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Completing the Pokédex With Generations 3 and 4 (Pokémon Pearl)

There are 493 Pokémon in Pearl's Pokédex. Only 482 are needed to get the certificate from the Game Freak employee on Valor Lakefront: the ones that can be missed are Mew, Ho-Oh, Lugia, Celebi, Jirachi, Deoxys, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus. This page focuses on getting the 484 Pokémon that aren't Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Deoxys, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus.

At minimum, the player will need access to one of the following sets of games:

1. Diamond, Pearl, HeartGold, and Emerald (4 games); this is the fewest number of games that can be used to complete the Pokédex, but requires that the player have access to a DS that can be used with Pal Park.
2. Diamond, Pearl, HeartGold, and SoulSilver (4 games); this does not require dual-slot functionality, but the player will not be able to get the three Hoenn Regis and Regigigas without access to events. If a DS that can be used with Pal Park is obtainable, the player can add any Hoenn game, but this requires a total of 5 games.

Version Exclusives

The following version-exclusive Pokémon have to be traded from Diamond or another game:

• Seel, Dewgong (Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Scyther (Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Murkrow, Honchkrow (Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar (Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Poochyena, Mightyena (Emerald, Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Aron, Lairon, Aggron (Emerald, Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Kecleon (Emerald, Diamond, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Cranidos, Rampardos (Diamond)
• Stunky, Skuntank (Diamond)
• Dialga (Diamond)

Kanto Pokémon

• Kanto starters (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Caterpie, Metapod, Butterfree (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Ekans, Arbok (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Sandshrew, Sandslash (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Vulpix, Ninetales (Emerald, SoulSilver)
• Growlithe, Arcanine (HeartGold)
• Tangela, Tangrowth (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Elekid, Electabuzz (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Magby, Magmar (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Mewtwo (HeartGold/SoulSilver)

Johto Pokémon

• Johto starters (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Pineco, Forretress (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Gligar, Gliscor (Emerald, HeartGold)
• Shuckle (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Teddiursa, Ursaring (Emerald)
• Raikou, Entei, Suicune (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Lugia, Ho-Oh (HeartGold/SoulSilver)

Hoenn Pokémon

• Hoenn starters (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Lotad, Lombre, Ludicolo (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Seedot, Nuzleaf, Shiftry (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Sableye (Emerald, HeartGold)
• Mawile (Emerald, SoulSilver)
• Zangoose (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Seviper (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Lunatone (HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Solrock (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver
• Tropius (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)
• Regirock, Regice, Registeel (Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald)
• Latias (Emerald, HeartGold)
• Latios (Emerald, SoulSilver)
• Kyogre (Emerald, HeartGold)
• Groudon (Emerald, SoulSilver)
• Rayquaza (Emerald, HeartGold/SoulSilver)

Although Regigigas is not a Hoenn Pokémon, it will require either access to an event or for the player to transfer Regirock, Regice, and Registeel from a Hoenn game.

Mutually Exclusive Pokémon

Several Pokémon are mutually exclusive, meaning that if you get one species, you cannot get at least one other species. The list of mutually exclusive species is below.

• Bulbasaur/Ivysaur/Venusaur, Charmander/Charmeleon/Charizard, Squirtle/Wartortle/Blastoise
• Chikorita/Bayleef/Meganium, Cyndaquil/Quilava/Typhlosion, Totodile/Croconaw/Feraligatr
• Treecko/Grovyle/Sceptile, Torchic/Combusken/Blaziken, Mudkip/Marshtomp/Swampert
• Latias, Latios
• Turtwig/Grotle/Torterra, Chimchar/Monferno/Infernape, Piplup/Prinplup/Empoleon

You will need access to three HeartGold or SoulSilver save files to get all three Kanto and Johto starters, and three Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, HeartGold, and/or SoulSilver save files to get all three Hoenn starters. If you choose to use HeartGold and Emerald, you will need to select Latios in Emerald. You will also need access to three Diamond, Pearl, and/or Platinum save files to get all three Sinnoh starters.

Trade Evolutions

17 Pokémon evolve by trading: Alakazam, Machamp, Golem, Gengar, Politoed, Slowking, Kingdra, Steelix, Scizor, Porygon2, Huntail, Gorebyss, Rhyperior, Electivire, Magmortar, Porygon-Z, and Dusknoir. The easiest way to get data for them is to trade them to another game and immediately trade the newly-evolved Pokémon back.

You will need two King's Rocks, two Metal Coats, one Dragon Scale, one Up-Grade, one DeepSeaTooth, one DeepSeaScale, one Protector, one Electirizer, one Magmarizer, one Dubious Disc, and one Reaper Cloth to evolve Politoed, Slowking, Steelix, Scizor, Kingdra, Porygon2, Huntail, Gorebyss, Rhyperior, Electivire, Magmortar, Porygon-Z, and Dusknoir.