How to Change a Pokemon's Nature

This is a guide on how to change natures in Pokemon Sword and Shield. If you would like to know more about Pokemon natures and how they can be changed, including what effect this will have, please read on.

How to Change Natures

Use mints to change a Pokemon's stat growth

Through the introduction of Mints, you can change the rate at which a Pokemon's stats increase as they level up. One thing to take note of however is that you do not change the nature itself, but rather the effect that the Pokemon's nature has on it. Therefore a Pokemon which has an Impish nature and receives a Modest Mint will still have Impish nature displayed in its stats, but its stat growth will be that of a Pokemon with a Modest nature.

Effects of Mints and Where to Find Mints

Using Mints

Mints can be found at the Other Items section of your bag. Give it to your Pokemon to change its Nature.

Changing Stats

Take Pikachu's Stats as an example. Its current stats are as follows:

The image and table below show Pikachu's stats after giving it a Modest Mint.

The changed values are shown in red below.

Each kind of Mint changes a different set of stats. Use this to your advantage in obtaining your Pokemon's best stats!

Inheriting Nature

The Everstone allows a parent to pass down its nature

When a Pokemon holds the Everstone and bears an egg at the Day Care Center, it can pass its nature on to the offspring. This will work 100% of the time, making it much easier to give an offspring the nature that you want it to have.

Synchronize can be used with wild Pokemon

Pokemon with the ability Synchronize can also pass on their nature to random Pokemon encountered in the wild. This happens only when the Pokemon with Synchronize is the first Pokemon in your party.

However, do note that this will not work on Legendary Pokemon.

What are Natures?

A way of determining a Pokemon's stat growth

A Pokemon's nature allows you to determine which stats grow quicker than others. Stats that grow more easily have an increased growth of 1.1 times, so ideally it should be a stat that works well with that Pokemon's properties.

You can also determine which stats grow slowly

In addition to stats that grow quickly, Nature also tells us which stats grow slowly. Pokemon that mainly rely on physical attacks should ideally have a slowly growing Special Attack, while Special attackers should ideally have a slow growing Attack stat. The method of selecting the correct nature for a Pokemon is having one that highlights its strengths while simultaneously making its unused stat into a dump stat.

Stat Changes from Natures

List of Natures

◯：Grows faster (1.1 times), ☓：Grows slowly (0.9 times), No Symbol：No changes

Pokemon Sword and Shield Related Links

Breed & Train Competitive Pokemon

How to Breed & Train for Competitive Pokemon