Can you breed Greninja in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Battle Bond vs Protean abilities

Greninja has arrived in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but players are wondering if the Gen Six starter can be bred due to it potentially having the Battle Bond ability.

Greninja is one of the most polarizing Pokemon when it comes to competitive battling. And this was even on full display in the weeks leading up to Poison Tera Type Greninja’s debut in 7-Star Tera Raids.

But what players feared more than Greninja’s diverse movepool was its potential abilities: Torrent, Protean, and Battle Bond. While the first two abilities offer their own utility, trainers hoped the already daunting boss wouldn’t have Battle Bond.

And this was for two reasons. One, they didn’t want to have to deal with Ash Greninja’s boosted stats. And two, Battle Bond Greninja can’t breed, so players wouldn’t be able to Shiny hunt or breed for a better stats roll.

Does Greninja have Battle Bond ability?

No, the Greninja that appear in 7-Star Tera Raids do not have Battle Bond. Instead, Greninja, caught in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, have the Protean ability.

During the raid, Protean will have no effect as Gen Nine’s Terastalization gimmick nullifies the ability. Outside of Tera Raids, Protean now only activates once per switch in.

How to get Battle Bond Greninja in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

At the time of writing, getting a Greninja with the Battle Bond ability is not possible. Battle Bond Greninja were only given as special gifts from the Sun & Moon Demo on the Nintendo 3DS.

Players might be able to transfer Battle Bond Greninja into Pokemon Scarlet & Violet from Pokemon HOME when it becomes compatible later this month.

Can Greninja breed in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?

Yes, since it has Protean instead of Battle Bond, Greninja can breed in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

How to breed Greninja in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

To start, trainers will need to breed their Greninja with a Ditto, which can be found around the outskirts of Medali and Port Marinada. However, trainers can switch to breeding two Greninja once they have one of each gender.

To breed Greninja:

• Put Greninja and Ditto in your party (no other Pokemon)
• Start a Picnic from the “X” menu
• Collect eggs from the basket near the Picnic Table
• Eggs will automatically be stored in Boxes
• Put eggs in your party and walk to hatch Froakie

And that’s all there is to know about Greninja’s abilities and how to breed it in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. Check out some of our other guides below:

Paldea Pokedex | Best starter Pokemon | How to get Marks in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Are Pokemon Scarlet & Violet compatible with Pokemon Home? | Unlocking 5 & 6-star Tera Raids in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | How to unlock Rotom Phone cases in Scarlet & Violet | How to change clothes in Scarlet & Violet | How to co-op with friends in Scarlet & Violet | All Shiny forms in Scarlet & Violet | Sandwich recipes in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet | Pokemon Scarlet & Violet egg breeding guide | How to get Rare Candy in Scarlet & Violet