There is a plethora of legendary Pokemon to catch in the Gen IV remakes. It’s actually a really neat part of the endgame, adding more things to do in BDSP. This list is rather extensive, and it isn’t something that can necessarily be achieved in one sitting either. Here is how you can catch all the legendary Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
How to catch all 26 legendary Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
This list will be split between which Pokemon you can get before and after obtaining the National Dex. There will also be prerequisites listed so you know what to do before going to the destinations.
Sinnoh Dex
Dialga (Brilliant Diamond) / Palkia (Shining Pearl)
After defeating Candice at Snowpoint City, you’ll make your way to Mt. Coronet. Travel this huge landmark upward until you eventually reach the Spear Pillar. Here, you’ll go through a series of battles with Team Galactic, eventually rematching Mars, Jupiter, and Cyrus. Upon beating all of them, you’ll encounter the Pokemon respective to your game. Dialga and Palkia are level 47.
Uxie / Mesprit / Azelf
The Lake Guardians can be caught AFTER concluding the events that happened back at the Spear Pillar. Uxie is located in the cave at Lake Acuity, Azelf is located at Lake Valor, and Mesprit is at Lake Verity. They will all be encountered at level 50.
Mesprit in particular will become a roaming Pokemon. This means that you can actually encounter it in areas where you can encounter other Pokemon in the wild. It’s highly advised that you earn the Marking app on your Poketch to track it down.
National Dex
Cresselia
Make your way to Canalave City and talk to the sailor who took you to Iron Island. He’ll tell you about his son who has been stuck in a nightmare. You’ll learn more about the Lunar Feather that can help in restoring his son. He will then take you to Fullmoon Island. Go inside the forest and you will see Cresselia.
Interact with her, and just like Mesprit, she’ll flee. Once again, you have to track her down just like you did with Mesprit. However, before you leave, Cresselia leaves a Lunar Feather behind. Pick it up and take it back with the sailor to Canalave City.
Giratina
Make your way to Sendoff Spring, a lake that unlocks after unlocking the National Dex. It’s the hidden fourth lake where there’s a maze-like cave within. It’s called the Turnback Cave. You have to explore the cave in 30 rooms or less to encounter the legendary Dragon/Ghost-type Pokemon— Giratina.
Come prepared with a decent team, because this legendary mon will appear at level 70.
Heatran
After landing in the Fight Area, make your way to the northern-most part of the island. This means going all the way up to Route 227 and up to Stark Mountain. Here, you’ll enter a cave and face trainers and Pokemon of higher levels, so be prepared. Once you get far enough into Stark Mountain, you’ll come across a trainer named Buck, who will accompany you to the depths of the cave.
There, he talks about the Magma Stone and takes it. However, go back to the Survival Area and talk to his grandpa. He says you have to bring the stone back to Stark Mountain or else the volcano will erupt. Make your way back to the depths of the mountain and face Heatran at level 70.
Regice / Registeel / Regirock
After unlocking the National Dex, you will have access to Ramanas Park, a new area in Sinnoh where you can catch legendary Pokemon from regions like Hoenn, Johto, and Kanto. The first batch of legendaries is going to be the Regi trio. You’ll need a total of three Discovery Slates so you can catch all three, one by one.
Each Regi will be at level 70 and must be caught. They’ll be needed for Regigigas.
Regigigas
After catching or obtaining all three of the Regis (Regirock, Registeel, Regice), go to Snowpoint Temple, located at Snowpoint City. Here, the lady at the front will let you in after Candice gives you a pass. You’ll need to also have all three of the Regis in your party. If you interact with the dormant Regigigas without them in your party, the Pokemon won’t budge.
Raikou / Entei / Suicune (Brilliant Diamond exclusive)
After catching the Regi trio, you will then have access to the Johto Slates. Just like how you acquired the last set of Slates, you’ll need to farm at least nine small Mysterious Shards or three large ones. The dogs will be encountered in the Johto Room.
Articuno / Zapdos / Moltres (Shining Pearl exclusive)
If you play Shining Pearl, you basically have to follow the steps needed for the legendary dog trio. The Kanto legendaries are in place instead of the dogs because of the exclusivity of this version. The birds will be encountered in the Kanto Room.
Latios / Latias
After getting the Regi trio, you’ll also get access to the roaming Hoenn dragons. They’ll be located in the Soul Room and require a Soul Slate for each encounter. Once you catch Latias, then your next encounter will be Latios and vice versa. Upon catching both of them, there will be a Soul Dew you can pick up for them to hold in battle.
Ho-Oh (Brilliant Diamond) and Lugia (Shining Pearl)
After catching the legendary dogs or birds, and Latios and Latias, you’ll have access to the Slate rooms with the Johto legendary bird. Brilliant Diamond gets Ho-Oh and the Rainbow room while Shining Pearl gets Lugia in the Squall Room.
Mewtwo
After capturing or defeating the Latis and the legendary exclusive trios, you will have access to the Genome Slate. This is needed in the Genome Room where, if the item is used, will summon Mewtwo.
Kyogre and Groudon
You need to have beaten the Johto or Kanto trios depending on your game and Latios and Latias. You’ll then be able to acquire the Oceanic Slate for Kyogre and the Tectonic Slate for Groudon. Go to their respective rooms with the same names of their slates to encounter them individually.
Rayquaza
The prerequisites are the same as they were for Kyogre and Groudon. You do not need to have any sort of significant victory with them to access Rayquaza and the Stratospheric Slate.
Miscellaneous legendary Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Mew and Jirachi
These mythical Pokemon are acquirable if you have saved data from past Pokemon games on your Switch console. This includes the Let’s Go games which will allow you to get Mew and Sword/Shield for Jirachi.
Manaphy
The legendary fourth Lake Guardian is in rotation right now via Mystery Gift. All you need to do is unlock three badges and have an online connection. You’ll be gifted an egg of this Pokemon.
Unobtainable Legendaries right now
- Celebi
- Deoxys
- Darkrai
- Shaymin*
Shaymin can technically be earned in-game, but through glitching. There are many guides out there that show you how to obtain it, but it’s highly advised because of possible bugs that might come up from doing so.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are out now exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
