An exciting mechanic in Pokémon Sword and Shield is the ability to change the nature of your Pokémon using Mints. You won't be able to do this until later in the game, but it's worth preparing for the story reading.
How to change the nature of a Pokémon in Sword and Shield using Mints
At the end of the game, you can collect Nature Mints in Wyndon. After defeating the game, you will have access to the Battle Tower and an NPC who will sell you Nature Mints. Mint costs 50 BP, and different Currencies will have different effects on your Pokémon's stats as they progress. This will give a positive or negative weight to specific stats, thus influencing how those stats change as the Pokémon rises.
Below is a full list of natures and their effects on a Pokémon:
- Adamant: + Attack speed, -Attack
- Fat: + Defense, -Attack
- Courageous: + attack, speed
- Calm: + Special Defense, Attack
- Warning: + Special Defense, Special Attack
- Soft: + Special Defense, -Defense
- Hasty: + Speed, -Defense
- Impish: + Defense, -Sp. Attack
- Jolly: + Speed, -Special Attack
- Lax: + Defense, Special Defense
- Solitaire: + Attack, -Defense
- Soft: + Special Attack, -Defense
- Modest: + Special Attack, -Attack
- Naive: + Speed, Special Defense
- Villain: + Attack speed, -Defense
- Calm: + Special Attack, -Speed
- Rash: + special attack, special defense
- Relaxed: + Defense, -Speed
- Sassy: + Special Defense, -Speed
- Seriously: all stats are equal
- Shy: + Speed, -Attack
All you need to do is give the Mint the appropriate name from the list above, which influences your Pokémon the way you want it to. Just go to your bag, select the item, then use it on your Pokémon.
While this is a mechanic that you can't play with until the end of the story, it is great fun to experience your Pokemon this way.