NewPokemonGames often come with a batch of new Held Items to experiment with and use in battle.Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP), as a remake, doesn’t have these same thrills, but there are still some great options. Generation 4 introduced a number of new Held Items, many of which became competitivePokemonstaples. These items are often great, but the best of the best can’t be obtained during the main campaign.
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Trainers who aren’t looking towards post-game aren’t out of luck. There are still plenty of great Held Items to pick up during the adventure to make battles more exciting. Some are more situational than others, but they are all great options for trainers lookingto bring their game to the next level.
Updated February 10th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: Although there are a lot of players hopping into Pokemon Legends: Arceus, there are still many that are chipping through Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. The remake features a mass amount of Pokemon to catch and items to collect, especially when it comes to held items and boosters. To better showcase thebest held items in BDSP, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries to help players make their way through the expansive adventure and its added content via the Grand Underground.
13Amulet Coin
No matter what players are doing in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, they’re going to need Pokedollars. The currency is used to buy a multitude of useful items from Pokeballs to Potions to TMs and everything in-between. Depending on what players are working on and how much they’re grinding, amassing money can be a bit of an issue. Thankfully, there are ways to snag some extra cash and the held item Amulet Coin is one of the best.As long as a Pokemon is holding this item the player’s prize money from winning a battle will double.
Tosnag the Amulet Coin, players need to head to Amity Square. In the northeastern-most corner are two strange-looking buildings and the coin itself can be found in the one on the left.
12Choice Band
The Choice Band can be a downright devastating item in the right hands. This is the type of held booster that appeals to players that spend much of their time working out competitive strategies and taking on multiplayer battles. The Choice Band iscapable of boosting a Pokemon’s move by 1.5xbut forces that Pokemon to use the same move (and only the same move) as long as it’s in battle.
Those that want to make use of this powerful item will need to spend time in the Battle Park.The Choice Band can be purchased for 48 Battle Points.
11Cleanse Tag
Players that want to Catch ‘Em All will need to encounter as many wild Pokemon as possible and battling creatures in the tall grass is a great way to gain experience. However, there are times when encountering wild Pokemon can just be a nuisance. It’s especially frustrating in areas like caves, where the encounter rate seems to spike. Thankfully, there are items like Repel that can keep Pokemon away, but those looking for a long-term (and cheaper) solution can snag a Cleanse Tag. As long as the lead Pokemon in a player’s team is holding this tag it will greatly reduce the encounter rate.
The Cleanse Tag can be found in the Lost Tower (after players can use Defog) by speaking to a woman located to the right. It’s also possible to find it on Chimecho and Chingling but at a paltry 5 percent chance.
10Lucky Egg
TheLucky Eggstands out on this list as it doesn’t really have an in-battle use. It’s a rare item, but can be helpful for getting new Pokemon up to speed with the rest of the team. When equipped, thePokemon holding the Lucky Egg will gain boosted EXP. This includes the EXP it gains from being in the back of the party during battles. Those looking to complete the Pokedex will certainly need this to evolve Pokemon more efficiently.
InBDSP, the Lucky Egg can be found in the Grand Underground. Head to the Icy Cave in the section exclusive to Celestic Town, where it’ll be on the ground. It isn’t available super early or easily, but should be picked up regardless. After all,players hunting for a Snorunt to add to the teamwill probably stop by this area anyways.
9Metronome
No, this isn’t the move “Metronome.” Instead, the itemMetronomeis an interesting option for those who have Pokemon that serve as One-Move Wonders. This itemincreases the power of a move based on consecutive uses.
The Metronome is situationally strong, but is limited in its uses. Moves like Rollout or Fury Cutter utilize the Metronome beautifully, but most other moves don’t get strong fast enough. Despite that, since it’s an easy pickup near the south exit of Veilstone City, it’s worth having as an option for a win condition in drawn-out battles.
8Quick Claw
TheQuick Clawis a classic early-game Held Item. In most titles, this item is picked up within the first couple gyms, and remains a solid option throughout the rest of the main game. InBDSP, the Quick Claw can be found in Jubilife Condominiums after talking to an NPC on the first floor.
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As opposed to other held items which give reliable benefits, the Quick Claw requires a bit of luck for it to be worthwhile. The effect of the Quick Claw gives the user a20% chance of attacking first,regardless of other priority calculations. This gives slow-moving heavy hitters a chance to get the jump oneven the speediest opposition. It’s a rather low chance, but when that proc is the difference between life and death, the value is unmatched.
7Wide Lens/Zoom Lens
It’s hard to judge the value of the Accuracy stat in Pokemon. Fans of Stone Edge or Thunder know the struggle of getting a move to actually hit. TheZoom Lens and Wide Lensare both items that help to weigh the odds in the player’s favor.
These items can be obtained by helping the couple south of the gym in Veilstone City. TheWide Lens gives a 10% boost to accuracy,while theZoom Lens gives a 20% boostif another Pokemon has already used a move that turn. For Pokemon that use unreliable moves like High Jump Kick or have the Hustle ability, these Lenses can help make them more viable in casual play.
6Light Clay
TheLight Claymay not be the best item for casual play, but it gives an extra tool for damage mitigation in tough battles. This item increases the duration of Light Screen, Reflect, and Aurora Veilfrom five turns to eight turns.It can be obtained in the basement floor of Mt. Coronet, or in the Grand Underground.
Light Screen and Reflect aren’t the most useful moves in casual play, since immediate benefits are often the better option in those battles. However, since both TMs are easily available in the Veilstone Department Store, it’s easy to backtrack and pick one up for a difficult battle. Many Pokemon are capable of learning at least one of them, so the Light Clay is a great tool to have for an edge in late game brawls.
5Expert Belt
An odd item that is very much out of the way, theExpert Beltis great to pickup to get some generic attack boosting action. This item can be obtained as a random daily reward from the Belt Man in the house on Route 221.
The Expert Belt is simple: Itboosts the damage of the holder’s super effective moves by 20%.This is a fantastic item for Pokemon with wide move pools, like Blissey or Clefable. These Pokemon are likely going to hit weaknesses, but won’t get the STAB bonus in most cases. The Expert Belt helps close that damage gap, enhancing their coverage for free.
4Wise Glasses
TheWise Glassesshare similar benefits to the Expert Belt, but have an even wider range of use in casual play. It is found in Celestic Town, by entering the shop and speaking with a man wearing glasses at night time. Although this is not a wise choice for him, these Wise Glasses are a smart pick for those needing some extra “oomph” on their hits.
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The Wise Glassesboost the power the holder’s Special moves by 10%.This isn’t quite as good as the Expert Belt, but it covers the full range of special attacking moves rather than only super-effective ones. Since the boost is good in more situations, it becomes a great asset in the varying battles within casual play.
