Timid or Modest nature for Inteleon for Sw/Sh competitive?

Question

Timid or Modest it is an full on attacking set but I'm not giving a moveset because I'm pretty sure that breaks a rule.

Comments

Are you asking for a specific format that Inteleon is used in?

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I assume you're referring to SS NU. Is this for doubles or singles?

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No specific format

Answer 1

I'll be answering this for SS NU. If you had another format in mind, please tell me so I can edit the answer.

Timid Nature is better for Inteleon

Timid Nature is better for Inteleon to let you outspeed fast Pokemon. Inteleon's niche in NU is being a fast wallbreaker / pivot that outspeeds already fast Pokemon such as Tauros, Starmie, and Salazzle. To do so, it needs Timid Nature, making its speed stat 372. Tauros has a speed stat of 356, Starmie has a speed stat of 361, and Salazzle has a speed stat of 366. If Inteleon uses Modest Nature, its speed will be 339, which would allow the mentioned Pokemon to outspeed and OHKO it. Inteleon utilizes a Choice Specs set, meaning it gets a special attack boost from Choice Specs. This means that Inteleon doesn't need to use Modest Nature. Even if you were to use a Focus Energy + Sniper set, Inteleon still uses Timid Nature, as you have critical hits with Sniper that makes your attacks more powerful. Here are the sets for reference:

Choice Specs

Inteleon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse / Surf / Scald
- Ice Beam
- U-turn

Focus Energy + Sniper

Inteleon @ Scope Lens
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Focus Energy
- Snipe Shot
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse

I'd like to mention that the three Pokemon I mentioned use a +Speed Nature, as they need to be as fast as possible to eliminate anything slower than them. They also have ways to make their attacks stronger without using Adamant/Modest Nature. Tauros has Sheer Force + Life Orb, Starmie has Life Orb + Analytic, and Salazzle has Nasty Plot.

The only time Modest Nature is better than Timid Nature for Inteleon is if you were to use Choice Scarf Inteleon, as it will be quite fast with Choice Scarf. However, I advise you to not use Choice Scarf Inteleon, as you'll find out that Inteleon will struggle to revenge kill opposing Pokemon. Choice Scarf Inteleon also means you won't have a way to boost the power of Inteleon's attacks.

TL;DR Timid Nature is better for Inteleon as it allows you to outspeed already fast Pokemon such as Starmie, Tauros, and Salazzle. Using Modest Nature on the Choice Specs and Focus Energy set allows the mentioned Pokemon to outspeed and eliminate you, which isn't desirable. Modest Nature is better than Timid Nature only on Choice Scarf sets, but Choice Scarf Inteleon isn't that good of a set.

Answer 2

Modest is better for Inteleon, Inteleon is so fast that it's going to outspeed anything anyways, so it would be best if Inteleon hits harder with a modest nature raising its Special Attack which is important since Inteleon is frail, so it needs to deal as much damage as possible before it faints

Comments

It's definitely not always the case that fast Pokemon should boost their attacking stat. There are plenty of instances where fast Pokemon care about outspeeding other fast Pokemon, such as Zeraora running Jolly to stay in front of Dragapult (among other things).
As it applies to Inteleon, base ~120 is an increasingly crowded speed tier, and stats like these suggest Timid is preferable to Modest in Gen 8 NU at least. https://www.smogon.com/stats/2022-08/moveset/gen8nu-1760.txt

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This is not the case since inteleon needs to guarantee that it gets one hit off