Diploma
The diploma or certificateSwSh (Japanese: 賞状 honorable certificate) is an item awarded in almost all core series Pokémon games for completing various modes of the Pokédex. It is obtained from Game Freak's lead developer after the player has completed their Pokédex.
The only games in which the player cannot earn a diploma are Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, Ultra Moon, where the player is given stamps instead, and Legends: Arceus.
History
In Generation I and II, there is only one diploma in the game, awarded for completing the Pokédex. From Generation III to VI, there is one diploma awarded for completing the regional Pokédex and a second for completing the National Pokédex.
In Pokémon X and Y, a total of five diplomas are awarded: one for capturing every Pokémon in each of the Kalos Pokédexes, one for obtaining all of those three diplomas, and one for completing the National Pokédex. The regional diplomas are different if the player completed their Pokédex only with blue pentagon Pokémon.
In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, an additional Diploma can be received if the player shows the Game Freak lead developer a Pokémon that was originally caught in either Ruby, Sapphire, or Pokémon Emerald; unlike most diplomas, this one is customized according to the Pokémon shown to the developer, with its Generation III sprite appearing in the bottom-left corner.
In Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, instead of a diploma, the player is given stamps on their Trainer Card for completing the various regional Pokédexes. In these games, players can obtain all existing Pokémon as of this generation, however, there is no reward for doing so, likely because the National Pokédex is not obtainable in these games. In Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, the player can receive a diploma from the director for completing their Kanto Pokédex; due to only Pokémon in the Kanto Pokédex existing in these games.
Since Pokémon Sword and Shield, the National Pokédex no longer exists but the player will receive a diploma for completing the region's Pokédex.
Acquisition
Location
In all games in which Celadon Condominiums appears, the Game Freak lead developer is located in the Game Freak headquarters there. In Black, White, Black 2, and White 2, he is located in the Game Freak building in Castelia City.
In games in which a Game Freak building is not present, he is on vacation and found in some kind of temporary accommodation.
- In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he is on the top floor of Cove Lily Motel in Lilycove City.
- In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, he is in the north-westernmost house in the Hotel Grand Lake at the Valor Lakefront.
- In Pokémon X and Y, he is in the Hotel Coumarine in Coumarine City.
- In Pokémon Sword and Shield, he is in the western Hotel Ionia building in Circhester.
- In The Isle of Armor and The Crown Tundra, a female Doctor who upgrades the Pokédex in the Armor and Crown Tundra Stations rewards the player with the respective Diplomas instead.
- In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Clavell rewards the player with the Diploma at the Biology Lab of Naranja AcademyS/Uva AcademyV.
Pokédex completion
For a Pokédex to be considered complete, the player must have owned all Pokémon in that Pokédex (except a select few Pokémon). In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, to complete the Sinnoh Pokédex, the player only needs to have seen all the Pokémon in the Sinnoh Pokédex, not own them.
Mythical Pokémon (including Phione) are not usually required to qualify for diplomas; however, in Pokémon Platinum seeing Manaphy is required to obtain the Sinnoh Pokédex Diploma, and in Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire owning Deoxys is required to obtain the National Pokédex Diploma.
In Pokémon FireRed, LeafGreen, and Emerald and Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, owning Ho-Oh and Lugia is not required to complete any Pokédex. In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, due to a bug, Chikorita is not required to complete the National Pokédex.
Function
The diploma is not an item as it is not added to the player's Bag; to view it after obtaining it, the player must talk to said lead developer again. In Pokémon Black and White, Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, and Pokémon X and Y, the diploma is instead sent to the player's bedroom for display. In Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, the diploma can be hung on the wall of the player's Secret Base.
In Pokémon Yellow, Gold, Silver, and Crystal, it is possible to print out a copy of the diploma using a Game Boy Printer. The printout displays additional graphics in the bottom half of the diploma which cannot be otherwise seen. Interestingly, in Yellow, the image only visible on the printout includes Mew, despite Mew not being necessary to obtain the diploma.
Completion requirements
Regional Pokédex
| Games | Pokédex | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| RGBY | Pokédex | Have owned 150 species of Pokémon[1] |
| GSC | New Pokédex | Have owned 249 species of Pokémon[2] |
| RSE | Hoenn Pokédex | Have owned all Hoenn Pokédex Pokémon except Jirachi and Deoxys |
| FRLG | Kanto Pokédex | Have owned all Kanto Pokédex Pokémon except Mew |
| DP | Sinnoh Pokédex | Have seen all (non-expanded) Sinnoh Pokédex Pokémon except Manaphy |
| Pt | Have seen all expanded Sinnoh Pokédex Pokémon | |
| HGSS | Johto Pokédex | Have owned all Johto Pokédex Pokémon except Mew and Celebi |
| BW | Unova Pokédex | Have owned all Unova Pokédex Pokémon except Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, and Genesect |
| B2W2 | New Unova Pokédex | Have owned all New Unova Pokédex Pokémon except Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, and Genesect |
| XY | Central Kalos Pokédex | Have owned all Central Kalos Pokédex Pokémon except Diancie, Hoopa, and Volcanion |
| Coastal Kalos Pokédex | Have owned all Coastal Kalos Pokédex Pokémon except Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres | |
| Mountain Kalos Pokédex | Have owned all Mountain Kalos Pokédex Pokémon except Mewtwo | |
| Kalos Pokédexes | Have owned all Central, Coastal and Mountain Kalos Pokédex Pokémon except Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo, Diancie, Hoopa, and Volcanion | |
| ORAS | Hoenn Pokédex | Have owned all Hoenn Pokédex Pokémon except Rayquaza, Jirachi, and Deoxys |
| PE | Kanto Pokédex | Have owned all Kanto Pokédex Pokémon except Mew, Meltan and Melmetal |
| SwSh | Galar Pokédex | Have owned all Galar Pokédex Pokémon |
| SwShIoA | Isle of Armor Pokédex | Have owned all Isle of Armor Pokédex Pokémon except Zarude |
| SwShCT | Crown Tundra Pokédex | Have owned all Crown Tundra Pokédex Pokémon |
| BDSP | Sinnoh Pokédex | Have seen all (non-expanded) Sinnoh Pokédex Pokémon except Manaphy |
| SV | Paldea Pokédex | Have owned all Paldea Pokédex Pokémon |
National Pokédex
Other Diplomas
Time Travel Awards
| Games | Location | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| ORAS | Speak to the Game Director in Cove Lily Motel in Lilycove City. | Have a Pokémon that was originally caught in either Ruby, Sapphire, or Emerald in the first party slot. |
| BDSP | Speak to the Game Director in the north-westernmost house in Hotel Grand Lake at the Valor Lakefront. | Have a Pokémon that was originally caught in either Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum in the first party slot. |
Gallery
National Pokédex
Ruby and Sapphire
FireRed and LeafGreen
Emerald
Diamond and Pearl
Platinum
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Black and White
Black 2 and White 2
X and Y
Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Kanto Pokédex
Red and Green
Blue (Japanese)
Red and Blue
Yellow
Game Boy Printer (from Yellow with 150 Pokédex entries)
Game Boy Printer (from Yellow with all 151 Pokédex entries)
FireRed and LeafGreen
Let's Go, Pikachu
Let's Go, Eevee
Johto Pokédex
Gold, Silver, and Crystal
Game Boy Printer (from Gold and Silver)
Game Boy Printer (from Crystal)
HeartGold and SoulSilver
Hoenn Pokédex
Ruby and Sapphire
Emerald
Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Sinnoh Pokédex
Diamond and Pearl
Platinum
Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
Unova Pokédex
Black and White
Black 2 and White 2
Kalos Pokédex
All Kalos Pokédexes
Central Kalos Pokédex completed with transferred Pokémon
Coastal Kalos Pokédex completed with transferred Pokémon
Mountain Kalos Pokédex completed with transferred Pokémon
All Kalos Pokédexes completed with transferred Pokémon
Galar Pokédex
Sword and Shield
Isle of Armor
Crown Tundra
Paldea Pokédex
- Diploma SV.png
Scarlet
Violet
Other Diplomas
Time Travel Awards
Time Travel Award (ORAS)
Time Travel Award (BDSP)
Trivia
- Excluding the bugged Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire National Pokédex diploma requirement:
- The diplomas in Pokémon Black and White, regional and National, were the only ones to require Pokémon that were event-exclusive at the time of release, namely Zorua and Zoroark. However, they later became obtainable without events via trading with Pokémon Black 2 and White 2.
- The only diplomas to not require at least one non-Mythical Pokémon included in the corresponding Pokédex are in Generation VI, namely the Coastal Kalos Pokédex with Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres, the Mountain Kalos Pokédex with Mewtwo, the combined Kalos Pokédexes with the aforementioned four Pokémon, and the Hoenn Pokédex with Rayquaza. The diploma for the Central Kalos Pokédex is the only regional diploma in the generation to actually require all included non-Mythical Pokémon.
- Despite Mew being on Pokémon Yellow's printed diploma if the Kanto Pokédex is fully complete with 151 entries, Mew won't appear on the printed diploma if the Kanto Pokédex is missing a different Pokémon's entry but has Mew's entry registered, making for a Pokédex total of 150 entries
In other languages
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References
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This game-related article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games. |
