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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThere is no objectively best team for every Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl playthrough. A strong story-mode example is Empoleon, Gyarados, Staraptor, Lucario, Togekiss, and Garchomp—but it is a Shining Pearl-focused recommendation, not a proven optimum or a lineup every player can assemble at the same time. Your starter, game version, preferred Pokémon, and patience for later encounters all matter.
A strong six-Pokémon story team
This lineup gives each member a job in battle and includes options for several kinds of offensive coverage. It also has overlaps: Empoleon and Gyarados are both Water types, while Staraptor and Togekiss are both Flying types. Think of it as a practical example to adapt, not a type-chart-perfect answer for every Gym or opponent.
| Pokémon | Type | Suggested role | Availability or timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empoleon | Water/Steel | Resilient special attacker; Surf, Flash Cannon, and Ice Beam are example coverage moves. | Choose Piplup as your first partner; it eventually evolves into Empoleon. |
| Gyarados | Water/Flying | Physical sweeper, complementing Empoleon’s special-attacking role. Dragon Dance and Waterfall are example moves. | Catch Magikarp with the Old Rod south of Jubilife City, then evolve it. |
| Staraptor | Normal/Flying | Physical attacker with Flying and Fighting coverage; Brave Bird and Close Combat are examples. | Use the recommended route in your version’s game guide to confirm the encounter and timing. |
| Lucario | Fighting/Steel | Coverage attacker; Close Combat is one example for Elite Four battles. | Obtain Riley’s Riolu Egg on Iron Island, then raise Riolu and evolve it. |
| Togekiss | Normal/Flying in the cited team guide | Late-game attacker. | Requires friendship evolution from Togepi to Togetic, then a Shiny Stone to evolve into Togekiss. |
| Garchomp | Dragon/Ground | Late-game ace; Earthquake and Dragon Claw are example moves. | Catch Gible in Wayward Cave, then raise it through its evolutions. |
The team guide behind this recommendation frames it for Shining Pearl. It does not establish that every encounter, acquisition detail, or exclusive is identical in Brilliant Diamond. Check version availability before committing to a fixed roster; use a compatible alternative if a desired Pokémon is unavailable in your game.
Choose a starter that fits how you want to play
All three first partners can become effective companions, according to the official Pokémon trainer guide. Rather than treating one as mandatory, choose the style you enjoy and cover early weaknesses with the rest of your party.
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#1 Best Overall
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Diamond Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more.
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
- Turtwig: Evolves into Torterra, a Grass/Ground Pokémon with defensive strengths.
- Chimchar: A fast, aggressive option that evolves into Monferno at level 14 and gains Fighting moves. The early Gym matchups can be a concern, so plan support around it.
- Piplup: Evolves into Empoleon, a notably resilient Water/Steel Pokémon and the starter used in the sample lineup.
If you select Turtwig or Chimchar, replace Empoleon rather than trying to force the sample team unchanged. That gives you room to keep Pokémon you like while ensuring the party still has moves that can hit a range of opponents effectively.
Build around coverage, timing, and version
Cover the next challenge
Nintendo advises using super-effective moves against Gym Leaders. Before a Gym, check the opponents’ types and make sure at least one Pokémon in your party has an effective move. A balanced collection of types can help, but move coverage matters too: a Pokémon may be useful against a matchup even when its own type is not super effective.
Rank #2
- Journey to the Sinnoh region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl!
- Embark on an adventure through the Sinnoh region with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch, coming on 19th November, 2021!
- Adventures in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will take place in the Sinnoh region. Rich in nature and with towering Mount Coronet at its heart, Sinnoh is a land of many myths passed down through the ages. You’ll visit many different locations in the Sinnoh region, while striving to become the Champion of the Pokémon League.
- The original story has been faithfully reproduced, and the sense of scale in the originals’ towns and routes has been carefully preserved. People who played Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl can revisit familiar places and relive familiar scenes once more. For those setting out through Sinnoh for the first time, plenty of new encounters and surprises await.
- These remakes include easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokémon series, plus up-close-and-personal Pokémon battle scenes.
Account for when a Pokémon joins
Some appealing options are not available at the start of a playthrough. In this example, Togekiss and Garchomp are late-game projects; Lucario depends on reaching Iron Island and evolving Riolu. Keep a workable team while you wait, and do not treat a final-six recommendation as a promise that all six can be obtained early.
Check version exclusives and trading
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have version-exclusive Pokémon. The Pokémon Database’s paired-version exclusives list can help check availability; if a Pokémon is exclusive to the other version, the usual route is trading with someone who has it. Nintendo’s trading guide also warns that traded Pokémon at too high a level may not obey until you have earned enough Gym Badges. Do not build a story team around an early high-level trade without accounting for that limit.
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![Pokémon Brilliant Diamond: Standard - Nintendo Switch [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41rWkUhlsaL._SL160_.jpg)
- Revisit the Sinnoh region from the original Pokémon Diamond Version game and set off to try and become the Champion of the Pokémon League
- The Pokémon Brilliant Diamond game brings new life to this remade classic with added features
- Explore the Grand Underground to dig up items and Pokémon Fossils, build a Secret Base, and more!
- Test your style and rhythm in a Super Contest Show
- A reimagined adventure, now for the Nintendo Switch system
Save postgame options for postgame
The initial Sinnoh Pokédex contains 150 species. Seeing all its entries unlocks the National Pokédex and additional end-game content, including access to other first-partner Pokémon in Grand Underground hideaways. That is a post-National Pokédex option, not a way to add the other starters early in the main story.
How to adapt the sample team
- Pick your starter first. Keep Empoleon if you choose Piplup; if you choose another starter, use that Pokémon as the team’s anchor.
- Decide which roles you want. The example uses a special attacker, a physical Water sweeper, physical Flying coverage, a Fighting/Steel attacker, and two later-game attackers. Choose replacements by role and move coverage, not by trying to copy all six names.
- Confirm availability in your version. Check encounter details and version exclusives before spending time planning around a Pokémon you may need to trade for.
- Build a temporary party while waiting. Use Pokémon you can obtain during your current progress, then swap in later choices as they become available and evolve.
- Review the next major battle. Make sure your party can use super-effective moves where helpful, and consider overlapping types or weaknesses when deciding which member to replace.
Why this is a recommendation, not a universal ranking
The sample six comes from a third-party team guide’s editorial recommendation for Shining Pearl; it is not official Pokémon advice or evidence of a tested, optimal team. The official guidance supports flexible starter choices, type advantage, and attention to encounter and trading constraints, but it does not establish that this exact lineup is best for every battle, version, or player.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Live the life of a Pokémon Trainer in the streets of Lumiose City!
- For the first time in the Pokémon RPG series, command your Pokémon in real-time battles
- Use the power of Mega Evolution in battle and take on rampaging Rogue Mega-Evolved Pokémon
- Compete in the Z-A Royale each night to test your skills and try to become the strongest Pokémon Trainer
- Visit shops, restaurants, and places called wild zones—where Pokémon roam free—all centered around Prism Tower
Rank #4
- Journey to the Sinnoh region in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl!
- Embark on an adventure through the Sinnoh region with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl on Nintendo Switch, coming on 19th November, 2021!
- Adventures in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Pokémon Shining Pearl will take place in the Sinnoh region. Rich in nature and with towering Mount Coronet at its heart, Sinnoh is a land of many myths passed down through the ages. You’ll visit many different locations in the Sinnoh region, while striving to become the Champion of the Pokémon League.
- The original story has been faithfully reproduced, and the sense of scale in the originals’ towns and routes has been carefully preserved. People who played Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl can revisit familiar places and relive familiar scenes once more. For those setting out through Sinnoh for the first time, plenty of new encounters and surprises await.
- These remakes include easy-to-understand, player-friendly conveniences of the modern Pokémon series, plus up-close-and-personal Pokémon battle scenes.
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