The Poke Radar returns to Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and it has been improved. The Poke Radar is rewarded as part of post-game content and helps trainers secure catches exclusive to the device, as well as helping encounter hidden move, high IV, and even Shiny Pokemon.

It's actually the best way to encounter a Shiny in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but players should make sure they are using the Poke Radar correctly in order to secure an almost guaranteed Shiny or other rare types of Pokemon.

Updated on November 11, 2022, by Greysun Morales: Getting the Poke Radar in Pokemon BDSP takes a lot of work, with trainers needing to complete the Pokemon League challenge and the National Dex. Getting to grips with the Poke Radar can be a hassle, which is where this guide comes into play. We've updated it to add more information about the Poke Radar, such as a list of all Poke Radar-exclusive Pokemon in Pokemon BDSP.

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How to Get the Poke Radar in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

To get the Poke Radar, players must first beat the Elite Four, Cynthia, and get the National Dex in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. After this, Professor Rowan will reward players with the Poke Radar. To really take advantage of it, however, players should also get the Poketch Chain Counter app.

To get the Chain Counter, trainers should follow Professor Oak to Ramanas Park in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which is located on Route 221, southeast of Sandgem Town. Enter the building and talk to Oak, and he will give players the Chain Counter app.

How to Use the Poke Radar in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

To use the Poke Radar in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, players must go to a patch of tall grass. If searching for a Shiny that can only appear in that area, go to a stretch of grass at this location. Activate the radar, and four tiles of grass will start to move.

If trainers are only looking for Pokemon exclusive to the Poke Radar, they can check any tile of the shaking grass. However, catching Shinies and high IVs requires players to have an active chain.

To use the Poke Radar to catch a Shiny in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, players should follow these steps:

1. Buy 50-60 Repels/Super Repels, and 50-60 good PokeBalls, preferably Repeat Balls, but Quick Balls are good too.
2. Select the Chain Counter Poketch app in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
3. Unequip every item except for the Poke Radar.
4. Go to the chosen patch of grass and activate a Repel/Super Repel and save the game.
5. Make sure auto-save is turned off.
6. Use the Poke Radar to reveal 4 patches of shaking grass, and walk into any of them.
7. If trainers want to get a Shiny of the Pokemon that has appeared, capture it with a Poke Ball.
8. The Chain Counter app will now show the number 1, and players should now only go to shaking grass that is at least 4 tiles away from them.
9. The next Pokemon will be the one previously captured, so repeat the same process to keep building the chain.
10. Once the chain reaches 35-40, players should keep resetting the Poke Radar to try for a chance at a Shiny, instead of walking into the grass patches.

Players must walk 50 steps every time they wish to reset the Poke Radar. This is all they need to do to continue searching for a Shiny Pokemon after the chain reaches 35-40.

It's important to note that even by following all of these steps on how to use the Poke Radar that there is still a 7% chance that the chain can break. This resets the odds of getting a Shiny back to 1 in 4096. Reaching a chain of 40 is ideal because it gives a 1 in 99 chance of getting a Shiny. If the chain breaks, or if players don't encounter the Pokemon they want to hunt for on their first try, just reload the previous save.

Players will know they will encounter a Shiny if the patch of grass has a sparkle over it. When the patch has more leaves and a brighter green color, this indicates that Pokemon will have a hidden move. A chain of 20, 30, 40, and 100 rewards 1, 2, 3, and 5 Max IVs, respectively. When players are done searching for a specific catch, they can close the Poketch screen in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

This method might seem convoluted, but using the Poke Radar is actually easier than in the original versions, just like the updated ways to use Surf and Fly in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.

Poke Radar Exclusive Pokemon in BDSP

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are out now for Nintendo Switch.

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