Natures

3min read

Written by Scarlet Andrews

Natures are an important part of ensuring your Pokémon are ready to compete - a 10% increase to a stat (and 10% decrease to another) makes a huge difference! 

Table with values for state increases and decreases based on the pokemon's nature

How to Find Wild Pokémon with the Desired Nature

Amongst a vast array of other handy quality of life changes in Pokémon Sword and Shield, Game Freak chose to make the Synchronise Ability a good bit more useful. If the Pokémon at the front of your party (regardless if it is healthy or fainted) has the Synchronise ability, all wild Pokémon you find will have the same Nature. Please note that this uses the Pokémon’s original Nature, ignoring any Mints that it has consumed. If you’re not sure what your Pokémon’s original Nature is, you can check on the fourth page of its Summary menu. 

Breeding Down Natures

Passing down a Pokémon’s Nature during breeding is incredibly easy. If one of the parents holds an Everstone, its original Nature will be passed down to the offspring 100% of the time. Keep in mind that if a Regional Variant Pokémon holds an Everstone, for example an Alolan Vulpix, it will pass down its forme to the offspring as well as the Nature. 

Changing Natures

Also in Generation 8’s wave of quality of life changes came the magnificent Mints! Mints come in 21 different flavors - one for each Nature that has an impact on stats, as well as the Serious Mint. Using a Mint on a Pokémon changes its stats to reflect the Nature the Mint represents. 

Mints do not change the Pokémon’s original Nature - for example, if you are using a ‘Pinch’ Berry (Figy, Wiki, Aguav, Mago or Iapapa Berry) on a minted Pokémon, you will need to check its original Nature to ensure the Berry does not confuse it on consumption. 

Obtaining Mints

There are two ways to obtain Mints in Pokémon Sword and Shield. The first is purchasing them in the left-most Battle Tower shop for 50 BP each. 

Character talking to NPC at Battle Tower shop counter
Menu listing of all mints available in the BP Shop along with the price of each

The second option is Mint farming - there is a small island in the Insular Sea just southwest of Honeycalm Island where Mints spawn as sparkling spots! On this island, there are 6 sparkling spots - 5 of them have a high chance to be Mints, and one is always a Galarica Twig.

Map of Isle of Armor with island southwest of Honeycalm Island circled

You can repeatedly obtain these items by following this guide:

  1. Do a loop around the island and pick up all the items (locations below)

  2. Approach the Max Raid Den on the island and throw in a Wishing Piece. 

  3. Skip forward a day (guide here)

  4. Open Camp or encounter a Wild Pokemon - this will respawn all the items.

  5. Repeat as many times as you want!

Please note that although Mints have a high chance to spawn in these spots, sometimes you will receive items like Energy Powder, Jars of Honey or Wishing Pieces instead.

The items can be found in the following locations:

Location 1: Gives +Speed Nature Mints (Timid, Hasty, Jolly, Naive)

character with fletching standing by item sparkle that gives plus speed nature mints

Location 3: Gives +Sp. Atk Nature Mints (Modest, Mild, Rash, Quiet)

character with fletching standing by item sparkle that gives plus special attack nature mints

Location 2: Gives +Defense Nature Mints (Bold, Impish, Lax, Relaxed)

character with fletching standing by item sparkle that gives plus defense nature mints

Location 4: Gives +Attack Nature Mints (Lonely, Adamant, Naughty, Brave)

character with fletching standing by item sparkle that gives plus attack nature mints

Location 5: Gives +Sp. Def Nature Mints (Calm, Gentle, Careful, Sassy)

character with fletching standing by item sparkle that gives plus special defense nature mints

Bonus Locations:

Galarica Twigs: Behind the tree

character with talonflame standing by item sparkle that gives galarica twig

Pomeg Berries: Berry Tree

character shaking tree that gives pomeg berries