Impish gives 10% Defense at the cost of Sp. Attack. Physical walls that rely on Body Slam, Knock Off, or U-turn over special coverage will want this. In Crystal, Ho-Oh, Rhydon, Skarmory, and others all run Impish in competitive play. Crystal has no nature system. Transfer your Pokemon forward and breed for Impish in a modern title.

Impish raises Defense by 10% and lowers Sp. Attack by 10%. Physical walls that rely on physical or status moves. 62 Pokemon competitively run this nature.
#PokemonTierRoleAbility+Def-SpASpe
1
Ho-Oh
Ho-Oh
FIREFLYING
SBulky SupportRegenerator
90+14
110-13
90
2
Rhydon
Rhydon
GROUNDROCK
ABulky SupportReckless
120+17
45-7
40
3
Skarmory
Skarmory
STEELFLYING
ABulky SupportSturdy
140+19
40-6
70
4
Sandslash
Sandslash
GROUND
ABulky SupportSandrush
110+16
45-7
65
5
Donphan
Donphan
GROUND
ABulky SupportSturdy
120+17
60-8
50
6
Snorlax
Snorlax
NORMAL
ABulky SupportGluttony
65+11
65-9
30
7
Hitmontop
Hitmontop
FIGHTING
ABulky SupportIntimidate
95+14
35-6
70
8
Entei
Entei
FIRE
ABulky SupportInnerfocus
85+13
90-11
100
Ho-Oh
Ho-Oh
FIRE FLYING
S
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Regenerator
+Def
90 +14
Spe
90
Rhydon
Rhydon
GROUND ROCK
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Reckless
+Def
120 +17
Spe
40
Skarmory
Skarmory
STEEL FLYING
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Sturdy
+Def
140 +19
Spe
70
Sandslash
Sandslash
GROUND
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Sandrush
+Def
110 +16
Spe
65
Donphan
Donphan
GROUND
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Sturdy
+Def
120 +17
Spe
50
Snorlax
Snorlax
NORMAL
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Gluttony
+Def
65 +11
Spe
30
Hitmontop
Hitmontop
FIGHTING
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Intimidate
+Def
95 +14
Spe
70
Entei
Entei
FIRE
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Innerfocus
+Def
85 +13
Spe
100
+10%Defense
-10%Sp. Attack
Flavor Preference
Likes Sour, dislikes Dry
Competitive Role
Physical walls that rely on physical or status moves.
Impish vs Bold
Choose Impish
+Defense / -Sp. Attack
  • Pokemon that need to check physical threats (use +Def)
  • Pokemon that need to check special threats (use +SpD)
  • Walls and tanks that rarely attack
Choose Bold
+Defense / -Attack
  • Defensive Pokemon that still need attacking power
  • Pokemon that run both physical and special moves
How to Get
SynchronizeLead with a Impish Pokemon that has the Synchronize ability. Wild Pokemon will match its nature. (Gen 3+)
BreedingGive the parent with Impish nature an Everstone. The offspring will inherit it. (100% since Gen 5)
Nature MintUse an Impish Mint to change stat effects to Impish. The original nature name stays but stats change. (Gen 8+)
Other +Defense Natures
Bold (-Attack)Lax (-Sp. Defense)Relaxed (-Speed)
What does the Impish nature do in Pokemon?
It's a +10% Defense, -10% Sp. Attack nature. The 10% multiplier applies after base stats and EVs, so the actual point difference grows as stats get higher. Pokemon with Impish nature prefer Sour flavor and dislike Dry.
What are the best Impish nature Pokemon?
Ho-Oh, Rhydon, Skarmory, and Sandslash are among the strongest Impish picks. What they share is a reliance on Defense and little need for Sp. Attack. Check the tier list for current rankings.
Is Impish a good nature for competitive Pokemon?
Yes. It fills a solid niche for defensive builds. You'll see Impish on dedicated Defense-focused builds across most tiers and formats.
How do I get an Impish nature Pokemon?
Three options: (1) Synchronize lead forces wild Pokemon to match your lead's nature. (2) Everstone breeding passes the nature 100% of the time since Gen 5. (3) an Impish Mint changes the stat effects after the fact. Mints don't change the nature name, just the stat modifiers.
Should I use Impish or Bold?
It depends on what your team needs. Impish is the physical defense utility option. Bold is the special defense utility option. Most of the time, your Pokemon's moveset and role make the decision obvious.