Pokémon Pearl & Diamond: 6 Tips for the Perfect Start
In this beginner's guide to Pokémon: Shining Pearl & ShiningDiamond you will learn:
- How to catch wild Pokémon
- How to earn money quickly
- What to watch out for in battles
- How to heal Pokémon
- How to fix status problems
Pokémon : Shining Pearl & Shining Diamond brings the remakes of two true DS classics to the Nintendo Switch. Pokémon veterans will quickly feel right at home. If you're new to the pocket monster universe, you've come to the right place. In our tips guide, you'll learn everything you need to know for a perfect start.
Level up your starting Pokémon quickly
After a short playable intro, you'll receive the first Pokémon of the game and should visit Professor Yew in the neighboring town. Use the tall grass outside the town gates for the first Pokémon battles. There you will have to deal with low-level Pokémon like Staralili (level 2) or Bidiza (level 2). You should win the battles easily and you can put the experience points to good use.
For example, if you play with Panflam, you'll get the attack "Embers (Effective)" after the first level up, which should serve you well until the first arena. All you have to do is defeat three wild Pokémon. With Embers, you will inflict additional burn damage to enemies.
How do I catch wild Pokémon?
At the beginning of the game, you can't catch wild Pokémon yet. You will need a Poké Ball first. You can buy the first one for 200 Pokédollars in the Pokémon Center of Sandgemme. You can earn money by battling other Poké Trainers (see end of article). Once you've received the Pokédex from Professor Eibe and told Mama, you'll meet Lucia on Route 202, who will provide you with 20 free Pokéballs.
Walk through the tall grass equipped with a Pokéball and wait for a wild Pokémon to attack you. Try to lower the opponent's power points (KP) as much as possible. The lower the KP, the easier it is to catch the Pokémon. If you put a wild Pokémon to sleep with a special attack, catching it will be even easier.
To capture a battered Pokémon, open your bag in the next battle round. Select the Pokéball and insert it. If the Pokémon is weakened enough, it will not be able to escape the trap and will now be part of your collection. You can carry a maximum of six Pokémon at a time.
You can only trap wild Pokémon with a Pokéball 
What do I have to watch out for in Pokémon battles?
During battles, it is important to pay attention to the types of Pokémon you encounter. Not every Pokémon is equally effective. For starters, remember the following:
- Plant type is weak against fire
- Fire type is weak against water
- Water type is weak to Plant
Only after you have created a Pokédex entry for your opponent - that is, you have caught a wild specimen of the opponent's type with a Pokéball - will you see during battle which attacks are effective and which are less so. Pay attention to your Pokémon's power points (KP) and hit points (TP) during battles.
KP is the life energy that decreases with each hit. Each attack of a Pokémon has a certain amount of TP. It decreases the more often you perform the corresponding attack. So alternate the attacks if possible.
Once you have entered a specimen in the Pokédex, you can see the effectiveness of the attacks in Pokémon: Radiant Diamond & Shining Pearl 
How do I heal my Pokémon?
With each hit you take, your Pokémon lose Strength Points (KP). Be careful not to let this value get too low. If you are near your home, pay Mama a visit and talk to her. She will suggest a break and you can rest. The Pokémon's HP will be fully replenished.
When you are on the road, you can use a potion to heal, which you can buy for 300 Pokémon dollars in a Pokémon supermarket, for example. There are Pokémon Centers in the cities. There you can drop off Pokéballs and the Pokémon inside will be completely healed for free.
The Pokémon Center is where you heal your little monsters for free in Pokémon: Radiant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
What are the effects of status problems and how do I fix them?
Some attacks cause certain status problems for the affected Pokémon. These have different effects that may persist after battle and constantly damage your Pokémon. The following list shows you which status problems exist, what effects they have, and how to fix them.
| Status | Effect | Remedy |
| Poisoned | Poisoned Pokémon steadily lose CP. Status lasts even after battle. | Antidote |
| Paralyzes | Lowers the Pokémon's initiative, which may prevent it from attacking during battle. Status lasts even after battle. | Para-Healer |
| Sleeps | Sleeping Pokémon cannot attack. They can wake up on their own, but if the battle ends before then, it continues to sleep. | Awakener |
| Burn | Lowers the attack power of the affected Pokémon and steadily lowers KP. Status lasts even after the battle is over. | Fire Healer |
| Frozen | Frozen Pokémon are incapable of action. They can thaw on their own, but if the battle ends before then, it continues to sleep. | Ice Healer |
In Pokémon: Radiant Diamond & Shining Pearl, there are status effects that you can heal with special items.
How do I earn money quickly in Pokémon Pearl & Diamond?
The easiest way to earn money is to fight battles with other trainers and, of course, win them. In the beginning, mess mainly with easy enemies that wait on the routes between cities. Just walk past them and the fight will begin. The stronger the other trainers are, the more money you earn. However, most trainers will only fight you once.
Later, you'll get the item "Battle Tracker", which you can use to track down Pokémon trainers who are up for a rematch. To get the device, defeat Team Galactik in Ewigenau. After that, Professor Eibe will equip you with it. The combat investigator recharges by walking 100 steps. The "Coin Amulet" item is also quite useful for topping up your account: it doubles the prize money. You can find it in the northern part of the city of Herzhofen at the Loyalty Square.
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