Careful Nature in Pokemon (+Sp. Def, −Sp. Atk)
Careful nature raises Sp. Def by 10% and lowers Sp. Atk by 10%. Careful suits physically-attacking special walls — Pokemon that make full use of the Sp. Def boost and don't miss the lost Sp. Atk.
Stat Effect
+10% Sp. Def
−10% Sp. Atk
Berry Flavors
Likes: Bitter
Dislikes: Dry
Best For
Physically-attacking special walls
Pokemon That Actually Run Careful in Competitive
Ranked VGC ladder, June 2026 — these Pokemon's most-used nature is Careful. Data: Smogon usage statistics (ranked ladder).
Best Pokemon for Careful Nature
Picked from popular fully-evolved Pokemon whose base-stat profile fits — a strong Sp. Def to boost, without relying on Sp. Atk.
How to Get a Careful Nature
- Everstone breeding — a parent holding an Everstone always passes its nature to offspring.
- Synchronize — leading with a Careful-nature Synchronize Pokemon makes wild encounters share its nature (guaranteed in recent games).
- Mints — in Sword/Shield and Scarlet/Violet, a Careful Mint changes a Pokemon's stat effects to match Careful (the displayed nature stays the same).
Careful Nature — FAQ
What does Careful nature do in Pokemon?
Careful nature raises Sp. Def by 10% and lowers Sp. Atk by 10%. It also makes the Pokemon like Bitter flavor and dislike Dry flavor, which matters for berries like Figy and confusion berries.
Which Pokemon should use a Careful nature?
Careful suits physically-attacking special walls — Pokemon that make full use of the Sp. Def boost and don't miss the lost Sp. Atk. Strong fits include Lugia, Ho Oh, Arceus, Giratina Altered.
How do I get a Careful nature Pokemon?
Breed with a Careful-nature parent holding an Everstone (guarantees the nature is passed down), lead with a Synchronize Pokemon of that nature when catching, or use a Careful Mint (Sword/Shield and Scarlet/Violet) to change an existing Pokemon's stat effects.