I have returned to Pokemon, but how will I catch 'em all now?

[Try4ce]

I finally caved in and bought Pokemon Diamond, the first game in the main series I've played since Pokemon Blue. I was 14 when the original games came out, and while I loved it back then, I chose to neglect it ever since... until now.

And I'm not just liking it, I'm loving it all over again. I may even like it more than I did when I was 14. I've had Diamond for a week now and it is a fantastic feeling to have rediscovered the joy of Pokemon.

Anyway, I've seen over 100 Pokemon and obtained almost 60. I'm feeling compelled to complete not only the Sinnoh Pokedex, but also have a full National Pokedex.

I'm having some trouble finding exact information on which Pokemon are catchable in which games. It's pretty obvious that the full generation I and generation III lists can be obtained within the GBA games, but I can't confirm which of those games also have all of the generation II Pokemon.

I have a friend who has moved across the country, but he has Pearl, as well as some GBA Pokemon games (I'm not totally sure which versions). So, given that... how is this quest possible? I assume trading Pokemon from the GBA games is not a problem for Nintendo WiFi.

Let me tell you what I think I have access to right now:
-Diamond (me)
-Pearl (friend)
-Sapphire, I think, maybe Ruby (friend)
-Fire Red, I think, maybe Leaf Green (friend)

If I'm not mistaken, some Pokemon are also unlocked when connected to games like the Mystery Dungeon series. I'm not sure if my friend has any of those, but I think he does. I guess I've also heard stuff about some Pokemon that can only be unlocked at special real-world Nintendo events, or something like that?

So... to complete the National Pokedex in Pokemon Diamond, what must I do? Is this even feasible right now? I'm willing to buy the opposite versions of some of the GBA titles if necessary (but what about Emerald, does that cause even more complications?).

Thanks!

 

[Talon87]

Strictly speaking, Emerald is better than either Ruby or Sapphire alone because ...

1 - it contains all of the 3rd generation creatures, period. (You won't need to get Ruby or Sapphire to get them if you have Emerald)

2 - it contains both Kyogre (Sapphire-only) and Groudon (Ruby-only) for your capturing pleasure

3 - the Safari Zone in Emerald is upgraded (once you beat the game) to include many of the monsters from the 2nd generation

4 - the Battle Frontier is one of the coolest post-Story Mode things I've ever seen in any Pokemon game. It might feel a little stale to you since you're already playing Diamond, and Diamond affords you the chance to play real people online, but Emerald's Battle Frontier was good back in the day when we couldn't play online because it was the one place you could find seriously challenging A.I.s that were tougher than any character in the games since (even tougher than any of the A.I.s in Diamond and Pearl).

5 - You can get infinite Dittos in a cave once you beat the Story Mode, something which otherwise could not be obtained (prior to D/P) unless you owned Fire Red and Leaf Green. These Emerald Dittos remain the single easiest Dittos to capture and import, and so anybody who owns Emerald probably catches his Dittos on Emerald (still) rather than on D/P.


That stated ... Emerald is probably going to feel very weird to you if you're playing Diamond right now and it's your first game since Blue. :\ Emerald still has the old mechanics of "Fire is always special, Rock is always physical" which you'll have to recall from your Blue days. It also has less hold items and berries, of course, and many of the new additions to D/P are quite welcome. I dunno ... for me, personally, the 3rd generation games are still my favorite (even if their graphics are a little dated). Fantastic story, fantastic geography, and (personally) some of the best designed creatures in terms of both looks and usability. (Blaziken, Swampert, Treecko, Metagross, Salamence, the list goes on and on ...)

 

[Try4ce]

I'm not sure slightly different mechanics would bother me too much, because despite all of its upgrades, Diamond still feels almost exactly like Blue. I also haven't gotten too deeply into some of the newer type stuff.

So it's good news to hear that Emerald would take care of Ruby & Sapphire and, if I'm reading you right, the new monsters from Gold & Silver as well? But what about Fire Red or Leaf Green? Would I need one of those to collect everything from generations I and II?

I guess another question is the starter Pokemon. Unless I do some online trades, I'm not sure how I'm going to get those unless I delete GBA save games after transferring to Diamond. I don't know who the Gold & Silver starters were, but I'm not aware of any of the games letting you catch any of the starters from that game or any previous games. But I know nothing, so please enlighten me.

 

[Alcaric]

Alright,I may be wrong,but here's what you need to truly catch 'em all: *Pokemon Diamond and Pearl *Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen *Pokemon Emerald Once you get those games,Catch 'em all in each of the games,then,after you complete certen goals in Diamond/Pearl,Pal Park opens,and you can transfer 6 pokemon a day useing the duel slots on your Nintendo DS

 

[Try4ce]

That sounds pretty good... I could buy Emerald and the opposite version of Fire Red/Leaf Green that my friend has.

But I'm pretty sure I've heard at some point that games like Mystery Dungeon and Pokemon Dash, neither of which I have any interest in, can unlock something in Diamond/Pearl. If this is true, are they completely exclusive to unlocking in that manner, or is there another way to catch them?

 

[Lil Brother]

Mystery Dungeon and Dash can not help you with your Pokédex. Only Colosseum and XD for Gamecube and Ranger for DS (neccesary for Manaphy and Phione in D/P) can.

 

[Talon87]

First of all, not every 2nd generation creature is available in Emerald. These include:
- the legendary trio (Entei, Raikou, Suicune) -- Colosseum only
- the two core legendaries (Lugia, Ho-oh) -- Colosseum and XD only
- several of the lesser GSC creatures, including: Delibird (available in D/P and Colo), Tyrogue (Colo, possibly D/P as I don't remember), etc. etc.

Emerald simply includes many of the 2nd generation creatures.

Second! He doesn't need to get Diamond and Pearl. The games are designed in such a way that he can pretty much get himself every single creature in DP by using ...
a) the GTS for Pearl-exclusives that he has Seen but cannot Capture
b) Emerald or FrLg for Pearl-exclusives that he has not Seen

Third! Strictly speaking, if his goal is to simply "catch 'em all," he really only needs one game: the one he's already got. If he goes in to BMG's, SPPf's, UPN's, or any other community's WiFi Trade thread, he'll find people willing to trade him pretty much anything (including legendaries, if they're cloners). Courtesy of the magic of WiFi, he really only needs Diamond (or Pearl) to get every creature possible.

I was just suggesting Emerald if he's hungry for more. Emerald will give him a whole new story (whereas Pearl will just be a repeat of Diamond's), it'll give him easy access to Ditto (which matters if he's a breeder), and it'll give him the Battle Frontier (if he does not have WiFi access very often and is desperate to play against challenging opponents).

 

[Try4ce]

Hmm yes, that's true that I could get some Pokemon from forums that even my friend with Pearl and a few GBA games couldn't provide.

Ditto doesn't seem to be too important for me, because while I've not done any breeding in Diamond/Pearl, I don't see it as being terribly important for me (unless it'll sweeten some trade deals).

I really am interested in the GBA games though, but Diamond is my top priority, since it is the one that can hold the most up-to-date list, and is the game that will (presumably) be able to carry the collection and legacy forward into future games.

I'm still curious though, because I see DS sprites for every single Pokemon ever created... is it true or not that I can somehow get every single generation II over to Diamond? I guess from the post above it sounds like a handful require the Gamecube games. I guess though, I'd rather trade for those than go through the trouble of hunting down used copies just for a Pokedex entry.

 

[Jonah]

GSC Pokemon are new? Well, to you maybe, but hearing that is kinda weird.

So, what you'll need is:

Diamond
Pearl
FireRed
Leafgreen
Emerald
Ruby
Sapphire
Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness
Pokemon Colosseum
Pokemon Ranger
Access to Nintendo Wi-Fi events, or alternativly, a Nintendo Wi-Fi USB connector or wireless router
A Nintendo DS
Another Nintendo DS
A Gamecube-Gameboy Advance link cable
A Gameby Advance/GameBoy Advance SP
A Gamecube, alternatevly, a Wii
A Jirachi Colosseum Bonus Disk
A Celebi Colosseum Bonus Disk
An Action Replay

In other words, good luck. You'll need it.

Note: Do not actually use an Action Replay, the events for Shaymin and Arceus will eventually be unlocked, there is no need for Action Replay.

So:
You can catch or otherwise obtain most Pokemon in Diamond and Pearl.
Methods include fishing, Surfing, walking through grass or caves, talking to Mr. Backlot after obtaining the National Pokedex, using the PokeRadar, swarming, Great Marsh, dongle method, etc.

From Pikachu to Meowth, Caterpie to Rotom, Tangela to Tropius (Yes, you CAN find those in D/P), there are a lot of Pokemon in Diamond and Pearl (D/P). However, there are some only obtainable by getting other games.

Dongle method Pokemon: Import or dongle, you need Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, LeafGreen, or Emerald, depending on which Pokemon you are trying to get. You need these Pokemon games in your DS's GBA slot.

Legendaries: Dialga in Diamond, Palkia in Pearl. Groudon in Ruby and Emerald, Kyogre in Sapphire and Emerald. Latios in Ruby (And Emerald, if you choose "blue" when your mom talks to you after beating the Champion and watching the credits) and Latias in Sapphire (And Emerald, but only if you choose "red" instead of "blue"). Raikou, Entei, and Suicune in FireRed/LeafGreen/Colosseum (Note that which one is in FireRed/LeafGreen depends on your starter). Latios, Latias, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune are running Pokemon (Except in Colosseum), but you can ask what those are somewhere else. Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno and Mewtwo come from FireRed/LeafGreen. Manaphy comes from Ranger. Regirock, Regice, and Registeel come from Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, and are crucial to getting Regigigas. Lugia comes from XD: Gale of Darkness. Ho-oh comes from Colosseum. Phione and Regigigas are results of importing Pokemon from other games. Crescelia, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Giratina, and
Heatran are obtainable whether you have Diamond or Pearl. Arceus and Shaymin are not obtainable right now.

Darkrai, Mew, Celebi (If you don't have the Japanese Bonus Disk for Colosseum), Ho-oh (If you don't have Colosseum), Lugia (If you don't have XD), Jirachi (If you don't have the American Bonus Disk for Colosseum or European Channel), and Deoxys are only obtainable (Except if you have the abovementioned games or bonus disks) through Nintendo Events. Therefore, the only way to get them now that the events are long over is by trading.

And the starters?

Kanto starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

Import from Fire Red and Leaf Green.

Same for Hoenn starters, Mudkip, Treecko, Torchic are imported.

Johto? After you beat Emerald and fill your Hoenn Pokedex, you get a choice of three starters from Professor Birch: Cyndaquil, Chikorita, and Totodile.

Then, if you don't want to play Emerald all over again and collect all those Pokemon, or if you don't have Emerald at all, we look at XD. Beating Mt. Battle without leaving at any time or even accesing the PC earns you a starter knowing a powerful attack. You get to choose which one again, and beat Mt. Battle again for more.

Sinnoh: Get Pearl. Trade starter that you don't already have in your Dex to Diamond using another Nintendo DS. Restart Pearl using the Factory Reset (A certain combination of buttons which I don't remember) and pick the third and last starter.

Also, some Pokemon can only be evolved by trading or trading with an item. Therefore, you need another DS or a friend with another DS. You also need this for getting all Sinoh starters, see above, or for getting Manaphy from Ranger. Sadly, a DS across the country won't help you with the last two.

Oh, and Diamond, Pearl, and another game called Battle revolution for the Wii are the only games with Wi-Fi capacibility. No using Wi-Fi with GBA.

EDIT: I took so long in typing this that several posts are in between this and the last post when I started typing.

So, there are 493. You can obtain 491 species currently, and 492 (Shaymin) and 493 (Arceus, the creator of the universe Pokemon) will be obtainable in the future.

EDIT2: Ditto is need for a few Pokemon, such as Phione.

 

[Try4ce]

Hah, well, that makes it sound a lot more complicated.

What I'll probably do is get Emerald and one of the Fire Red/Leaf Green games when I feel up to it, and hope someone will trade me for the rest.

 

[Hubologist]

Hah, well, that makes it sound a lot more complicated.

What I'll probably do is get Emerald and one of the Fire Red/Leaf Green games when I feel up to it, and hope someone will trade me for the rest.

Heh, I was basically in the same situation a month or so ago. Same age, same amount of time since playing Generation I (and haven't played any of the other games in between), same exact questions about how in the world I could possibly get all the Pokes. (Although I did my research mostly privately, and before I joined this forum).

Fear not. With Emerald, FireRed, LeafGreen, Pearl, Diamond, and a bit of Wi-Fi trading (on this forum for example), there's a very good chance of getting them all, or at least nearly all (Deoxys is very hard to trade for, even a clone or hack, for example).

 

[Try4ce]

That's encouraging. I just want to catch 'em all because I'm so into it right now that I don't see myself being quite tired of it once I've beaten Diamond and completed the Sinnoh Pokedex. Just looking for some future goals for now!

 

[Jonah]

Oh, and if you see a Pokemon that is a different color from what normal Pokemon look like, and has sparkles appear around it when it appears, catch it. It's officially called an alternate-colored Pokemon, but the term everyone uses is "shiny".

Catch it no matter what. It is really rare. I have a few shinies, and they are fine bargaining pieces for event Pokemon like Celebi, Mew, and Deoxys.

 

[Roke Tanuki]

Hey man, I'm in the same boat as you =D

I hadn't officially touched the series since I was in my first year of High School. I dabbled a bit in emulation of the 3rd generation a couple years ago, and finally decided to get back in genuinely with DP.

I agree whole heartedly about being even more into it than before. I'm even finding myself getting back into the anime itself. I was a bit worried at first that I wouldn't enjoy the 4th generation as much. Bidoof really made me uneasy for what the rest of the lineup might look like *shudder*. But I'm having a blast and currently training myself a team to smack down the Elite Four.

My god.....the shores of Sunyshore city must be littered with hundreds upon hundreds of fainted Tentacruels... ha XD

Anyway, Drop me a line on one of the major chat systems (see profile for screen names, MSN / YIM preferred), I should have wireless in the next few weeks, I've got Pearl + Sapphire, and I'm seeing about picking up a copy of LeafGreen as well.

Anyway, goodluck dude. =)

 

[Emeray]

Ever since Gen. 2 got cut off, most pokemon from G/S/C have been unobtainable. It put me off too that you have to get all those Gamecube games to catch the rest of the pokemon you couldn't catch. It seems that D/P will have to fulfill their destinies and make it so we can catch almost all pokemon from the olden days except the legends.

Feel your pain, dude.