Shiny Pokemon BDSP
Image: Nintendo Life

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl features a large number of Pokémon that fans will be eager to jump back into the Sinnoh region to catch. The most dedicated fans will also be hunting Shiny Pokémon — differently coloured versions of their favourite creatures that are difficult to catch.

What makes them so difficult? Well they’re incredibly rare. But today we’re going to explain one method that makes the process much easier.

How to catch Shiny Pokémon in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Complete the Sinnoh Dex

Firstly, you’ll need to complete the Sinnoh Pokédex. Thankfully, this can be done with one copy of the game, and in one playthrough. All you need to do is to see one of every Pokémon, not catch them, and this can all be achieved during the course of the normal game.

If you’re struggling to see the box legendary of the other copy, Dialga or Palkia, speak to Cynthia’s grandmother and she’ll show you it.

After that, head back to Professor Rowan and he’ll upgrade your Pokédex for you, allowing you to catch almost 500 Pokémon in total, including plenty of new legendaries.

Head to Ramanas Park

Next, head to Ramanas Park. When you enter, you’ll run into Professor Oak, and he’ll give you the Poké Radar. While you’re hear, make sure to pick up the Chain Counter, which will track your catches.

Pick a Pokémon

Next, you need to pick a Pokémon you can find in the wild. Choose your Pokémon, load up on Repeat Balls, and Super Repels, and then you’re almost ready.

Chain Catching

PokeRadar Patch
Image: Nintendo Life

The way this works is that once you use the Poké Radar, several patches of grass around you will begin to shake. Once you encounter the Pokémon you want in one of these patches, you need to capture or defeat it. After that, more patches will shake, and you repeat the process.

By doing this, you’re building a chain and increasing the odds of your next encounter being shiny. The odds are as follows.

CHAIN SHINY ODDS GUARANTEED MAX IVS

0

1 in 4096

0

1

1 in 3855

2

1 in 3640

3

1 in 3449

4

1 in 3277

5

1 in 3121

6

1 in 2979

7

1 in 2849

8

1 in 2731

9

1 in 2621

10

1 in 2521

11

1 in 2427

12

1 in 2341

13

1 in 2259

14

1 in 2185

15

1 in 2114

16

1 in 2048

17

1 in 1986

18

1 in 1927

19

1 in 1872

20

1 in 1820

1

21

1 in 1771

22

1 in 1724

23

1 in 1680

24

1 in 1638

25

1 in 1598

26

1 in 1560

27

1 in 1524

28

1 in 1489

29

1 in 1456

30

1 in 1310

2

31

1 in 1285

32

1 in 1260

33

1 in 1236

34

1 in 1213

35

1 in 1192

36

1 in 993

37

1 in 799

38

1 in 400

39

1 in 200

40

1 in 99

3

100

1 in 99

5

Your chain can break

Now you know the method for shiny hunting, you can go give it a try yourself, but be warned. Your chain can break. If you leave a battle and no patches of grass are shaking, the chain has broken and you need to start again.

We HIGHLY recommend saving before your chain, and turning autosaves off, so that when it breaks, you can simply close the game, and open it again, and get all of those Poké Balls back


This article is part of our Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl walkthrough and guide series, which includes every version-exclusive Pokémon in each version of the game, advice on the best Sinnoh starter Pokémon to choose, and all the old and new Pokétch Apps, plus how to get specific Pokémon such as Mew and Jirachi, Rilou and Lucario, Manaphy and Phione, Arceus, Eevee, Leafeon And Glaceon, Cresselia, Rotom, Ditto, Spiritomb, Heatran, Regigigas, and — of course — the mighty Feebas.

We also cover how to catch 17 Legendaries in Ramanas Park, where to find the Defog HM and chain catching (or how to increase your chances of catching Shiny Pokémon), plus how to earn money fast, how to beat the Elite Four, how the Trophy Garden works, and how to get the DS sounds and Catching Charm. We also have a full and updated list of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl Mystery Gift codes, plus we tell you how to unlock the Mystery Gift function, too.

And finally, Where to Buy Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game!