Filling out the regional Pokédex in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can be a frustrating task thanks to the limited appearances of Drifloon in the Sinnoh region. The Ghost/Flying-type can be encountered in several ways, but catching one in the wild will require careful planning by players, thanks to a spawn limitation included in the remakes from the original Diamond and Pearl. It also makes catching the little balloon Pokémon as a Shiny particularly frustrating.
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl have remained surprisingly close to the original content in Diamond and Pearl compared to other remakes in the series. Gameplay and narrative progression, interactions with Team Galactic, and Pokémon found in the region have overall stayed the same as in the original titles. However, a National Pokédex from Pokémon Platinum has been included in the remakes, requiring players to see and every Pokémon species in the Sinnoh Pokédex to unlock it. This includes rare Pokémon like Drifloon.
While Drifloon can be ed to the Pokédex via a Gym trainer battle in Hearthome City, it can be easy to miss for players good at skipping trainers both on routes and Gyms. For those hoping to actually capture the Pokémon, however, there is only one location in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Drifloon can be encountered, and only on a single day of the week. Drifloon will appear during the day on Fridays outside Valley Windworks after defeating the Team Galactic presence in the building. Drifloon will not appear in the grass surrounding the area but spawns visibly in the overworld directly outside Valley Windworks.
Drifloon Is The Only BDSP Pokémon To Appear One Day A Week
While there are numerous tricky Pokémon to encounter through Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, like the unpopular Lumineon, Drifloon is the only non-legendary Pokémon to appear in the overworld. Despite a creepy Pokédex entry about being capable of stealing children, and being a manifestation of a lost human or Pokémon spirit, there is nothing about Drifloon that is particularly special. Evolving into Drifblim, neither Pokémon has the qualities usually found in Pokémon with rare or low spawn rates. In later regions of the Pokémon series, it is much easier to find, spawning regularly on routes with spooky locations like cemeteries.
Thankfully, almost every Pokémon needed for the regional Pokédex in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl can be found by encountering trainers. While the region is overrun with trainer battles that may be tempting to skip, engaging in every battle possible can help speed up access to the National Dex, unlocking Pokémon species from the first three generations of the series. These new options greatly increase the battle strategies for end and post-game challenges in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, which may be a big relief for those feeling the restrictions of Sinnoh's limited base variety.
