Finding Greninja in Pokémon GO: A Comprehensive Guide
So, you want to add the elusive Greninja to your Pokémon GO roster? The journey from Froakie to Greninja can be a bit winding, but with the right knowledge, you can become a Greninja master in no time! Unlike some Pokémon that roam freely, Greninja doesn’t naturally spawn in the wild in Pokémon GO. This means you can’t just stumble upon it while walking down the street. Your primary methods for obtaining Greninja involve evolution and special events. Let’s dive into the details!
The Evolution Route: From Froakie to Greninja
The most reliable way to get Greninja is through evolution. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Catch Froakie: This is your starting point. Froakie is a Water-type Pokémon, so keep an eye out near water sources like rivers, lakes, and canals. Community Days and special in-game events often feature increased Froakie spawns, making them the perfect time to stock up on Froakie Candy.
- Evolve Froakie into Frogadier: You’ll need 25 Froakie Candy to evolve your Froakie into Frogadier.
- Evolve Frogadier into Greninja: This final evolution requires a hefty 100 Froakie Candy.
Therefore, a total of 125 Froakie candies are needed to evolve Froakie into Greninja.
Boosting Your Froakie Candy Gains
Getting enough Froakie Candy can take time, but there are several strategies to speed up the process:
- Use Pinap Berries: Feeding a Pinap Berry to Froakie before catching it doubles the amount of Candy you receive.
- Mega Evolve Water-Type Pokémon: When you Mega Evolve Pokémon like Blastoise, Slowbro, Gyarados, or Swampert, you’ll earn extra Candy per Froakie catch. The higher the Mega Level of your Pokémon, the better the Candy bonus!
- Participate in Special Events: Community Days and other events frequently offer increased Candy rewards, making them invaluable for evolving Pokémon like Greninja.
- Buddy System: Set Froakie as your Buddy Pokémon. As you walk with your Buddy, it will find Candy for you.
Raids: A Chance Encounter with Frogadier
While Greninja itself doesn’t typically appear in raids, its pre-evolution, Frogadier, occasionally features in Four-Star Raids during special events. Defeating Frogadier in a raid provides a chance to catch it directly. Keep in mind that these raids are event-specific, so stay updated on Pokémon GO news and announcements. Furthermore, defeating Frogadier in these Four-Star Raids causes Froakie to spawn within a 300-meter radius of the gym for 30 minutes.
While encountering a shiny Greninja directly from a raid is incredibly rare, it’s not impossible, but it’s far more practical to evolve a shiny Froakie or Frogadier.
Staying Informed: Pokémon GO Events and Announcements
The key to finding Greninja and its pre-evolutions is staying informed. Follow Pokémon GO’s official social media channels, in-game news, and reputable Pokémon GO communities to learn about upcoming events that feature increased Froakie spawns or Frogadier raids. These events are your best opportunity to quickly gather the Candy you need to evolve your own Greninja.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to further enhance your Greninja hunting experience:
1. Can I find a shiny Greninja in the wild in Pokémon GO?
No, shiny Greninja does not spawn in the wild in Pokémon GO. The only way to obtain a shiny Greninja is by evolving a shiny Froakie or shiny Frogadier.
2. How do I get a shiny Froakie?
Shiny Froakie are found during specific events and have very low odds of spawning. You need to encounter and tap on every Froakie that you see, and then hope and pray that you get lucky and find a shiny Froakie.
3. Is Froakie rare in Pokémon GO?
Froakie’s spawn rate fluctuates. It can be quite rare outside of events that specifically boost Water-type Pokémon or feature Froakie directly. During such events, Froakie becomes significantly more common.
4. What does a shiny Froakie look like?
A shiny Froakie has a slightly different shade of blue compared to its regular form. When evolved into shiny Frogadier, it takes on a darker shade of blue on its head, hands, and feet, while its body remains the same light blue. A shiny Greninja is black with a red scarf.
5. Can Greninja be weather boosted in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Greninja is weather boosted by Rainy and Fog weather due to being a Water and Dark-type Pokémon. This means you’ll find it more frequently and with higher CP in these weather conditions.
6. What is Greninja’s max CP in Pokémon GO?
Greninja has a Max CP of 3001 in Pokémon GO. This makes it a formidable contender in battles.
7. What are Greninja’s weaknesses in Pokémon GO?
As a Water and Dark-type Pokémon, Greninja is weak to Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, and Grass-type moves.
8. When was Greninja originally found in Pokémon GO?
Greninja was originally found in the Kalos region, which was introduced to Pokémon GO in December 2020.
9. Are there any special research tasks that reward Froakie or Greninja?
While there aren’t permanent research tasks that directly reward Froakie or Greninja, keep an eye out for limited-time research events that occasionally feature these Pokémon.
10. Can Froakie be found in eggs in Pokémon GO?
Yes, Froakie can be found in 5km eggs. Always incubate your most recently acquired eggs for the best chance of hatching one.
11. Did Ash have a Greninja?
Yes, Ash owned a Greninja in the Pokémon anime series. This Greninja was unique because it could transform into Ash-Greninja, a form where it resembled Ash.
12. Can I get Ash-Greninja in Pokémon GO?
No, Ash-Greninja is not obtainable in Pokémon GO. It exists in the anime series and some main series games, but not in Pokémon GO.
13. Is Greninja a legendary Pokémon?
No, Greninja is not a Legendary Pokémon. It is a fully evolved starter Pokémon.
14. How did Ash get a Greninja?
Ash caught Greninja as a Froakie, making it the first Pokémon he caught in the Kalos region.
15. Where does the Kalos region tie in with Pokémon Go?
The Kalos region originally appeared in the main series Pokémon games X and Y. It was eventually included in Pokémon Go in December 2020.
Conclusion
While finding Greninja in Pokémon GO requires a bit of effort and strategy, it’s certainly achievable. Focus on catching Froakie during events, maximizing your Candy gains through Pinap Berries and Mega Evolutions, and participating in Frogadier raids when available. By staying informed and persistent, you’ll be well on your way to adding this powerful Water and Dark-type Pokémon to your collection. Learning more about Pokémon GO is an engaging way to encourage exploration and knowledge, concepts that are backed by the Games Learning Society and their research in the field of education. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org for more insights on how games can enhance learning.