Diamond/Pearl catching, evolution and breeding
Plan original Honey Trees, evolution methods, the Solaceon Day Care, friendship and field moves.
Original Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl for Nintendo DS (2006). Generation IV rules, the original 151-entry Sinnoh Pokédex and the Diamond/Pearl Gym and League teams. Platinum, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have separate game data.
Catching and daily encounters
Lower a wild Pokémon’s HP and consider an appropriate status condition before using a Poké Ball. Honey Trees require Honey and a six-hour wait before a possible encounter. The Honey and any encounter expire 24 hours after slathering the tree. Drifloon appears at Valley Windworks on Fridays after the Team Galactic event has been cleared; the Friday on which the event is cleared does not immediately provide that encounter. Save before important stationary encounters.
Evolution follows the original methods
Some species evolve through levels, friendship, trading, stones, held items or a specific location. In Generation IV, Feebas evolves after reaching Beauty of at least 170 and levelling up; a Prism Scale trade is a later method. Leafeon and Glaceon use the Moss Rock in Eterna Forest and Ice Rock on Route 217, while Magnezone and Probopass use a level-up in Mt. Coronet.
Solaceon’s Day Care
Two compatible Pokémon can produce an Egg at the Solaceon Town Day Care. They normally need opposite genders and a shared Egg Group; Ditto is an exception for compatible breeding species. The offspring is generally the mother’s evolutionary family, or the non-Ditto parent’s with Ditto. Incense is required for certain baby species. Consult the Egg Groups reference before preparing parents.
Abilities and breeding rules
Original Diamond/Pearl have no Hidden Abilities. Do not apply later inheritance guarantees or Destiny Knot’s five-IV rule to these games. Everstone nature inheritance and Egg move inheritance follow Generation IV rules and include restrictions that changed in later releases. Use the original Ability browser when comparing teammates.
TMs, HMs and field actions
Diamond/Pearl contain 92 single-use TMs and eight reusable HMs. A taught HM move cannot be forgotten through ordinary move replacement; use the Move Deleter in Canalave City. Field actions also require the relevant badge. Make room for travel moves without abandoning the attacking coverage needed for the next Gym.
Keep the original evolution and breeding conditions in mind; familiar methods from newer Pokémon games may not apply.