Getting Darkrai in Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a special treat for long-time Pokémon fans. To get this Mythical Pokémon, you need to have a save file from Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl on your Nintendo Switch. Once you've met that condition and completed the main story, a special request will unlock, allowing you to encounter and catch Darkrai.

It’s a pretty cool way to reward players who have been on the Pokémon journey for a while. I remember being so excited when I found out my Brilliant Diamond save file would let me get Darkrai. I had just finished the main story of Arceus and was looking for more things to do. Finding this quest felt like a secret bonus just for me.

How to Unlock the Darkrai Quest

So, you’ve beaten the main story and have your Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl save file ready. What’s next? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to finding and catching the Pitch-Black Pokémon:

1. Complete the Main Story: You must have finished the main story of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and watched the credits roll.

2. Have a BDSP Save File: Your Nintendo Switch needs to have a save file from either Pokémon Brilliant Diamond or Shining Pearl. It doesn’t matter how far you are in that game; just having the save data is enough.

3. Find the Request: Go to the Galaxy Hall and look for the blackboard in Professor Laventon's office. You'll find a new request titled "The Darksome Nightmare" (Request 93).

4. Head to the Coronet Highlands: The request will send you to the Coronet Highlands. You’ll need to go there at night to find Darkrai.

5. The Encounter: You will find Darkrai in the Clamberclaw Cliffs area.

I’ll be honest, the first time I tried to catch Darkrai, it was a bit of a nightmare! It teleports around and can be tricky to battle. My advice is to be patient and use the big rocks in the area to your advantage. You can hide behind them to get close and throw a Poké Ball or start a battle. It took me a few tries, but I finally caught it. It was so satisfying to add this cool-looking Pokémon to my team. If you're looking for other legendary Pokémon, you might want to check out our guide on what Legendary Pokemon are in Legends Arceus?.

Catching Darkrai is a fun post-game activity that adds more playtime to an already amazing game. It feels special to have these kinds of exclusive encounters. It’s similar to how you can get another Mythical Pokémon, Shaymin, if you have a save file from Pokémon Sword or Shield. You can read more about that in our post on how to get Shaymin in Pokemon Legends Arceus.

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