Introduction
Every impish nature Pokémon carries a 10% Defense boost and a 10% Special Attack drop. This guide covers what that trade-off means in practice, which Pokémon benefit most, how to get impish nature in every major game, and how to use it in competitive team building.
Quick Answer: Impish nature Pokémon gain +10% Defense and lose -10% Special Attack. This nature suits physical walls and defensive tanks that never use special moves. Top users include Skarmory, Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, Donphan, and Forretress.
What Is Impish Nature Pokémon?
An impish nature Pokémon is any Pokémon assigned the Impish nature, which raises Defense by 10% and lowers Special Attack by 10%. Natures were introduced in Generation III and apply to every Pokémon in every mainline game since then.
The stat shift is permanent unless you use a mint in Generation VIII or later. Every impish nature Pokémon carries that Defense advantage into every battle.
You can see how every nature stacks up in this complete Pokémon nature guide.
Impish Nature Stat Effect at a Glance
| Stat | Change |
|---|---|
| Defense | +10% |
| Special Attack | -10% |
At level 100 with a base Defense of 100, an impish nature Pokémon gains roughly 20 to 25 extra Defense points over a neutral nature. That gap is meaningful when you are surviving hits from the top physical attackers in any tier.
Which Pokémon Benefit Most from Impish Nature?
An impish nature Pokémon works best when it has high base Defense, uses physical or status moves only, and never touches Special Attack.
Skarmory – The most iconic impish nature Pokémon in competitive play. Its base 140 Defense climbs higher with this nature. It runs Spikes, Stealth Rock, Roost, and Whirlwind without ever needing Special Attack.
Hippowdon – A sand stream setter with natural physical bulk. Impish nature pushes its Defense further, helping it wall threats like Landorus-T and Garchomp reliably.
Ferrothorn – Ferrothorn never touches Special Attack in any viable set. As an impish nature Pokémon, it sets Spikes, Leech Seed, and Stealth Rock while tanking physical hits comfortably.
Donphan – A Ground-type with solid physical bulk. Impish nature helps it survive strong physical hits and use Rapid Spin safely against offensive teams.
Forretress – Similar role to Skarmory. As an impish nature Pokémon, Forretress sets entry hazards and shrugs off physical attacks while its low Special Attack stat goes unused.
Umbreon – Some builds use impish nature to improve mixed bulk. It makes Umbreon harder to KO from both sides, especially in formats where physical threats are common.
Check the full Pokémon nature chart to compare impish against Bold, Relaxed, and other defensive natures.
Impish Nature vs. Bold Nature
Both natures raise Defense by 10%. The only difference is which stat drops.
| Nature | Raises | Lowers |
|---|---|---|
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack |
| Bold | Defense | Attack |
Choose Impish when the Pokémon still uses physical moves and you want to keep Attack intact.
Choose Bold when the Pokémon runs no offensive moves at all and the Attack stat is completely irrelevant.
For a pure status wall running only Toxic, Stealth Rock, and Roost, either nature produces the same battle result. But an impish nature Pokémon that runs Body Slam, Earthquake, or U-turn benefits from the preserved Attack stat.
Impish Nature vs. Relaxed Nature
Both raise Defense and both suit defensive Pokémon. The difference is speed.
| Nature | Raises | Lowers |
|---|---|---|
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack |
| Relaxed | Defense | Speed |
Impish nature Pokémon fit standard speed-based formats. Relaxed fits Trick Room teams where moving last is an advantage.
How to Get Impish Nature in Every Game
Breeding with Everstone
Give a parent Pokémon with impish nature an Everstone before breeding. Every egg will inherit that nature. This is the most reliable method for getting an impish nature Pokémon with the exact IVs and egg moves you need.
Steps:
- Obtain a Pokémon with impish nature (catch or transfer one).
- Attach the Everstone to that parent.
- Breed until you hatch the IVs you want.
Synchronize Ability
Lead your party with a Pokémon that has the Synchronize ability and impish nature. Wild encounters have a 50% chance to share that nature. This method works well when hunting legendaries or specific wild impish nature Pokémon.
Impish Mint (Gen VIII and Later)
In Sword, Shield, Scarlet, and Violet, an Impish Mint changes any Pokémon’s stat interaction to match impish nature without changing the nature name. You can earn mints at the Battle Tower or through in-game rewards.
Mints are the fastest route for competitive teams. Apply the mint after confirming the full EV spread and moveset. This habit-building guide covers how to lock in good routines during team prep, which helps avoid wasting mints on incomplete sets.
Impish Nature Pokémon in Competitive Play
Impish nature Pokémon appear in most standard competitive formats, including VGC and Smogon tiers. Physical walls are essential for checking the fastest physical sweepers in any metagame.
Common roles for an impish nature Pokémon:
- Entry hazard setters – Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Forretress
- Weather setters – Hippowdon in sand teams
- Defensive pivots – Pokémon with U-turn or Volt Switch
- Rapid Spin users – Donphan and similar Ground-types
The Smogon nature database lists recommended natures per tier, so you can quickly verify whether impish fits a specific set before you breed or mint.
Common Mistakes with Impish Nature Pokémon
Using impish on mixed attackers. Any impish nature Pokémon that runs special moves fires them at reduced power. Check the full moveset before choosing this nature.
Confusing Impish with Relaxed. Relaxed lowers Speed, not Special Attack. Picking the wrong one puts your impish nature Pokémon in the wrong format entirely.
Applying mints too early. Set the moveset and EV spread first. Mints are easy to waste if the build changes later.
Ignoring Body Press interactions. Body Press uses Defense as its damage stat. An impish nature Pokémon with high Defense actually hits harder with Body Press than a neutral nature Pokémon of the same species.
Does Impish Nature Affect Flavor Preferences?
Yes. Every impish nature Pokémon prefers sour flavors and dislikes dry flavors. This affects Poffin and Pokéblock stat gains in games like Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. In competitive play, flavor preference has no effect on battle performance.
Quick Reference
- Effect: Defense +10%, Special Attack -10%
- Best for: Physical walls, hazard setters, sand setters, defensive pivots
- Top impish nature Pokémon: Skarmory, Hippowdon, Ferrothorn, Donphan, Forretress
- How to get: Everstone breeding, Synchronize, or Impish Mint
- Avoid on: Mixed attackers, special walls, Trick Room sweepers
Conclusion
Every impish nature Pokémon trades Special Attack for a real Defense gain. That trade costs nothing when the Pokémon never uses special moves, and the Defense boost pays off in every physical matchup. Whether you breed, sync, or mint for it, impish nature is one of the most useful and consistent defensive natures in the game.