How to Level Up Fast: EXP Farming Guide

Defeating lots of wild Pokemon and utilizing items that boost EXP are the fastest ways to level up in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP). Read on to learn about the fastest ways to get EXP, how to level up fast before the Elite Four, the best place to train, and what items level up Pokemon fast!

How to Level Up Fast

How to Level Up Fast Video Guide

Get a Lucky Egg

Lucky Eggs are one of the items that help level up Pokemon quickly. Pokemon that hold Lucky Eggs earn 1.5x more experience points from battles. This will dramatically help you reach higher levels in less time.

The easiest way to obtain the Lucky Egg is by going underground at Acuity Lakefront and heading to the top-leftmost room in the underground map. Enter the room to Icy Cave, and the item can be picked up in the middle of the area.

Get more Lucky Eggs

You can buy more Lucky Eggs at the Battle Tower for 77 BP. It's a steep cost but it can be well worth it!

Defeat Pokemon in Hideaways

Pokemon in Hideaways have level scaling, so you'll never have a hard time finding wild Pokemon to match your current party's level. Additionally, it's incredibly helpful that you can see the Pokemon in the overworld of Hideaways, so you can pick and choose which Pokemon you'd prefer to beat for EXP, based off their typing or if they're evolved.

Pokemon Hideaways Guide

Best Hideaways to farm EXP

Best Hideaways to Farm EXP
Fountainspring Cave	Target Pokemon
	Gastrodon	Quagsire	Gabite
Glacial Cavern	Target Pokemon
	Walrein	Sealeo	Lairon
Bigbluff Cavern	Target Pokemon
	Pupitar	Sandslash	Lairon

When grinding for levels, try to target Pokemon that give higher EXP. We've noticed that evolved Pokemon and bulkier Pokemon tend to give more EXP than unevolved ones. The hideaways listed above are home to some of the more generous EXP sources in the Grand Underground.

Rematch High Level Trainers

Ace Trainer Ariana on Route 228

Pokemon	Type	Ability / Item	Moves
Ambipom (Lvl. 54)		Technician	・Double Hit ・Astonish ・Agility ・Baton Pass
Rapidash (Lvl. 54)		Flash Fire	・Flame Wheel ・Poison Jab ・Smart Strike ・Flame Charge
Chansey (Lvl. 54)		Natural Cure	・Charm ・Soft-Boiled ・Disarming Voice ・Covet

On Route 228, Ace Trainer Ariana can be found with 3, level 54 Pokemon, one of which is Chansey which offers a good chunk of EXP. You can use the Vs. Seeker to rematch her repeatedly.

Gym Leader Rematches

After obtaining the National Dex, players may rematch Gym Leaders with pretty strong teams. Rematches can only be done once a day, however but there are eight gym leaders you can farm EXP from. Pick a Gym Leader you can easily take on, and keep the Pokemon you want to raise in your party to soak up EXP.

All Gym Leader Rematch Teams

Farm EXP by Defeating the Elite Four

The Elite Four is a great place to farm EXP. Through our testing, a full run through of the Elite Four can raise a Level 1 Pokemon at least 36-41 levels without the Lucky Egg and 40-45 levels with the Lucky Egg.

Have 2 or 3 strong Pokemon on your team to handle as much of the Elite Four as you can, and fill the rest of your party with the Pokemon you want to soak EXP. For players in the post-game, rematch teams may be harder, however, there is no shame in losing since even defeating just Aaron will net you upwards of 16,000 EXP per Pokemon.

If you're worried about losing money from whiting out, don't worry! You can make back the money you lost in no time. It's a lot easier to earn money than EXP after all!
How to Get Money Fast: Pokedollars Farming Guide

How to Level Up Fast Early Game

Fastest Ways to Level Up Early
Defeat lots of wild Pokemon Fight wild Pokemon in the newest area you unlock Fight wild Pokemon in Double Battles in Eterna Forest and Wayward Cave

Defeat Wild Pokemon

Getting into lots of wild Pokemon battles in the tall grass remains the primary method for farming EXP points to level up fast. Later routes have higher level Pokemon, of course, so fight Pokemon in the routes/areas most recently unlocked before fighting a Gym.

Farm wild battles on later routes

For example, Oreburgh Mine offers the highest level wild Pokemon before facing the Oreburgh Gym, since that is the last area you need to pass before unlocking the Gym. Similarily, before facing the Eterna Gym, you should battle Pokemon on Route 211 (east of Eterna), rather than Route 205 (west of Eterna), since Route 211 is the later unlock and generally has higher level Pokemon.

Double Battles

You can get 2 Double Battle partners in the early game; Cheryl in Eterna Forest and Mira in Wayward Cave. Instead of immediately bringing them to the exits of their respective areas, you can encounter wild Pokemon alongside them, which will cause 2 wild Pokemon to appear per battle.

Having 2 wild Pokemon appear makes level grinding less tedious, since your Pokemon gets all the EXP from the double battle. Additionally, Cheryl and Mira will restore your Pokemon's HP and PP after each wild battle, which will save you from using items or visitng the Pokemon Center.

Double Battles Guide

How to Level Up Fast Before Elite Four

Fastest Ways to Level Up Mid to Late Game
Utilize the Vs. Seeker to rebattle higher leveled trainers Fight wild Pokemon in Double Battles on Iron Island

Utilize Vs. Seeker

Vs Seeker	A device that indicates Trainers who want to battle. Its battery charges while you walk.

Utilize the Vs. Seeker to rechallenge all the trainers you've encountered in your journey thus far. It's worth rebattling all trainers even as far back as Route 202, as most trainers will have Pokemon at least Level 30, and even evolved, by the time you've reached the Pokemon league.

How to Use the Vs. Seeker

How to Use the Vs. Seeker

Use the Vs. Seeker from the Key Items pocket of your bag. It will send out a signal to all trainers currently on your screen. If a trainer wants to rebattle, 2 red exclamation points (!!) will appear above them. After a use of the Vs. Seeker (whether you found trainers to rebattle or not), you'll need to walk 100 steps to recharge it.

Unfortunately, you can't use the Vs. Seeker in caves or buildings, so all the high leveled trainers on Victory Road can't be rebattled.

Double Battles in Iron Island

You can get Riley as a Double Battle partner the first time you visit Iron Island. You can visit Iron Island by talking to the sailor at the Canalave City dock, so it's a great for leveling up fast in the midgame. You'll have Riley as a partner up until you defeat the Galactic Grunts in Iron Island.

Like with Cheryl and Mira, you can encounter wild Pokemon alongside Riley, which will cause 2 wild Pokemon to appear per battle. Your Pokemon likewise gets all the EXP for the double battles on Iron Island. Riley similarly restores your Pokemon's HP and PP after each battle.

How to Level Up Fast After the Elite Four

Rematch the Elite Four Repeatedly

For trainers looking to create stronger teams to face the Battle Tower, they have to train their Pokemon up to at least Level 50 first. The fastest way to do this is by rematching the Elite Four. Most of the Elite Four's Pokemon give a lot of EXP when defeated, and rematching them is the only place you can consistently find high-leveled ones.

When up agains the rematch teams, it could end up being difficult. But, even taking down one or two Elite Four members before whiting out will earn you more EXP in a shorter time than training in the Underground.

All Elite Four Rematch Teams

Items That Level Up Pokemon Fast

Rare Candy

Rare Candy	A candy that is packed with energy. When consumed, it will instantly raise the level of a single Pokemon by one.

Rare Candy instantaneously levels up a Pokemon by 1. You should save the Rare Candies you collect on various routes/areas.

Save Rare Candies for the Pokemon League

The best time to use it would be right before challenging the Elite Four, since the level difference between the strongest Pokemon of the final Gym Leader (Volkner) and the first Elite Four member (Aaron) is almost 10 whole levels.

You undoubtedly should use any leftover Rare Candies right before fighting Champion Cynthia, who's entire team is Level 60 and above.

Lucky Egg

Lucky Egg	An item to be held by a Pokémon. It's an egg filled with happiness that earns extra Exp. Points in battle.

Pokemon holding a Lucky Egg will get 1.5x more EXP points if they participate in battle. The easiest way to obtain the Lucky Egg is by going underground at Acuity Lakefront and heading to the top-leftmost room in the underground map.

Lucky Egg in Acuity Lakefront Icy Cave

Levelling Basics

Entire Party Gains Experience Points

Everytime you defeat a Pokemon in battle, you will be rewarded with Experience Points. This includes the rest of your Pokemon in your party, even if they did not participate in battles.

It is therefore possible to train Pokemon such as Magikarp, which is difficult to send out in battle, just by letting them stay in your party.

Experience Points can also be gained when catching Pokemon

Successfully catching a Pokemon will also give Exp. Points, so make sure to catch lots of wild Pokemon!

Pokemon Received From Trade Gain Bonus Exp. Points

Pokemon obtained through trading from NPCs in-game and from other players can receive additional Exp. Points.

Do note however that depending on how many Gym Badges you have, they may not follow your orders and refrain from doing a move if their level is too high, so be careful not to raise there level beyond the limit.

How to Trade Locally and Online

Get More Exp. Points with Lucky Egg

With Lucky Egg	Without Lucky Egg

Equipping a Pokemon with the item Lucky Egg will allow it to gain 1.5x more Exp. Points. Make sure to equip Lucky Egg when levelling up multiple Pokemon to speed up the process.

How to Get Lucky Egg and Effect

Max Level is 100

The maximum level a Pokemon can reach is Level 100. When a Pokemon reaches Level 100, you will not be able to gain Exp. Points, so if you have a Pokemon to raise separately, keep it out of your party.

Pokemon BDSP Related Guides

Training and Breeding

Training and Breeding Guides
How to Breed Pokemon and Hatch Eggs	Nature and IV Breeding Guide
How to Level Up Fast	How to EV Train Fast
How to Reroll for Best Nature and IVs	How to Increase IVs
Pokerus Effects	Shiny Hunting Guide
How to Learn Egg Moves	How to Change a Pokemon's Nature
How to Check EVs	How to Check Pokemon IVs
How to Hatch Eggs Faster	How to Get Hidden Abilities
How to Catch High IV Pokemon	How to Increase Friendship