Modest boosts Sp. Attack by 10% at the expense of Attack. In Black & White, top picks include Lugia, Dialga, Palkia, and more. You'll want this on anything that only fires off special moves. Everstone passes Modest to every offspring starting in Gen 5. Synchronize handles wild encounters.

Modest raises Sp. Attack by 10% and lowers Attack by 10%. Special Sweepers and special Wallbreakers that only use special moves. 100 Pokemon competitively run this nature.
SHOWINGRegional19
#PokemonTierRoleAbility+SpA-AtkSpe
1
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHICFLYING
SSpecial TankMultiscale
90+14
90-11
110
2
Dialga
Dialga
STEELDRAGON
SSpecial TankTelepathy
150+20
120-14
90
3
Palkia
Palkia
WATERDRAGON
SSpecial AttackerTelepathy
150+20
120-14
100
4
Reshiram
Reshiram
DRAGONFIRE
SSpecial WallbreakerTurboblaze
150+20
120-14
90
5
Volcarona
Volcarona
BUGFIRE
ABulky SupportFlame Body
135+18
60-8
100
6
Heatran
Heatran
FIRESTEEL
ASpecial AttackerFlashfire
130+18
90-11
77
7ASpecial TankDrought
85+13
85-11
20
8
Milotic
Milotic
WATER
ASpecial TankCompetitive
100+15
60-8
81
9
Whimsicott
Whimsicott
GRASSFAIRY
ASpecial AttackerPrankster
77+12
67-9
116
10
Amoonguss
Amoonguss
GRASSPOISON
ASpecial TankRegenerator
85+13
85-11
30
11
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
ASpecial TankSynchronize
100+15
100-12
100
12ASpecial TankMagic Guard
95+14
70-9
60
13
Kyurem
Kyurem
DRAGONICE
ASpecial TankPressure
130+18
130-15
95
14
Gengar
Gengar
GHOSTPOISON
ASpecial AttackerCursedbody
130+18
65-9
110
15
Starmie
Starmie
WATERPSYCHIC
ASpecial AttackerNatural Cure
100+15
75-10
115
16
Chandelure
Chandelure
GHOSTFIRE
ASpecial Revenge KillerFlashfire
145+19
55-8
80
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHIC FLYING
S
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Multiscale
+SpA
90 +14
Spe
110
Dialga
Dialga
STEEL DRAGON
S
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Telepathy
+SpA
150 +20
Spe
90
Palkia
Palkia
WATER DRAGON
S
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Telepathy
+SpA
150 +20
Spe
100
Reshiram
Reshiram
DRAGON FIRE
S
Role
Special Wallbreaker
Ability
Turboblaze
+SpA
150 +20
Spe
90
Volcarona
Volcarona
BUG FIRE
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Flame Body
+SpA
135 +18
Spe
100
Heatran
Heatran
FIRE STEEL
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Flashfire
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
77
Torkoal
Torkoal
FIRE
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Drought
+SpA
85 +13
Spe
20
Milotic
Milotic
WATER
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Competitive
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
81
Whimsicott
Whimsicott
GRASS FAIRY
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Prankster
+SpA
77 +12
Spe
116
Amoonguss
Amoonguss
GRASS POISON
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Regenerator
+SpA
85 +13
Spe
30
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Synchronize
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
100
Clefable
Clefable
FAIRY
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Magic Guard
+SpA
95 +14
Spe
60
Kyurem
Kyurem
DRAGON ICE
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Pressure
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
95
Gengar
Gengar
GHOST POISON
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Cursedbody
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
110
Starmie
Starmie
WATER PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Natural Cure
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
115
Chandelure
Chandelure
GHOST FIRE
A
Role
Special Revenge Killer
Ability
Flashfire
+SpA
145 +19
Spe
80
+10%Sp. Attack
-10%Attack
Flavor Preference
Likes Dry, dislikes Spicy
Competitive Role
Special Sweepers and special Wallbreakers that only use special moves.
Modest vs Timid
Choose Modest
+Sp. Attack / -Attack
  • Pokemon that rely purely on special moves for damage
  • Trick Room special attackers
  • Bulky special attackers that do not need to outspeed
  • Choice Specs wallbreakers focused on raw power
Choose Timid
+Speed / -Attack
  • Fast special sweepers in the base 80-110 Speed range
  • Pokemon that need to outspeed base 100 threats
  • Setup sweepers (Nasty Plot, Calm Mind) that boost power anyway
How to Get
SynchronizeLead with a Modest Pokemon that has the Synchronize ability. Wild Pokemon will match its nature. (Gen 3+)
BreedingGive the parent with Modest nature an Everstone. The offspring will inherit it. (100% since Gen 5)
Nature MintUse a Modest Mint to change stat effects to Modest. The original nature name stays but stats change. (Gen 8+)
What does the Modest nature do in Pokemon?
Modest raises Sp. Attack 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 Modest nature prefer Dry flavor and dislike Spicy.
What are the best Modest nature Pokemon?
Top Modest users include Lugia, Dialga, Palkia, and Reshiram. They benefit from the Sp. Attack boost because their main damage comes from that stat. The Attack drop doesn't hurt them since they don't rely on it.
Is Modest a good nature for competitive Pokemon?
Modest is a strong competitive nature. It's one of the most-used natures in competitive formats. The key is matching it to Pokemon that don't need Attack in their moveset.
How do I get a Modest nature Pokemon?
Synchronize is the fastest method. Lead with a Pokemon that has Synchronize and Modest nature, and wild encounters match it (Gen 3+). Breeding works too: give the Modest parent an Everstone and all offspring inherit the nature. Nature Mints (Gen 8+) let you change the stat effect to Modest without rebreeding.
Should I use Modest or Timid?
Modest prioritizes power, while Timid goes for speed. Pick Modest when your Pokemon's role depends on the stat it boosts. Go with Timid when speed matters more for your team.