Here's how to get and hatch eggs in Pokemon BDSP

Steven Rondina Published 04/12/2021

Hatching eggs is an important part of every Pokemon game, with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl being no different.

For anyone that’s serious about post-game Pokemon and online battling, breeding and optimizing a party is an absolute must. Teams that aren’t EV trained and IV bred will inevitably struggle to keep up with opponents that are, and might not even be up to scratch in the Battle Tower or post-game rematches.

This means it’s worth going over how to approach breeding and how to approach egg hatching in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Here’s what you need to know. Also be sure to read up on how the Destiny Knot item works. It can be found on the ground on Route 224.

How to hatch eggs in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Players can hatch Pokemon eggs by simply keeping them in their party and walking around with them. After a certain number of steps, the egg will hatch and become a level one Pokemon.

The number of steps required to hatch an egg varies, but it can take some time. While that might sound like a slog, Game Freak has consistently made it easy to hatch eggs in games.

Just hego ad to Solaceon Town where the Pokemon Nursery is and head north to Route 210. There is a strip of tall grass missing that leads to a bicycle path. Hop on the bike, get into a high gear, press up until hitting a tree, then press and hold down. This is a long unobstructed path that has no random encounters and just a few trainers that can be beaten without issue. Any player looking to breed and hatch a number of eggs only needs to go up and down this path to quickly and easily hatch their eggs.

How long does it take to hatch an egg in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?

Pokemon eggs need to be kept in the party for anywhere from 1,280 steps to 10,240 steps in order to hatch.

Hatching Pokemon in the mainline games is very different from Pokemon GO. Different species of Pokemon have a different number of steps that they need to hatch, but all Pokemon within the same species take the same number of steps to hatch.

For example, all Magikarp eggs need 1,280 steps in order to hatch while all Slowpoke eggs need 5,120 steps in order to hatch. So-called “pseudo legendary” Pokemon such as Metagross, Tyranitar, and Dragonite require the maximum of 10,240 steps in order to hatch.

While this sounds like a lot, it’s actually only a few minutes’ worth of walking around the egg hatching path near the Pokemon Nursery. One lap up and down the path is 254 steps and takes about 18 seconds. The worst case scenario of egg hatching is about 13 minutes of moving up and down the path to hatch a Pokemon that needs 10,240 steps.

This number can actually be cut in half by having a Pokemon with the Flame Body ability in the party. Also keep in mind that players can hold up to five eggs at a time, meaning that you can hatch several Pokemon during the same hatching trip.

Which Pokemon have Flame Body in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?

The only Pokemon with the Flame Body ability in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are Magby, Slugma, and their respective evolutions.

Players can also get Flame Body on a hidden ability Heatran or Ponyta or Rapidash. Hidden ability Heatran can only be obtained by catching Heatran and using an Ability Patch on it. Hidden ability Ponyta can be caught by building up a chain using the Poké Radar, or by using an Ability Patch.

Ability Patches can be purchased at the Battle Park for 200 BP, but because they are so costly, it’s better for players to simply catch either a Magby or a Slugma. Having a Pokemon with the Flame Body ability in the party will make eggs hatch twice as quickly, so it’s of great value to anyone looking to hatch a number of Pokemon.

Where is the Nursery in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl?

The Pokemon Nursery can be found in Solaceon Town to the northwest of the Pokemon Center.

The nursery has an old man standing outside of it, and Pokemon can be dropped off to the old woman within. After leaving two compatible Pokemon in the nursery, players can periodically check in with the old man outside. He will occasionally give the player an egg, which they can then hatch.

How to breed Pokemon in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Players can breed two Pokemon together by dropping them off at the same time at the nursery in Solaceon Town.

There are many different caveats to breeding Pokemon. Most non-legendary Pokemon can be bred with Pokemon of the same species or with a Ditto. Some Pokemon of different species can also breed, but the offspring will always match the species of the female or the non-Ditto Pokemon.

The egg can inherit the stats, natures, and certain moves from its parents. Destiny Knot will impact how many stats are inherited from its parents while each Pokemon species can only learn a handful of “egg moves.” Nature can be passed down if the parent is holding an Everstone.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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