Upon reaching Eterna City in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl, players will unlock the Grand Underground, a vast network of tunnels that is hidden underneath the Sinnoh region. Fans that spend time exploring these tunnels will encounter a variety of hideaways where they can catch some exclusive Pokemon. Players can also establish a Secret Base in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Pokemon Shining Pearl’s Grand Underground, and this guide details exactly how that is done.
Updated on March 24, 2022 by Renri Seong: Secret Bases were first added to the Pokemon world in Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire. They made their return in Diamond/Pearl with much of the same features from their previous games. The remakes, Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, brings back the Underground from the original games as well as the Secret Bases. Instead of being able to customize bases with posters and Pokemon plushies, trainers can now set up special statues that increase the chances of specific Pokemon appearing in hideaways. The following guide has been updated to include more information on the Secret Base statues that can be dug up in the Grand Underground.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl: How to Make a Secret Base in Grand Underground
To get right to it, players that are interested in setting up a Secret Base must get their hands on a Digger Drill. Indeed, this item allows fans to dig out their own quarters in the Grand Underground, and it is obtained from the Underground Man. For full clarity, this character is located in the house that is directly next to the Pokemon Center in Pokemon BDSP’s Eterna City, and players will receive the Digger Drill when they complete his third mission.
Specifically, that third mission centers around digging up treasure, and players that are working on it should travel to the Grand Underground, approach a wall that is marked on the minimap with a yellow star, and press A. These actions will give fans access to a quick minigame wherein they will excavate a treasure, and they should exit the Grand Underground in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and return to the home of the Underground Man with the valuables in hand.
At this point, players should simply speak with the Underground Man and claim their Digger Drill. When that is done, fans can head back to the Grand Underground at their convenience, approach any of its walls, and press A to make their Secret Base in that location. Players can then enter that Secret Base and place any statues that they have collected within it, and those will increase the spawn rates for certain Grand Underground Pokemon in Pokemon BDSP.
To note, players can purchase additional Digger Drills from the Sphere Traders in the Grand Underground, giving them the opportunity to setup new Secret Bases if they are unhappy with the locations that they initially selected. That said, it is not possible to have more than one Secret Base at a time, and using a second Digger Drill will cause the first base to be dismantled. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl fans can expand their Secret Base, though, and doing so will allow them to place even more statues.
Secret Base Statues in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Some fans weren't pleased with the removal of furniture and other decorations for the bases in Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl. While the Secret Bases have mostly stayed the same as they were in the originals, decorations have been replaced with Pokemon Statues. On the plus side, setting up statues in a Secret Base will affect the Pokemon in the various hideaways around the Grand Underground.
When mining in the Grand Underground, players may uncover a Pretty Stone Box with a Type symbol on the lid. Inside is a statue of a Pokemon. These statues come in small, medium, and large sizes. Placing a statue inside a Secret Base will increase the spawn rate of a type of Pokemon. For example: Setting up a Chimchar statue will cause more Fire-type Pokemon to appear in hideaways. If players are looking for the starter Pokemon in the postgame, it's a good idea to set up some Grass-type Pokemon statues in the Secret Base.
Inspect the glowing Orb to see which Type of Pokemon has a higher chance of appearing. The more same Type Pokemon statues are set up, the more likely players will see that Type of Pokemon in the Grand Underground.
Additionally, there are also Gorgeous Stone Boxes. These are rarer than their counterparts and are a dark purple/black color. Just like Pretty Stone Boxes, the Type of the Pokemon is indicated by the design on its lid. However, while Pretty Stone Boxes will yield regular Pokemon statues, the Gorgeous Stone Boxes have green-colored Pokemon statues. The green-coloring indicates a "Shiny," so placing multiple green-colored statues in the Secret Base increases the chance of a Shiny Pokemon appearing.
Gorgeous Stone Boxes will appear when Digletts are collected in the Grand Underground. Occasionally, players will see a Diglett or Dugtrio in the tunnels. Walking into them causes a purple spark to appear, and a Diglett counter bar in the top-left corner of the screen will go up once for Diglett and three for Dugtrio. Once this meter is full, the chances of encountering a Shiny Pokemon in the hideaways are increased. This is also a great time to mine the walls for Gorgeous Stone Boxes for more Shiny Statues.
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now on the Switch.