Pokemon Sword and Shield Base Stats, Battle Stats and Natures

Get a basic understanding of some of the gameplay mechanics such as base stats for your Pokemon in the new Sword and Shield game

Pokemon Sword and Shield is finally here, so we thought we’d write up a quick guide on certain key terms, and mechanics that might confuse players such as Pokemon Base Stats, Battle Stats, and Natures. Veteran fans of the series already have a solid understanding of all these, but for newcomers, it would be better if you developed a comprehensive understanding of this before diving into the sprawling world of Pokemon – with the aid of this guide, of course.

Pokemon Sword and Shield Base Stats, Battle Stats and Natures

Base Stats
Every single Pokemon in the game has a set of strengths and weaknesses, which are dependent on the six Base Stats each Pokemon has. The Base Stats are as follow:

  • HP: Also known as Hit Points, this is essentially the total amount of Health your Pokemon has. The greater the HP, the more damage they can take before fainting.
  • Attack: Much like the ‘Strength’ stat in other RPGs, this is the total physical power your Pokemon wields. The greater the Pokemon’s Attack stats, the more damage can be inflicted with physical attacks, e.g. Body Slam or Tackle.
  • Defense: This determines just how much damage can be shaved off from an opponent’s physical attack. The greater a Pokemon’s Defense, the less damage they’ll receive from a physical attack.
  • Special Attack: This determines the power of a Pokemon’s Special Powers. For example, a fire type will have several fire-based attacks (like Flamethrower) and how much damage Flamethrower will deal will be dependent on the total amount of Special Attack Power that Pokemon has.
  • Special Defense: Similar to Defense, the distinction lying in the fact that Special Defense decreases the amount of damage you take from your opponent’s Special Attacks.
  • Speed: This stat determines whether your Pokemon will attack first in a battle or not. If your Pokemon has greater Speed than your opponent’s, then you attack first; otherwise, your opponent goes first – can be the difference between victory and defeat.

With many of the items available to you, and rigorous training, players can determine which areas they want their Pokemon to excel in; are you willing to forego Attack power for Speed? Or would you rather give up Special Attack for Special Defense? Players will have to wisely assess their Pokemons’ traits and determine the right course of action.

Battle Stats
Alongside the Base Stats, there are two more Stats that only come into play during battle – these are aptly named Battle Stats. These stats are tied directly to a Pokemon’s move set. The two Battle Stats are as follow:

  • Accuracy: Not every attack is going to land, and the attack’s Accuracy is what determines that. Ranging from 100% Accuracy to 30% Accuracy, there is no attack that does not have at least a small chance of connecting. Likewise, there are certain attacks that will hit every single time (Aerial Ace, for example, will hit each time). A Pokemon’s Accuracy can be lowered or increased during a battle – by you or your opponent.
  • Evasion: This determines a Pokemon’s ability to dodge attacks. The greater a Pokemon’s Evasion, the more likely it is to not get hit by the opponent’s attack. It’s tantamount to lowering your opponent’s Accuracy.

These are the 8 Stats (two of which are Battle Stats) that make up your Pokemon’s composition. These stats can be augmented, of course, with the aid of various items. However, a Pokemon’s Nature can also determine its Base Stats and specialties.

Pokemon Nature
Each Pokemon has a unique nature. In Pokemon Sun and Moon, there were 25 possibilities when it came to what kind of Nature a Pokemon could have. They could be bashful, naughty, or even sassy.

The significance of a Pokemon’s nature is that it can actually affect that Pokemon’s Base Stats. For example, a Brave Pokemon will have greater Attack but lower Speed. Likewise, a Timid Pokemon would have greater Speed but less Attack.

Out of the 25 Nature types, only 5 had no effect on a Pokemon’s stats. The remaining types would bring up one stat by 10% while reducing another stat by 10%.

A Pokemon’s nature cannot be determined beforehand, when you capture one, it can be brave, adamant, or impish.

When you capture a Pokemon, be sure to check its nature and see what stat it actually affects. Accordingly, take appropriate measures to further augment that chance or balance it out.

Some players actually catch multiple of the same Pokemon, all to get one with the nature they’re looking for.

All of the information on Pokemon Nature is based on the mechanics of Pokemon Sun and Moon, whether it’s the same exact same thing for Pokemon Sword and Shield is yet to be seen. However, it’s unlikely that the developers will stray too far from this, and this is a solid enough base for any new player.

Ancillary Information
The items that can augment a Pokemon’s Base Stats are Supplements. Items such as Calcium and Protein can increase a Pokemon’s Special Attack and Attack Stats, by a significant amount. Players should buy as many as they can to make their Pokemon even more powerful.

Leveling up your Pokemon will see a general increase in stats, making it the most surefire way of boosting stats.

The game introduces a new item known as Mints. These Mints actually have the ability to change a Pokemon’s nature. If properly utilized, you can change a Pokemon’s nature to fit your criteria, boosting the right stats – with the aid of Supplements, it’s possible to vastly alter a Pokemon’s stats to create your ideal Pokemon!

That’s all the pertinent information relating to Base/Battle Stats, and a Pokemon’s Nature in Pokemon Sword and Shield.