Intimidation (Intimidate)

Intimidate lowers the Attack stat of all opposing Pokemon by one stage when the Pokemon with this ability enters battle. In singles, this affects the one opponent; in doubles or triples, it hits all opponents on the field. This makes Intimidate one of the most influential abilities in competitive Pokemon, effectively weakening physical attackers just by switching in.

The Attack drop occurs immediately upon entry and applies before any moves are executed that turn. Intimidate also triggers if acquired mid-battle through Trace or similar effects, but will not reactivate if lost and regained without leaving battle. Certain abilities interact with Intimidate in notable ways: Clear Body, White Smoke, and Hyper Cutter block it entirely; Inner Focus blocks it from Generation IX onward; and Defiant and Competitive trigger off the stat drop, turning it into a disadvantage for the Intimidate user. The ability does not affect opponents behind a Substitute. In earlier games, Intimidate also had an overworld effect — a 50% chance to skip encounters with Pokemon five or more levels below the lead. Found on 35 Pokemon including Gyarados, Landorus-Therian, Arcanine, and Incineroar, Intimidate has shaped competitive metagames since its introduction in Generation III.