Nature
- Quirky redirects here. For the Pokémon Musical category, see Pokémon Musical → Shows. For the skill in Pokémon Shuffle, see Skill (Shuffle) → Quirky.
- Relaxed redirects here. For the Pokémon Super Contest theme, see Visual Competition.
- Naughty redirects here. For the Natu belonging to McKenzie, see McKenzie → Naughty.
Nature (Japanese: 性格 nature) is a trait that each individual Pokémon has which influences how their stats grow and determines their flavor preferences. The mechanic was introduced in Generation III.
A Pokémon's Nature is displayed on the Pokémon's summary screen. From Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver onward, the stats affected by a Pokémon's Nature are highlighted on their summary screens: the increased stat is notated in red text and the decreased stat is notated in blue text.
Mechanics
A Pokémon's Nature usually affects the value of two of its stats, ultimately increasing one of its non-HP stats (Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, or Speed) by 10% and decreasing another by 10%. Starting in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, the stats increased or decreased by a Pokémon's Nature have (respectively) a red or blue highlight on a Pokémon's summary screen.
Natures also determine the Pokémon's favorite flavor and its disliked flavor: each stat is associated with a flavor, and each Pokémon's favorite flavor is the one associated with the stat increased by its Nature, while it dislikes the flavor associated with the decreased stat. For example, since the Lonely Nature increases a Pokémon's Attack stat (which is associated with the Spicy flavor) and decreases its Defense stat (which is associated with the Sour flavor), a Pokémon with a Lonely Nature has Spicy as its favorite flavor and dislikes Sour flavors.
Every Nature represents one of the 25 unique possible combinations of stat increase and decrease; thus, there are five Natures that have no effect on the Pokémon's stat growth as they technically increase and decrease the same stat (Bashful, Docile, Hardy, Quirky, and Serious).
In Generation VIII, mints were introduced, which change the effect of a Pokémon's Nature on its stats to that of the Nature corresponding to the mint used. This does not change its actual Nature and by extension its flavor preferences, a Toxel's evolution, Natures that would be inherited via Everstone, and the Nature of wild Pokémon encountered using Synchronize.
Determination
A Pokémon's Nature is determined when it is generated by the game: when it is encountered in the wild, when it is obtained as an Egg, or when it is given to the player by a non-player character. In the Generation III games (except Pokémon Emerald) and the Generation V games, a Pokémon's Nature is determined when the player receives the Egg from the Day-Care Man; in Pokémon Emerald and the Generation IV games, a Pokémon's Nature is determined when the Day-Care Man obtains the Egg. A Pokémon's nature cannot be changed once generated.
In Generations III and IV, Nature is determined by the Pokémon's personality value. From Generation V onward, it is stored in an unrelated variable.
A Pokémon transported to Pokémon Bank from a Virtual Console core series game has its nature set upon being transported. Its Nature is the Nature with the index number that corresponds to the Pokémon's total experience in Generation I and II modulo 25 (the Pokémon's experience is then reset to the minimum amount of experience required for its current level).
Breeding
From Pokémon Emerald onward, a Ditto or a female Pokémon that holds an Everstone has a 50% chance of passing its Nature to its offspring. Starting in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver, male Pokémon can also pass on their Nature by holding an Everstone. From Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 onward, a Pokémon holding an Everstone will always pass its Nature to its offspring.
In Generation IV, the Everstone only applies this effect if both Pokémon have the same language of origin. If they do not, the Masuda method applies instead to attempt to make the Pokémon Shiny, thereby unsetting the Nature that had previously been set. From Generation V onward, Nature is independent of the personality value and so both the Everstone and Masuda method can apply at once.
In games where either parent can pass down their Nature, if both Pokémon hold an Everstone, each parent has an equal chance of passing down their Nature to the offspring.
In the wild
Hoenn Safari Zone
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, there are Pokéblock feeders throughout the Safari Zone. If a Pokéblock is placed in a feeder, all wild Pokémon encountered in tall grass and water tiles up to five steps away from the feeder will have a Nature such that, if an identical Pokéblock were thrown at it, the Pokémon would be enthralled (i.e. its preferred flavor dominates its disliked flavor in the Pokéblock); the feeder has no effect if no such Nature exists. Only one Pokéblock may occupy a feeder, and the feeder's effect disappears after 100 steps are taken.
Synchronize
Generations III-V
From Pokémon Emerald onward, if a Pokémon with Synchronize is in the first slot in the party (even if fainted) when a wild Pokémon is encountered, there is a 50% chance that the game will force it to have the same Nature as the Pokémon in the first slot. (Otherwise, the Nature is chosen at random, so the Pokémon still has a 1 in 25 chance of having the same Nature as the lead Pokémon.) This does not apply to roaming Pokémon, Pokémon in the Pokéwalker, or Pokémon in the Entree Forest. In Emerald, it also does not apply to stationary Pokémon (such as Regirock or Rayquaza).
Generation VI
From Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire onward, if a Pokémon with Synchronize is leading the party, gift Pokémon (except Pokémon obtained via Mystery Gift and Eggs) that are in the No Eggs Discovered Egg Group will always have the same Nature as the Pokémon with this Ability.
Generation VII
From Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon onward, if a Pokémon with Synchronize is leading the party, gift Pokémon (except Pokémon obtained via Mystery Gift and Eggs) will always have the same Nature as the Pokémon with this Ability regardless of Egg Group.
Generation VIII
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, if a Pokémon with Synchronize is leading the party, wild Pokémon are now guaranteed to have the same Nature as the leading Pokémon.
Madam Celadon
In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, the player can pay Madam Celadon in the Celadon Pokémon Center $10,000 to force all Pokémon encountered in the wild (including in the GO Park complex and Pokémon the player must defeat in a battle) or received as a gift (including revived fossils, but not in-game trades or Mystery Gift) to have a specific Nature until midnight. Madam Celadon has the player select two flowers whose colors each represent a stat:
- Red for Attack
- Yellow for Defense
- Blue for Special Attack
- Green for Special Defense
- Pink for Speed
The first flower the player chooses determines the stat the Nature increases, and the second flower determines the stat it decreases. While the effect does last for the rest of the day, the player can change the Nature at any time by paying Madam Celadon again. Due to the lack of breeding and Abilities, this is the only way to influence Natures in these games.
List of Natures
The following table lists each one of the 25 Natures and their effects on a Pokémon. Should a nature have both a negative and positive effect on a stat or flavor preference, this effect is cancelled out and the effect results in no change to the characteristics of the given Pokémon.
# | Nature | Japanese | Increased stat | Decreased stat | Favorite flavor | Disliked flavor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | Hardy | がんばりや | Attack | Attack | Spicy | Spicy |
1 | Lonely | さみしがり | Attack | Defense | Spicy | Sour |
2 | Brave | ゆうかん | Attack | Speed | Spicy | Sweet |
3 | Adamant | いじっぱり | Attack | Sp. Attack | Spicy | Dry |
4 | Naughty | やんちゃ | Attack | Sp. Defense | Spicy | Bitter |
5 | Bold | ずぶとい | Defense | Attack | Sour | Spicy |
6 | Docile | すなお | Defense | Defense | Sour | Sour |
7 | Relaxed | のんき | Defense | Speed | Sour | Sweet |
8 | Impish | わんぱく | Defense | Sp. Attack | Sour | Dry |
9 | Lax | のうてんき | Defense | Sp. Defense | Sour | Bitter |
10 | Timid | おくびょう | Speed | Attack | Sweet | Spicy |
11 | Hasty | せっかち | Speed | Defense | Sweet | Sour |
12 | Serious | まじめ | Speed | Speed | Sweet | Sweet |
13 | Jolly | ようき | Speed | Sp. Attack | Sweet | Dry |
14 | Naive | むじゃき | Speed | Sp. Defense | Sweet | Bitter |
15 | Modest | ひかえめ | Sp. Attack | Attack | Dry | Spicy |
16 | Mild | おっとり | Sp. Attack | Defense | Dry | Sour |
17 | Quiet | れいせい | Sp. Attack | Speed | Dry | Sweet |
18 | Bashful | てれや | Sp. Attack | Sp. Attack | Dry | Dry |
19 | Rash | うっかりや | Sp. Attack | Sp. Defense | Dry | Bitter |
20 | Calm | おだやか | Sp. Defense | Attack | Bitter | Spicy |
21 | Gentle | おとなしい | Sp. Defense | Defense | Bitter | Sour |
22 | Sassy | なまいき | Sp. Defense | Speed | Bitter | Sweet |
23 | Careful | しんちょう | Sp. Defense | Sp. Attack | Bitter | Dry |
24 | Quirky | きまぐれ | Sp. Defense | Sp. Defense | Bitter | Bitter |
Stat-focused table
As each Nature uniquely boosts one stat and hinders another, the 25 Natures may also be arranged into a table such as the one shown below.
Nature table | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No change ↘ | Decreased stat ↓ (disliked flavor) | |||||
↓Attack (Spicy) |
↓Defense (Sour) |
↓Speed (Sweet) |
↓Sp.Atk (Dry) |
↓Sp.Def (Bitter) | ||
Increased stat ↑ (favorite flavor) |
↑Attack (Spicy) |
Hardy | Lonely | Brave | Adamant | Naughty |
↑Defense (Sour) |
Bold | Docile | Relaxed | Impish | Lax | |
↑Speed (Sweet) |
Timid | Hasty | Serious | Jolly | Naive | |
↑Sp.Atk (Dry) |
Modest | Mild | Quiet | Bashful | Rash | |
↑Sp.Def (Bitter) |
Calm | Gentle | Sassy | Careful | Quirky |
Other applications
Evolutions
Toxel evolves by level up into Toxtricity at level 30. Whether Toxel evolves into the Amped Form or Low Key Form upon evolution is determined by its base Nature, and is unaffected by Mints.
No change ↘ | ↓Attack | ↓Defense | ↓Speed | ↓Sp.Atk | ↓Sp.Def |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
↑Attack | Hardy | Lonely | Brave | Adamant | Naughty |
↑Defense | Bold | Docile | Relaxed | Impish | Lax |
↑Speed | Timid | Hasty | Serious | Jolly | Naive |
↑Sp.Atk | Modest | Mild | Quiet | Bashful | Rash |
↑Sp.Def | Calm | Gentle | Sassy | Careful | Quirky |
Amped Form • Low Key Form |
Battle Palace
- Main article: Battle Palace
In the Battle Palace and in Verdanturf Town's Battle Tent, Trainers do not control their Pokémon during battle. Instead, Pokémon have different battle styles depending on their Nature.
All moves are grouped into three categories: Attack, Defense (primarily status moves targeting the user), and Support (primarily status moves targeting the opponent).
All Natures have a set ratio of Attack, Defense, and Support moves that Pokémon with that Nature will prefer to use. These ratios may change when the Pokémon's HP falls below 50%. During battle, a Pokémon will select a category in which it wants to attack and then select a random attack from its moveset that fits that category; if no such attack exists, the Pokémon will "appear incapable of using its power" and skip its turn.
Purification
In Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, a Pokémon's Nature influences the efficacy of different purification methods. An action that greatly lowers the Heart Gauge of one Shadow Pokémon might do very little for another one based on their respective Natures.
Other
In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, a man in the house closest to the Sunyshore City Heritage Site asks to see Pokémon with different Natures (Serious, Naive, and Quirky), and will give the player three Pokétch applications in return.
From Generation V onwards, the player can assign a Nature to their Trainer profile. In Generation V, this is part of their Trainer Card and affects what the player will say on others' games at the Unity Tower. In Generation VI, this is part of the player's profile in the Player Search System.
In the spin-off games
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series
This section is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it. Reason: Nature quiz results in RTDX |
In the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, the personality quizzes at the beginning of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team, Blue Rescue Team, Explorers of Time, Explorers of Darkness, and Explorers of Sky assign the player a nature from the core series which, along with their selected gender, determines what Pokémon the player turns into.
A similar quiz is also present in Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, but the Pokémon are not associated with main series natures. As well, the player is allowed to select their own Pokémon afterwards if they do not like the Pokémon determined for them.
In Rescue Team DX, the nature quiz returns, additionally allowing the player to select their own Pokémon again.
Natures in these games only influence the player's Pokémon result, and have no impact on stats.
Nature | Game | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MDRB | MDTDS | |||||
Male | Female | Male | Female | |||
Hardy | Charmander |
Pikachu |
Torchic |
Treecko | ||
Lonely | Cubone |
Psyduck |
Bulbasaur |
Mudkip | ||
Brave | Machop |
Charmander |
Pikachu |
Charmander | ||
Bold | N/A | Turtwig |
Squirtle | |||
Docile | Bulbasaur |
Chikorita |
Charmander |
Bulbasaur | ||
Relaxed | Psyduck |
Squirtle |
MunchlaxTD |
PhanpyS |
MeowthTD |
VulpixS |
Impish | Pikachu |
Cubone |
Piplup |
Chimchar | ||
Timid | Cyndaquil |
Mudkip |
Cyndaquil |
Turtwig | ||
Jolly | Squirtle |
Totodile |
Totodile |
MunchlaxTD |
EeveeS | |
Naive | Totodile |
Eevee |
Chimchar |
Skitty | ||
Hasty | Torchic |
Skitty |
SkittyTD |
ShinxS |
Pikachu | |
Quiet | N/A | Treecko |
Chikorita | |||
Rash | N/A | Mudkip |
Torchic | |||
Calm | Mudkip |
Bulbasaur |
Chikorita |
Cyndaquil | ||
Sassy | Treecko |
Torchic |
MeowthTD |
RioluS |
Totodile | |
Quirky | Meowth |
Treecko |
Squirtle |
Piplup |
Pokémon Sleep
In Pokémon Sleep, Natures determine the following five attributes of helper Pokémon: speed of help (the time it takes for the Pokémon to help gather Berries), energy recovery (how much of the Pokémon's energy is recovered after a sleep session), EXP gains (how much EXP is gained by the Pokémon after sleep research, and through giving the Pokémon Candy and Dream Shards), ingredient finding (how often the Pokémon will find ingredients), and main skill chance (how often the Pokémon's main skill will trigger).
Nature | Increased attribute ▲▲ | Decreased attribute ▼▼ |
---|---|---|
Hardy | — | — |
Lonely | Speed of help | Energy recovery |
Brave | Speed of help | EXP gains |
Adamant | Speed of help | Ingredient finding |
Naughty | Speed of help | Main skill chance |
Bold | Energy recovery | Speed of help |
Docile | — | — |
Relaxed | Energy recovery | EXP gains |
Impish | Energy recovery | Ingredient finding |
Lax | Energy recovery | Main skill chance |
Timid | EXP gains | Speed of help |
Hasty | EXP gains | Energy recovery |
Serious | — | — |
Jolly | EXP gains | Ingredient finding |
Naive | EXP gains | Main skill chance |
Modest | Ingredient finding | Speed of help |
Mild | Ingredient finding | Energy recovery |
Quiet | Ingredient finding | EXP gains |
Bashful | — | — |
Rash | Ingredient finding | Main skill chance |
Calm | Main skill chance | Speed of help |
Gentle | Main skill chance | Energy recovery |
Sassy | Main skill chance | EXP gains |
Careful | Main skill chance | Ingredient finding |
Quirky | — | — |
Attribute-focused table
As each Nature uniquely boosts one attribute and hinders another, the 25 Natures may also be arranged into a table such as the one shown below.
Nature table | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No change ↘ | Decreased attribute ▼▼ | |||||
Speed of help ▼▼ |
Energy recovery ▼▼ |
EXP gains ▼▼ |
Ingredient finding ▼▼ |
Main skill chance ▼▼ | ||
Increased attribute ▲▲ | Speed of help ▲▲ |
Hardy | Lonely | Brave | Adamant | Naughty |
Energy recovery ▲▲ |
Bold | Docile | Relaxed | Impish | Lax | |
EXP gains ▲▲ |
Timid | Hasty | Serious | Jolly | Naive | |
Ingredient finding ▲▲ |
Modest | Mild | Quiet | Bashful | Rash | |
Main skill chance ▲▲ |
Calm | Gentle | Careful | Sassy | Quirky |
In animation
Pokémon the Series
Pokémon the Series: Sun & Moon
Natures were first mentioned in Mounting an Electrifying Charge!, where it was revealed that Sophocles's Charjabug had a Mild Nature. In addition, a young man named Horacio revealed that his Shiny Charjabug had a Timid Nature, which he believed to be perfect for the Charjabug race. However, these references to Natures were removed in the dub.
Pokémon Horizons: The Series
In Welcome to Paldea!, Nidothing made a video about Pokémon Natures.
In the manga
Pokémon Adventures
Since the FireRed & LeafGreen arc, the Natures of each Pokédex holder's Pokémon have been visible on their bios.
In addition, Ruby has a talent of being able to tell a Pokémon's Nature just by observing its moves and body language, allowing him to choose the correct Pokéblock flavor for them.
Trivia
- In Pokémon Emerald, Diamond, and Pearl, the animation speed of the Pokémon in dorsal form when it comes out of its Poké Ball is determined by its Nature. There are three animation speeds for the Pokémon sprite: slow, medium, and fast.
- The animation speed is slow when the Pokémon's Nature is Bashful, Careful, Gentle, Lonely, Mild, Modest, Quiet, or Timid.
- The animation speed is medium when the Pokémon's Nature is Bold, Calm, Docile, Lax, Quirky, Rash, Relaxed, Sassy, or Serious.
- The animation speed is fast when the Pokémon's Nature is Adamant, Brave, Hardy, Hasty, Impish, Jolly, Naive, or Naughty.
- Nature names in Western languages have a maximum of seven characters, while in Japanese and Korean, they have a maximum of five.
In other languages
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Specific Natures
Related articles
Pokémon individuality | ||
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This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |