Pokemon Natures and Characterisitics

Every Pokemon is different from the others. One could be Serious, while another is Modest. One Pokemon could be Alert to Sounds, while the other is Impetuous and Silly. Every Pokemon has a Nature and Characterisitc. Natures control the growth of two of the six stats each Pokemon has. (HP, Attack, Defence, Special Attack, Special Defence, and Speed.) Natures help one stat of a Pokemon grow quicker, while slowing down another. Some Natures have no effect at all on stats.

Where do you find out your Pokemon's Nature and Characterisitc? Here's an example:

Here you can see both the nature and characteristic of a Charizard. It's nature is on the very first line, it's Jolly. It's characteristic is "Likes to thrash about". Why do you care? Well, the Jolly nature rises your speed, while the characteristic indicates that you have a high IV in Attack, which means it's attack will be higher. There's no need to give him any Special Attacking Moves, because, with the help of his nature and charcteristic, he will be able to produce more powerful Physical Attacking Moves while being a bit faster then one without. If you have more questions about the subject, feel free to ask.

This is what separates New Players from Experienced Players. These players use everything in their ability to get their Pokemon as strong as they can. If someone wants to have a Pokemon that can take a hit, they're going to care what nature their Pokemon has, when the new player doesn't. He'll want to have a Impish or Bold Nature, because they both help the Defence stat. He'll also shoot for a characteristic which helps Defence. With the right Nature and Characteristic, the Pokemon will be able to take a bigger hit then one without.

Natures and their Effects:
Adamant: + Attack - Sp. Attack
Lonely : + Attack - Defense
Brave: + Attack - Speed
Naughty: + Attack - Sp.Def

Modest: + Sp.Atk - Attack
Mild: + Sp. Atk - Defense
Quiet: + Sp. Atk - Speed
Rash: + Sp. Atk - Sp.Def

Bold: + Defense - Attack
Relaxed: + Defense - Speed
Impish: + Defense - Sp. Attk
Lax: + Defense - Sp. Def

Timid: + Speed - Attack
Hasty: + Speed - Defense
Jolly: + Speed - Sp. Attk
Naive: + Speed - Sp. Def

Calm: + Sp. Def - Attack
Gentle: + Sp Def - Defense
Sassy: + Sp. Def - Speed
Careful: + Sp.Def - Sp. Attk

Serious --- Neutral
Quirky --- Neutral
Bashful ---- Neutral
Hardy --- Neutral

Characteristics and their Effects:
Hit Points: Loves to eat, Often dozes off, Often naps, Scatters things often, Likes to relax
Attack: Proud of its power, Likes to thrash about, A little quick tempered, Likes to fight, Hot tempered
Defense: Sturdy body, Capable of taking hits, Highly persistent, Good endurance, Good Perseverance
Special Attack: Highly curious, Mischievous, Thoroughly cunning, Often lost in thought, Very finicky
Special Defense: Strong willed, Somewhat vain, Strongly defiant, Hates to lose, Somewhat stubborn
Speed: Likes to run, Alert to sounds, Impetuous and silly, Somewhat of a clown, Quick to flee

The characteristic actually doesn't raise anything. Instead, it's an indicator of your pokemon's highest IV.
If your aiming for 31 IVs (the highest possible amount of IVs) in your stats, here are the characteristics you should have:
Hp: Often Dozes Off
Attack: Likes to Thrash about
Defense: Capable of Taking Hits
Special Attack: Mischievous
Special Defense: Somewhat Vain
Speed: Alert to Sounds
Note that these are also possible for IVs lower than 31.
If your pokemon have two ivs tied for the highest, it will randomly pick a Characteristic (based on its personality value) to display.

Yes, I know. This is suppose to be a beginnier's guide. They wouldn't know what IVs were yet. But, in the end, it does "make it stronger"

Not really, it just tells you do highest IV, not boost it/"make it stronger" like natures do =/ Very different. You could reword it by instead saying its "best" stat so it's not misleading.

The characteristic gives you the last digit of the highest IV's stat. (adding to what GrassSquid said)

Again, this is a Beginnier's Guide. They won't know WTF an IV is. In the end a stat with an IV or 31 is going to be a lot "stronger" then a IV with 2 :/

I don't see the logic behind that. I just see it as misleading

Well, your not a new player. Boo. IVs are for certain not the first thing you learn about in Pokemon. I'll write up a section on "IVs" and relate it back to this. . .

PokeWorldDP wrote:You could reword it by instead saying its "best" stat so it's not misleading.

Not once does it mention IVs

True, but in saying 'best' I would assume you meant that stat is going to be higher than all the others. Its a really difficult topic to word properly without mentioning IVs.

Exactly. But that's the best way I can find to put it that's the least misleading. Making it stronger isn't helpful either...

Well, it'll change it a bit when I have the time. ^3^