be passed down from the father to the offspring. Research which Egg Moves Froakie can learn and find a compatible male Pokémon to breed with.

Where to Breed in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet

In Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, breeding takes place through Picnics. Simply have the Pokémon you want to breed in your party, set up a picnic, and wait. Eggs will appear in your picnic basket after some time. The more compatible the Pokémon are, the faster eggs will appear. Keep in mind that Battle Bond Greninja Cannot Breed.

Frequently Asked Questions About Greninja Breeding

Here are some frequently asked questions about Greninja breeding:

1. What Egg Group does Greninja belong to?

Greninja belongs to the Water 1 Egg Group. This determines which other Pokémon it can breed with (aside from Ditto).

2. Can I breed two Greninja together?

Yes, you can breed two Greninja together as long as one is male and the other is female.

3. Can Greninja breed with Ditto?

Absolutely! Ditto can breed with Greninja, regardless of Greninja’s gender. This is often the easiest way to obtain Froakie eggs.

4. Can I get a shiny Froakie through breeding?

Yes! Breeding is one of the most reliable methods for shiny hunting. The Masuda Method (breeding with a Pokémon from a game of a different language) and the Shiny Charm significantly increase your chances of hatching a shiny Froakie.

5. How do I pass down a specific nature when breeding Greninja?

Give one of the parents an Everstone to hold. This gives a 50% chance that the hatched Froakie will inherit that parent’s nature.

6. How do I pass down good IVs when breeding Greninja?

Give one of the parents a Destiny Knot to hold. This ensures that the hatched Froakie will inherit 5 IVs from its parents.

7. Can I breed a Froakie with the Hidden Ability Protean if my Greninja doesn’t have it?

No. To breed a Pokémon with the Hidden Ability Protean, at least one of the parents must have that ability. A female Pokémon with the Hidden Ability has a chance of passing it down, while the male Pokémon has to breed with Ditto with a Hidden Ability.

8. What are Egg Moves and how do I get them on my Froakie?

Egg Moves are moves that a Pokémon can learn through breeding that they wouldn’t normally learn through leveling up or TMs. The father Pokémon must know the desired Egg Move and be compatible with the mother Pokémon (or Ditto).

9. Can Ash-Greninja breed?

No. Ash-Greninja cannot breed. This form is unique and not transferable through breeding.

10. Can I breed Greninja with Cinderace?

No, Greninja and Cinderace are not in the same Egg Group and therefore cannot breed with each other.

11. Why won’t my Ditto and Greninja breed?

If your Pokémon “prefer to play with other Pokémon,” they are incompatible to breed. If you’re getting any other message, an egg will eventually happen. Be patient and maybe add another pokemon.

12. Can you breed Greninja in Scarlet and Violet?

Yes, Greninja is breedable in Scarlet and Violet after you have either transferred one from another game or participated in the 7-star raid event.

13. How does breeding work in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet?

In Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, breeding is done through setting up a picnic with the desired Pokémon in your party. Eggs will appear in the picnic basket over time.

14. What is the Masuda Method?

The Masuda Method involves breeding two Pokémon that originated from games of different languages (e.g., a Pokémon caught in an English game and a Pokémon caught in a Japanese game). This significantly increases the odds of hatching a shiny Pokémon.

15. Where can I learn more about Pokémon breeding strategies and competitive battling?

There are many online resources available. You can also learn more about the societal aspects of gaming at the Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.

What Pokémon can breed with Greninja?