How to Get Oak‘s Letter and Catch Shaymin in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

Professor Oak‘s letter is one of the most coveted mystery gifts in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP). This special item unlocks the mythical grass-type Pokémon Shaymin and kicks off a limited-time special research quest.

Getting Oak‘s letter and catching Shaymin takes a bit of work, but it‘s a rewarding journey for any Pokémon fan. In this complete guide, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know to get Oak‘s letter and catch Shaymin in BDSP step-by-step.

An Overview of Oak‘s Letter and Shaymin

First, let‘s do a quick overview of what Oak‘s letter is and why it‘s so significant:

• Oak‘s Letter – This is a key item you can get via mystery gift in BDSP. It triggers a special event that lets you encounter the mythical Pokémon Shaymin.

• Shaymin – Shaymin is a mythical grass-type Pokémon first introduced in Generation 4. It‘s incredibly rare and can‘t be obtained through normal gameplay.

• Getting Oak‘s letter and Shaymin is a limited-time event. After March 27th, 2022, Oak‘s letter will no longer be available. So don‘t miss this chance to add Shaymin to your Pokédex!

Now let‘s get into the step-by-step guide on how to get Oak‘s letter and catch Shaymin in BDSP.

Step 1: Unlock the Mystery Gift Feature

The first step is making sure you can access the mystery gift menu where you‘ll claim Oak‘s letter. Here‘s how to unlock mystery gifts:

• Play through the game until you reach Floaroma Town and talk to the TV producer in the Pokémon Center. He will give you the Explorer Kit item.

• Open your menu and scroll over to the Mystery Gift option using the R button.

• Select "Get with Code/Password" to connect to the internet and enable mystery gifts.

Once you‘ve done this, you‘ll be able to claim Oak‘s letter!

Step 2: Claim Oak‘s Letter via Mystery Gift

Next, claim Oak‘s letter using the following steps:

• From the mystery gift menu, choose "Get with Code/Password" and select "Via Internet" to connect.

• You may need to check a box to confirm you can connect to the internet if prompted.

• Oak‘s letter should appear in the gift list! Select it and choose "Get with Code" to claim the item.

• When the gift has been sent to your game, back out of the menu.

Oak‘s letter will now be in your bag‘s key items pocket!

Step 3: Obtain the National Pokédex

Before you can encounter Shaymin, you need to have obtained the National Pokédex. Here is how to get it:

• Defeat the Elite Four and become Champion of the Sinnoh region.

• After becoming Champion, speak to Professor Rowan at his lab in Sandgem Town.

• He will upgrade your Pokédex into the National Pokédex, allowing you to document Pokémon from all regions.

Getting the National Dex is required to progress with Oak‘s letter and catch Shaymin. If you don‘t have it yet, defeating the Champion is your next priority.

Step 4: Visit Ramanas Park

The next stop on our journey is Ramanas Park, a new area unlocked after becoming Champion:

• Fly or travel to Sandgem Town and exit onto Route 221. Follow the path north to Ramanas Park.

• When you enter Ramanas Park, you‘ll meet Professor Oak inside the park.

• After your chat, exit Ramanas Park back to Route 221.

This brief visit is required for Oak to appear on Route 224 next. Don‘t skip chatting with the professor!

Step 5: Travel to Route 224

Now we‘re getting close to catching Shaymin! Follow these steps to reach Route 224:

• From Sandgem Town, surf south along Route 219 until you reach Route 220.

• In Route 220, enter the cave opening and travel through Victory Road. Exit onto Route 224.

• When you emerge onto Route 224, you‘ll see Professor Oak waiting for you near the flower patches.

Talk to Oak and he‘ll give you some hints about a Pokémon lurking in the flowers…

Step 6: Encounter Shaymin!

We‘re finally at the mythical encounter! Here is how to meet Shaymin:

• After Oak hints at a Pokémon in the flowers, walk into the flower patches just north of him.

• Interact with the rustling tall grass to encounter the mythical Pokémon Shaymin!

• Shaymin is at level 30. Use your most powerful Poké Balls and be ready for it to flee during the first turn!

• If it escapes or you accidentally defeat it, simply re-enter the tall grass to make it respawn.

Catching the timid Shaymin takes patience and your best catching skills. But finally adding this rare Pokémon to your team is an amazing reward!

Step 7: Return to Oak and Show Off Shaymin

Once you‘ve caught Shaymin, be sure to head back south and show it off to Professor Oak!

• After catching Shaymin, fly or walk back to Sandgem Town.

• Return to Route 224 and speak with Professor Oak again.

• When you talk to him with Shaymin in your party, he‘ll congratulate you on your mythical find!

Showing Oak you caught his hinted-at Pokémon wraps up the main story quest. But now that you have Shaymin, there‘s plenty more to do!

What to Do After Catching Shaymin

Catching Shaymin is an awesome milestone, but not the end of your mythical journey! Here are some ideas for what to do next with your new Legendary Pokémon:

• Level it up – Shaymin starts at level 30, so you‘ll need to do some training at Ramanas Park to get it battle ready.

• Breed it – Shaymin can‘t breed, but you can transfer egg moves to another Pokémon by breeding with Ditto.

• Rotom lottery – Show Shaymin to the hotel owner in Eterna City to get rare Poké Balls from the Rotom lotto each day.

• Research level 10 – Bring Shaymin to all Ward areas in the Grand Underground to unlock Shaymin‘s temple hideaway.

• Change its form – Use a Gracidea flower during the day to transform Shaymin into its Sky Forme.

• Event item trading – Trade Shaymin to other players who missed the event for rare Pokémon and items.

• Shiny hunting – Try resetting the encounter until you find the ultra-rare shiny version of Shaymin!

However you choose to train and use your Shaymin, adding a mythical Pokémon to your team is an exciting achievement as a Pokémon trainer!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about getting Shaymin and Oak‘s letter in BDSP:

How long is the Shaymin event available?

The Oak‘s Letter distribution event runs until March 27th, 2022. After that date, Oak‘s letter and the Shaymin encounter will no longer be available.

What if I accidentally defeat or miss catching Shaymin?

Not to worry! If Shaymin flees or you knock it out, simply re-enter the flower patch to make it respawn. You‘ll get unlimited tries at catching it.

Do I need Nintendo Switch Online to get Oak‘s letter?

No, a Nintendo Switch Online membership is not required! The mystery gift distribution just requires an internet connection.

Where do I enter the code for Oak‘s letter?

There is no code – the Oak‘s Letter item will be directly gifted to your game via the mystery gift menu. Just select "Get via Internet" and you‘ll receive it.

What if I already used my Shaymin in Legends: Arceus?

The Shaymin you can catch in BDSP is considered a separate Pokémon, so you can catch it regardless of whether you have Shaymin in Legends: Arceus.

And that covers everything you need to know about getting Oak‘s letter and catching the mythical Shaymin in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shinning Pearl! Follow the steps in this guide during the limited-time event, and you‘ll add this rare Pokémon to your team in no time. Happy mythical hunting!