Consumable items are some of the most important in any Pokemon game. Whether they are X-Items, Poke Balls, or even evolutionary stones, these one-use items are designed to be burned at any time. Despite that, many trainers will save their items, keeping them in the bag for a rainy day that never comes.
Healing items are definitely designed to be stuffed in a bag until absolutely necessary. Whether patching up the team while hunting rare Pokemon, healing a nasty status ailment, or tossing a Full Restore onto the best Pokemon to turn the tide of battle, they're important to have around. The costs for the best healing items tend to make them less attractive to use, but the best healing items don't have to cost an arm and a leg, especially in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP).
9 Full Restores
This may be a surprise considering the Full Restore is the ultimate healing item in the Pokemon series, but there are more variables to consider than raw healing power. Accessibility and cost efficiency also factor in. The base ratio is that of the Potion, which suggests that one HP is worth 15 PokeDollars. The Full Restore may be powerful, but the other factors keep it from the top.
The Full Restore fully heals a Pokemon's HP and clears all status conditions aside from infatuation. In BDSP, players can purchase them from regular PokeMarts after obtaining the 8th gym badge, a late addition to the shop. This, plus the hefty price of 3000 PokeDollars, makes them less-than-ideal option. It would need to heal 167 HP to match the 15-to-1 ratio of the basic Potion. It's good item, but has monetary downsides.
8 Lum Berries
One of the best tools that BDSP gives its players is access to nearly all of the best Berries in the series. These can be used outside of battle, during battle, and even can be held by a Pokemon to consume it without wasting a turn. The Lum Berry fully clears status ailments without any other downsides, and is available for free. Plus, it's great to combine with Rest, making it a great pairing for any Pokemon that needs to take a power nap during battle.
The biggest downside is accessibility. Even common Berries require a cycle of planting and harvesting to build a large collection, and that's a serious time commitment. The Lum Berry can be found on Route 212 using Surf, or obtained randomly from the Berry House on Route 208. It has good value, but the time investment is a downside that's hard to ignore.
7 Full Heals
This solid healing item remains good through the entire game. These are easy to find, available through any PokeMart after obtaining five badges. For 600 PokeDollars, the player can clear any status ailment from their Pokemon. This easily beats the cost of having to buy and carry around multiple items for the individual status ailments.
In BDSP, the Full Heal remains good, but is overshadowed by other tools; specificially, the common berries that heal individual status ailments. Most trainers who actively pick up berries will always have the right berry for the right time. A batch of Full Heals is good to have on hand, but maybe not entirely worth the cost in this game.
6 Hyper Potions
Hyper Potions are another common, solid healing item. These, like the Full Heal, are able to be purchased after obtaining five gym badges. They heal 120 HP, which is 10-to-1 for their cost in BDSP. Most Pokemon at that point in the game cap out at 120 HP, meaning these are as effective as Max Potions at this point. A number of Pokemon can still heal a heavy majority of their HP from these even during the late game, increasing their value.
The Hyper Potion doesn't have any major drawbacks aside from cost. 1200 PokeDollars is nothing to scoff at during the midgame, unless the player has been using the Amulet Coin to make big money. Despite that, the later the game goes, the better they get. In most cases, they even outshine the Max Potion in value.
5 Energy Root
Herbs are some of the most cost-efficient healing items in the entire game. Their value usually comes when the Herb Shop becomes available, if there even is one. In BDSP, the herb shop is in Eterna City, home to the second gym battle. As soon as the player arrives in the city, all of the herbs are available to the player.
The Energy Root is one of the best. As the herb equivalent to the Hyper Potion, it heals 120 HP at a cost of 800 PokeDollars, only 100 more than the Super Potions from the PokeMarts. Herbs come with a drawback: they the reduce friendship of a Pokemon due to their terrible taste. From an objective perspective, this "drawback" is worth it every single time. However, trainers who get into the spirit of the games will likely struggle with using them, regardless of their value. Plus, without Fly, getting back to Eterna to buy more is not worth the hassle.
4 Leppa Berries
Leppa Berries are rather rare throughout the series. Their effect is something that cannot be found in shops: the ability to restore PP. This effect is only used in dire situations, or during runs that limit Pokemon Center visits. Leppa Berries specifically restore 10 PP to a single move, offering a way to squeeze more uses out of low-PP moves during tough battles.
Despite their rarity in other entries, it's easy to pick these up during BDSP. Their first spot is on the left part of Route 209, east of Hearthome City. The berry patch in Solaceon is a great place to grow and manage berries, and is a perfect pick for growing more Leppa Berries. With diligent farming, these turn from a limited resource to something to burn in drawn-out cave exploration, especially during the climb to Mt. Coronet to battle the fearsome Team Galactic.
3 Sitrus Berries
The last berry on this list, the Sitrus Berry is the premier battle berry. It finds itself on competitive movesets, and is on nearly every gym leader's ace Pokemon. In BDSP, the Sitrus Berry can be found in a few different spots, the earliest being near the entrance of the Trophy Garden mansion. It takes time to grow and maintain to get enough to last multiple battles, but its strength is solid.
The Sitrus Berry heals 25% of a Pokemon's Max HP. For high HP Pokemon like the many bulky Fairy-type friends, this can easily eclipse other healing items in the game. It's also great for delayed activation of abilities like Unburden. As a held berry, it's the best option to heal without wasting a turn.
2 Revival Herb
The Revival Herb is another herb item available in Eterna City, but it has a steep cost: 2800 PokeDollars. During the early game, this investment is often not worth it. However, during the later stages of the game, it becomes a very attractive option.
The Revival Herb has the same effect as a Max Revive, a healing item that cannot be obtained from the shops. Reviving to full HP is easily worth the cost both in and out of battle, as it saves the extra Potions that would be necessary to top off a Pokemon's HP. Again, the friendship loss hurts one's heart, but this evil is a necessary one.
1 Moo Moo Milk
Moo Moo Milk is easily the best healing item in all of BDSP when considering the factors mentioned for other items. On the surface, a 100 HP heal doesn't seem that impressive compared to other options. The limited location of being found in one cafe north of Solaceon Town is also annoying, even with Fly. Despite that, the Moo Moo Milk gets high marks in every other area.
At 500 PokeDollars per bottle, it has a 5 PokeDollars to 1HP ratio for healing, one that's only matched by vending machine healing items. It's more cost-efficent than the Energy Root, and doesn't even have the friendship drawback. On top of that, these can be purchased before the third gym battle, way before the Hyper Potion is an option. It's always worth it to invest 5000 PokeDollars to pick 10 of these up, as they can come in handy during any situation.