What are Pokémon natures?
A nature is a personality trait assigned to every Pokémon that raises one of its five main stats (Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def or Speed) by 10% and lowers another by 10%. HP is never affected. There are 25 natures in total: 20 that change stats and 5 "neutral" natures (Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful and Quirky) that raise and lower the same stat, cancelling out. Natures have shaped competitive Pokémon since Generation 3.
Full Pokémon nature chart (all 25)
| Nature | Raises (+10%) | Lowers (−10%) |
|---|---|---|
| Neutral (Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful, Quirky) | no change | no change |
| Lonely | +Attack | −Defense |
| Adamant | +Attack | −Sp. Atk |
| Naughty | +Attack | −Sp. Def |
| Brave | +Attack | −Speed |
| Bold | +Defense | −Attack |
| Impish | +Defense | −Sp. Atk |
| Lax | +Defense | −Sp. Def |
| Relaxed | +Defense | −Speed |
| Modest | +Sp. Atk | −Attack |
| Mild | +Sp. Atk | −Defense |
| Rash | +Sp. Atk | −Sp. Def |
| Quiet | +Sp. Atk | −Speed |
| Calm | +Sp. Def | −Attack |
| Gentle | +Sp. Def | −Defense |
| Careful | +Sp. Def | −Sp. Atk |
| Sassy | +Sp. Def | −Speed |
| Timid | +Speed | −Attack |
| Hasty | +Speed | −Defense |
| Jolly | +Speed | −Sp. Atk |
| Naive | +Speed | −Sp. Def |
Neutral natures raise and lower the same stat, so they have no net effect. Use the finder above to jump straight to the nature you need.
Best natures for competitive play
The ideal nature raises your Pokémon's most important stat and lowers one it does not use. The staples are:
- Adamant (+Attack, −Sp. Atk) for physical attackers.
- Jolly (+Speed, −Sp. Atk) for fast physical sweepers.
- Modest (+Sp. Atk, −Attack) for special attackers.
- Timid (+Speed, −Attack) for fast special sweepers.
- Bold (+Defense, −Attack) and Calm (+Sp. Def, −Attack) for defensive walls.
The rule of thumb: never lower a stat your Pokémon actually relies on. A pure physical attacker happily drops Sp. Atk; a wall drops the offensive stat it does not use.
How to change a Pokémon's nature
From Generation 8 onward you can use Mints (bought with Battle Points) to change which stats a Pokémon's nature boosts, without changing the nature shown on its summary. When breeding, give the parent an Everstone to pass its nature down to the egg, so you can lock in the nature you want. Before Mints existed, the nature was fixed for a Pokémon's whole life.
More tools and generators
- Random Pokémon Generator, the full tool covering all 1,025 Pokémon.
- Pokémon Name Generator for real names and nicknames.
- Who's That Pokémon? silhouette game.
Learn more
- Bulbapedia: Nature, the full mechanics including liked and disliked flavours.
- Serebii.net: Natures, the nature list with flavour preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Pokémon natures are there?
There are 25 natures. 20 of them raise one stat by 10% and lower another by 10%, and 5 are neutral (Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful and Quirky) because they raise and lower the same stat.
What does a nature do?
A nature increases one of a Pokémon's five main stats by 10% and decreases another by 10%. HP is never changed. Over a competitive battle that 10% swing can be decisive.
What is the best nature?
It depends on the Pokémon. Adamant is best for physical attackers, Modest for special attackers, Jolly and Timid for fast sweepers, and Bold or Calm for defensive walls. Always lower a stat the Pokémon does not use.
Which natures are neutral?
Hardy, Docile, Serious, Bashful and Quirky are neutral. Each one raises and lowers the same stat, so it has no net effect on the Pokémon.
How do I change a Pokémon's nature?
From Generation 8 you can use Mints to change which stats the nature affects. When breeding, hold an Everstone on a parent to pass its nature to the egg.
Does nature affect HP?
No. Natures only ever affect Attack, Defense, Sp. Atk, Sp. Def and Speed. HP is never raised or lowered by a nature.