Modest boosts Sp. Attack by 10% at the expense of Attack. In Legends: Z-A, top picks include Gholdengo, Greninja, Volcanion, and more. You'll want this on anything that only fires off special moves. Tera Type can cover weaknesses that Modest's Attack drop would normally expose. Even safer to run with Tera.

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.
#PokemonTierRoleAbility+SpA-AtkSpe
1
Gholdengo
Gholdengo
STEELGHOST
SBulky SupportGoodasgold
133+18
60-8
84
2
Greninja
Greninja
WATERDARK
SSpecial TankProtean
103+15
95-12
122
3
Volcanion
Volcanion
FIREWATER
ASpecial TankWaterabsorb
130+18
110-13
70
4
Heatran
Heatran
FIRESTEEL
ASpecial AttackerFlashfire
130+18
90-11
77
5
Armarouge
Armarouge
FIREPSYCHIC
ASpecial TankWeakarmor
125+17
60-8
75
6
Goodra
Goodra
DRAGON
ASpecial AttackerSapsipper
110+16
100-12
80
7
Glimmora
Glimmora
ROCKPOISON
ASpecial AttackerToxicdebris
130+18
55-8
86
8
Magearna
Magearna
STEELFAIRY
ASpecial TankSoulheart
130+18
95-12
65
9
Milotic
Milotic
WATER
ASpecial TankCompetitive
100+15
60-8
81
10
Amoonguss
Amoonguss
GRASSPOISON
ASpecial TankRegenerator
85+13
85-11
30
11ASpecial TankMagic Guard
95+14
70-9
60
12
Diancie
Diancie
ROCKFAIRY
ASpecial AttackerClearbody
100+15
100-12
50
13
Gengar
Gengar
GHOSTPOISON
ASpecial AttackerCursedbody
130+18
65-9
110
14
Starmie
Starmie
WATERPSYCHIC
ASpecial AttackerNatural Cure
100+15
75-10
115
15
Florges
Florges
FAIRY
ABulky SupportFlowerveil
112+16
65-9
75
16
Chandelure
Chandelure
GHOSTFIRE
ASpecial Revenge KillerFlashfire
145+19
55-8
80
17
Noivern
Noivern
FLYINGDRAGON
ASpecial AttackerInfiltrator
97+14
70-9
123
18
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
ASpecial AttackerQuickfeet
110+16
65-9
130
19
Hoopa
Hoopa
PSYCHICGHOST
ASpecial TankMagician
150+20
110-13
70
20
Slowbro
Slowbro
WATERPSYCHIC
ASpecial TankOwntempo
100+15
75-10
30
21
Keldeo
Keldeo
WATERFIGHTING
ASpecial AttackerJustified
129+18
72-10
108
Gholdengo
Gholdengo
STEEL GHOST
S
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Goodasgold
+SpA
133 +18
Spe
84
Greninja
Greninja
WATER DARK
S
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Protean
+SpA
103 +15
Spe
122
Volcanion
Volcanion
FIRE WATER
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Waterabsorb
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
70
Heatran
Heatran
FIRE STEEL
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Flashfire
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
77
Armarouge
Armarouge
FIRE PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Weakarmor
+SpA
125 +17
Spe
75
Goodra
Goodra
DRAGON
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Sapsipper
+SpA
110 +16
Spe
80
Glimmora
Glimmora
ROCK POISON
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Toxicdebris
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
86
Magearna
Magearna
STEEL FAIRY
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Soulheart
+SpA
130 +18
Spe
65
Milotic
Milotic
WATER
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Competitive
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
81
Amoonguss
Amoonguss
GRASS POISON
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Regenerator
+SpA
85 +13
Spe
30
Clefable
Clefable
FAIRY
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Magic Guard
+SpA
95 +14
Spe
60
Diancie
Diancie
ROCK FAIRY
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Clearbody
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
50
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
Florges
Florges
FAIRY
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Flowerveil
+SpA
112 +16
Spe
75
Chandelure
Chandelure
GHOST FIRE
A
Role
Special Revenge Killer
Ability
Flashfire
+SpA
145 +19
Spe
80
Noivern
Noivern
FLYING DRAGON
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Infiltrator
+SpA
97 +14
Spe
123
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Quickfeet
+SpA
110 +16
Spe
130
Hoopa
Hoopa
PSYCHIC GHOST
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Magician
+SpA
150 +20
Spe
70
Slowbro
Slowbro
WATER PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Tank
Ability
Owntempo
+SpA
100 +15
Spe
30
Keldeo
Keldeo
WATER FIGHTING
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Justified
+SpA
129 +18
Spe
108
+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 Gholdengo, Greninja, Volcanion, and Heatran. 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.