So, you’re back in Sinnoh. Whether you’re dusting off an old DS Lite or firing up the original cartridge on a 3DS, the Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough experience is a beast compared to the modern, hand-holding era of the Switch. It’s crunchy. It’s slow. Honestly, the HP bars crawl so slowly you could probably make a sandwich while a Blissey faints. But there’s a reason people still obsess over this specific generation. It’s the difficulty spike at the end and that sense of scale that later games sort of lost.
Sinnoh is basically a giant mountain with some grass around it.
You start in Twinleaf Town, and if you haven’t picked a starter yet, just know that Chimchar is the "meta" choice because Fire-types are practically non-existent in this game. If you don't pick the monkey, you're basically stuck with Ponyta. That’s it. That’s your Fire-type list until the post-game. Piplup is cute, sure, but Empoleon’s Steel typing makes it a magnet for Ground-type moves in a region where every second hiker has a Geodude.
Getting Your Feet Wet in Twinleaf and Jubilife
The opening is a slow burn. You’ll head to Lake Verity with Barry—your hyperactive rival who literally cannot stop running into people—and find Professor Rowan’s briefcase. This is where you get your first Pokémon. After the mandatory "how to catch a Pokémon" tutorial in Route 201, you’re sent to Sandgem Town and eventually Jubilife City.
Jubilife is where the game actually starts opening up. You’ve got to track down three clowns to get a Pokétch. It’s a bit of a chore, but you need that watch for the Dowsing Machine later. Pro tip: don't spend too much time grinding on Route 202. Just get to Oreburgh. You want that first badge as fast as possible because Roark’s Cranidos will absolutely wreck you if you’re under-leveled.
The Oreburgh Mine and Your First Badge
Roark is the first real gatekeeper. If you chose Turtwig or Piplup, you’re fine. If you chose Chimchar, you better hope it evolved into Monferno and learned Mach Punch at level 14. Otherwise, that Cranidos is going to Headbutt your entire team into oblivion. Cranidos has a massive Attack stat for the first gym. It's actually kind of absurd when you think about it.
Once you get the Coal Badge, you’re heading back through Jubilife to the Ravaged Path. This is where the Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough hits its first snag: HMs.
The HM Problem and How to Survive It
Let’s be real—Diamond is notorious for the "HM Slave" requirement. You need Rock Smash, Cut, Surf, Strength, Defog, Fly, Waterfall, and Rock Climb. It’s a nightmare. You basically have to sacrifice one or two slots in your party just to carry these utility moves. Bidoof is the hero here. Bibarel can learn almost everything. Catch a Bidoof early, name it "Toolbox," and let it carry the weight of the world so your Luxray can actually keep Spark and Crunch.
Floaroma Town to Eterna City
After clearing out Team Galactic at the Valley Windworks—where you’ll face Mars and her frustratingly tanky Purugly—you head through Eterna Forest. This part of the Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough feels like a slog because of the forced double battles with Cheryl. She heals your Pokémon after every fight, which is nice, but it makes the trek twice as long.
Eterna City is home to Gardenia. She uses Grass-types. If you have Staravia or Monferno, this is a cakewalk. If not, catch a Zubat in the nearby caves. Seriously. Crobat is one of the best Pokémon in the game, and even a Golbat can carry you through the early-to-mid game gyms.
The Eterna Galactic Building is next. This is where you meet Cynthia for the first time. She gives you the Egg for Togepi. Keep it in your party if you want a Togekiss later, but fair warning: it takes forever to hatch while you’re running back and forth.
The Cycle Road and the Wayward Cave
Once you have the Forest Badge, you get the Bike. The Cycling Road leads you down toward Hearthome, but there’s a "secret" under the bridge. Wayward Cave. If you have Flash, you can find Gible here. Most people miss this. Having a Garchomp later on is basically the "easy mode" button for the Elite Four, though Gible is a pain to level up early on.
Hearthome City and the Mid-Game Pivot
Hearthome is weird. In the original Diamond, Fantina (the Ghost-type leader) actually won't fight you the first time you arrive. You have to go to Veilstone and Pastoria first. This is a common point of confusion in a Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough because the remake (Brilliant Diamond) changed this order.
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In the 2006 original, you head east to Solaceon Town. Solaceon is boring unless you care about the Daycare or the ruins where you find the Unown. It's mostly just a pit stop on the way to Veilstone.
The Veilstone and Pastoria Loop
Veilstone is where things get serious. Maylene’s Lucario is a monster. It uses Drain Punch to stay healthy while dealing massive damage. You need something fast to take it down. A Staraptor with Close Combat or Aerial Ace is usually the answer.
After Maylene, you’re chasing a Galactic Grunt down to Pastoria City. This is the Great Marsh area. Crasher Wake is the leader here, and his Gyarados/Floatzel combo can be tricky. Use Electric moves. If you don't have a Luxray or a Raichu by now, you're going to struggle with the constant Intimidate pivots from his Gyarados.
The Long Road to Celestic Town and Snowpoint
After getting the SecretPotion from Cynthia to cure the Psyducks blocking Route 210, you head to Celestic Town. You learn about the legendaries, Dialga and Palkia. This is the lore dump part of the game.
Then comes the worst part of any Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough: the trek to Snowpoint City.
Route 216 and 217 are snowy nightmares. You move at half speed. There are trainers everywhere. You need Rock Climb to get around. It's grueling. But at the end is Candice, the Ice-type leader. Her Froslass is fast and loves to use Double Team. Don't let the fight drag on, or you'll never hit her. Fire and Steel moves are your friends here.
The Climax at Spear Pillar
This is what everything has been building toward. You have to storm the Galactic HQ in Veilstone, find the Master Ball (don't use it on the box legendary if you can help it; save it for the roaming runners like Mesprit), and then climb Mt. Coronet.
Mt. Coronet is a maze. You’ll need:
- Surf
- Strength
- Rock Smash
- Rock Climb
At the summit, Spear Pillar, you fight Mars and Jupiter in a back-to-back battle with Barry as your partner. Then, Cyrus. Cyrus’s team is built for speed and aggression. His Weavile and Honchkrow hit like trucks. Once you beat him, you face Dialga.
Pro Tip for Dialga: Use a Timer Ball if the fight goes over 10 turns. It’s way more effective than an Ultra Ball in this generation.
The Final Stretch: Sunyshore and Victory Road
The final badge is in Sunyshore City. Volkner is depressed because nobody is strong enough to fight him—classic JRPG trope. He uses Electric types. Ground moves (Earthquake) make this a non-issue.
Then, Victory Road. It’s arguably the hardest Victory Road in the series. It requires almost every HM in the game. You’ll be swapping Pokémon in and out of the PC just to get through the boulders and water.
The Elite Four and the Cynthia Wall
The Sinnoh Elite Four is a massive jump in difficulty.
- Aaron (Bug): Not too bad. Use Fire or Flying. Watch out for his Drapion; it’s actually Poison/Dark, so it’s only weak to Ground.
- Bertha (Ground): Water and Grass moves will melt her team, but her Hippowdon can tank a lot.
- Flint (Fire): In Diamond, he barely has any Fire Pokémon because of the regional dex limitations. He uses a Drifblim and a Steelix. It’s kind of a joke, honestly.
- Lucian (Psychic): Bronzong is his wall. It has Levitate, so Ground moves won't work. Use Fire.
Then there’s Cynthia.
Cynthia is widely considered the toughest champion in the franchise. Her Spiritomb has no weaknesses (in Gen 4). Her Milotic is a physical wall with Mirror Coat. Her Lucario is a mixed attacker. And then there’s Garchomp.
Cynthia’s Garchomp is level 66, fast, and knows Dragon Rush and Earthquake. If you don't have a fast Ice-type move (like Weavile with Ice Punch or a bulky Pokémon with Ice Beam), she will sweep your entire team. You have to play strategically. Use X-Items if you have to. No shame in it.
Post-Game and Beyond
Once the credits roll, the game isn't over. You need to see every Pokémon in the Sinnoh Dex (150 total) to unlock the National Dex. You don't have to catch them, just see them. Talk to Professor Rowan afterward to get the Poke Radar. This unlocks the Pal Park, the Battle Zone (the island in the top right of the map), and the legendary heat-beast Heatran in Stark Mountain.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Run:
- Secure a Bidoof immediately: You physically cannot finish this game efficiently without a dedicated HM user.
- The "Gible" shortcut: As soon as you have Strength, head to the hidden entrance of Wayward Cave under the Cycling Road to snag a Gible early.
- Check the honey trees: If you want a Munchlax, start slathering honey on those golden trees now. It has a 1% spawn rate on specific trees, so it’s a long game.
- Drifloon Fridays: Remember that Drifloon only appears at the Valley Windworks on Fridays. If you missed it during the story, you'll need it to finish your Pokédex.
- Stock up on Revives: Before entering the Elite Four, spend every cent you have on Full Restores and Revives. You will need them for Cynthia's Garchomp.
The Pokémon Diamond version walkthrough is a test of patience as much as it is a test of skill. It’s the peak of the "classic" Pokémon era before things became more streamlined. Take your time, enjoy the jazz-heavy soundtrack of Jubilife at night, and for the love of Arceus, don't use your Master Ball on a Bronzor.