How to get Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Meg Bethany Koepp
bulbasaur ivysaur venusaur pokemon bdsp

Trainers can catch the Kanto starter trio in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl. Here’s how to get Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur in BDSP, including exact locations and evolutions.

Along with Charmander and Squirtle, Bulbasaur is one of the most popular starters due to many fans being nostalgic for the very first Pokemon games they ever played: Red and Blue.

The Grass-type has returned in the Sinnoh remakes, along with its two evolutions, and players can add it to their Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl team.

How to catch Bulbasaur in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

The Kanto starter will not appear until you’ve beaten the main story by defeating the Sinnoh Champion. You also need to have completed the Sinnoh Pokedex and obtained the National Dex. For how to do so, check out our guide.

Follow the below steps for the best way to catch Bulbasaur:

  1. After getting the National Dex, go to the Grand Underground with your Explorer Kit.
  2. Go to Still-Water Cavern, Bogsunk Cavern, or Sunlit Cavern.
  3. The Grass-type is a rare spawn so if it doesn’t appear after entering the Hideaway, exit and re-enter the room until it shows up.
  4. Run into it and battle and catch it. You have a higher chance of catching it fast if you use a Quick Ball.
bulbasaur encounter in pokemon bdsp
The Grass-type starter is in the Grand Underground.

How to get Ivysaur in Pokemon BDSP

There is only one way of getting your hands on Ivysaur in the Sinnoh reimaginings and that is to evolve the starter – you cannot catch it.

Bulbasaur evolves at level 16, so either battle with it while it’s in your Party until the required level or use Rare Candy to trigger its transformation.

Evolving Venusaur in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

Like Ivysaur, you can only get Venusaur by evolving. It doesn’t spawn anywhere in the game.

The second Pokemon in the Grass-type line evolves at level 32 so do exactly what you did with Bulbasaur: battle or use Rare Candy until you get the final evolution.

venusaur in pokemon bdsp
Venusaur evolves at level 32.

And there you have it! Now you should have caught and evolved Bulbasaur into Ivysaur and Venusaur in BDSP.

Take a look at some of our other Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl guides and walkthroughs:

All Rare Candy locations | Where to find Cresselia | How to get the National Pokedex | Best starter to pick | Beating all Gym Leaders | How to get all Sinnoh starters | Best ways to make money | How to unlock Mystery Gifts | How to get Eevee | How to get Leafeon | How to get Glaceon | How to get Umbreon & Espeon | Where to catch Spiritomb | How to get Riolu & Lucario | Where to find Gible & Garchomp | How to unlock the Bike | All trade evolutions