As you adventure through the Sinnoh Region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, you'll take on eight gym battles, Team Galactic, and the Elite Four ultimately. Being crowned the League Champion isn't easy, but it's certainly easier with a good party of Pokémon put together.
In this guide, we suggest some of the best party compositions for progressing with the story of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Read More: Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl: Type Chart, Strengths and Weaknesses of All Pokémon
Best Party Composition for the Story
We recommend taking a look at the weaknesses of each gym and the Elite Four to help with your decisions of whom to keep in your party and who to box. However, we have some suggestions of strong Pokémon to maybe consider as a part of your party here.
Roserade
Roserade initially starts as Budew. To be evolved in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Budew requires high friendship levels to become Roselia. Then Roselia requires a Shiny Stone to evolve into Roserade. We talk about where to find each evolution stone here.
Roselia is a grass and poison-type Pokémon, with an ability to counter many other Pokémon using her moves. Giga-Drain being one move that not only attacks the opponent, but refills their health with half of the damage dealt, too. If you didn't start with Turtwig, Roserade is almost a must-have grass-type for your party.
Clefable
If you want a Pokémon with fairy-type moves and Gengar isn't for you, then Clefable is a great option. Cleffa can be found loitering around Mount Coronet if you're lucky, and will evolve when their happiness is at 220. To then evolve Clefairy into Clefable, you'll need to get a Moon Stone by digging in the Grand Underground.
Clefable is particularly strong against dragon, fighting, bug, and dark-types, while being weak to poison and steel-types. Clefable's stats may not be too impressive, but they can learn a diverse range of moves, which makes them particularly strong in battle.
Garchomp
Garchomp is certainly one of the best Pokémon to have as a member of your party, for he is both dragon and ground-type. You can get your hands on Gible after the sixth gym in Canalave City and learning the Strength Hidden Move. He typically spawns after entering the Wayward Cave that is by the cycling road on Route 206, or he can be found in Pokémon Hideaways in the Grand Underground. Gible will evolve into Gabite at Level 24, and then Garchomp at Level 48.
Due to Garchomp's type, he is particularly strong against fire, rock, and poison-types and immune to electric-type moves. He can learn some very strong attack moves through the use of TMs, including Swords Dance and Earthquake, while having a considerably strong attack stat as it is. Garchomp is, however, weak to ice, dragon, and fairy-type moves.
Alakazam
Alakazam is a psychic-type Pokémon who can be incredibly strong when you face other psychic-type Pokémon in battle. To get your hands on an Abra, you can find them in the tall grass on Route 203 by the entrance to Oreburgh Gate. Alternatively, you can capture a Machop on Route 207 or in the Grand Underground and take it to Oreburgh City. By speaking with Hilary in a house to the left of the Pokemart, she will trade you her Abra for your Machop.
Abra will then evolve into Kadabra at Level 16, and then evolve into Alakazam by trading with another player. Alakazam has a high speed and special attack stat, with a good defense against special attacks too. They're particularly strong against fighting and psychic-types, while being weak to bug, ghost, and dark-types.
Gengar
Gengar is a strong ghost and poison-type Pokémon. Their first form is as a Gastly, which you'll have no trouble running into. Gastly evolves into Haunter at Level 25, and then evolves into Gengar after being traded with another player.
Gengar is strong against a range of types, including fighting, normal, poison, bug, grass, and fairy, with a particularly large special attack stat. Their strengths against fairy-type Pokémon will come in use against the Sinnoh Champion, Cynthia, if you train them correctly. However, note that he is simultaneously weak to ghost, dark, ground, and psychic moves.
Staraptor
Staraptor is a surprisingly strong Pokémon that can be acquired early on in the game. The Brave Bird move is a great move to begin a battle with as it lowers the stats of the opposing Pokémon, and Staraptor themselves has a rather high attack and speed stat to make use of. You can capture a Starly in tall grass at the beginning of the game, they will evolve into Staravia at Level 14, and then Staraptor at Level 34.
Staraptor's attacks are particularly strong against ghost, ground, bug, and grass types, while being weak to rock, electric, and ice-types. So keep this in mind before sending them out to battle.
Gyarados
Gyarados is a water and flying-type, who can learn moves such as Waterfall, which is arguably one of the stronger water-type attacks in the game. To get a Gyarados, all you need to do is fish for Magikarp with an Old Rod, then they will evolve at Level 20.
Gyarados is strong against multiple types, with a high attack and defense stat, making them an incredibly strong Pokémon to have in your party if you don't have a water-type already. They're strong to ground, steel, fire, water, fighting, and bug type moves, while only being weak to electric and rock-type moves. So, if you didn't choose Piplup as your starter, a Gyarados is almost a must-have.
Scizor
Scyther is exclusive to Pokémon Brilliant Diamond, but if you can get your hands on them in Shining Pearl through trading, then we recommend doing so. Scyther will be evolved into Scizor when traded with another player while holding a Metal Coat. You can find Scyther in a Grasslands' hideaway in the Grand Underground, and also find a Metal Coat by digging in the Grand Underground too.
Scizor is notorious in his evolved form, for he has the best attack statistic amongst all bug and steel-type Pokémon after evolving. Keep in mind, however, that Scizor is weak to fire, fighting, flying, and ghost-type Pokémon.
As mentioned, it's up to you which party you compose in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and you can train multiple Pokémon to switch in and out when it comes to countering certain gyms. Keep an eye on their types and their moves, and which will be strong for countering the Elite Four and Champion!
Once you're crowned the League Champion, it's worth unlocking the National Pokédex to get your hand on more Pokémon across Sinnoh. After this, you can go searching for legendary Pokémon or, alternatively, take some time to relax by participating in Super Contest Shows.
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