Helpful Guide to Natures

[Deneves]

Before we get into natures we need to explain base stats. Base Stats are values given to each pokémon. If you go to PokeFarm’s pokedex you will find Stat Data for each pokémon. Roughly explained these are basic minimum values for each pokémon’s stat . At level 50, add 60 to its base HP and 5 to the other stats to find what their stat would be without Individual Values (IVs) or Effort Values (EVs).
These Base Stats show you what that pokémon’s statistical strengths and weaknesses are. This is important in determining how it will be used in battle and what nature you will want to get when breeding. For instance let’s look at Blissey’s base stats:

HP 255, Attack 10, Defense 10, Special Attack 75, Special Defense 135, Speed 55

If you were to have a Blissey with no IVs or EVs at level 50, its stats would be :

HP 315, Attack 15, Defense 15, Special Attack 80, Special Defense 140, Speed 60

Base Stats of 100 or more are considered very good and as you can see with Blissey, she has exceptional HP and outstanding Special Defense so her primary role on a team will be as a special wall.

Now let’s look at Alakazam‘s base stats:

HP 55, Attack 50, Defense 45, Special Attack 135, Special Defense 85, Speed 120

With his high Special Attack and Speed, we can see that he will be best used as a Special Sweeper

Every pokémon has a nature that can affect these base stats.
There are five neutral natures Hardy, Serious, Bashful, Quirky and Docile that will keep status quo with the base stats and if your pokémon has this nature, it will happily eat anything when it comes to feeding it berries.

The other natures will change the base stats by 10%.

Natures favoring Attack will like spicy food:
Lonely +Attack, - Defense
Adamant +Attack, - Special Attack
Naughty +Attack, - Special Defense
Brave +Attack, - Speed

Natures favoring Defense will like sour food:
Bold +Defense , - Attack
Impish +Defense, - Special Attack
Lax +Defense, - Special Defense
Relaxed +Defense, - Speed

Natures favoring Special Attack will like dry food:
Modest +Special Attack, - Attack
Mild +Special Attack, - Defense
Rash +Special Attack, - Special Defense
Quiet +Special Attack, - Speed

Natures favoring Special Defense will like bitter food:
Calm +Special Defense, - Attack
Gentle +Special Defense, - Defense
Careful +Special Defense, - Special Attack
Sassy +Special Defense, - Speed

Natures favoring Speed will like sweet food:
Timid +Speed, - Attack
Hasty +Speed, - Defense
Jolly +Speed, - Special Attack
Naive +Speed, - Special Defense

[Deneves]

Ideally breeders would like get a nature that benefits a pokémon without hurting them in a stat they might need. Most breeders are reluctant to sacrifice Defense or Special Defense when choosing what nature is best. You can see from the Blissey and Alakazam examples above that the Attack base stat is small so sacrificing 10% of their Attack to add 10% in another stat is an easy decision.

There are three basic schools of thought when it comes to breeding for nature:
1. Go With Your Strengths
Pick the best base stat and find a nature that will increase that stat by 10%. For instance a Blissey with a Calm nature will add 14 stat points to Special Defense just by raising it to level 50, while only costing it 2 stat points in Attack.

2. Cover Your Weaknesses
Let’s look a Milotic’s Base Stats for this one
HP 95, Attack 60 , Defense 79, Special Attack 100, Special Defense 125, Speed 81
As you can see Milotic is an excellent Special Wall and going with a Calm nature would be great as it would add another 13 stat points to its already impressive Special Defense. Many battlers & breeders though would prefer a Bold nature. Even though the 8 point stat increase isn’t as large, it may help it survive a physical attack.

3. Speed Kills
Many pokemon find themselves with the same base speed stats as other pokemon, so many breeders prefer a + Speed nature to outrun them. Also with the fourth generation option of the Choice Scarf, many battlers suddenly find that pokemon can rise above their speed tier to new levels and most pokemon can pull off a Choice Scarf set with + Speed nature.


Other things to consider
Movepool
Different pokemon have different moves they can learn. Salamence for instance has a higher base Attack than its Special Attack, but because it can learn such powerful moves as Fire Blast, Hydro Pump and Draco Meteor it can be effectively bred as a Special Attacker.
Gorebyss has Baton Pass and several stat boosting moves so a defensive nature may be preferred even though its highest stat is in Special Attack.

Role the pokémon will play on your team
Ludicolo has good base stats in Special Defense and Special Attack. If you want it to be an attacker, go with Modest. If you want it as a support pokemon, go with a Calm nature.

Ability
A pokemon’s ability can be important on deciding on a nature. Abilities such as Huge Power, Pure Power, Steadfast, Speed Boost, Marvel Scale or Intimidate could influence what nature would be the most beneficial.

Game Plans
If you plan to use Trick Room, you would want natures that are -Speed.
Rain Dance will double the speed of Swift Swimmers and Sunny Day will double the speed of pokémon with Chlorophyll ability. If you are building a team around those moves keep in mind any increase in base speed is doubled with those weather moves in effect.

[Deneves]

Here are the breeding rules for natures taken from So you want to be a Master Breeder.

Nature Breeding 1:
Breeding a Male Pokémon with a Female Pokémon holding an Everstone will result in a 50% chance for the offspring to have the Female's Nature.

Nature Breeding 2:
Breeding a Male Pokémon with a Ditto holding an Everstone will result in a 50% chance for the offspring to have the Ditto's Nature.

Nature Breeding 3:
Breeding a Female Pokémon with a Ditto holding an Everstone will result in a 50% chance for the offspring to have the Ditto's Nature. If both the Female and Ditto are holding an Everstone it will still only be 50% chance to pass the Nature and it will always be the Nature of the your Ditto. If your Female is holding the Everstone and you are breeding with a Ditto, you will not pass the Female's Nature.

Nature Breeding 4:
Breeding a Genderless Pokémon with a Ditto holding an Everstone will result in a 50% chance for the offspring to have the Ditto's Nature.

Nature Breeding 5:
The 50% chance to pass the Nature is 50% per egg, not per breeding session. If you breed 30 eggs you will not have 15 of the correct Nature and 15 of the wrong Nature.



Starting in HeartGold and SoulSilver, Everstones pass down the nature of the parent 50% of the time regardless of sex or whether one parent is a Ditto. Dittos from another country do not pass down natures.

In closing, I would encourage breeders to strive to produce offspring with beneficial natures when doing farm events. It may require twice the breeding, but your farming event will be better for your efforts.

[Deneves]

New changes in breeding have come with Pokemon version Black 2 and White 2.

Everstones are now 100% effective at passing on natures regardless of which parent is holding it. If both parents of different natures then the results will be 50/50 between the two natures.

Abilities were passed on to offspring at a 50/50 ratio for pokemon with two abilities in previous versions.
Dream world abilities are passed on only if the female has that ability. Offspring have a 60% chance of inheriting the dream world ability and 20% chance of the other two abilities.
In Black 2 and White 2, offspring have a 80% chance of inheriting the mothers ability if it is a non dreamworld ability and 20% of the other abilty. Offspring cannot inherit the dreamworld ability if the female does not possess it. No current means are available to breed dreamworld abilities in nongender or male-only pokemon. Dittoes cannot pass on abilities.