New Pokemon Games 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 competitive Pokemon staples. These items are often great, but the best of the best can't be obtained during the main campaign.
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 looking to 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 the best 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.
13 Amulet 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.
To snag 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.
12 Choice 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 is capable of boosting a Pokemon's move by 1.5x but 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.
11 Cleanse 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.
10 Lucky Egg
The Lucky Egg stands 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, the Pokemon 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.
In BDSP, 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 team will probably stop by this area anyways.
9 Metronome
No, this isn't the move "Metronome." Instead, the item Metronome is an interesting option for those who have Pokemon that serve as One-Move Wonders. This item increases 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.
8 Quick Claw
The Quick Claw is 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. In BDSP, the Quick Claw can be found in Jubilife Condominiums after talking to an NPC on the first floor.
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 a 20% chance of attacking first, regardless of other priority calculations. This gives slow-moving heavy hitters a chance to get the jump on even the speediest opposition. It's a rather low chance, but when that proc is the difference between life and death, the value is unmatched.
7 Wide 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. The Zoom Lens and Wide Lens are 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. The Wide Lens gives a 10% boost to accuracy, while the Zoom Lens gives a 20% boost if 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.
6 Light Clay
The Light Clay may 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 Veil from 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.
5 Expert Belt
An odd item that is very much out of the way, the Expert Belt is 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: It boosts 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.
4 Wise Glasses
The Wise Glasses share 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.
The Wise Glasses boost 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.
3 Weather Rocks
Weather can shape many battles, and most of the trainers in BDSP aren't designed to counter strategies involving it. With that in mind, the Weather Rocks are a great and easy to obtain pickup.
These rocks come in a flavor for every type of weather; Damp Rockfor rain, Heat Rock for sun, Smooth Rock for sandstorm, and Icy Rock for Hail. Each of these will increase the duration of their respective weather from 5 turns to 8 turns. A Damp Rock on Pelipper with the Drizzle ability, for example, is a great combo to set and maintain rain. Each of them are rather easy to find while Pokemon hunting in the Grand Underground, so make the most of them!
2 Leftovers
Leftovers are a staple item of any style of play. This item is the best way to give any Pokemon passive healing (even better than the best Berries), and a great companion for any bulky Pokemon regardless of their moveset. It even comes equipped to one of its best users, the ever-elusive Munchlax, when that Pokemon is found in the Grand Underground. This creates an easily repeatable method of obtaining Leftovers.
Leftovers restore 1/16th of the holder's maximum HP at the end of every turn. The best use of this item is on Pokemon with high base HP like Snorlax or Drifblim, but its a solid option for any Pokemon that's going to take a couple of hits.
1 Choice Specs
For the most part, competitve items are locked in the post-game. These items are the clear best in the game, and tend to make casual play a breeze if they can be picked up early. For some reason, though, the Choice Specs managed to make their way out of post-game and into the pockets of early birds everywhere.
This item can be obtained from the Glasses Man in Celestic Town, but only in the morning. However, the early bird certainly gets the worm here, as the Choice Specs are ridiculously strong on the right Pokemon. This item will boost the Special Attack of its user by 50%, but lock them into one move. Pokemon like Alakazam, Gengar, and many others can mow down entire teams with ease using these sweet specs. Casual play is not necessarily designed with Choice items in mind, so any trainer should nab the Specs if they get the chance.