TL;DR
- Complete the Sinnoh Pokedex by seeing 150 Pokemon – no catching required
- Visit Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town after Elite Four victory for National Dex
- Access Ramanas Park to catch legendary Pokemon from previous generations
- Unlock challenging gym leader rematches and expanded Grand Underground areas
- Gain Pokemon Radar for improved shiny hunting and hidden ability encounters

Every dedicated Pokemon trainer eventually faces the crucial milestone of obtaining the National Dex in their BDSP journey. This essential feature dramatically transforms your gaming experience by expanding available content significantly.
The National Dex serves as your gateway to the complete post-game experience in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Most importantly, it introduces hundreds of additional Pokemon species that weren’t accessible during your initial playthrough.
While the base game features a carefully curated selection of creatures spanning the first four generations, the National Dex implementation brings back numerous Pokemon that were missing from the eighth generation lineup. This expansion effectively triples the available Pokemon roster for dedicated collectors.
Beyond the expanded Pokedex, this achievement unlocks substantial post-game content including the legendary-filled Ramanas Park and intense rematch battles against Sinnoh’s Gym Leaders and the formidable Elite Four and Cynthia.
How do you get the National Dex in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?
Trainers can secure the National Dex directly from Professor Rowan after successfully viewing all 150 Pokemon native to the Sinnoh region. This requirement differs significantly from previous Pokemon titles where capturing was mandatory.
Contrary to common misconceptions, you don’t need to capture all 150 Sinnoh Pokemon to obtain the National Dex in Pokemon BDSP. The visual encounter requirement means dedicated players can achieve this milestone without engaging in complex trading systems. This accessibility feature also excludes mythical Pokemon like Manaphy, Phione, Mew, and Jirachi from the completion criteria.
While the task might appear daunting initially, most trainers naturally encounter approximately 80% of Sinnoh’s Pokemon through standard storyline progression. Strategic trainer battles in gyms and along routes can accelerate your progress considerably.
Several Pokemon present particular challenges for visual completion, especially those exclusive to post-game content. The most frequent obstacle involves viewing Dialga in Pokemon Shining Pearl or Palkia in Brilliant Diamond. After conquering the Elite Four, visit the elderly resident in the northern Celestic Town dwelling; she’ll display an image of the version-exclusive legendary, enabling Pokedex completion.
Pro Tip: Track your progress systematically by regularly checking your Pokedex. Focus on battling every available trainer, as many employ Pokemon you might otherwise miss during routine exploration.
What happens after acquiring the National Dex in Pokemon BDSP?
Securing the National Dex in Pokemon BDSP grants immediate access to previously restricted areas, introduces numerous new Pokemon encounters, and unlocks challenging battle opportunities.
The crown jewel of Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl’s post-game experience with the National Dex is undoubtedly Ramanas Park. This specialized zone enables encounters with legendary Pokemon from generations 1-3, featuring iconic creatures like Lugia, Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Latios, and Latias. Although players can locate Ramanas Park after obtaining the Surf HM, entry remains prohibited until National Dex acquisition.
The Grand Underground undergoes significant expansion, introducing dozens of new Pokemon species. This includes starter Pokemon from the initial three generations, particularly noteworthy since Gold and Silver’s starters remain unavailable in Pokemon Sword and Shield.
Trainers possessing the National Dex will receive an unexpected visit from Roark, the first gym leader. He’ll inform you about coordinated efforts among Sinnoh’s gym leaders to challenge the new champion, initiating demanding rematches against these characters. These battles represent some of the most challenging trainer encounters in Pokemon franchise history.
Most significantly, National Dex ownership provides the Pokemon Radar tool. The Pokemon Radar enables precise control over wild Pokemon encounters, allowing consecutive battles with identical species. This functionality dramatically improves opportunities for capturing Pokemon with hidden abilities and encountering shiny variants.
Advanced Strategy: Utilize the Pokemon Radar’s chain mechanics to systematically increase your shiny encounter rates while simultaneously hunting for optimal ability combinations.
Efficient Pokedex Completion Timeline: Most dedicated players complete their Sinnoh Dex within 2-4 hours post-Elite Four if following optimized routes. Casual players typically require 6-8 hours without strategic planning.
Common Completion Mistakes to Avoid: Many trainers overlook specific trainer battles containing rare Pokemon. Ensure you’ve battled every trainer in Victory Road and revisited earlier areas with new HM capabilities.
Hidden Ability Optimization: The Pokemon Radar becomes your most valuable tool for obtaining Pokemon with hidden abilities. Maintain encounter chains of 40+ for significantly improved hidden ability appearance rates.
Shiny Hunting Methodology: Building consistent encounter chains with the Pokemon Radar increases shiny probabilities dramatically. At maximum chain length, shiny encounter rates improve from the standard 1/4096 to approximately 1/99.
Post-Game Battle Preparation: Gym leader rematches feature fully evolved teams with competitive movesets and items. Prepare level 70+ Pokemon with type coverage and healing items for these intense encounters.
Legendary Capture Strategy: Before attempting Ramanas Park legendary encounters, stockpile Ultra Balls, Timer Balls, and status-inducing moves for optimal capture efficiency.
Action Checklist
- Defeat the Elite Four and become Sinnoh Champion
- Battle every available trainer to maximize Pokemon sightings
- Visit Celestic Town elder for version-exclusive legendary sighting
- Return to Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town for National Dex
- Explore Ramanas Park for legendary Pokemon encounters
- Utilize Pokemon Radar for shiny hunting and hidden ability Pokemon
No reproduction without permission:Game Guides Online » Here’s how to get the National Dex in Pokemon BDSP Unlock the National Dex in Pokemon BDSP to access legendary Pokemon, challenging battles, and exclusive post-game content
