The release of Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl brought fairy type Pokémon to the Sinnoh Region after the type was originally introduced to the franchise in Gen VI. 21 Pokémon from the game’s existing roster were converted to Fairy-type, which was originally added as a counter to the overpowered Dragon-type. Additionally, Sylveon championed Fairy Pokémon as the first new Pokémon of the type, as well as the first new Eeveelution since Gen IV.
However, as Fairy-type didn’t exist yet in Gen IV, Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl will be the first time that trainers can catch these converted fairy-type Pokémon in Sinnoh. Pokémon in the Diamond & Pearl remakes can also learn Fairy-type moves now, which shakes up some of the mechanics and battles from the original games. Unfortunately, the National Pokedex in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl only includes the original 493 Pokémon from Gen I - Gen IV, which means Sylveon won’t be making an appearance in the game as Number 700.
As Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl’s Legendary Dialga and Palkia are both Dragon-type, the addition of Fairy is sure to change up gameplay in the remakes. Even the infamous Giratina from Pokémon: Platinum, which players can find and catch in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl after defeating the Pokémon League, will be weak to this type with its Ghost/Dragon-type. These Legendaries will likely see a change in their move-sets from the original games to balance the remakes’ updated mechanics. Players hoping to add a Fairy-type of their own to their team have twenty different Pokémon to choose from in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.
Cleffa, Clefairy, and Cleffable in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Cleffa, Clefairy, and Cleffable are some of the Pokémon franchise’s classics. First introduced as normal types in Gen II, they’ve since been converted to pure Fairy-types. Cleffa and Clefairy can both be found on Mount Coronet, as well as in the Trophy Garden behind Mr. Backlot’s Pokémon Mansion. Clefairy also evolves from Cleffa with a high enough friendship level. Players with a Moon Stone can use it to evolve Clefairy into Cleffable, which is the only way to add this final form to the Pokédex. With Cleffable’s ability to learn powerful Fairy-type moves like Moonblast and Dazzling Gleam, it’s an absolute must-have for players looking to build a Fairy-type team.
Marill, Azurill and Azumarill in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Marill first appeared in Gen III as a normal-type Pokémon whose evolution chain included the Water-types Azurill and Azumarill. All of these Pokémon have had Fairy added as a secondary type as of Gen VI. Marill and Azurill can be caught in the Safari Zone in Pastoria City’s Great Marsh area. Azumarill, however, must be evolved from Azurill when it reaches level 18.
Mime Jr. and Mr. Mime in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
While Mr. Mime was one of the original Pokémon from Gen I, its baby counterpart Mime Jr. was not introduced to the game until Diamond & Pearl in Gen IV. Now, this Sinnoh-original is back with a new type in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, along with its evolved form of Mr. Mime. While both were originally pure Psychic-types when they were each introduced, they’ve become Psychic/Fairy-types in the franchise’s more recent games.
Both of these Pokémon can be caught in the wild as Mime Jr. appears on Route 209 and Route 210, and Mr. Mime appears on Route 218 and Route 222. However, Mime Jr. is also one of the Pokémon that can be found in Mr. Backlot’s Trophy Garden. Players can also evolve a Mr. Mime by teaching Mime Jr. the move Mimic when it reaches level 32.
Snubbull and Granbull in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
After players complete their Sinnoh Pokédex’s 151 entries and defeat the Pokémon League Champion, Cynthia, they can begin filling in all 493 entries of Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl’s National Pokédex, which includes Snubbull and Granbull. Both of these Pokémon were originally Normal-types when they were introduced in Gen II, but they’ve been updated to be pure Fairy-types. Of the two, players will only find Snubbull in the wild, which can be caught on Route 209. If they want to add Granbull to the Pokédex as well, it’ll evolve at level 23.
Togepi, Togetic, and Togekiss in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Another of the franchise’s most classic Pokémon is Togepi, which players can catch in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl once they obtain their National Dex. Originally a Normal-type Pokémon, Togepi is now pure Fairy, and its evolved forms of Togetic and Togekiss have both been updated from Normal/Flying to Fairy/Flying. While Togepi and Togetic are both originally from Gen II, Togekiss was a new evolved form that was added in Gen IV. Togepi is the only one of these three that can be caught in the wild, and players can find one on Route 230. It will evolve into Togetic once its friendship level is high enough, and players can evolve Togetic into Togekiss using a Shiny Stone.
Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, and Wigglytuff in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Jigglypuff is one of Pokémon’s famous mascots whose conversion to Fairy-type just made sense. It was upgraded from being a normal type to a Normal/Fairy type along with the rest of its evolutionary line. However, while Jigglypuff and Wigglytuff were both originals from Gen I, Igglybuff was introduced slightly later in Gen II. Their normal/fairy type makes this group unique to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl as the only other normal/fairy type is Marill, which evolves into water/fairy types Azurill and Azumarill.
Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, and Wigglytuff have a unique advantage against both Ghost-types and Dragon-types, which make them a must-have for players facing the Legendary Giratina in the post-game Turnback Cave. Once players have the National Dex, Igglybuff and Jigglypuff can only be caught in the Trophy Garden, and Jigglypuff will evolve from Igglybuff with a high enough friendship level. To get Wigglytuff, however, players will need to find a Moon Stone to give to their Jigglypuff.
Ralts, Kirlia, and Gardevoir in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Gardevoir is one of the franchise’s most popular Pokémon, as well as one of its most powerful. This Gen III Pokémon was originally introduced as a pure Psychic-type, along with its two previous forms, Ralts and Kirlia. However, their upgrade to Psychic/Fairy makes these Pokémon play differently in Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl than they did in the original games, especially since Gardevoir can use powerful Fairy-type moves like Moonblast, Dazzling Gleam, and Misty Terrain. While they require the National Dex to catch, they’re one of the Fairy-types introduced to Sinnoh that are definitely worth the hunt. Ralts and Kirlia can both be caught on Route 203 and 204, and Kirlia will evolve from Ralts at level 20 as well. Gardevoir evolves fairly early on at level 30, and it’s another party must-have for Fairy-type Pokémon trainers.
Mawile in Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
Mawile is the only Fairy-type Pokémon introduced to Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl as a version exclusive, and it is only able to be caught in Brilliant Diamond. Introduced in Gen III as a pure steel type, it’s a unique Pokémon with no evolutionary line. Its upgraded Steel/Fairy-type is one of the best combinations in the game, giving it resistance to Normal, Grass, Rock, Flying, Bug, Poison, Dark, Psychic, Ice, Fairy, and Dragon-type attacks. It’s one of the Pokémon that can only be found in the remake’s subterranean Grand Underground, specifically in the crystal cave areas, making it a rare find for lucky trainers with the Brilliant Diamond version of Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl.