Though not quite as effective as it once was due to the absence of Mega Evolution in recent Pokemon games, Rayquaza remains one of the most powerful Legendary Pokemon in the history of the franchise. Only a handful of its peers can match or improve upon its 680 base stat total, making it an incredibly desirable Pokemon among the majority of players. With this in mind, many will be delighted to learn that they can once again catch Rayquaza in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.

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As with all but one of the other Legendaries in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, players will need to wait until after completing the main story before they'll get the chance to catch Rayquaza. In fact, due to the order in which certain Legendary Pokemon need to be caught in the gen 4 remakes, catching Rayquaza will likely be one of the very last things that a lot of players do in the games.

Where to Find Rayquaza in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

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Rayquaza is one of thirteen non-Sinnoh Legendaries that can be found in the special post-game area, Ramanas Park. In order to gain access to it, players will need to beat Cynthia at the Pokemon League and then unlock the National Dex by registering Pokedex data for all 150 Pokemon in the Sinnoh region. After doing so, they'll be able to visit Professor Rowan's research lab in Sandgem Town to have their Pokedex updated.

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Once the update has taken place, Professor Oak will mention that a new location called Ramanas Park has recently opened and suggest that the player goes and checks it out. Players will then be able to reach the park by following Routes 219, 220, and 221, all of which are to the south of Sandgem Town. At the end of Route 221, players will find the entrance to Ramanas Park, but won't be able to catch any Legendary Pokemon just yet.

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In order to encounter Legendaries at Ramanas Park, players will need to get their hands on special slates, which can only be traded for Mysterious Shards. These special and incredibly rare items are found exclusively in the Grand Underground, and players will need three small ones or one large one for each slate. Due to the order in which slate trades become available, however, getting hold of the Stratospheric Slate needed to summon Rayquaza isn't quite as simple as finding enough slates for one trade.

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To unlock the trade for the Stratospheric Slate, players will need to catch the three Legendary Titans, Latios, Latias, and either the three Legendary Beasts (exclusive to Brilliant Diamond) or the three Legendary Birds (exclusive to Shining Pearl). Only then will they be able to get the slate needed to meet Rayquaza, which must then be placed in the pedestal in the Stratospheric Room in the northwest part of the park.

How to Catch Rayquaza in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

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Much like the other two members of the Weather Trio, Rayquaza can be a little difficult to catch due to it having access to a move that restores its health. With this in mind, players may find themselves taking more risks than they usually would when it comes to their attacks, so, perhaps now more than ever, saving before initiating the battle is a very good idea.

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Though certainly annoying, Rest can actually work to the player's advantage, as Rayquaza will be much easier to catch if it's sleeping. Of course, this will require players to have an attack capable of depleting all but a fraction of Rayquaza's health within one or two turns, though this shouldn't really be a problem at this late stage in the game. Players should aim to pick an attack that the dragon/flying-type is neither weak nor resistant to in order to avoid doing too much or too little damage.

MORE: Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl: Complete Guide & Walkthrough