During your time playing Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, you're going to encounter a lot of Pokémon, including legendary ones. Excluding Arceus, Deoxys, Darkrai, and Celebi, all legendary Pokémon from Gen I to Gen IV can be caught! They can be a task to collect, so we've delved into where they are, what slates you may need, and how to catch them across the Sinnoh Region.
In this guide, we list all the legendary Pokémon in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, where to find them, and how to catch them.
Read More: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Evolution Guide: How To Evolve Pokémon
All Legendary Pokémon and How to Catch Them
First things first, some legendary Pokémon will be version exclusives. To get your hands on these, some trading will need to be involved. Additionally, multiple of these legendary Pokémon are only available after encountering all 150 Pokémon in the Sinnoh Pokédex and reporting to Professor Rowan to then unlock the National Pokédex.
If you're set on capturing a legendary Pokémon, you will want to try using Quick Balls. Failing that, it's worth attempting to send them to sleep using a move such as Hypnosis, and then attempting to capture them using an Ultra Ball. Again, failing that, try to lower the opposing Pokémon's health as much as possible, putting it to sleep, and throwing yet another ball out. Sooner or later, you're bound to succeed.
Below, we have listed each legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and what you need to do to catch them:
Gen IV Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Dialga: Unlocked by defeating Cyrus at Spear Pillar. Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond.
- Palkia: Unlocked by defeating Cyrus at Spear Pillar. Exclusive to Shining Pearl.
- Uxie: Can be found at Acuity Cavern after collecting Dialga or Palkia.
- Azelf: Can be found at Valor Cavern after collecting Dialga or Palkia.
- Mesprit: Can be found at Verity Cavern after collecting Dialga or Palkia.
The following Pokémon in this guide will only become available after unlocking the National Pokédex, excluding Mew, Jirachi, Manaphy, and Phione.
- Giratina: Can be found at Turnback Cave in a cavern along Route 214. Only available after unlocking the National Pokédex.
- Regigigas: With Regirock, Regice, and Registeel in your party, Regigigas can be found at Snowpoint Temple.
- Cresselia: Speak to the child in Sailor Eldritch's house in Canalave City. You will be directed to Fullmoon Island, where Cresselia can be found.
- Heatran: Can be found at Stark Mountain after completing activities with Buck and returning the Magma Stone.
- Manaphy: Unlocked for all early orders. More about getting the Manaphy Egg can be found here.
- Phione: Unlocked for all early orders. More about breeding Phione can be found here.
- Darkrai: Finish the Sailor Eldritch and Lunar Wing story line. With a Member Card in your possession, enter the Harbour Inn in Canalave City to trigger the events necessary to encounter Darkrai.
- Shaymin: Can be found at Flower Paradise with Oak's Letter item in your possession.
- Arceus: Can be found at Hall of Origin in Mount Coronet with the Azure Flute in your possession.
Gen III Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Regice: Can be found in Ramanas Park with a Discovery Slate.
- Registeel: Can be found in Ramanas Park with a Discovery Slate.
- Regirock: Can be found in Ramanas Park with a Discovery Slate.
- Groudon: Can be found in the Tectonic Room of Ramanas Park, with a Tectonic Slate.
- Kyogre: Can be found in the Oceanic Room of Ramanas Park, with an Oceanic Slate.
- Rayquaza: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a Stratospheric Slate.
- Latios: Can be found in the Soul Room of Ramanas Park, with a Soul Slate.
- Latias: Can be found in the Soul Room of Ramanas Park, with a Soul Slate.
- Jirachi: Unlocked for all players with save data from Pokémon Sword and Shield by speaking with an NPC in Floarama Town. More information can be found here.
Gen II Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Raikou: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond.
- Entei: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond.
- Suicine: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond.
- Lugia: Can be found in the Squall Room of Ramanas Park, with a Squall Slate. Exclusive to Shining Pearl.
- Ho-Oh: Can be found in the Rainbow Room of Ramanas Park, with a Rainbow Slate. Exclusive to Brilliant Diamond.
Gen I Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Mew: Unlocked for all players with save data from a Pokémon Let's Go title by speaking with an NPC in Floarama Town. More information can be found here.
- Mewtwo: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a Genome Slate.
- Articuno: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Shining Pearl.
- Zapdos: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Shining Pearl.
- Moltres: Can be found in Ramanas Park, with a GB Slate. Exclusive to Shining Pearl.
Ramanas Park: The Order To Unlock Legendary Pokémon In
Once you are able to go to Ramanas Park, you will need to unlock legendary Pokémon in a specific order to be able to capture the next Pokémon. You're also going to need a lot of spheres and shards, so keep that in mind next time you're in the Grand Underground.
Below, we have listed the order n which you need to unlock each legendary Pokémon that resides in Ramanas Park:
- Regice, using Discovery Slate
- Regirock, using Discovery Slate
- Registeel, using Discovery Slate
- Suicune, using Johto Slate (Brilliant Diamond) or Articuno, using Kanto Slate (Shining Pearl)
- Raikou, using Johto Slate (Brilliant Diamond) or Zapdos, using Kanto Slate (Shining Pearl)
- Entei, using Johto Slate (Brilliant Diamond) or Moltres, using Kanto Slate (Shining Pearl)
- Latios, using Soul Slate
- Latias, using Soul Slate
- Lugia, using Squall Slate
- Ho-Oh, using Rainbow Slate
There you have it. That's all the legendary Pokémon available in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as well as how to unlock them. For those exclusive to various editions, some trading with generous friends may need to be involved if you truly need to catch 'em all. In the meantime, check out how to raise friendship levels of your Pokémon, earn EXP for them, and win Super Contest Shows using them!