Speed wins games, and Timid gives 10% more of it by cutting Attack. Over in Gold & Silver, You'll see it on Mewtwo, Lugia, Gengar among others. Special attackers that need to outpace key threats usually run this. Natures weren't in Gold & Silver. Competitive players apply Timid when breeding these Pokemon in Gen 3+ games.

Timid raises Speed by 10% and lowers Attack by 10%. Fast special attackers that need to outspeed threats. 94 Pokemon competitively run this nature.
#PokemonTierRoleAbility+Spe-AtkSpe
1
Mewtwo
Mewtwo
PSYCHIC
SSpecial AttackerPressure
130+18
110-13
130
2
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHICFLYING
SBulky SupportMultiscale
110+16
90-11
110
3
Gengar
Gengar
GHOSTPOISON
ASpecial AttackerLevitate
110+16
65-9
110
4
Starmie
Starmie
WATERPSYCHIC
ASpecial AttackerNatural Cure
115+16
75-10
115
5
Elekid
Elekid
ELECTRIC
ASpecial AttackerVitalspirit
95+14
63-9
95
6
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
ASpecial AttackerVoltabsorb
130+18
65-9
130
7
Espeon
Espeon
PSYCHIC
ASpecial AttackerMagic Bounce
110+16
65-9
110
8
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
ABulky SupportSynchronize
100+15
100-12
100
9
Raikou
Raikou
ELECTRIC
ASpecial AttackerPressure
115+16
85-11
115
Mewtwo
Mewtwo
PSYCHIC
S
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Pressure
+Spe
130 +18
Spe
130
Lugia
Lugia
PSYCHIC FLYING
S
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Multiscale
+Spe
110 +16
Spe
110
Gengar
Gengar
GHOST POISON
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Levitate
+Spe
110 +16
Spe
110
Starmie
Starmie
WATER PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Natural Cure
+Spe
115 +16
Spe
115
Elekid
Elekid
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Vitalspirit
+Spe
95 +14
Spe
95
Jolteon
Jolteon
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Voltabsorb
+Spe
130 +18
Spe
130
Espeon
Espeon
PSYCHIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Magic Bounce
+Spe
110 +16
Spe
110
Mew
Mew
PSYCHIC
A
Role
Bulky Support
Ability
Synchronize
+Spe
100 +15
Spe
100
Raikou
Raikou
ELECTRIC
A
Role
Special Attacker
Ability
Pressure
+Spe
115 +16
Spe
115
+10%Speed
-10%Attack
Flavor Preference
Likes Sweet, dislikes Spicy
Competitive Role
Fast special attackers that need to outspeed threats.
Timid vs Modest
Choose Timid
+Speed / -Attack
  • Pokemon in contested speed tiers (base 80-110)
  • Sweepers that need to outspeed threats before attacking
  • Pokemon without priority moves or speed-boosting setups
Choose Modest
+Sp. Attack / -Attack
  • Pokemon with priority moves that bypass speed
  • Dragon Dance / Shift Gear users that fix speed in-game
  • Wallbreakers that need maximum damage output
How to Get
SynchronizeLead with a Timid Pokemon that has the Synchronize ability. Wild Pokemon will match its nature. (Gen 3+)
BreedingGive the parent with Timid nature an Everstone. The offspring will inherit it. (100% since Gen 5)
Nature MintUse a Timid Mint to change stat effects to Timid. The original nature name stays but stats change. (Gen 8+)
Other +Speed Natures
Hasty (-Defense)Jolly (-Sp. Attack)Naive (-Sp. Defense)
What does the Timid nature do in Pokemon?
Timid raises Speed 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 Timid nature prefer Sweet flavor and dislike Spicy.
What are the best Timid nature Pokemon?
Top Timid users include Mewtwo, Lugia, Gengar, and Starmie. They benefit from the Speed boost because their main damage comes from that stat. The Attack drop doesn't hurt them since they don't rely on it.
Is Timid a good nature for competitive Pokemon?
Timid 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 Timid nature Pokemon?
Synchronize is the fastest method. Lead with a Pokemon that has Synchronize and Timid nature, and wild encounters match it (Gen 3+). Breeding works too: give the Timid parent an Everstone and all offspring inherit the nature. Nature Mints (Gen 8+) let you change the stat effect to Timid without rebreeding.
Should I use Timid or Modest?
Timid prioritizes speed, while Modest goes for power. Pick Timid when your Pokemon's role depends on the stat it boosts. Go with Modest when power matters more for your team.