Alright, so I’ve been diving back into Pokemon Emerald lately, and like any good trainer, I wanted to make sure my Mudkip was the absolute best it could be. That got me thinking about Natures, and which one would be best for my little water buddy.
First, I started by revisiting what I already knew – Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp, and then finally into Swampert. Swampert’s a Water/Ground type, which is pretty awesome because it’s only weak to Grass, and it’s a quadruple weakness. Ouch.
Knowing that, I figured I needed a Nature that would boost Swampert’s strengths and maybe minimize its weaknesses. My initial thought was to go for something that boosted Attack, since Swampert can learn some pretty powerful physical moves.
So, I started doing some digging around. I checked out a bunch of different forums and guides, trying to see what other players had experienced. It’s always good to get a few different perspectives, you know?
My First Attempt: Adamant
- Adamant Nature: Boosts Attack, lowers Special Attack.
I bred a bunch of Mudkips, hoping to get one with an Adamant nature. It took a few tries, juggling eggs and running around like a maniac, but I finally got one! I was pretty stoked. I started training it up, focusing on Attack-boosting moves and battling Pokemon that would give good Attack EVs (Effort Values – it’s like experience points, but for specific stats).
It was going pretty well, but I started to notice something. While my Swampert was hitting like a truck, it was also pretty slow. And sometimes, that speed difference meant getting hit by a super-effective Grass move before I could even land a punch.
Rethinking My Strategy: Other Options
That got me thinking – maybe Adamant wasn’t the only way to go. I went back to my research and started looking at other options. Some people recommended Brave (boosts Attack, lowers Speed), which…well, I was already having Speed issues, so that didn’t seem ideal. Then, I consider about:
- Relaxed Nature: Boosts Defense, lowers Speed.
- Impish Nature: Boosts Defense, lowers Special Attack.
- Careful Nature: Boosts Special Defense, lowers Special Attack.
Since my Swampert special attack ability is not used frequently, so I decided to go for a nature that reduces special attack, so as not to waste. Then I decided to make a try with Impish.
Experimenting with Impish
I did another round of breeding, this time aiming for an Impish Mudkip. It took even longer this time, probably just bad luck, but eventually, I hatched one.
Now, this Swampert felt different. It could take hits a bit better, and while it wasn’t quite as strong as the Adamant one, the extra bulk made a difference in some battles. I was still a little worried about the Speed, but the increased Defense helped it survive long enough to dish out some damage.
The Verdict (For Now!)
Honestly, after all this experimenting, I’m still not 100% sure which Nature is definitively the “best.” Both Adamant and Impish have their pros and cons. It really seems to depend on your playstyle and what you want your Swampert to do.
Right now, I’m leaning towards Impish for my current playthrough, just because I like the extra survivability. But I’m definitely going to keep experimenting! Maybe I’ll try a Careful nature next, to boost that Special Defense against those pesky Grass attacks. Or maybe I will go back to Adamant, depends on my mood.
That’s the fun of Pokemon, right? There’s always something new to try, and there’s no single “right” answer. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your team.
