With the release of Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl slated for release later this year, fans of the franchise are already gearing up for their next adventure in the Sinnoh region. If you’ve ever played Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum, chances are you’ve used at least one of these Pokémon on your team: Luxray, Staraptor, Lucario, Garchomp, Gallade, and Roserade. And there’s nothing wrong with that; after all, these Pokémon are popular picks for a reason. But if you’re looking to shake up your typical team roster on your next playthrough, consider giving one of these ‘mons a try.
Note: These suggestions are not based on competitive viability, but rather on Pokémon who are typically overlooked and might have more potential than you think!
1. Cherrim
Okay, here me out. Cherrim may not be the best Pokémon stat-wise, but it’s adorable and has access to a great set of moves. The cherry-based Grass-type learns Sunny Day, Petal Dance, and Solar Beam naturally by leveling up, and can be taught a slew of useful moves like Toxic, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, and Rest via TM. One Cherrim can easily knock out Crasher Wake’s gym.
2. Lumineon
While Gyardos and Floatzel are standard Water-type picks for Sinnoh, this fish Pokémon is a solid choice. You can find its pre-evolution, Fineon, by fishing with a Good Rod on early routes like Route 205 and 218. If you’re looking for an HM lackey alternative to Bibarel, Lumineon has you covered with the ability to learn Surf, Defog, Whirlpool, and Waterfall.
3. Skuntank / Purugly
Since Skuntank and Purugly are version exclusives to Diamond and Pearl respectively, I’ve lumped them together into one. Although their typing differs (with Skuntank being a Poison-type and Purugly a Normal-type), these two Pokémon are well-known as the sidekicks of choice for Team Galactic Grunts. So why not turn the tables on them? Skuntank learns Flamethrower at Level 34, which is huge in a region that’s short on Fire-types. Meanwhile, Purugly can learn a wide variety of TM moves like Water Pulse, Thunder, and Aerial Ace, keeping you covered no matter what you’re up against.
4. Hippowdon
Hippowdon is literally based on a hippopotamus—what’s not to love? It evolves from Hippopotas early on at Level 34; you can find the pre-evolution in the Maniac Tunnel near the Solaceon Ruins. If you miss out on it earlier on, you can also catch Hippowdon on Route 228. This heavyweight Pokémon learns some solid moves like Earthquake and Double-Edge, and can also be utilized for HMs with Strength and Rock Smash.
5. Chatot
Chatot is one of those Pokémon that has a fun gimmick and cute design, but isn’t normally picked for in-game usage. Chatot can be caught on Routes 222 and 224, but you can also get one early on by trading a Floatzel in Eterna City, which is great if you’re looking to decimate the Veilstone Gym. The mimicking pro can learn useful HMs Fly and Defog too. And for Pokémon Mystery Dungeon fans, you’ll have an extra level of appreciation for this bird.
6. Pachirisu
Last but not least we have the incredibly cute fourth-gen Electric rodent, Pachirisu. Many trainers pass up on the non-evolving ‘mon in favor of more popular picks like Luxray, Rotom, and Magnezone, but this little creature is stronger than it looks. If you stock it with the right TM moves, Pachirisu can become a force to be reckoned with. Toxic, Thunder, Iron Tail, and U-Turn are just a few of the moves it can learn that showcase its variety. And of course, if you need a party member to learn Cut and don’t want the moveslot wasted on your strongest battlers, Pachirisu has you covered.
So there you have it. 6 underrated, underused Pokémon to try on your next Sinnoh adventure.