What Are Pokémon Natures in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

By Yanna Ferrera

Pokémon natures are in-game mechanics that affect the way a Pokémon’s stats would grow. Depending on the nature, some stats are boosted at a 10% rate upon leveling up, while others are decreased. Read up on the guide to know more about natures and the best way to use them to your advantage!

Pokémon Natures

Pokémon Natures can be easily found in a Pokémon’s info menu, under Trainer Memo.

Pokemon Natures — *Pokémon Natures look like personality traits assigned to Pokémon when they are much more than that.*

More than just personalities, these natures reflect the way a Pokémon’s stats would grow. Understanding a Pokémon’s nature can be a way of maximizing their innate skills and capabilities.

Take for example a Pokémon like Pikachu which is known for its Speed.

*This Pikachu has a 93 Speed stat, 40 points more than the rest of its other stats.*

With this in mind, a nature that would quickly increase its Speed stat would be ideal. The Jolly nature increases the Speed stat by 10% upon level-up, with the caveat that its Special Attack will grow more slowly. When Pikachu reaches Level 100, the Special Attack stat is even decreased.

A *Jolly Pikachu will level up its speed stat quicker than any other Pikachu.*

All natures will increase and decrease one stat by 10%, and there are some natures that increase and decrease the same stat, rendering it neutral. It is then a matter of prioritization for which nature you would prefer. In Pikachu’s case, a Jolly nature would prioritize Speed but sacrifice Special Attack, while a nature like Modest would up the Special Attack stat that will give a lot of power to Pikachu’s electric elemental moves, but at the cost of regular Attack damage.

*Pikachu’s electric-type moves will be a lot more powerful if its nature continually increases its Special Attack.*

There are 25 natures in total in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. Here’s a quick table of the different natures in alphabetical nature for your reference. The table shows which stats are increased and decreased by which nature. Note that the ones highlighted in bold are natures that are considered neutral, as they increase and decrease the same stat.

Another thing to note is that natures aren’t something you can change or influence. They come with the Pokémon when you catch them in the wild. With the exception of the three starter Pokémon – Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander – you can do a trial and error of sorts by catching a ton of the same Pokémon and choosing to keep the one whose nature you prefer.

*Catching and training a bunch of Pikachu to observe its nature.*

In the end, a combined understanding of Pokémon natures and specific stat training through EVs can make your ordinary Pikachu (or any other Pokémon for that matter) an extraordinary one.