Introduced in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Chi-Yu is the fire fish of the Treasures of Ruin, a small group of Legendary Pokémon of the Paldea region. Next to the Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao, and Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu might seem a bit small and not very threatening, but its power should not be slept on in battle. In fact, the Legendary fish is expected to make waves in the competitive meta when all the Treasures of Ruin become legal in Scarlet and Violet’s VGC Series 3 starting in April.
With Chi-Yu making its first appearance in VGC since the release of Scarlet and Violet, now’s a better time than ever to catch the Legendary Pokémon and figure out how to build the best version of it in a competitive environment. One of the most important aspects to consider is its Nature, which boosts one stat and reduces another.
Best Natures for Chi-Yu in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Looking at Chi-Yu’s base stats, its Special Attack and Special Defense are fantastic, its Speed and Defense are reasonable, and its HP is pretty sad. Its mediocre Attack stat is irrelevant, considering how low it is compared to its Special Attack. With all of this in mind, the most optimal Natures for Chi-Yu will be the ones that reduce its Attack to give its other stats a boost.
The first Nature that comes to mind for Chi-Yu is Modest, which boosts Special Attack and lowers physical Attack. This works for two main reasons. Chi-Yu’s Special Attack is naturally very high at 135, putting it on the same level as Flutter Mane and slightly above Gholdengo, Iron Bundle, and Armarouge. In addition, Chi-Yu’s signature Ability, Beads of Ruin, lowers the Special Defense of all other Pokémon on the field. This means the fish will be hitting even harder with its Special offense.
Since it’s already naturally built to do massive damage on the Special side, you might want to focus on beefing up its Special Defense or Defense to compensate for its low HP stat instead. In particular, its Defense could use a bit of a boost with a Bold Nature combined with some EV investment and an ally with Intimidate or Reflect. Further boosting its already high Special Defense with a Calm Nature isn’t a bad idea, either.
And while Chi-Yu isn’t one of the fastest Pokémon in the format, a positive Speed Nature like Timid is also something to consider if you plan on setting up Tailwind to double your team’s Speed for several turns. With incredible Speed and damage output, Chi-Yu will be a true menace on the battlefield.
See the list below for all Natures to consider for Chi-Yu.
- Modest (+ Special Attack, – Attack)
- Bold (+ Defense, – Attack)
- Calm (+ Special Attack, – Attack)
- Timid (+ Speed, – Attack)
