Four of the strongest Pokémon in the Paldea Region are the Treasures of Ruin. This Legendary bunch consists of Wo-Chien, Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu, and Chien-Pao who all carry great stats, a shared signature attack, and unique Abilities. Starting in Scarlet and Violet’s VGC Series 3, all four Treasures of Ruin will be unleashed into the competitive meta, joining the Paradox Pokémon and other common VGC ‘mons like Palafin, Gholdengo, and Amoonguss.
Among the Treasures of Ruin, Chien-Pao sticks out as the speedy physical attacker. Fast offensive Pokémon typically do well in VGC Doubles, so Chien-Pao is definitely a new physical threat to watch out for as soon as it enters the meta in April.
To prepare for its arrival, players should consider which Natures would be best for it. This is good to know for when you go against it or if you decide to catch and add the Legendary Pokémon to your team.
Best Natures for Chien-Pao in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet
Like other fast physical sweepers, Chien-Pao benefits greatly from Adamant or Jolly Natures.
Giving it an Adamant Nature will boost its base 120 Attack stat to make it stronger than it already is. That high Attack stat works perfectly with its signature Ability, Sword of Ruin, which lowers the Defense of every other Pokémon on the field. This means Chien-Pao will be doing extra damage with physical moves.
Chien-Pao also has access to two priority attacks, Ice Shard and Sucker Punch, which are super useful for moving first in VGC. However, with a base Speed of 135, it’s already one of the fastest Pokémon in the format and doesn’t have to rely on priority attacks as much as slower Pokémon like Palafin or Dragonite. Having a Jolly Nature will give it the Speed boost it needs to take advantage of stronger attacks instead of relying on weaker priority moves.
For example, a max Speed Jolly Chien-Pao will speed-tie with the fastest Flutter Mane (if Protosynthesis isn’t activated) and potentially outspeed an Iron Bundle that isn’t fully invested in Speed.
When it comes to its defensive stats, Chien-Pao isn’t that bulky. If you really want to give its Defense a small boost, you can opt for an Impish Nature. Its Special Defense, on the other hand, is a little too low to waste its Nature on. Regardless, it’s generally better to invest Chien-Pao’s Nature in its offense than its defense.
Check the list below for a quick summary Chien-Pao’s most viable Natures.
- Adamant (+ Attack, – Special Attack)
- Jolly (+ Speed, – Special Attack)
