So, you're the new Champion of Galar! Now, what's left to do in the game? It's time to focus on building your perfect team, of course! After all, those Battle Tower matches can be tough, and you're going to need a strong team to help you win your way to the top.
Since Battle Tower matches cap out both you and your opponent's Pokémon at level 50, you'll want to focus on making your strong Pokémon's stats better without emphasis on what level they are. The best way to do this is to change your Pokémon's stats using Nature Mints, as well as other stat-changing items.
What are Nature Mints?
Nature Mints are a new item introduced in Generation VIII of Pokémon. Before you can get them, you must complete the story in Pokémon Sword and Shield access the Battle Tower and the Nature Mints shop though, so it's a fairly late game thing.
With Nature Mints, you can change the Nature of a Pokémon, which influences their stats as they level up. Each Nature boosts one particular stat and decreases another, so you will want to focus on the best stat for a specific Pokémon. The only Nature that is different is Serious Nature, where all stats are equal.
What Nature Mints are available?
There is a Mint associated with each Nature in the game. Here are all of the available Mints.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Increased Stat | Decreased Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Adamant | Attack Speed | Attack |
| Bold | Defense | Attack |
| Brave | Attack | Speed |
| Calm | Special Defense | Attack |
| Careful | Special Defense | Special Attack |
| Gentle | Special Defense | Defense |
| Hasty | Speed | Defense |
| Impish | Defense | Special Attack |
| Jolly | Speed | Special Attack |
| Lax | Defense | Special Defense |
| Lonely | Attack | Defense |
| Mild | Special Attack | Defense |
| Modest | Special Attack | Attack |
| Naive | Speed | Special Defense |
| Naughty | Attack Speed | Defense |
| Quiet | Special Attack | Speed |
| Rash | Special Attack | Special Defense |
| Relaxed | Defense | Speed |
| Sassy | Special Defense | Speed |
| Serious | All Stats Equal | All Stats Equal |
| Timid | Speed | Attack |
Where and how do I get Nature Mints?
Nature Mints are only available at the front counter of the Battle Tower in Wyndon after you complete the story of Pokémon Sword and Shield. Just speak to the NPCs behind the counter at the Battle Tower, and you'll find the Nature Mints, along with other useful items that you can only buy with Battle Points (BP).
Each win you get in the Battle Tower rewards you with some BP (at least two BP per Singles match). Nature Mints cost 50 BP each, so it will take some time before you can purchase your first Mint.
For Battle Tower matches, you can choose either Singles or Doubles. If you want to earn slightly more BP at once, go for Doubles, but they may be harder in difficulty. You can only take three Pokémon from your party into Singles Battle Tower matches, and four for Doubles, and all Pokémon in a Battle Tower match are capped at level 50.
How to get specific Natures besides using Mints
For those who want to still breed Pokémon for specific Natures, that's still possible. Just give the Pokémon that has the Nature you want the Everstone item to hold, and it should produce a Pokémon with the same Nature.
You can also put a Pokémon with the Synchronize ability as your party leader, and all wild Pokémon you encounter will then share the same Nature with the Synchronize Pokémon.
Other ways you can change your Pokémon's stats
If you haven't beaten the game yet, there is another way to increase your Pokémon's stats through the use of the Feather items. You can find random Feathers hidden on the bridge between Turffield and Hulbury — just look for the sparkling spots on the ground for these hidden items. They will also respawn after a while, so you can get a handful of these feathers after enough time.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Description | Increased stat |
|---|---|---|
| Health Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the HP base points of a single Pokémon. | HP |
| Muscle Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the Attack base points of a single Pokémon. | Attack |
| Resist Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the Defense base points of a single Pokémon. | Defense |
| Genius Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the Sp. Atk base points of a single Pokémon. | Special Attack |
| Clever Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the Sp. Def base points of a single Pokémon. | Special Defense |
| Swift Feather | An item for use on a Pokémon. It slightly increases the Speed base points of a single Pokémon. | Speed |
Again, the feathers seem to respawn after a while, so you can always go back and check for more of them when you're able to.
Build the strongest team of Pokémon
Getting the Pokémon you want with the right Nature can be tricky, but now it's easier than ever to build the team you actually want. Mints are a welcome new addition to post-game Pokémon, and it's vital if you plan on playing competitively. And even if you haven't beaten the game yet, make sure to use Feathers for a slight stat increase as you work your way to becoming Galar Champion.
Have any questions about Nature Mints and changing your Pokémon stats in Sword and Shield? Drop a comment below and let us know.
