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Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl feature hundreds of powerful monsters to catch and train throughout Sinnoh, but a few stand out among the rest. Many Pokémon games revolve around capturing the most powerful Pokémon, but the best monsters are often determined by an equal distribution of power, design, popularity, and uniqueness. While Pokémon hasn't run a popularity contest for several years, many monsters from the Sinnoh region ranked highly throughout the last results. As a result, many fans may recognize Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's best Pokémon.
Many factors go into crafting the perfect Pokémon team, but there isn't a single right way to defeat Cynthia and enjoy Pokémon BDSP. Typing, abilities, IVs, and EVs also contribute to a creature's overall effectiveness in battle. Unfortunately, with hundreds of available Pokémon to catch, it can be difficult to pinpoint specific creatures to invest in training and which to leave in the PC Box. Here are the best Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, ranked.
#6 Infernape
Fire/Fighting-types in starter Pokémon are widespread, but Infernape is widely considered one of the best Pokémon for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl teams. Not only does Sinnoh have a serious shortage of viable Fire-types, but Fire starters have historically maintained their position as a popular choice in every generation. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's Infernape features diverse movesets that make it a prime choice for Trainers building battling teams from scratch.
Interested in learning how to use Infernape properly? Check out the video guide from pokeaimMD on YouTube below to see how to make Infernape one of your best Pokémon in BDSP!
Infernape's design also improves from previous monkey-inspired monsters, with creatures like Mankey and Primeape delivering underwhelming color palettes. Unique markings on its ankles, wrists, and chest give this Fire-type a beautiful aesthetic without becoming too overbearing with patterns and details. Its usefulness in the Elite Four and preceding Gym Battles makes Infernape one of Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl's best additions.
#5 Spiritomb
Most Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are caught in the wilds or through static encounters, but Spiritomb has a dedicated questline players must complete to encounter it. After obtaining the Odd Keystone, players must explore Pokémon BDSP's Grand Underground and battle 32 named Trainers (the Hikers selling wares for shards don't count).
There has been some discrepancy about what encounters contribute to this mission. To see how to get one of the best Pokémon in Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond without doing any unnecessary battles, watch the YouTube walkthrough from easynow below:
As more encounters are obtained, interacting with Spiritomb's spawn point will steadily advance dialogue until the mysterious Pokémon spawns. It's recommended that players save before interacting with the stone tower if they haven't kept track of their encounters to prevent facing the creature unprepared and failing to capture it.
While it can be a pain having the chance to catch Spiritomb in BDSP, its diverse moveset and ability to set up long-term defeats for opponent's teams through status effects and bulky defenses. Its design, story, and usefulness make Spiritomb a one of the best additions to any Pokémon team.
#4 Togekiss
Fairy-type Pokémon are the newest addition to BDSP, changing the type-chart and introducing a great threat to the series' beloved Dragon-types. Nintendo created new monsters under the Fairy-type for Gen 6 and added the type to familiar creatures like Clefairy and Togepi. As a result, Togekiss has become one of the best Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Looking to add Togekiss as a team member but don't know where to catch it? See Togekiss' location in BDSP in the video from Pokemon Archives on YouTube below:
Togepi's evolutionary line maintains an innocent appearance with steady design progression and meaningful evolutionary forms. With 120 Special Attack and 80 Speed, it can swiftly become a party's best attacker, providing an excellent choice to defeat several of Cynthia's Pokémon in the Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Champion battle. As one of the most challenging battles in the franchise, this makes Togekiss an excellent addition to player parties.
#3 Lucario
Lucario is one of the most popular Pokémon in the franchise; the creature featured in its own movie and regularly appeared in popular characters' parties throughout the anime. Additionally, during the 2020 Pokémon Popularity Poll, Lucario ranked second overall. Its power, speed, sleek design, and unique typing make it a dynamic addition to any party, and it's still one of the best Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Like Spiritomb, Lucario also appears on Cynthia's team during the Champion battle and can be used as a counter against many other Elite Four Pokémon. With a Fighting-Steel dual type, Lucario can obtain a diverse moveset and is only weak to Fire-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks. For Trainers looking to get one of the most popular (and powerful) Pokémon in Sinnoh, Lucario is a must-have in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
#2 Dialga & Palkia
The title Legendaries for Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl both provide powerful additions to any party and represent the pinnacle of the game's storyline. Catching a title Legendary provides players with a significant advantage over many opponents and culminates into one of the biggest events in the game's story.
Looking to collect every Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl? Check out the visual breakdown by Nintendo Unity on YouTube below to see how to find every Legendary in the game!
Both Dialga and Palkia are powerful monsters in their own right, but they are exclusive to their versions and can only be obtained by trading for the opposite game version. While both feature powerful stats, their designs and positions as the Lords of Time and Space make them some of the most influential monsters in the Pokémon universe. The lore attached to these beasts and their position as the title Legendaries makes them some of the best Pokémon in Shining Pearl and Brilliant Diamond, even if players don't include them on their final team.
#1 Garchomp - BDSP's Best Pokémon
Garchomp is a well-known Pokémon for being Cynthia's ace in BDSP's Champion fight. As a Dragon-Ground dual type, it features a collection of powerful moves that make it devastatingly powerful to face in the final stretch of the game's primary campaign. Its design and evolutionary line symbolized Sinnoh's many powerful monsters and featured some of the game's most damaging offensive moves. While the creature can be difficult to train up and work within earlier stages, its usefulness in the late game pays off and equips players with the best Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl offers.
Garchomp is definitely worth adding to your own Pokémon team! See the video walkthrough below from AggronHD to find out where to catch Gible and how to evolve them to Garchomp!
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl provide players with hundreds of unique monsters to catch and battle. While it's unlikely for fans to see a return to the National Dex in Pokémon games, these are just a few of the many powerful, well-designed, and exciting creatures available to catch in the remastered Sinnoh region. Players likely have opinions about the generation's best Pokémon, but the above maintain useful movesets, personal stats, designs, and stories representative of BDSP and Sinnoh.