Are you a recipient of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and looking forward to getting stuck into all Sinnoh and Gen IV has to offer?
Here are some of the mistakes you should avoid making at the start of your adventure, if you're looking to optimise the endgame.
Don't forget to replant berries!
This is probably one of the most important activities in the remakes, and yet many don't make the effort to pick berries - or worse, replant them afterwards.
While it can be a chore to constantly have to plant, travel, and revisit berry locations, they become more than useful in the endgame:
- Held or used in battle, they can heal or cure status inflictions, alongside many other useful effects
- Berries are the basis of making Poffins, an important item when training the stats of your Pokémon. They're especially crucial in winning the Super Contest Shows, and in evolving Pokémon such as Feebas.
Here's how to find and evolve Feebas into Milotic in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Do use the Pokétch more!
The Poké Watch, or Pokétch, is obtained very early in the main story. While it's mainly used to activate the Hidden Machine moves such as Surf, Rock Smash, and Fly, it is also full of other incredbily useful features.
There are twenty-five apps available, and while some are very simple, such as clocks or the calculator, others are much more practical - and even crucial in obtaining certain Pokémon.
Relevant uses include the Pedometer when in the Safari Park, the Friendship Checker when trying to evolve certain Pokémon via Happiness, the Dowsing Machine for seeking out hidden treasure, and the Marking Map when hunting down roaming Pokémon such as Mesprit.
The Legendary Pokémon Mesprit is part of the Lake Guardians trio alongside Uxie and Azelf. Here's how you can find and capture the Being of Emotion in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
Struggling to find certain Pokémon to complete your National Dex in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? They may be best found using the Poké Radar!
Don't avoid trainer battles on the various Routes!
Even though the Pokémon series has become easier to play in recent years, especially thanks to the Exp. Share being activated by default, you're still going to need a ton of EXP to level up your Pokémon to the benchmarks required for taking on the Pokémon League and catching Legendary Pokémon.
Battling the many trainers you'll cross paths with when traversing the Routes between towns will mean your Pokémon should be more than adequately strong to take on the Gyms and the endgame master trainers, without having to rely on grinding in the Grand Underground.
Looking for a particular Pokémon in the Grand Underground? Our guide to the various Hideaways in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can help.
Do change up and rotate your team!
Following on from this, by taking on the many trainers in the wild, you'll be able to level up a wider range of Pokémon.
One mistake many make is to play through the entire adventure with just the same few creatures, which is highly ineffective when it comes to the Pokémon League.
Unlike regular Gyms, where the Gym Leader follows a particular type (e.g. Crasher Wake and Water), the Elite Four and Champion have Pokémon of several different types.
As such, you're going to need options in your team. not dodging trainers in your path will allow you to level up more different Pokémon, so that nothing will surprise you come the Pokémon League and beyond.
Also get in the habit of planning movesets, using TMs to teach your Pokémon better or more diverse moves.
As with all Pokémon games, Trainers will have a difficult choice to make at the beginning of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Which starter should you choose?
Do buy Poké Balls in lots of 10!
This is more of a tip than a mistake, but it's still highly beneficial!
When purchasing Poké Balls from a Poké Mart, make sure you buy them in lots of ten.
For every whole ten, you'll be given a free Premier Ball as a thank you!
Whether collecting Berries or Ribbons, or battling Trainers, there are some NPCs in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Here's who they are and where you'll find them.
Whether during your adventure or afterwards, there's a whole load of NPCs in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl that will help you on your way.
