In Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, there are a few key differences from the Nintendo DS originals, most importantly the revamped Grand Underground system. Even if you’re familiar with the Grand Underground from the original Diamond and Pearl games, the remakes have new features that really shake things up. The Grand Underground can be intimidating with its labyrinthian structure and complex digging mini-games. In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know about the Grand Underground in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, from how to dig to the way statues work and the steps for building a Secret Base.
What is Pokémon BDSP’s Grand Underground?
The Grand Underground is a returning feature from the original in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. This refined underground system lies beneath the Sinnoh region, full of various items, secrets, and Pokémon to discover, along with Spheres, which are the game’s currency. In addition, the Grand Underground is home to various shopkeepers who sell useful items. You can also build Secret Bases within the Grand Underground, giving you the ability to customize certain areas beneath the surface.
The Grand Underground is broken up into the following biomes, each that feature different Pokémon:
- Spacious Cave
- Grassland Cave
- Fountainspring Cave
- Riverbank Cave
- Swampy Cave
- Dazzling Cave
- Whiteout Cave
- Icy Cave
- Rocky Cave
- Volcanic Cave
- Sandsear Cave
How to unlock the Grand Underground in Pokémon BDSP
To gain access to the Grand Underground, you need to obtain the Explorer Kit in Eterna City. You’ll find an old man in the house next to the Pokémon Center who will give you the Explorer Kit needed to unlock the Grand Underground.
Is there a Grand Underground map?
Yes! The maze-like map below should help you on your adventures:
How to dig in the Pokémon BDSP’s Grand Underground
Throughout the Grand Underground, you’ll find little spots on the walls that sparkle, indicating a treasure is hidden in the area. You’ll need to use your hammer and pickaxe to dig up the treasures within the wall by completing the minigame that appears. The goal is to find the sweet spot between chipping away enough of the wall to uncover the treasure, without digging it too much to the point of collapsing. Use the hammer to destroy large sections, while the pickaxe is more delicate.
In the top left of the screen, you’ll see a counter that reads “X/40.” This corresponds to the number of Digglets and Dugtrios you’ve collected around the Ground Underground, which are simply scattered throughout the area. When the counter reaches 40, you have an increased chance of finding shiny statues for four minutes, so make sure you take advantage of the boost as you hunt for treasure.
How to build a Grand Underground Secret Base in Pokémon BDSP
Secret Base building is one of the key aspects of the Grand Underground, and you’ll want to be aware of how it works. To build a Secret Base, you need to obtain the Digger Drill from the aforementioned old man located in Eterna City. He’ll request for you to dig up fossils from the Grand Underground’s walls, so once you’ve done that, return to the old man to complete the quest.
He’ll reward you with the Digger Drill, which you can use on the walls within the Grand Underground. Interact with the walls by pressing the A button, and you’ll be able to start customizing your Base after you knock down the wall.
As you explore the Grand Underground you should dig around to find statues from the shiny spots mentioned above. These statues can be placed within your Secret Base to increase the spawn rate of specific Pokémon.
What are the Grand Underground statues?
There are several statues that correspond to different Pokémon types that can be discovered by digging in the Grand Underground. For each one you place within your Secret Base, you gain an increased chance of coming across a Pokémon that matches that statue’s type. For instance, placing a Charizard statue boosts the likelihood of finding a fire-type Pokémon in the Grand Underground. Use this to your advantage when hunting for specific Pokémon. There are over 480 different statues to acquire, so you better get to digging!
Which Pokémon are available in the Grand Underground?
There are over 200 Pokémon available in the Grand Underground and for the most part, they’re the same across Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. However, there are a handful that are exclusive to each version of the game, which we’ll highlight below.
Brilliant Diamond
- Murkrow
- Scyther
- Elekid
- Gligar
Shining Pearl
- Misdreavus
- Magby
- Pinsir
- Teddiursa
Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available for Nintendo Switch now.
