Do you care about your Pokemon's abilities or natures?

[Hikamaru]

Natures and abilities make all our Pokemon different.

But which abilities or natures do you often lean towards when you want to catch certain Pokemon?

Or don't you even care about the ability or nature?

Discuss here about it.

When I catch a Buneary, I always go for one with Run Away as Klutz is totally useless.

When I'm playing Black and I'm looking for a particular ability (such as Technician Minccino or Iron Fist Golett) I use my Audino's Entrainment to reveal the Pokemon's ability so I can see if it is worth catching.

 

[Deliciousfruit233]

I always try and choose the better ability. Those can REALLY make a difference as to how useful a pokemon is.

Natures... not so much. I mean, if a nature COMPLETELY works against what I want (for example, if my Blissey's nature raises Attack and lowers Sp. Defense) I try for another one. But otherwise, I just go with it. Picking and choosing a specific nature can be a real hassle sometimes.

 

[Minishcap]

I only care about nature when it comes to legendaries, mostly because you know where (most of them) are and you can refight them instantly instead of spending time running around in grass/caves searching for them in the first place.

 

[Mister Coffee]

As a competitive player, abilities and natures are INCREDIBLY important to me.
If I'm building a theme team than the abilites often have to work alongside with that theme. My current favorite team is my drizzle team, so all of my pokemon have to have abilities that can interact well with Rain and Water type moves.

Natures are important for getting the proper boosts. I often aim towards the natures that boost the stats I'm utilizing and lower the stats that I ignore. For instance, when I have a solid physical attacker with it's main moves being physical I'll aim for an Adamant nature because I don't care about Special Attack.

So yeah that stuff is pretty important to me.

 

[echolocated]

I'm not exactly a competitive player(have you seen anyone losing 16 times in a row?) so natures don't bother me that much, as for abilities however, still the same, don't bother me that much, but I sometimes breed to get a better one.

 

[Ineffable~]

I do pay attention to natures when I'm breeding for competitive Pokémon. When I'm training an in-game team, not so much but it still happens.

I always try for the better ability. For instance when I was getting a Solosis for my White playthrough I caught one and immediately went, "yayyyy!!! ^_^" but then I realised it had Overcoat. Magic Guard, Solosis's other ability, is an amazing ability that I am totally enamored with that happens to do all Overcoat does and more. So I kept looking for Solosis, and whenever I found one I would use Will-o-Wisp on it. If it did damage, that means no Magic Guard. Once I found one with Magic Guard, I caught him and he has been a valued member of my team ever since. :3

 

[Ciax]

I always go for the ability I want.
Until recently I didnt even know what natures did. I only get rid of a pokemon if the nature is horrible like raising sp attack on a machamp and lowering attack.

 

[Sydian]

I don't do competitive, but even for in-game, I try to have decent stuff. Take Axew for example. I was not about to have a Rivalry Axew. Gross. It's a stupid ability, since it relies on the opposing Pokemon's gender. With natures, I'm more lenient, however, I typically don't tolerate a nature that renders a Pokemon useless, like an Adamant Gengar. Just...ew. If it's completely opposite from what it needs to be, I'll catch a new one.

 

[Mr Cat Dog]

Normally, I don't really care. I don't play competitively, and a such an in-game wimp that I always make sure that my critters are at least the same level as the opponents I'm facing to render abilities/natures/EVs/whatever relatively obsolete. The only time I do care is when the choice of abilities is a really good, beneficial one and a more crappy, boring one. But the difference has to be substantial for me to care, to be honest.

 

[Legobricks]

I'm not concerned with natures provided they won't negatively affect the primary stat I wish to draw out in a monster (if any), since the difference is only 10% in each affected stat (ie. negligible for a normal player). I actually prefer to get a neutral nature.

I do pick abilities, but if I'm negligent and end up training something with the ability I'd rather not have, I'm still willing to live with the setup.

 

[Killjoy]

I usually don't care, unless I get a nature that affects something that the Pokémon is already week in.

 

[Blade_of_darkness]

If I actually plan on using a particular Pokémon, then I do care what their nature is, to a degree. I won't go out of my way to get one with a specific nature, however I will turn down those who's nature would end up becoming a hindrance to their performance in the field.

As for abilities, I will say that some guys, like Haxorus, are better off with one ability, rather than the other one.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Yeah, I do. I try to go for the preferred nature(s) on the Pokemon's Smogon articles, but I settle for things that are close enough (like Hasty when Timid is preferred). As for abilities, I also go for Smogon's preferred abilities.

 

[blue]

Nah, I never bother putting effort into EVS/IVS/Natures/Abilities.. I just catch and train the Pokémon I like and want on my team... simple as!

 

[Elite Overlord LeSabre™]

Yes, both are very important. Even for my in-game team, I try to choose Pokemon with natures that enhance their main attacking stat (and don't cut Speed). As far as ability, if I'm training a Persian, I prefer Technician as it somewhat makes up for its relatively low attack. Of course, when breeding for a battling team, getting a specific nature becomes vital, and I'll go with one that boosts Speed and reduces the attacking stat the Pokemon doesn't use, unless it's a slow Pokemon to begin with.

 

[shengar]

I do care about them.
EV is not very bother to do, so I do it to very Pokemon I train as best as I can.
Nature for me at least shouldn't hindering a pokemon best stat. It at least should be neutral.
I don't really care about IV because as the name suggest, it is the individual value of a pokemon. Although it tempting at first to do some "IVing' but i try to keep out of it as best as possible for not turning me into a robot pokemon trainer.

 

[psyanic]

It kind of depends on the pokemon. Like for example, when I catch an Aron, I want it with the ability "Rock Head" so I don't kill myself using Take Down. Just pokemon like those. Natures only matter if they seriously ruin a pokemon's stats. I'd hate to have a modest Machop. Other than that, neutral is fine as long as it's only in-game.

 

[Oryx]

In-game I don't care at all, and I use the Natures as a kind of cute "oh look, this is what my Pokemon is like" kind of thing. I found it hilarious looking at my Jolly Swadloon (mr. grumpy face), and I thought my boyfriend's Serious Stoutland was pretty cool and when we talked about Pokemon we would always characterize it as a serious Pokemon. Abilities I don't like as much but I still don't care, I just get what I get and that's all, lol.

Competitively though, of course I care. :x

 

[Ephemeral Euphoria]

Back in the days of my old Ruby game, not at all. Nowadays hell yeah I do both in-game and competitive wise. EV Training still takes me forever though.

 

[Hikamaru]

When I first played Ruby (which was the first game with Abilities and Natures) I didn't care about natures, I just used that Pokemon.

But with each generation gone by, I suddenly heard about that large group of competitive players who prefer certain natures.

Pearl, Platinum and SoulSilver I just catch a Pokemon, still not worrying about the nature but more about the abilities.

When I catch a Buneary, I always make sure it has Run Away and not Klutz.

A Pokemon I really started caring about natures was Skuntank, I love this thing but every time I get one by trading with my brother's Diamond or hatching a Stunky, I always ended up with either a neutral nature or one that makes it terrible (I remember getting a Modest Skuntank once) and I only go for Skuntanks that have Aftermath cos I hate Stench.

It was in Black that I really started going for certain natures and abilities more seriously.

When I catch a Minccino, I only take ones with Technician (as Marriland recommends).

When I caught an Elgyem, I was fearing she'd have a terrible nature but I ended up with a Quiet nature, which made her terribly slow but at least a Special Attack boost. I didn't evolve her until the post-game cos of that Speed stat, I still like Elgyem but its Speed is a let-down (no wonder why Gothitelle became my main battling Psychic in Unova).

And when I caught a Venipede, he had an Adamant nature, which is great and now he is the ultimate Scolipede! I couldn't believe he had the right nature.

I also have a Leavanny, with a Lonely nature. Hello high Attack stat!

My Galvantula wasn't that good, Brave nature and Unnerve ability (terrible for Galvantula) so sadly I don't get those good Thunders.

I was inspired by Elesa and caught myself an Emolga, with a Quiet nature! Special Attack power boost, but the Speed lowering didn't do much as Emolga is very fast anyway. Same case with my Swoobat, thankfully he has Unaware and not Klutz (I HATE KLUTZ!)

My Garbodor turned out to be the most terrible Pokemon I ever caught. Bold nature + Weak Armor = totally stinks.

My Reshiram has the right nature, oh yeah, Modest baby!

I caught a Grumpig and Mr. Mime via Poke Transfer, and sadly they are Adamant, sob.

And my Mantine and Lanturn (also via Poke Transfer) were given Special attacks by me only to discover they were Jolly.

Jolly? Oh, Jolly, why why! (sorry, I was imitating Marriland there)

And my Gabite (Poke Transfer caught) sadly has a Calm nature, looks like she'll never be used competitively because of sacrificing some of her Attack for a darn Special Defense boost!

I have a Misdreavus that is a Special Attacker, and yep, cursed by a Jolly nature.

My Probopass is hindered by a stupid Timid nature, sob.

At least my Luxray got the right nature, Naughty baby!

My poor Hariyama is TIMID! Argh!

My Rampardos is female, and a Brave nature, yeah baby!

Fearow, sadly has a Bold nature. Damn!

And my worst-case scenario - I caught a Golett only to discover it was Klutz, I went back to Dragonspiral Tower, caught another one, this time with Iron Fist but wait for it, I got the worst possible nature and that nature is...

Spoiler:

MODEST!

And my Stunfisk is Adamant, stupid.

My Shuckle is Modest, terrible as it is.

And my Bibarel is darn TIMID!

At least my Heracross, Gliscor and Absol ended up with good natures (Naughty for Heracross and Adamant for Gliscor and Absol)

I find Graveler terrible, not only that 4x Grass/Water weakness, but mine has a... CALM NATURE! ARGH!

At least my Lapras, Ninjask, Hitmontop and Swellow got the right natures.

I remember catching my Stoutland as a little Lillipup, she hit hard as a Herdier but not really overwhelming, and that's because she is Timid! Timid stinks for Stoutland so I caught one more Lillipup (male this time) and he is an Adamant baby!

And one more worst case scenario, I wanted to train a Pawniard, caught one but sadly she has the worst nature you could get for Pawniard, which is a...

Spoiler:

CALM! DARN YOU!

So I had to catch another Pawniard, same gender and ability as before, but a Gentle nature. I raised the Gentle one into a Bisharp eventually.

And with Axew, I only accept ones with Mold Breaker cos Rivalry is dependent on its foes gender. No wonder my Haxorus sucked, I went and caught a Mold Breaker Axew eventually.

For Pidove, Tranquill and Unfezant I only catch ones with Super Luck. Big Pecks is useless.

To test for a Pidove, Tranquill or Unfezant with Super Luck, use a Defense-lowering move like Tail Whip, Screech or Leer. If Defense is lowered it has Super Luck.

Luxray also have Rivalry, but Intimidate is so much better!

So yeah, a lot of my reviews there!