Pokémon BDSP: How to Do a Mono Pokémon Run (Challenge)

A mono Pokémon Run is a special kind of challenge in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. It’s common for Pokémon players to want to make their adventures a bit more challenging. Recent titles in the series have been known to be universally easy to complete. These man-made challenges are created to give players a tougher time during their adventure. It’s not something players can turn on naturally in the game. It’s just a strict list of rules trainers need to follow for the run to count. When it comes to mono runs, trainers are only allowed to keep a single type of Pokémon for the entire playthrough.

Participating in a mono run is like playing through Diamond and Pearl as if they were a Gym Leader. In the game, Gym Leaders will only use a single Pokémon type against the player. The player will need to decide which type they wish to stick with. There are 18 different typings to choose from. Although, it’s important to mention that not every typing can be found early in the game. For example, trainers looking to do a Dragon-mono-type run will need to trade with another player to start with a Dragon-type. Doing a mono-type run will expose the player to massive weaknesses. Trainers looking to complete a mono Fire-type run will struggle against Rock, Ground, and Water-type Pokémon.

While mono-type runs can work with any species, those who don’t have any friends to trade with will need to choose between these six types, Ground, Grass, Water, Fire, Steel, and Fighting. This is due to Chimchar, Piplup, and Turtwig, the starters of Pokémon BDSP, evolving into these typings when they reach their final form. Now, trainers will just need to get through the entire adventure only capturing Pokémon of that type. If trainers select Piplup, they will need to decide if they wish to participate in a mono Water or mono Steel-type run. The rest of the adventure will be focused on building a team of those Pokémon.

Tips and Tricks For Pokémon BDSP Mono Run

• Legendary Pokémon can be used.
• Cross-type Pokémon are acceptable. This means Pokémon with multiple typings. Completing a Grass mono run with a Torterra, a Pokémon that is both Grass and Ground-type will work towards the run.
• Keep Potions and Revives as common as possible. It’s common for challenging battles to entirely sweep a player’s team during a mono run.

Overall, this is just one of the many self-imposed challenges players can accept to make the game more difficult. Pokémon BDSP can already be fairly difficult. Alternatively, trainers can participate in a Nuzlocke challenge, a run where Pokémon are permanently dead when they faint. This is more for players looking to make the most out of Pokémon BDSP. With Pokémon Legends Arceus being a month away, trainers can kill the time by completing a mono run.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are available now on Nintendo Switch.

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Sky Flores
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Sky Flores is a writer and game player based out of New York City. His hobbies consist of creating content on YouTube and streaming video games on Twitch. His online alias is @SkywardWing.

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