Walls that use status or special moves love Bold. 10% more Defense and Attack goes down, which doesn't matter if you're not clicking physical attacks. Over in Crystal, Lugia is one of the most popular Bold users, alongside Skarmory and Clefable. Natures weren't in Crystal. Competitive players apply Bold when breeding these Pokemon in Gen 3+ games.

Bold raises Defense by 10% and lowers Attack by 10%. Physical walls and support Pokemon that use special moves. 90 Pokemon competitively run this nature.
#PokemonTierRoleAbility+Def-AtkSpe
1
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHICFLYING
SBulky SupportMultiscale
130+18
90-11
110
2
Skarmory
Skarmory
STEELFLYING
ABulky SupportSturdy
140+19
80-10
70
3
Clefable
Clefable
FAIRY
ABulky SupportMagic Guard
73+12
70-9
60
4
Slowbro
Slowbro
WATERPSYCHIC
ABulky SupportRegenerator
110+16
75-10
30
5
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
ABulky SupportSynchronize
100+15
100-12
100
6
Raikou
Raikou
ELECTRIC
ABulky SupportInnerfocus
75+12
85-11
115
7
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
ABulky SupportVoltabsorb
60+11
65-9
130
8
Arcanine
Arcanine
FIRE
ABulky SupportIntimidate
80+13
110-13
95
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHIC FLYING
S
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Multiscale
+Def
130 +18
Spe
110
Skarmory
Skarmory
STEEL FLYING
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Sturdy
+Def
140 +19
Spe
70
Clefable
Clefable
FAIRY
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Magic Guard
+Def
73 +12
Spe
60
Slowbro
Slowbro
WATER PSYCHIC
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Regenerator
+Def
110 +16
Spe
30
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Synchronize
+Def
100 +15
Spe
100
Raikou
Raikou
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Innerfocus
+Def
75 +12
Spe
115
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Voltabsorb
+Def
60 +11
Spe
130
Arcanine
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Intimidate
+Def
80 +13
Spe
95
+10%Defense
-10%Attack
Flavor Preference
Likes Sour, dislikes Spicy
Competitive Role
Physical walls and support Pokemon that use special moves.
Bold vs Impish
Choose Bold
+Defense / -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 Impish
+Defense / -Sp. Attack
  • Defensive Pokemon that still need attacking power
  • Pokemon that run both physical and special moves
How to Get
SynchronizeLead with a Bold Pokemon that has the Synchronize ability. Wild Pokemon will match its nature. (Gen 3+)
BreedingGive the parent with Bold nature an Everstone. The offspring will inherit it. (100% since Gen 5)
Nature MintUse a Bold Mint to change stat effects to Bold. The original nature name stays but stats change. (Gen 8+)
Other +Defense Natures
Impish (-Sp. Attack)Lax (-Sp. Defense)Relaxed (-Speed)
What does the Bold nature do in Pokemon?
Bold raises Defense by 10% and lowers Attack by 10%. At level 100 with full investment, that's roughly a 30-point swing on the boosted stat. Pokemon with Bold nature prefer Sour flavor and dislike Spicy.
What are the best Bold nature Pokemon?
Top Bold users include Lugia, Skarmory, Clefable, and Slowbro. They benefit from the Defense boost because their main damage comes from that stat. The Attack drop doesn't hurt them since they don't rely on it.
Is Bold a good nature for competitive Pokemon?
Bold is a strong competitive nature. It fills a solid niche for defensive builds. The key is matching it to Pokemon that don't need Attack in their moveset.
How do I get a Bold nature Pokemon?
Synchronize is the fastest method. Lead with a Pokemon that has Synchronize and Bold nature, and wild encounters match it (Gen 3+). Breeding works too: give the Bold parent an Everstone and all offspring inherit the nature. Nature Mints (Gen 8+) let you change the stat effect to Bold without rebreeding.
Should I use Bold or Impish?
Bold prioritizes special defense utility, while Impish goes for physical defense utility. Pick Bold when your Pokemon's role depends on the stat it boosts. Go with Impish when physical defense utility matters more for your team.