Pokemon Natures

Pokemon Natures have been around since the Third Generation of Pokemon - stat highlighted in red symbolizes an increase, blue a decrease - and much like Individual and Effort Values, they are essential in maximizing the stats and overall potential of any Pokemon. In all actuality though, Pokemon Natures only increase a given stats by a mere ten percent (and decrease another by the same value). This might not seem like that grand of a difference, but it can make a good Pokemon into a great Pokemon, or even a great Pokemon into an ultra-powerful one. It’s so important that most competitive players will trash a Pokemon if it doesn’t have the proper nature for success! Not so insignificant now, huh?

And in this here article we will personally examine all the Nature found in the World of Pokemon, going in great detail to describe each of them. We will even examine how popular the natures are and where they are most used or seen. We will also explore a few items and tricks that can aid you in successfully obtaining a Pokemon with the perfect nature you are looking for! From a beginning trainer to an experience Pokemon Master, this information is key for your success! So come one, come all!

Want to express some of your tips on Pokemon Natures? Want to add something else? Think we missed something? Want to express your thoughts on this article? You can do so at any time in the comment section below! We’d love to hear from you, no matter what you would like to say of share!

The Neutral Natures

Neutral Natures are natures that have no effect on any stat whatsoever - increasing no stat and and decreasing no stat - thus the name of Neutral Nature. There are five neutral natures currently in Pokemon: Bashful, Docile, Hardy, Quirky and Serious. But honestly, no one that plays Pokemon competitively uses these natures on any Pokemon besides Ditto. This is due to to just how valuable the ten percent increase to that one given stat, and how minor the ten percent decrease is to a technically useless stat. Ditto is the only exception, and that’s because when Ditto transforms (whether by its ability or the move itself), its stats will match that of the opponent and thus its ability doesn’t truly matter. This also goes for Ditto’s Effort Values outside of its Hit Points Stats, since that is the only stat that doesn’t replicate in the process.

Unless you’re using Ditto on your Pokemon Team, NEVER use a Neutral Nature on a Pokemon. Just don’t do it.

Speed Increase Natures

One of the most used and scene natures in the competitive world of Pokemon are ones that increase speed, especially for Pokemon that are built with impressive offensive capabilities that can sweep entire teams. These natures include Timid (+Speed, -Attack), Hasty (+Speed, -Defense), Jolly (+Speed, -Special Attack), and Naive (+Speed, -Special Defense).

Out of these four natures, Jolly and Timid are seen the most often. This is because most Sweeper Pokemon specialize in either Attack or Special Attack, and they don’t need the other. That’s why they could use the speed boost while not being affected by the decrease, usually having enough Attack or Special Attack to not need a boost in these areas. A Pokemon like Alakazam is usually seen with the Timid Nature, since speed is usually the most important stat in Pokemon (the Pokemon with the highest speed moves first) and it already has enough Special Attack to spare.

Hasty and Naive are seen with Mixed Sweepers, or Pokemon that need more speed that use both Attack and Special Attack Moves. Thus, they sacrifice either their Defense or Special Defense to substitute this.

Attack Increase Natures

More commonly seen natures on Sweeper Pokemon are ones that increase their Attack Stat, but this only applies, of course, to Physical Sweepers (use Attack Stat, not Special Attack). However, these natures are mainly used on Physical Attackers that have enough speed to spare or that of more bulky, defensive traits. These natures include Lonely (+Attack, -Defense), Brave (+Attack, -Speed), Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack), and Naughty (+Attack, -Special Defense).

Out of the four natures, Adamant is usually chosen since a Physical Attacker doesn’t need more Special Attack. Pokemon like Blaziken are usually seen with the Adamant Nature, since its ability of Speed Boost automatically raises its Speed. Brave Nature can be substituted if you’re running a Trick Room Team, since this will help it lose speed and go first during this five-turn period of allowing slower Pokemon move first.

Naughty and Lonely Nature are almost never used, because there is absolutely no need to sacrifice your defenses. Perhaps if you’re running a Mixed Speed Boost Blaziken that needs both its Attack and Special Attack, but Blaziken is never seen this way.

Special Attack Increase Natures

Four more commonly seen natures are included here, used mainly for Special Attack Sweepers. Much like Attack Sweepers that need more Attack Stat in their natures, these Pokemon are more bulky or have enough speed to further boost their Special Attack.These natures include Modest (+Special Attack, -Attack), Mild (+Special Attack, -Defense), Quiet (+Special Attack, -Speed), and Rash (+Special Attack, -Special Defense).

Out of these four natures, only Modest is usually seen here. You don’t want to sacrifice speed, unless you are using one of those more bulky Pokemon or are running a Trick Room Team. You also don’t want to lose anymore defensive stats since these PoKemon are usually frail, unless you want to run a Mixed Sweeper that needs more Special Attack instead of Attack or Speed. Modest usually works best, since these Pokemon really don’t need more attack.

Pokemon like Volcarona and Volcanion usually are seen with these natures, especially Modest. Volcarona has moves that can help further boost its Speed, and Volcanion is bulky enough and is already lacking in speed to need it.

Defense Increase Natures

Unlike the other Increasing Natures, outside of Special Defense, Defense Increase Natures are usually only seen Pokemon that like to stall or heal in battle, healing their allies or slowly killing off their opposition. These nature include Bold (+Defense, -Attack), Relaxed (+Defense, -Speed), Impish (+Defense, -Special Attack), and Lax (+Defense, -Special Defense).

Lax Nature is usually never seen because if are wanting more Defense, you usually don’t want to sacrifice Special Defense since you are usually using a Defensive Pokemon. The other three natures for Defense are all seen quite often. Relaxed can be used for Pokemon that don’t have much speed already, like most Pokemon that are seen defensive instead of offensive. Bold and Impish also work great, since it yet still allows the Pokemon to have either Physical Attacks or Special Attacks in their backup arsenal.

Pokemon like Chansey love these Natures, since Chansey already WAY enough Hit Points and Special Defense. It’s lacking in Defense and loves to slowly kill off Pokemon, so these natures work perfectly for it!

Special Defense Increase Natures

Like the Defensive Increase Natures, the Special Defense Natures aren’t seen outside of bulky defensive Pokemon that like to slowly kill off their opponents. They usually need this boost because their Defense is already sufficient enough to hold off Pokemon. They include the natures of Calm (+Special Defense, -Attack), Gentle (+Special Defense, -Defense), Sassy (+Special Defense, -Speed), and Careful (+Special Defense, -Special Attack).

Like the Defense Natures, all of these natures can be seen and used when wanting to further boost your Special Defense, outside, of course, the Gentle Nature. Odds are if you want more Special Defense you already have more than enough Defense, so you don’t want to lower that with the Gentle Nature. The other abilities work, depending on if you can stand to lose Speed (Trick Room), or some Attack or Special Attack.

Defensive Pokemon like Shuckle, Aggron, Mega Aggron, and Skarmory are just a few that might be seen to boost their Special Defense.

PokeBlocks, Berries, Moves & Contests

But natures don’t just apply to Pokemon and their statistics, but they also play a role in Pokemon Contests and Berries!

Pokemon with Attack Increase Natures prefer Spicy Berries, Poffins and PokeBlocks, they excel in Cool Contests and needs moves of the same category to do well, and Figy Berries specifically can cure these Pokemon of confusion.

Pokemon with Defense Increase Natures prefer Sour Berries, Poffins and PokeBlocks, they excel in Tough Contests and loves moves of the same category in order to further boost this, and Iapapa Berries specifically can cure these Pokemon of confusion.

Pokemon with Special Attack Increase Natures prefer Dry Berries, Poffins and PokeBlocks, they excel in Beauty Contests and prefer moves of the same category to achieve this, and Wiki Berries will cure them of confusion.

Pokemon with Special Defense Increase Natures love Bitter Berries, Poffins and PokeBlocks, they love Smart Contests and love moves of the same category to dominate this category, and Aguva Berries will cure them of confusion.

And lastly, Pokemon with Speed Increase Natures enjoy Sweet Berries, Poffins and PokeBlocks, they are best in Cute Contests and prefer moves of the same category to help dominate them, and Mago Berry cures them of confusion.

Neutral Natures prefer no specific Berry, Poffin or PokeBlock, and they don’t have any particular Berry or Contest of their choice.

The Everstone Nature Breeding Tip

Another thing that influences natures, oddly enough, is the Everstone. The Everstone is usually an item held by Pokemon to prevent it from evolving, whether by leveling up and even trading, but it can also be used when breeding Pokemon to pass along a given nature. If you place a Pokemon in the Daycare while holding the Everstone and it produces an Egg, that offspring Pokemon will have the same nature as its parent Pokemon holding the everstone. If two parent Pokemon are each holding an everstone, the offspring could have either of those natures.

This trick allows a trainer to get the perfect nature they are looking for during breeding EVERY TIME. No need to search over and over now with this aspect!

Now You Know

Now that you know everything about Pokemon Natures, you are better suited to dominate both the Contest Scene in-game and the Competitive Scene online!

Don’t forget to comment below with all of your thoughts!

Now go show off your skills!