Use Nature: Building a Team Based on Personality

In Cobblemon, Nature plays a crucial role in determining how a Cobblemon’s stats develop. Each Nature increases one stat while decreasing another, influencing a Cobblemon's effectiveness in battle. By understanding Natures and using them strategically, you can build a well-balanced team that maximizes each Cobblemon's potential based on its role. This guide will explain how to use Natures to your advantage and how to choose the best Natures for different types of Cobblemon.

What Is a Cobblemon's Nature?

A Cobblemon’s Nature is a unique characteristic that affects its growth in specific stats. There are 25 different Natures, and each one impacts a Cobblemon’s stats in two ways:

• One stat is increased by 10%.
• One stat is decreased by 10%.

Some Natures don’t alter any stats, but these are less commonly used for competitive strategies. For example, the Hardy Nature doesn't affect any stats.

Understanding the Impact of Natures on Stats

Each Cobblemon has six key stats:

1. HP (Hit Points)
2. Attack (Physical Attack)
3. Defense (Physical Defense)
4. Special Attack (Used for special moves)
5. Special Defense (Resistance to special moves)
6. Speed (Determines which Cobblemon moves first in battle)

The goal is to select a Nature that enhances your Cobblemon's strengths while minimizing the impact on a stat that isn’t critical for its role.

Example of a Common Nature:

• Jolly Nature:
  • Increases Speed
  • Decreases Special Attack
  • Ideal for fast, physical attackers like Garchomp or Weavile, where Speed is essential, but Special Attack is irrelevant.

Step 1: Determine Your Cobblemon's Role

Before choosing a Nature, you need to decide the role each Cobblemon will play on your team. Roles include:

• Physical Attacker: Deals damage using physical moves, relying on high Attack.
• Special Attacker: Focuses on moves that use Special Attack.
• Defensive Wall: Aims to absorb damage, with high HP, Defense, or Special Defense.
• Speed Sweeper: Relies on high Speed to outspeed and KO opponents quickly.

Each role has specific stats that should be prioritized. Once you know the role, you can choose a Nature that enhances the most important stats.

Step 2: Select the Best Nature for Each Role

Here are some common roles and the best Natures to complement them:

1. Physical Attacker

• Key Stats: Attack and Speed
• Best Natures:
  • Adamant: Increases Attack, decreases Special Attack.
  • Jolly: Increases Speed, decreases Special Attack.

Examples:

• Garchomp (Dragon/Ground) with Jolly Nature can maximize Speed, making it one of the fastest physical attackers on the field.
• Machamp (Fighting) with Adamant Nature will hit harder with its physical moves like Dynamic Punch.

2. Special Attacker

• Key Stats: Special Attack and Speed
• Best Natures:
  • Modest: Increases Special Attack, decreases Attack.
  • Timid: Increases Speed, decreases Attack.

Examples:

• Alakazam (Psychic) with Timid Nature can outspeed opponents and deal heavy damage with Special Attack moves like Psychic.
• Gengar (Ghost/Poison) with Modest Nature will pack a punch with Shadow Ball while its Attack stat is left untouched.

3. Defensive Wall

• Key Stats: Defense, Special Defense, and HP
• Best Natures:
  • Impish: Increases Defense, decreases Special Attack.
  • Careful: Increases Special Defense, decreases Special Attack.
  • Bold: Increases Defense, decreases Attack.
  • Calm: Increases Special Defense, decreases Attack.

Examples:

• Blissey (Normal) with Calm Nature focuses on Special Defense, becoming nearly unbeatable against special attackers.
• Ferrothorn (Grass/Steel) with Impish Nature increases its physical bulk, making it a solid defensive wall.

4. Speed Sweeper

• Key Stats: Speed and Attack or Special Attack
• Best Natures:
  • Jolly: Increases Speed, decreases Special Attack (for physical sweepers).
  • Timid: Increases Speed, decreases Attack (for special sweepers).

Examples:

• Weavile (Dark/Ice) with Jolly Nature allows it to outspeed opponents and hit hard with physical moves like Icicle Crash.
• Espeon (Psychic) with Timid Nature becomes a fast special attacker that can take down threats before they even move.

Step 3: Balancing Natures Across Your Team

When building a team based on Natures, it’s important to balance different roles. You don’t want a team full of fast attackers with no defensive support. Here’s how to create a balanced team with complementary Natures:

1. Physical Sweeper with Adamant or Jolly Nature

Example: Excadrill (Ground/Steel) with Adamant Nature
Role: High Attack and Speed to eliminate threats quickly.

2. Special Sweeper with Modest or Timid Nature

Example: Charizard (Fire/Flying) with Modest Nature
Role: Deals massive special damage with moves like Flamethrower or Solar Beam.

3. Defensive Wall with Bold or Careful Nature

Example: Togekiss (Fairy/Flying) with Calm Nature
Role: Acts as a support or tank with high Special Defense and healing moves.

4. Speed Control with Jolly or Timid Nature

Example: Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost) with Jolly Nature
Role: Outpaces opponents to land decisive blows before taking damage.

Step 4: Adjust Natures for Team Synergy

Some teams are built around specific strategies, such as weather effects or status conditions. In these cases, you may need to adjust the Natures of your Cobblemon to support the overall strategy.

Example: Rain Team

• Kingdra (Water/Dragon) with Modest Nature benefits from the Rain weather condition, which boosts Water-type moves and allows it to focus on Special Attack.
• Ludicolo (Water/Grass) with Timid Nature will outspeed most opponents under Rain, making it a strong special attacker while utilizing moves like Hydro Pump.

Step 5: Use Items to Complement Natures

Held items can further enhance the effects of Natures by boosting stats that align with your Cobblemon’s role. Here are some common item and Nature pairings:

• Adamant/Jolly Nature + Choice Scarf: Increases Speed while focusing on powerful physical moves.
• Modest/Timid Nature + Choice Specs: Boosts Special Attack while locking your Cobblemon into a specific move for maximum damage.
• Bold/Calm Nature + Leftovers: Provides passive healing for defensive Cobblemon, helping them stay on the battlefield longer.

Conclusion

Natures are an essential part of optimizing your Cobblemon’s performance in battle. By understanding how each Nature impacts a Cobblemon's stats and pairing Natures with roles, you can build a team that covers all aspects of combat. Whether you’re aiming for physical sweepers, special attackers, or defensive walls, the right Nature will help you get the most out of each Cobblemon’s unique abilities.

Have you found a Nature that works best for your favorite Cobblemon? Share your team-building tips and strategies in our Discord!