Summary
- Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl offers a chance to catch every Pokemon from the Generation 4 National Pokedex.
- Legendary Pokemon like Dialga, Palkia, and Darkrai require specific items or events for players to catch in the game.
- Completing the Pokedex involves finding rare Pokemon like Munchlax and Manaphy using unique methods.
With Sinnoh renewed and remade for Nintendo Switch, players old and new will be looking for Pokedex completion once again. A unique quality of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl is that just about every Pokemon in the Generation 4 National Pokedex is catchable across the two games.
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As with any Pokedex, though, some Pokemon will be a real pain to get hold of. Legendary Pokemon have their own challenge, but finding them often isn't too tricky. It's other random Pokemon that are seemingly impossible to find.
Updated February 2, 2025 by Ben Painter: Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have been out for some time now and gamers may be looking for a new challenge to take on before the release of Pokemon Legends Z-A. Players could fire up their copy of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond or Shinning Pearl and try to complete the Pokedex. However, this will be no easy task as some Pokemon are really hard to find. This update adds five more of the rarest Pokemon to find In Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl.
35 Teddiursa
Normal-type
- Game Location: Grand Underground - Grassland Cave, Spacious Cave, Rocky Cave, Sunlit Cavern, Whiteout Cave, Glacial Cavern, Icy Cave
The Grand Underground opens up to players once they reach Eterna City. Expanded upon from the original games, this new look underground has places where gamers can catch some rare Pokemon.
Rocky Cave, Sunlit Cavern, Whiteout Cave, and Glacial Cavern are the places where players can find the Little Bear Pokemon from the start. The others require the National Dex. There are certainly rarer Pokemon on this list, but Teddiursa is certainly one to pick up as it evolves into the beastly Ursaring and, thankfully, this is just at level 30.
Teddiursa's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
60 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
80 |
|
Defense: |
50 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
50 |
|
Sp. Def: |
50 |
|
Speed: |
40 |
|
Total: |
330 |
34 Gligar
Ground/Flying-type
- Game Location: Grand Underground - Rocky Cave, Swampy Cave, Big Bluff Cavern, Sunlit Cavern, Big Bluff Cavern, Bogsunk Cavern (Brilliant Diamond only)
Gligar is a tricky Pokemon to acquire in the game; it can only be located in certain areas of the Grand Underground. From the original games, Diamond & Pearl, the Underground has been expanded, and gamers can now find Pokemon in special areas.
The Ground/Flying type is an awesome Pokemon to use. It can learn various Flying, Ground, Poison, and Bug moves and the Elemental Fang moves, too! Gligar is necessary if gamers want to use its evolved form, Gliscor, as this Pokemon cannot be caught. It must be evolved by holding a Razor Fang at night, which can be purchased at the Battle Park.
Gligar's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
65 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
75 |
|
Defense: |
105 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
35 |
|
Sp. Def: |
65 |
|
Speed: |
85 |
|
Total: |
430 |
33 Duskull
Ghost-type
- Game Location: Route 224 (Poke Radar), Grand Underground - Dazzling Cave, Stargleam Cavern (After obtaining the National Pokedex)
Originally introduced in Generation 3, the small little Ghost Pokemon made the jump onto the Nintendo Switch with Brilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl. To capture the Requiem Pokemon, players must first obtain the National Dex, as it will only spawn in the Grand Underground with it.
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Another way to find Duskull is to use the Poke Radar, but this can be tricky as it isn't always available. Gamers must wait for the Duskull outbreak to become available and then race to Route 224 to add a Duskull to their party. Duskull eventually evolves into the Generation 4 Pokemon Dusknoir when traded using a Reaper Cloth.
Duskull's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
20 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
40 |
|
Defense: |
90 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
30 |
|
Sp. Def: |
90 |
|
Speed: |
25 |
|
Total: |
295 |
32 Smoochum
Ice/Psychic-type
- Game Location: Lake Acuity (Swarm), Grand Underground - Icy Cave, Dazzling Cave, Stargleam Cavern, Glacial Cavern
Smoochum may have a controversial evolution in Jynx, but the baby Pokemon, Smoochum, is fairly inoffensive. It is one of the rarest Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond & Shiny Pearl as it is another Pokemon that can only be located in the Grand Underground in just a few areas.
Smoochum can be found in a swarm also in Lake Acuity near Snowpoint City. Keep an eye on the pause menu for information on Smoochum's arrival. Gamers will have a decent Pokemon, too, as Jynx has very good Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed and great typing to boot.
Smoochum's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
45 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
30 |
|
Defense: |
15 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
85 |
|
Sp. Def: |
65 |
|
Speed: |
65 |
|
Total: |
305 |
31 Swinub
Ice/Ground-type
- Game Location: Route 217 (Swarm) Grand Underground - Icy Cave, Swampy Cave, Whiteout Cave, Glacial Cavern, Bogsunk Cavern
Another Ice-type, which is also rare, is Swinub. The Pig Pokemon can be found in swarms on Route 17 and in select areas in the Grand Underground, albeit at a rare spawn rate.
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Gamers will need Swinub to complete their Pokedex. In its final stage, it becomes the mammoth, Mamoswine, who is an awesome Pokemon in-game with hulking Attack and HP stats. It will leave Electric types in ruins with a powerful Earthquake attack. Players will need to search high and low to find this cute little Ice/Ground Pokemon.
Swinub's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
50 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
50 |
|
Defense: |
40 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
30 |
|
Sp. Def: |
30 |
|
Speed: |
50 |
|
Total: |
250 |
30 Riolu
Fighting-Type
- Game Location: Hatch Egg received from Riley in Iron Island
The Fighting-type Pokemon is one of the most popular Pokemon in the game due to the fact it evolves into the awesome Lucario, a go-to 'mon for Sinnoh playthroughs. But to get Lucario, players must get Riolu, which can only be found from an egg received from Riley on Iron Island.
This area is accessible once players reach Canalave City, and trainers must battle their way through the area to receive the Riolu egg. Although it is not hard to acquire, as players are guaranteed one Riolu in each playthrough, it is still considered rare as there is only one per save.
Riolu's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
40 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
70 |
|
Defense: |
40 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
35 |
|
Sp. Def: |
40 |
|
Speed: |
60 |
|
Total: |
285 |
29 Absol
Dark-Type
- Game Location: Route 213 (Swarm), Grand Underground - Spacious Cave, Grassland Cave, Dazzling Cave, Sunlit Cavern, Stargleam Cavern, Big Bluff Cavern
First introduced in Generation 3 in the Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire games, the Disaster Pokemon, Absol, leaped over to Generation 4 and, in turn, the remakes. To locate an Absol in Sinnoh is no easy task, however, as it can only be found through swarms on Route 213.
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Swarms are available as mass outbreaks throughout the region once the player has obtained the National Dex after defeating the Elite Four and Champion. If gamers can't wait until then to get their hands on an Absol, then they can attempt to find one in the Grand Underground in specific locations. However, it is a rare spawn. In some areas, it appears with a spawn rate as low as 5%.
Absol's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
65 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
130 |
|
Defense: |
60 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
75 |
|
Sp. Def: |
60 |
|
Speed: |
75 |
|
Total: |
465 |
28 Magnemite
Electric/Steel-Type
- Game Location: Fuego Ironworks (Swarm), Grand Underground - Spacious Cave, Whiteout Cave, Icy Cave, Glacial Cavern
One of the original 151 Pokemon, Magnemite, appears in Brilliant Diamond & Shinning Pearl as a swarm encounter at Fuego Ironworks. This area is accessed by surfing west in the stream on Route 205, north of Floroma Town. These swarms will appear to the player at random from the start menu.
The Magnet Pokemon is a great pick-up in this game, as a new evolution was released for this 'mon in the form of Magnezone. Magnemite evolves at level 30, and when gamers take the evolved Magneton to Mt. Cornet and level it up, it will reach its final form of Magnezone. Alternately, Magnemite can also be found as a rare spawn in select areas of the Grand Underground, but locating this Pokemon can still take a great deal of effort.
Magnemite's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
25 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
35 |
|
Defense: |
70 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
95 |
|
Sp. Def: |
55 |
|
Speed: |
45 |
|
Total: |
325 |
27 Lickitung
Normal-Type
- Game Location: Lake Valor (Swarm), Grand Underground - Spacious Cave, Riverbank Cave, Fountainspring Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Swampy Cave, Bogsunk Cavern
A very divisive Pokemon due to its appearance, Lickitung is required to complete the Pokedex, and doing so is the only way to acquire its Generation 4 evolution, Lickilicky. Lickitung reaches this final form once it is leveled up while knowing the Rollout move.
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Exclusive to swarms on Lake Valor and as rare spawns in the Grand Underground, it will take some effort to find the Kanto Pokemon on the Nintendo Switch. Lickilicky is a decent Pokemon with solid HP and rounded stats. It is worth putting in the extra effort to find it, as having a solid Normal-type is a great strategy for tough bosses in this game.
Lickitung's Base Stats:
|
HP: |
90 |
|---|---|
|
Attack: |
55 |
|
Defense: |
75 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
60 |
|
Sp. Def: |
75 |
|
Speed: |
30 |
|
Total: |
385 |
26 Scyther/Pinsir
Bug/Flying-Type, Bug-Type
-
Game Location:
- Scyther (Brilliant Diamond only) - Route 229, Grand Underground - Grassland Cave, Sunlit Cavern, Riverbank Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Big Bluff Cavern.
- Pinsir (Shining Pearl only) - Route 229, Grand Underground - Grassland Cave, Riverbank Cave, Still-Water Cavern, Sunlit Cavern, Big Bluff Cavern
These Bug-types made their debuts way back in Pokemon Red & Blue in Generation 1 and have been mainstays of the franchise ever since. But gamers may want to think twice before wanting to use these 'mons in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
They can only be caught as rare spawns in select locations after acquiring the National Dex on Route 229. It is also worth noting that Scyther is exclusive to Brilliant Diamond, and Pinsir can only be caught in Shining Pearl. Getting both bugs in one copy of the game will require some trading.
Base Stats:
|
Scyther |
Pinsir |
|
|
HP: |
70 |
65 |
|
Attack: |
110 |
125 |
|
Defense: |
80 |
100 |
|
Sp. Atk: |
55 |
55 |
|
Sp. Def: |
80 |
70 |
|
Speed: |
105 |
85 |
|
Total: |
500 |
500 |