Pokemon Platinum Team Builder

How the Pokemon Platinum team builder works

Pokémon Platinum is the definitive version of the Sinnoh games. It rebuilt the regional Pokédex, reworked the Gym Leaders' teams, added the Distortion World and Giratina's Origin Forme, and brought the Battle Frontier to Sinnoh. This Pokemon Platinum team builder follows the same structure as the game's own Pokédex: the Sinnoh Pokédex holds 157 Pokémon, the Platinum Pokédex Expansion adds 65 more that Platinum brought into the region, and the National Pokédex filter adds 243 post-game Pokémon.

The same data covers Diamond and Pearl. Choose a version in the filter and the grid drops everything that version cannot catch, so the Pokemon Platinum team builder also works as a Diamond or Pearl planner. The type filter narrows the grid to one type, and Randomize team rolls six different Pokémon from exactly what the filters show.

Tap a sprite to add it and tap it again to remove it. The weakness panel counts how many team members take super-effective damage from each attacking type and how many resist it; Show per-Pokémon matchups opens the full grid. Your team is written into the page address as you build, so Copy share link sends the exact same six to anyone, and Open in the full team builder carries the team into our full planner.

Sample teams in the Pokemon Platinum team builder

Each sample team is built around one Sinnoh starter and only uses Pokémon you can catch in Platinum during the main story. Load one into the Pokemon Platinum team builder, then swap members until the weakness panel has no long red rows.

Diamond vs Pearl vs Platinum differences

Each version is missing a few Pokémon that the others can catch. These lists come straight from the data the Pokemon Platinum team builder uses:

• Missing from Diamond: Shieldon, Bastiodon, Misdreavus, Mismagius, Glameow, Purugly, Palkia, Rotom (Heat Rotom), Rotom (Wash Rotom), Rotom (Frost Rotom), Rotom (Fan Rotom), Rotom (Mow Rotom), Houndour, Houndoom, Tangela, Tangrowth, Tropius, Giratina (Origin Forme), Slowpoke, Slowbro, Pinsir, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Slowking, Stantler, Spheal, Sealeo, Walrein, Bagon, Shelgon, Salamence, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Shaymin (Sky Forme).
• Missing from Pearl: Cranidos, Rampardos, Murkrow, Honchkrow, Stunky, Skuntank, Dialga, Rotom (Heat Rotom), Rotom (Wash Rotom), Rotom (Frost Rotom), Rotom (Fan Rotom), Rotom (Mow Rotom), Tangela, Tangrowth, Tropius, Scyther, Scizor, Giratina (Origin Forme), Seel, Dewgong, Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Larvitar, Pupitar, Tyranitar, Poochyena, Mightyena, Aron, Lairon, Aggron, Kecleon, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Shaymin (Sky Forme).
• Missing from Platinum: Misdreavus, Mismagius, Murkrow, Honchkrow, Glameow, Purugly, Stunky, Skuntank, Palkia, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Pinsir, Slowking, Trapinch, Vibrava, Flygon, Clamperl, Huntail, Gorebyss.

The regional Pokédex is the bigger difference. Diamond and Pearl have far fewer Fire-types before the post-game, which is why Chimchar was the default pick for so many players. Platinum fixes much of that: Houndour and the Magby line join the Sinnoh dex, along with Ralts, Eevee and all its evolutions, Gligar, Snorunt and the rest of the expansion listed in the filter. Our version exclusives tool turns the version lists into a trade list.

Gym Leaders in Pokemon Platinum

Platinum changes the Gym order: Fantina is the third Gym, before Maylene, and every leader brings a stronger team than in Diamond and Pearl. Roark's Cranidos hits hard with Headbutt, so a Water, Grass or Fighting move matters from the start. Gardenia's Roserade is fast and Grass/Poison, so Fire, Flying and Psychic work best. Fantina's Ghost-types are immune to Normal and Fighting. Crasher Wake's Floatzel is quick, and his Quagsire is immune to Electric, so bring Grass as well. Byron's Bastiodon is Rock/Steel: Fighting and Ground hit it four times over and Water twice. Candice's team punishes Grass, Ground, Flying and Dragon, and Volkner's Electivire is a pure Electric-type that Ground stops cold. Check each of those rows in the Pokemon Platinum team builder before the badge in question.

Elite Four and Champion Cynthia

Aaron's Bug team ends with Drapion, a Poison/Dark-type that is only weak to Ground, so do not rely on Fire alone. Bertha's Ground-types fall to Water and Grass, but Gliscor is immune to Ground and Ice hits it four times over. Flint's Fire-types fold to Water, Ground and Rock, and Lucian's Psychic team includes a Steel/Psychic Bronzong that resists most attacks and Gallade, his level 59 ace. Cynthia is famous for good reason: Spiritomb has no weakness at all in Gen 4, Milotic, Togekiss and Lucario each need a different answer, and Garchomp is fast, strong and takes four times damage only from Ice. A team built in the Pokemon Platinum team builder should carry at least one strong Ice move for her.

Gen 4 rules the Pokemon Platinum team builder accounts for

• Physical and special are split by move. Since Diamond and Pearl each move has its own category, so Gyarados' Waterfall and Garchomp's Dragon Claw use Attack while Empoleon's Surf uses Special Attack.
• No Fairy type. Togekiss is Normal/Flying, Clefable is pure Normal, Steel resists Ghost and Dark, and Dragon is only resisted by Steel.
• Eight HMs. Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Defog, Rock Smash, Waterfall and Rock Climb. A Bibarel can carry four of them so your main attackers keep their move slots.
• Levels rise quickly. Cynthia's Garchomp is level 62, so evolve early and keep the whole team close in level.

Tips for building a Pokemon Platinum team

• Pick your starter first. The other five slots should cover what it cannot: Infernape needs Water and Ground help, Empoleon needs Fire, Torterra needs Fire and Ice cover.
• Plan an answer to Garchomp. Ice moves from Froslass, Glaceon or a TM, or a bulky Water-type, keep the final battle from snowballing.
• Check a single matchup with the type calculator, and for the Johto remakes on the same engine use the HGSS team builder.

Pokemon Platinum team builder FAQ