Pokémon Pearl is the sister version of Pokémon Diamond for the Nintendo DS, set in the Sinnoh region. This page contains tips for completing the Pokédex, especially for unlocking the National Dex and reaching Pokémon that don't appear in the region. To obtain the National Dex, you must defeat the Elite Four or view all the Pokémon in the Sinnoh Pokédex, then speak to Professor Rowan. Once you have obtained it, you can enter Pal Park along Route 221, and the rest of the notes explain where to catch certain Pokémon and how to evolve the more unusual ones. Tips also include how to use the Game Boy Advance as a source of additional Pokémon.
Found a tip or a cheat that is missing? Contact us and we will gladly add it.
National Dex and Special Pokémon
National Dex: defeat the Elite Four to get it from Professor Oak, or complete the Sinnoh Pokédex by seeing all 150 Pokémon (they don't have to be caught), then talk to Professor Rowan in his lab. With the National Dex you can access Pal Park (Route 221) and the Pokémon listed below.
A random Pokémon per day: after the National Dex, in the Pokémon Mansion a person shows you a rare Pokémon every day. Lucas's or Dawn's sister in Sandgem tells you every day where to find a National Dex one.
Legendaries
Dialga and Palkia: you need Rock Climb, Surf and Strength. Start with Fighting or Ground moves (double damage) and bring the HP close to red with Water, Normal, Electric or Flying moves (half damage), then use a Poké Ball. If you don't catch it, talk to Lucas in Sandgem: he will tell you where it reappeared. After catching it you find Uxie at Lake Acuity, Mesprit at Lake Verity and Azelf at Lake Valor.
Mesprit and Cresselia (roamers): bring a fast level 50 Pokémon with False Swipe. Find them with the Marking Map on the Poketch, use False Swipe until they have 1 HP (save at every encounter and use Quick Balls). Don't encounter them in areas with weather damage: you would knock them out and lose them.
Mesprit with Staraptor (level 55 with Aerial Ace): don't fly, go on foot or Surf; save near Mesprit, hit it with Aerial Ace and, if it faints, turn off and retry. At red HP use a Quick Ball, Great Ball, Dusk Ball (in a cave or at night) or Nest Ball, or the Master Ball.
Heatran (level 70, Fire/Steel): after the National Dex and the Elite Four, enter Stark Mountain with Buck, leave after he takes the Magma Stone and fly to the Staging Area, talk to him in a house: he gives you the stone. Go back to Stark Mountain where he took it.
Regigigas (level 70): import Regirock, Regice and Registeel from Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald and bring them with you to Snowpoint City, in the temple down to the base. Its ability Slow Start halves Attack and Speed for 5 turns.
Giratina (level 70, Ghost/Dragon): after the National Dex and the Elite Four go to Spring Path, Route 214, and in the cave (Turnback Cave) cross the three pillars between the rooms (at least 30 rooms). After catching or defeating Giratina, passing the 3 pillars without other rooms you receive the Reaper Cloth (for Dusknoir).
Cresselia: in Canalave, in Sailor Eldritch's house, agree to go to Full Moon Island. Level 50, it flees: use the Marking Map.
Phione and Manaphy: from an egg transferred from Pokémon Ranger. Phione doesn't evolve into Manaphy.
Darkrai, Shaymin and Arceus: only with special items from Nintendo events or with a hack. With the Mystery Gift at the TV station in Jubilife City (third floor) you get the events: say "EVERYBODY HAPPY" and "WI-FI CONNECTION".
How to Obtain and Evolve Pokémon
Chatot: in the grassy area in front of Valley Windworks catch a Buizel and take it to level 14. In Eterna City, in the building to the right of the Poké Mart, a boy trades his Chatot for your Buizel. At level 20 it learns Chatter and you can record your voice with the DS microphone (it lasts a day).
Riolu and Lucario: help Riley in the Iron Island Cave and defeat the two Team Galactic Grunts: he gives you an egg that hatches after 6,391 steps (level 1 Riolu). Riolu evolves into Lucario with happiness during the day.
Eevee: after the Sinnoh Pokédex visit Bebe in Hearthome (level 5). It evolves into Leafeon next to the Moss Rock in Eterna Forest or on Route 216, into Glaceon next to the Ice Rock south of Snowpoint.
Spiritomb: talk to the man with the headband on Route 208 to receive the Odd Keystone, then place it in the slot on Route 209 (Hallowed Tower) and talk to 32 people in the Underground.
Unown: use Dusk Balls in the cave west of Solaceon.
Drifloon: at Valley Windworks on Friday, during the day, after Team Galactic.
Milotic: bring Feebas's Beauty almost to the maximum with Poffins and level it up.
Weavile: Sneasel with the Razor Claw (behind Victory Road), leveling up.
By trade holding an item: Rhyperior (Rhydon with Protector), Electivire (Electabuzz with Electirizer), Magmortar (Magmar with Magmarizer), Gliscor (Gligar at night with the Razor Fang), Porygon-Z (Porygon2 with the Dubious Disc), Dusknoir (Dusclops with the Reaper Cloth).
With stones: Togekiss (Togetic with the Shiny Stone), Gallade (male Kirlia with the Dawn Stone), Froslass (female Snorunt with the Dawn Stone).
By level with a move: Lickilicky (Lickitung that knows Rollout), Tangrowth (Tangela with Ancient Power), Yanmega (Yanma with Ancient Power), Mamoswine (Piloswine with Ancient Power).
Other: Magnezone (Magneton at Mt. Coronet), Probopass (Nosepass in Mt. Coronet), Rotom (at the TV in the Old Chateau, in Eterna Forest: only one, level 15), Ambipom (Aipom with Double Hit at level 32), Mr. Mime (Mime Jr. with Mimic at 18), Sudowoodo (Bonsly with Mimic at 17).
Vespiquen: only female Combee evolve.
Useful Tricks
Trade evolution without a partner: at the Global Trade Station in Jubilife City deposit the Pokémon to evolve, ask for a Pokémon you want (even a rare one), trade it and then take yours back from the Summary: it evolves as in a trade (Haunter into Gengar, Kadabra into Alakazam, Scyther with Metal Coat into Scizor).
Easy experience: buy everything you want, then challenge the Pokémon League several times: the Pokémon gain levels even if you lose, and you have little money to lose. Or at Iron Island Cave, to the left of the exit, Riley joins the party and heals all the Pokémon at every battle (level 30 maximum).
Eggs: a Pokémon with Flame Body or Magma Armor halves the hatching time. An egg hatches after 10,250 steps: in Solaceon ride the bike back and forth.
Female eggs: an egg hatched in Floaroma is always female (except for male-only or genderless species).
Free Poké Balls: in Solaceon, in the house to the right of the Pokémon Center, catch the Pokémon the man asks for every day.
Duplicated items: in a double battle, a Ditto without an item copies the Pokémon with the item; trade with a Pokémon that knows Thief, use it on Ditto and win: you will have a duplicate.
More berries: water the plants at every growth cycle.
Changing the DS time speeds up berry growth and allows some events (for example the guard in the Pokémon Mansion takes a break between 2 and 5 at night).
