Pokemon Natures

Much as with humans, Pokémon tend to have wildly different personalities and can often times exhibit completely different behaviors in comparison to other members of the same species. Unlike with humans, however, the Nature of a Pokémon can determine not only its overall likes and dislikes but even the overall development of its stats and its capacity to use moves in battle when a trainer is not allowed to dictate their movements. As such, it is important for trainers to understand how each Nature will affect their Pokémon over the course of its lifetime.

Natures are generally random amongst a given species and are not determined by any outside factors in most cases, but if a Pokémon is allowed to breed with another to produce an Egg, as long as one of the parents is holding an Everstone, the infant is guaranteed to possess the same Nature as the parent holding the item. In addition, a Pokémon with the Synchronize Ability has a 50% chance of encountering a wild Pokémon with the same Nature as it, in turn making it a bit easier for trainers to acquire wild Pokémon with a specific Nature in mind.

LIST OF NATURES

Lonely: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be a bit more difficult to befriend than others as a result of their lifestyle, as they tend to stay by themselves and rarely ever interact with other Pokémon unless they have to. As a result, these creatures tend to be a bit more aggressive when forced into social situation and possess a stronger Attack stat than other Pokémon; in due kind, however, they are not as resistant against the effects of pain psychologically, which triggers a weakening of their physical body and in turn a drop in their overall Defense stat. Pokémon with this Nature tend to enjoy Spicy foods as a substitute for the warmth of friendship (at least psychologically) that they otherwise would never have; in turn, though, they tend to dislike Sour foods as a result of their lower capacity to endure physical pain of any form. Left to their own devices, Pokémon in possession of this Nature will tend to use support moves in battle but will become physically aggressive and in favor of simply attacking the opposition once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Brave: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be more than a bit courageous in their actions and prefer to think and act like a hero for others as much as they can. The penchant these creatures have for suddenly leaping into danger without thinking has the benefit of giving them an adrenaline rush every time they battle, in turn increasing their overall Attack stat; however, this influx of adrenaline also damages their capacity to think and act quickly in battle, in turn making their reaction times and overall Speed stat lower than normal. Pokémon with this nature tend to enjoy Spicy foods as a result of the increased confidence their adrenaline boost gives, but they in turn cannot handle Sweet foods, as they are often looked at as if they are something for infants to enjoy and not 'fully-grown' Pokémon. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will tend to favor attack moves at first but will switch over to using more defensive moves once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Adamant: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be extremely stubborn about their choices and are almost always unwilling to easily compromise when there is a difference between what they want and what others want. In turn, these beasts tend to feel superior to other life forms and always attack things aggressively when they don't go their way, increasing their adrenaline levels and their overall Attack stat at the expense of their capacity to concentrate and use their special powers in battle, in turn decreasing their overall Special Attack stat. These creatures tend to enjoy Spicy foods as a result of their uncompromising and relatively aggressive attitudes but tend to have issues with producing enough saliva (due to heating and evaporation from the heat in their body that comes from adrenaline rushes) to handle Dry foods, often times leading them to vomit food that is too dry for their already parched throats to handle. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this nature will barely utilize attack moves above support and defensive moves but will become dominantly attack-based once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Naughty: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be more than a bit disobedient and rarely ever respect the wishes of their trainer at first, though this can be corrected with enough practice and trust. These creatures are overly aggressive in battle as a result of their wild nature and tend to excel greatly in regards to their Attack stat, but their Nature also makes their bodies less capable of protecting against damage from special attacks (and thus has a lower Special Defense stat); the reason for this side-effect is still unknown, but it is believed by some that it might have something to do with nerve damage between the brain and the rest of the body. Pokémon with this Nature tend to enjoy the wild and exciting taste of Spicy food but dislike the taste of Bitter food and often times see it as a form of punishment that only makes them even harder to control. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will generally utilize defensive moves in battle but will quickly become aggravated and offensively-focused once their HP stat drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Hardy: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be rather friendly in most cases but are extremely difficult to overcome in battle. In the wild, these creatures are known for their psychological resilience against all manners of attacks and are effectively immune to any and all psychological damage that may come from the environment, though this is not always the case when facing an opponent. On the one hand, this hardiness makes these creatures confident and more likely to hold back their power, reducing their Attack stat in the process; however, this same hardiness generally gives them a decent adrenaline rush when battling, in turn raising their Attack stat and nullifying any change to the stat completely. These creatures do not have any major taste preferences and will rely heavily on attack moves when left to their own devices in battle.

Bold: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be overly-courageous and confident with their abilities and rarely show much fear in challenging opponents, no matter how much more powerful they in fact be in comparison. As a result of this bold psychological stance, these creatures ted to have a much greater tolerance for pain and are able to resist physical damage much more so than other members of the same species (and thus have a higher Defense stat) but are equally at a detriment in that their attitude makes them overly-confident in their power and thus likely to attack with less than their full power, reducing their Attack stat in the process. These creatures tend to enjoy Sour foods a great deal and are never afraid to eat something no matter how Sour it might be, but on that same token, they don't like being surprised by certain flavors and likewise do not enjoy Spicy food. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will tend to utilize support moves more often than other moves, though only by a bit, and will switch their preferences to defensive moves when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Relaxed: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are usually more easy-going than similar members of a species and are often times comfortable with doing nothing in battle, even if it is at the expense of their battle skills. These creatures tend to have much more relaxed frames and muscles than others and are able to use the elasticity of their relaxed muscles to absorb physical punishment better, in turn granting them a higher Defense stat; sadly, this Nature has the additional effect of making the possessor slower-thinking and less response to attack in many cases, in turn granting them a lower Speed stat. Pokémon in possession of this Nature enjoy the vibrant flavor of Sour foods but are too nonchalant in personality to find much appeal in candy and similar items, in turn granting them distaste for Sweet food. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will generally stick to support moves for most of a battle but will become extremely aggressive and attack-oriented once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Impish: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be mischievous to a fault and enjoy pulling pranks on others a great deal in and outside of battle. These creatures are often times punished forcefully by others for their misdeeds and are rarely taken lightly in the wild; as a result, Pokémon of this Nature tend to be more resilient at taking physical punishment and therefore have a higher Defense stat, but this in turn makes it much more difficult to concentrate and utilize their special powers in battle, effectively reducing their Special Attack stat. Pokémon with this Nature tend to enjoy the striking flavor of Sour food but have a difficult time handling Dry food, mainly because they tend to be a bit hyperactive and have difficulty swallowing Dry food without some sort of lubricant. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will usually stick to basic attacks in battle but will automatically become much more inclined to take defensive measures when their HP drops to 50% off its maximum value.

Lax: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are usually a bit careless with their actions and rarely ever think things through in battle and in the wild, in turn making life difficult in the case of avoiding predators or not aggravating a much stronger opponent. These creatures have managed to adapt to their own flaws by increasing their resistance against physical punishment in the wild (and thus have a higher Defense stat) as a form of protection, but their careless natures prevent them from doing this adequately for energy-based attacks, in turn granting them a lower Special Defense stat. Pokémon with this Nature enjoy carelessly eating Sour foods just for the wonderful kick in flavor they tend to have when one is not expecting one, but in due kind, they cannot stand the overpowering Bitter flavor of certain foods (as it is certainly not a flavor that that should be tackled without care). Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will generally stick with support moves in battle and this penchant will only increase further when their HP drops below 50% of its maximum value.

Docile: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are generally quite easy to work with and are easy to train in any fashion a trainer desires. This tends to makes these creatures more vulnerable to attack in the wild, but in battle, it is a pleasant trait that serves to both lower their physical defenses as a result of not expecting abuse and raise them at the same time as a precaution against surprise attacks, in turn cancelling the effects out and leaving no major change in stats. These Pokémon are usually not difficult to work with but they can be easy to abuse as they will generally try to avoid fighting, so to say that this personality is seen as one of the less advantageous in the wild and under ownership is an understatement. Pokémon with this Nature do not have any particular taste preferences and will surprisingly tend to stick to attacking the opposition at full force when left to their own devices.

Timid: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are usually frightened quite easily and do not have the courage to take on stronger foes in most cases, making them a pain to train and deal with in. Even so, these creatures have managed to make something out of their fear issues and have adapted to moving away quite fast when something suddenly frightens them, in turn granting them a higher Speed stat; the only downside is that their timidity makes it difficult for them to attack at full force without fearing a direct counterattack, in turn lowering their Attack stat. Pokémon with this Nature tend to like the Sweet taste of food like candy not only because the flavor itself is calming in a sense but because it can make them hyperactive if the sweet taste is coming from sugar, in turn making them more aware of their surroundings and better-adapted to avoid surprise attacks, though they can't take the oppressively frightening taste of Spicy food. Left to their own devices, Pokémon of this Nature will generally rely on attack moves for the most part but will quickly switch to dominantly using support moves when they are frightened or their HP otherwise drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Hasty: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to commit their actions in a slapdash manner and are always trying to get things done as quickly as they can even if they end up getting something wrong in the process. The fact that these creatures are constantly nervous and commit their actions in the wild and battle without thinking benefits them in that it grants them greater agility and thus a higher Speed stat, but at the same time it is a detriment because the possessor acts without properly preparing itself for counterattacks, in turn lowering its Defense stat. Pokémon with this Nature tend to enjoy the quick and delightful taste of Sweet food a great deal but have a hard time dealing with flavors that last a long time on the taste buds, in particular Sour foods. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will generally rely on basic attacks slightly more than half the time in battle but will become dominantly offensive fighters the moment their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Jolly: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be happy almost all of the time and are very difficult to depress in any sort of situation. As a result of this, these creatures enjoy moving around a lot and playing with others a great deal, in granting them a higher Speed stat; as a consequence of their happy-go-lucky attitude, however, these creature have a difficult time concentrating energy for special attacks and thus have a lower Special Attack stat. Pokémon with this Nature enjoying the uplifting flavor of Sweet food but have a hard time dealing with food that has a Dry flavor, likely because it is psychologically depressing to them. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature do not like to attack others and will usually stick to support moves in battle but will switch readily to taking a defensive position when their HP drops below 50% of its maximum value.

Naive: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to act out of inexperience and generally do not have the capacity to remember and retain information about opponents that easily, in turn making it difficult for them to make a move with any sort of gained experience in battle. On the one hand, this is an advantage as it makes these creature much more likely to attack on instinct before they can even think and thus grants them a higher Speed stat; on the other hand, though, this makes it very difficult for them to brace themselves against non-physical forms of punishment that their body cannot prepare by itself, in turn making their Special Defense stat lower than normal. Pokémon in possession of this Nature generally enjoy the Sweet, surprising flavor of certain foods but have a hard time eating foods with flavors that can actually hurt when one does not have the capacity to readily remember how something tastes, particular in regards to Bitter food. Left to their own devices, these creatures will only occasionally utilize defensive or support moves, instead choosing to heavily utilize attack moves only, even when their HP stat drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Serious: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be difficult for trainers to work with in regards to kind treatment as they take everything in their life a bit too seriously for some. Even the smallest things seem to aggravate these creatures, in turn making them difficult to deal with without adhering to the same seriously strict regimen they follow every day. As a result of this attitude, these creatures are less likely to run away quickly from battle and thus experience some loss in Speed, but this loss is cancelled out by their capacity to focus on opponents and deliver attacks and counterattacks much more swiftly in battle, resulting in no stat change. Pokémon with this Nature do not have any taste preferences and will generally stick with support moves when left to their own devices, even more so when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Modest: Pokémon in possession of this Nature prefer to keep their true power hidden from others and instead only fight back with modest effort in any battle, making them a bit difficult to fully exploit for a victory. This trait might make them difficult to work with in most cases, but as a plus, this modesty makes it easier for them to focus their special powers and turns grants them a higher Special Attack stat than normal. Along these same lines, however, these creatures generally do not using their full physical strength in battle because it seems too showy, in turn giving them a lower Attack stat. Pokémon that have this Nature tend to enjoy bland, Dry food as a result of their subtle flavor and in turn have a general distaste for vibrantly Spicy foods, as their taste buds can't handle the sheer ferocity of the flavor. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will usually moderate between offensive and defensive measures in battle, but they will quickly switch to taking a dominantly defensive position when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Mild: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are generally what one would often describe as an average fighter, but this extends past them as fighters and in fact describes their personality. Creatures with this kind of disposition tend to think calmly and rarely ever let their emotions rise very high in any category, in turn making them seem almost bland. While this has the benefit of allowing them to concentrate their special powers better and thus have a higher Special Attack stat, it lowers their capacity to prepare for and emotionally resist the effects of physical pain, granting them a lower Defense stat. Pokémon in possession of this Nature enjoy the simple, bland taste of Dry food and have little in the way of taste preferences otherwise, but they absolutely hate the strong and muscle-clenching taste of Sour food. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature tend to utilize offensive and defensive moves evenly in battle but will heavily begin changing their tactics to using support moves once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Quiet: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are, as one might expect, very quiet and tend to stay out of harm's way as much as possible, saying and doing as little as possible in order to hide themselves, even in plain view. For trainers, this is a bit of a mixed blessing, as these Pokémon will rarely ask for much attention and seem to prefer not getting any as long as they live. In battle, this allows them to concentrate even better on their special powers and thus grants them a higher Special Attack stat, but it also makes them overly-cautious about making any noise or revealing themselves, making their Speed stat lower than normal. Pokémon with this Nature enjoy a great deal the silent but powerful taste of Dry food but absolutely abhor the 'loud' and brilliant taste of Sweet food. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will generally stick to attack moves more than half the time with little change, even if their HP does manage to drop to 50% of its maximum value.

Rash: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to act before thinking on a regular basis and are more than likely to jump into a dangerous situation without planning their actions out, making them bit difficult to deal with early-on. These creatures are able use their rashness to actually accelerate their capacity to gather energy for special attacks, in turn increasing their overall Special Attack in the process; however, this comes with the drawback of draining energy form their bodies at an increased rate, in turn leaving them more vulnerable to the effects of other special attacks and thus a lower Special Defense stat. Pokémon with this nature enjoy the bland taste of Dry food a great deal but have a bad habit of eating Bitter foods without caution, making the otherwise unbearable flavor even worse and thus a treat highly disliked. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature tend to use support moves in battle most of the time, a trait that only becomes more drastic when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Bashful: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be a bit shy and rarely ever interact with others as a result of this; while this makes them less than sociable, however, it of very little detriment to one's overall stats. This Nature tends to make it much easier for Pokémon to concentrate and harness the power needed for their special attacks, but at the same time it makes them more hesitant to attack at long-range, cancelling out the effects of both features and effectively resulting in no stat changes. Pokémon with this Nature are usually a bit difficult to introduce to other Pokémon, but in most cases, this feature can be overridden almost completely with practice and training. Pokémon with this Nature do not have any flavor preferences when it comes to food and tend to stick to defensive moves when left to their own devices, even when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Calm: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are usually quite calm in just about any situation and rarely ever show much in the way of emotion in any battle; while this can prove to be a decent psychological weapon against certain types of opponents, this trait also makes it much more difficult for trainers to gauge just how angry or badly damaged their Pokémon is. As a result of this general attitude, these creatures are better able to control their special resistances and thus have a higher Special Defense stat but are unable to strike with the same ferocity an opponent might have in close-quarters, in turn lowering their Attack stat. Pokémon with this Nature tend to be attracted to the extreme taste of Bitter foods as a countermeasure to their otherwise emotionless stance, but they cannot stand Spicy food as a result of its intense and over-the-top flavor. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature tend to utilize both attack and defensive moves about evenly, but they will switch over to heavily relying on defensive moves when their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Gentle: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are effectively what they sound like and are truly gentle in every sense of the word. Whether it is in battle or out in the wild, these creatures are always careful to play nicely with others and almost never choose to be mean or cruel to any creature around them. On the one hand, this makes them very easy to train and allows them to concentrate better on their resistance against energy-based attacks, granting them a higher Special Defense stat; on the other hand, though, this makes them much less likely to guard against close-quarters attacks, in turn granting them a lower Defense stat. Pokémon with this Nature seem to enjoy the otherwise nasty Bitter flavor of certain foods (possibly as a countermeasure that keeps them from being extremely bland in personality) but they cannot stand Sour food, apparently because their taste buds are a bit more sensitive to the flavor than others. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature will dominantly rely on defensive moves in battle at first but will lose control and begin aggressively attacking with direct-damage moves dominantly once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Sassy: Pokémon in possession of this Nature tend to be a bit rambunctious and bold in nature and absolutely love to taunt others, goading them into striking without thinking and thus leaving them open to attack. These creatures are usually a bit more than difficult for trainers to handle early on, but as with most other Natures, they can be controlled with practice and training. For these creatures, their general attitude makes them more inclined to stick around and hold their ground in battle, allowing them to more readily absorb damage from special attacks and thus have a higher Special Defense stat; on that same token, however, they are a bit more reluctant to move at all unless needed, lowering their overall Speed stat. Pokémon with this Nature seem to thrive off of the dangerous but exciting Bitter flavor of certain foods but cannot stand the simple and sickening flavor of many Sweet foods. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature dominantly rely on attack moves but will defy their Sassy Nature and generally switch to using support moves once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value.

Careful: Pokémon in possession of this Nature are a bit more than cautious in just about any encounter and tend to think a great deal about their actions in battle before making them as opposed to the reverse situation with Pokémon that have a Rash Nature. In battle, this allows these creatures to better prepare their bodies for the effects of long-range strikes and thus have an overall grater Special Defense stat, but in turn they are less likely to have the concentration ability needed to properly use their special attacks, reducing their overall Special Attack stat. Pokémon with this Nature are strangely attracted to the nasty flavor of Bitter foods (likely because their Nature makes it easier for them to prepare and thus reduce the overall bite a Bitter food might have), though this also means that they cannot stand the Dry flavor of certain foods, as it is a flavor that can prove to be quite painful if tasted for too long. Left to their own devices, Pokémon with this Nature tend to rely on attack and defensive moves in battle, but once their HP drops to 50% of its maximum value, these creatures will switch from defensive to support moves but will still rely on actual attacks in battle at around the same frequency.

Quirky: Pokémon in possession of this Nature generally act in abnormal ways that are too numerous to list here but are nonetheless strikingly different from what one might expect. As an example, a Gyarados with this Nature might be extremely friendly and more likely to hug an opponent than bite its head off. This bizarre Nature still has much to reveal about its functions, but it can at least be said that it has the effect of making Pokémon less likely to brace themselves against the effects of special attacks but also more likely to be able to see and prepare for special attacks beforehand, resulting in a cancellation of both effects and thus no stat change. The reasoning behind this strange combination has yet to be determined, but it is commonly attributed to development issues while an infant is still in an Egg. Pokémon with this Nature do not have any serious taste preferences and will generally stick to using attack moves most of the time, even when their HP does drop to 50% of its maximum value.

Professor Wormwood