As players make their way through Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl, they will encounter an NPC that is capable of teaching a Pokemon any move that it may have forgotten. This NPC will not offer his services free-of-charge, though, and fans will need to entice him with a special item. That special item is a Heart Scale, and this guide details all of the ways that Pokemon BDSP players can get one.
Updated on February 17, 2022 by Renri Seong: It's very easy for a Pokemon's moves to be overwritten and forgotten through a mis-click. While getting Pokemon to remember Moves has grown easier over time, the original Pokemon games weren't so simple. As loyal remakes to Diamond and Pearl, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl returns to its roots by making players work a bit more if they want their Pokemon to remember a specific Move. In BDSP, players will need to give a Heart Scale to the Move Reminder. Most Heart Scales are hidden and require the Dowsing Machine to be found, but there are other ways to get them without needing to use the Poketch. This guide has been updated to include more detailed information on "fishing" up Heart Scales as well as the importance of remembering Pokemon Moves.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl: Heart Scale Locations
Fans that are on the hunt for Heart Scales in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl have four different sources that they can pursue. Two of those sources provide one guaranteed Heart Scale each, and players should target those first as a result. Then, if a fan still needs more of these items, they can focus on the other two sources, which can provide unlimited Heart Scales but require quite a lot of patience.
Route 212
The first guaranteed Heart Scale can be found on Route 212, which players should enter from Pastoria City. Upon entering this route, players should head northwest until they encounter one of Pokemon BDSP’s honey trees. From this position, fans should take a few steps to the left to approach a series of trees that create a vertical barrier, and the Heart Scale is hidden in the mud at the corner of that row.
Route 214
Fans can find another guaranteed Heart Scale by traveling to Veilstone City and heading south to enter Route 214. On the right-side of this route there is some fencing that creates a series of pathways that lead downward, and fans should follow those paths until they reach a trainer that is wearing purple. There is a loop of tall grass just to the west of that trainer, and the second Heart Scale is hiding in a gap in that loop.
Grand Underground
Players that need an unlimited source for Heart Scales can turn their attention to Pokemon BDSP’s Grand Underground. Indeed, these treasures can be mined from the shiny spots that appear on the walls in that location, though their rarity means that fans should certainly not expect to obtain a Heart Scale everytime that they dig.
Luvdisc
Luvdiscs serve as another unlimited source for Heart Scales, and fans can encounter these fishlike Pokemon by using the Super Rod to fish in Route 224. This area can be accessed after unlocking the National Dex in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and players that want a chance at a Heart Scale should catch the Luvdiscs that they find or use Thief or Covet on them.
There's a 50% chance of Luvdisc holding a Heart Scale, which is exceptionally high for wild Pokemon that carry items. However, fishing Pokemon requires more patience than Random Encounters. While fishing, players need to tap the A-button when the exclamation mark appears over Lucas//Dawn. Depending on the Rod that's being used, the time the exclamation point appears and disappears is different. Because Luvdisc can only be fished up using the Super Rod, some players may have trouble with the "quick-time event."
Luckily, there are ways to make it easier to hook Pokemon. Since Generation 3, Pokemon have been given Abilities. Most Pokemon have a first and secondary Ability as well as a Hidden Ability. Even though Abilities are primarily used for getting a passive advantage in battle, there are some Abilities that work outside of battle. Abilities that prevent Pokemon from fleeing in battle make it easier to hook Pokemon when fishing.
The following Abilities guarantee 100% hooking a Pokemon:
- Suction Cups (Octillery, Cradily)
- Sticky Hold (Grimer, Shellos)
- No Guard (Machop)
Players can find Machop as early as Route 207, which is north of Oreburgh City. Not all Machops will have No Guard, so make sure to check their Summary after catching one. Once players have a Machop/Machoke/Machamp, set it to the front of the party, and then go fishing for Luvdisc on Route 224.
Why BDSP Players Should Use Heart Scales
Although getting Heart Scales can be time-consuming, having a couple in the Bag can prove beneficial. Pokemon tend to learn stronger moves as they evolve, but sometimes that "strong move" is learned at "level 1." For example, Gallade learns Night Slash, a Dark-type move, at level 1. However, Ralts doesn't evolve into Kirlia until level 20, who can't evolve into Gallade if it isn't male, and if players don't have a Dawn Stone to use on him. Meaning by the time players will get Gallade, he won't be able to learn Night Slash by leveling up because he's well past the level where he's supposed to learn it.
This is where the Heart Scales and the Move Tutor in Pastoria City come in handy. Using Heart Scales at the Move Tutor in BDSP allows players to teach their Pokemon any move it should have already learned. Remember that a Pokemon must have "learned" the move first. So, if Gallade is level 56, then it can't go to the Move Tutor and learn Close Combat, because it learns that move at level 63. Thus, Pokemon need to have their Moves "registered" before players can spend Heart Scales to relearn a high-leveled Move.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now on the Switch.