Legendaries and Mythicals

Sinnoh is the region of myths: time, space, antimatter, the spirits of the lakes and the creator of all things. Here, Pokémon by Pokémon, is where and when to catch each legendary in Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, and what it took to get the mythicals distributed at events.

Levels often differ between Diamond and Pearl on one side and Platinum on the other: Platinum reorganized the adventure around Giratina, and pushed Dialga and Palkia back until after the League.

Before every battle against a legendary, save: if it faints or runs away, it does not always come back. Keep your Master Ball for a roaming Pokémon, much harder to catch than a stationary legendary.

⏳Time, space and antimatter

Pokémon	Diamond and Pearl	Platinum
Dialga	Diamond: Spear Pillar, level 47, during the story (step 29)	Spear Pillar, level 70, after the League, with the Adamant Orb and the Lustrous Orb (Mt. Coronet, 3rd floor, at the top of the waterfall)
Palkia	Pearl: Spear Pillar, level 47, during the story	Same as Dialga, level 70, after the League
Giratina	Turnback Cave, level 70, in Altered Forme, after the National Pokédex (via the Spring Path, Route 214)	Distortion World, level 47, in Origin Forme, during the story (step 30). If it faints, it returns to Turnback Cave after the League.

💧The lake trio

Uxie (knowledge), Mesprit (emotion) and Azelf (willpower) are kidnapped by Team Galactic during the story. Once the threat is dealt with (after Spear Pillar in Diamond and Pearl, after the Distortion World in Platinum), they return to the cavern at the center of their lake.

Pokémon	Where	How
Uxie	Lake Acuity, near Snowpoint City	In the cavern at the center of the lake (Surf), level 50.
Azelf	Lake Valor, near Hotel Grand Lake	In the cavern at the center of the lake (Surf), level 50.
Mesprit	Lake Verity, near Twinleaf Town	It appears in the cavern, then runs away and starts to roam Sinnoh, level 50.

🌋Sinnoh’s other legendaries

Pokémon	Where and how	Level
Heatran	Deep inside Stark Mountain, after Buck’s quest (step 35). In Diamond and Pearl, you must find Buck at the Survival Area before it appears.	70 (D/P), 50 (Pt)
Regigigas	Snowpoint Temple, after the National Pokédex. It only awakens if Regirock, Regice and Registeel are in your party.	70 (D/P), 1 (Pt)
Cresselia	After the National Pokédex, in Canalave City, a sailor asks you to help his son, trapped in a nightmare. On Fullmoon Island, Cresselia flies off, dropping a Lunar Wing, which wakes the child. Cresselia then starts to roam Sinnoh.	50

🎯The right Ball for each legendary

🧭Catching a roaming Pokémon

Mesprit, Cresselia and, depending on the version, other legendaries change routes every time you change area, and flee on the first turn of battle. Here is the method:

1. Install the Marking Map app for the Pokétch: it shows the position of roaming Pokémon.
2. Wait until it is on a neighboring route, then enter it and walk in the grass.
3. At the start of the battle, put it to sleep (Spore, Hypnosis, Lovely Kiss) or trap it with Mean Look, Spider Web or an ability like Shadow Tag: it will no longer be able to flee.
4. Its damage carries over from one encounter to the next: you can wear it down little by little.
5. The simplest way remains the Master Ball: it is the best use you can make of it.

🎁Mythicals and event Pokémon

Four fourth-generation Pokémon could only be obtained through official distributions, now over:

Pokémon	How
Manaphy	A Manaphy Egg, transferred from Pokémon Ranger on DS. Bred with Ditto at the Day Care, Manaphy produces a Phione Egg.
Darkrai	The Member Card opens the Harbor Inn in Canalave City. You also need the National Pokédex and the Cresselia quest completed. In a dream, you win your way to New Moon Island: Darkrai awaits you there, level 40 (D/P) or 50 (Pt).
Shaymin	The Oak’s Letter, distributed in Europe for Platinum in autumn 2009, opens Route 224 up to Flower Paradise, where Shaymin appears at level 30. In Platinum only, the Gracidea lets Shaymin take its Sky Forme, during the day.
Arceus	The Azure Flute, played at Spear Pillar, makes a staircase appear to the Hall of Origin, where Arceus awaits, level 80. The flute was never officially distributed: players’ Arceus came from other distributions.

These events, their dates and what remains of them today are told in our Premium guide Events and distributions. For the legend that ties all these Pokémon together, read The Mythology of Sinnoh.

👻Two rarities not to forget

• Spiritomb: a Black Belt on Route 208 gives you the Odd Keystone. Place it in the Hallowed Tower on Route 209, talk to other players 32 times in the Underground, over a local connection (the same player can count several times), then return to the tower: Spiritomb appears, level 25. There is only one Odd Keystone per save.
• Rotom: at night, examine the television in an upstairs bedroom of the Old Chateau, in Eterna Forest. In Diamond and Pearl, you first need the National Pokédex; in Platinum, it awaits you from your first visit. If it faints, it comes back the following night.