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Gen IV

Pokémon Diamond & Pearl

Sinnoh's myths run deep — and Team Galactic wants to rewrite them from nothing.

The Path

The intended order — follow this and you'll stay at the right level all game.

  1. 1

    Oreburgh Gym

    Gym

    Rock · Roark · recommended Lv. 12–14

  2. 2

    Eterna Gym

    Gym

    Grass · Gardenia · recommended Lv. 20–22

  3. 3

    Veilstone Gym

    Gym

    Fighting · Maylene · recommended Lv. 27–29

  4. 4

    Pastoria Gym

    Gym

    Water · Crasher Wake · recommended Lv. 31–33

  5. 5

    Hearthome Gym

    Gym

    Ghost · Fantina · she's away until after Pastoria · recommended Lv. 35–37

  6. 6

    Canalave Gym

    Gym

    Steel · Byron · recommended Lv. 38–41

  7. 7

    Snowpoint Gym

    Gym

    Ice · Candice · recommended Lv. 42–44

  8. 8

    Sunyshore Gym

    Gym

    Electric · Volkner · recommended Lv. 46–48

  9. 9

    Spear Pillar showdown

    Story

    Stop Cyrus and Team Galactic; face Dialga (Diamond) / Palkia (Pearl) · recommended Lv. 48–52

  10. 10

    Sinnoh Elite Four

    Elite Four

    Bug/Ground/Fire/Psychic · Aaron, Bertha, Flint, Lucian · recommended Lv. 50–54

  11. 11

    Champion Cynthia

    Champion

    Varied team · the toughest Champion fight of the era · recommended Lv. 58–62

The Story

The Sinnoh region is steeped in creation myths: legends say the lake guardians, the dragons of time and space, and the very world itself were born here. Your journey starts in Twinleaf Town, and before long those myths stop feeling like stories.

Team Galactic, led by the chillingly calm Cyrus, isn't after money or power in any ordinary sense — he wants to unmake the universe and rebuild it as a world without spirit.

As you collect badges, Galactic's plan escalates: bombs at the lakes, the theft of the lake trio, and a red chain forged to bind a god. Your rival Barry and the Champion Cynthia herself are drawn into the chase.

Everything converges at the Spear Pillar atop Mt. Coronet, where Dialga or Palkia is summoned — a finale on a genuinely cosmic scale, capped by a Champion battle players still talk about.

Good to Know

  • Gen IV introduced the physical/special split: a move's category depends on the move itself, not its type — always check before teaching TMs.
  • Sinnoh's EXP curve is notoriously slow, so use the Vs. Seeker to rematch trainers and keep your team on level.
  • Fantina is effectively the 5th badge: she's away from Hearthome when you first arrive, so don't backtrack early.
  • Cynthia's Garchomp and Spiritomb are infamous for a reason: bring Ice coverage and a plan for a Pokémon with no weaknesses.

After the Credits

  • Climb the Battle Tower at the Fight Area for streak-based single and double battles.
  • Investigate Stark Mountain with Buck to encounter the legendary Heatran.
  • Migrate Pokémon from your Gen III games via Pal Park.
  • Explore the Survival, Resort, and Fight Areas for rare Pokémon and items.

My caught checklist

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Want the full step-by-step walkthrough? This page is the roadmap — for turn-by-turn directions, Bulbapedia and Serebii both have detailed per-route guides.