Ramanas Park Pokemon BDSP
Image: Nintendo Life

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch feature a great many Pocket Monsters for fans eager to catch, and there are many, many Legendary Pokémon to add your battle-hardened lineup. Most of them are in one location, so in this Legendary Pokémon guide we’re going to show you how to catch 'em all.

How to catch 17 Legendary Pokémon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Complete the Sinnoh Dex

Firstly, you 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.

Ramanas Park

Ramanas Park is a new area in the game that replaces the PalPark from the original DS games. Head here and you’ll run into Professor Oak, who’ll give you the PokéRadar and an app for your Pokétch.

It’s here where you’ll catch the Legendary Pokémon from Kanto, Johto and Hoenn.

Ramanas Park Pokemon BDSP
Image: Nintendo Life

Mysterious Shards

Ramanas Park requires you to exchange Mysterious Shards for slates, which are used to catch the Legendary Pokémon. You can find Mysterious Shards in the Grand Underground via digging.

Once you’ve found enough, you can exchange them for Slates in Ramanas Park which correspond to Legendary Pokémon.

Slates

The first Slates you’ll have access to are the Discovery Slates which will allow you to catch the Regis, Regice, Registeel and Regirock. After that, the rest of the Pokémon will unlock in the following order, provided you have enough Slates to pay for them.

SLATE POKÉMON VERSION

Discovery

Regice, Registeel, Regirock

Both

Kanto

Zapdos, Articuno, Moltres

Shining Pearl

Johto

Entei, Suicune, Raikou

Brilliant Diamond

Soul

Latios, Latias

Both

Rainbow

Ho-Oh

Brilliant Diamond

Squall

Lugia

Shining Pearl

Oceanic

Kyogre

Both

Tectonic

Groudon

Both

Stratospheric

Rayquaza

Both

Genome

Mewtwo

Both

Distortion

Giratina (Origin Forme)

Both

It’s worth noting that Giratina (Origin Forme) can’t be caught — instead, it’s a Level 100 battle. Defeating the Pokémon will give you the Griseous Orb, which when given to your Giratina, will make it turn into its Origin Forme.


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!