If you want to truly take your Pokemon to the limit of its power in Scarlet & Violet, you may have to change its nature. A Pokemon’s nature (usually) affects its overall stats and can make that little extra difference, especially in raid builds. Some of the previous games in the series have kept you from changing a Pokemon’s nature, so here’s whether or not you can this time around.
Can you change natures in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet?
You can’t change natures in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, but you can change how they affect a Pokemon’s stats using mints. That sounds a bit confusing, and that’s because it is. Before we get into it, let’s look at how natures affect a Pokemon’s stats in the table below:
| Nature | Increased stat | Decreased stat |
| Adamant | Attack | Special Attack |
| Bashful | – | – |
| Bold | Defense | Attack |
| Brave | Attack | Speed |
| Calm | Special Defense | Attack |
| Careful | Special Defense | Special Attack |
| Docile | – | – |
| Gentle | Special Defense | Defense |
| Hardy | – | – |
| Hasty | Speed | Defense |
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack |
| Jolly | Speed | Special Attack |
| Lax | Defense | Special Defense |
| Lonely | Attack | Defense |
| Mild | Special Attack | Defense |
| Modest | Special Attack | Attack |
| Naive | Speed | Special Defense |
| Naughty | Attack | Special Defense |
| Quiet | Special Attack | Speed |
| Quirky | – | – |
| Rash | Special Attack | Special Defense |
| Relaxed | Defense | Speed |
| Sassy | Special Defense | Speed |
| Serious | – | – |
| Timid | Speed | Attack |
So, for example, if you want to focus your Pokemon’s moveset on techniques that only use the Special Attack stat. In that case, a Modest Nature would be great since you’re not using your attack stat at all. So, you can head to Chansey Supply, buy a Modest Mint for P20,000, and use it on your Pokemon.
But, wait, your Pokemon’s Status Summary still says it’s Timid (or whatever). That means it didn’t work, right? Wrong. Your Pokemon will always keep its original nature, no matter what mint you use on it. The only indicator that a mint has worked will be in the Moves and Stats page of the Pokemon Status Summary.
To see if a mint has worked, go to the Moves and Stats Page of your Pokemon’s Status Summary and Switch Graph View until you’re looking at its EVs. If we’re using the example above, you’ll see a little red circle with an up arrow beside Sp. Atk, and a little blue circle with a down arrow by Atk. So, your Pokemon now has the benefits of a Modest Nature regardless of their original nature.
