How To Get the Destiny Knot in Pokémon Platinum

The Destiny Knot on Route 224 in Pokémon Platinum

The only Destiny Knot in the game is located on Route 224, which lies to the east of Victory Road.

Reaching the Destiny Knot’s exact location requires the HMs for Waterfall, Rock Climb, Surf, and Strength (for the first visit only), and you can only get the Destiny Knot after you receive the National Pokédex.

Destiny Knot Location (Step-by-Step)

The Destiny Knot’s location on the Town Map. / Pokémon Platinum
The Destiny Knot’s location on the Town Map.

The Destiny Knot is on Route 224, which is accessible only through a cave that becomes unobstructed after you receive the National Pokédex.

The following Hidden Moves are required to reach the Destiny Knot’s location:

  • Waterfall
  • Rock Climb
  • Surf
  • Strength (first visit only)

It’s a long journey with lots of strong wild Pokémon, so you might want to make sure you’re stocked up on Full Restores, Escape Ropes, and Max Repels as well.

When you’re fully prepared, Fly to the Pokémon League to get started.

Use Surf at the lake and ride down the waterfall.

Riding down the waterfall to the south. / Pokémon Platinum
Riding down the waterfall to the south.

Step ashore to the south, then turn eastward to enter Victory Road.

Entering Victory Road. / Pokémon Platinum
Entering Victory Road.

Once inside, head southward down the wide corridor at the entrance.

Moving south down the corridor. / Pokémon Platinum
Moving south down the corridor.

Cross the bridge to the south and use Rock Climb to slide down the rocky wall.

Using Rock Climb at the rock wall. / Pokémon Platinum
Using Rock Climb at the rock wall.

Head to the west and turn north to pass under the bridge.

Passing under the bridge to the northwest. / Pokémon Platinum
Passing under the bridge to the northwest.

Make a left turn at the Veteran trainer, head up the stairs behind him, and cross the bridge heading towards the east.

Looping around up the stairs to cross the bridge. / Pokémon Platinum
Looping around up the stairs to cross the bridge.

Pass under the next bridge continuing towards the east and go through the newly-accessible entrance to the next cave chamber.

Note: If you haven’t yet received the National Pokédex, this cave will be closed off.

Entering the new cave to the east. / Pokémon Platinum
Entering the new cave to the east.

Once you’re in the cave, climb down the staircase and head northeast.

Heading northeast in the new room. / Pokémon Platinum
Heading northeast in the new room.

Descend the next staircase and head through the next doorway.

Entering the next chamber. / Pokémon Platinum
Entering the next chamber.

If this is your first time passing through this section of Victory Road, Marley will accompany you at this point and you will be unable to use Surf.

In this case, you will need to take the longer route to the north.

Otherwise, use Surf on the water to the east.

Using Surf on the water to the east. / Pokémon Platinum
Using Surf on the water to the east.

Surf northward and disembark at the square-shaped patch of land to the east.

Surfing to the northeastern patch of land. / Pokémon Platinum
Surfing to the northeastern patch of land.

Climb down the staircase here and head southward.

Heading downstairs and turning south. / Pokémon Platinum
Heading downstairs and turning south.

Circle around the rectangular lake and head north, passing the two Ace Trainers.

Skirting the rectangular lake. / Pokémon Platinum
Skirting the rectangular lake.

Wind your way through the linear path between the stones.

Moving through the linear path between the stones. / Pokémon Platinum
Moving through the linear path between the stones.

Head eastward and climb down the stairs you’ll find that lead towards the water.

Use Surf to go across the lake.

Surfing northward across the next lake. / Pokémon Platinum
Surfing northward across the next lake.

Step ashore and head down some stairs, and then Surf across yet another small lake.

Cutting across another lake to the north. / Pokémon Platinum
Cutting across another lake to the north.

Step back on land, head up the stairs to the north, and go all the way to the end here. Then take the exit to your right.

Taking the exit to the northeast. / Pokémon Platinum
Taking the exit to the northeast.

In this next area, head up the long staircase.

Climbing the stairs. / Pokémon Platinum
Climbing the stairs.

Leave Victory Road through the exit at the top.

Leaving Victory Road to the east. / Pokémon Platinum
Leaving Victory Road to the east.

Outside on Route 224, turn northward and descend the staircase.

Turning north on Route 224. / Pokémon Platinum
Turning north on Route 224.

Continue northward past the Ace Trainer.

Traveling northward down the staircases. / Pokémon Platinum
Traveling northward down the staircases.

Head all the way north until you reach the Veteran trainer, then take a right and travel east.

Turning right at the Veteran trainer. / Pokémon Platinum
Turning right at the Veteran trainer.

Keep going east as the fields turn into coastline.

Then eventually you’ll want to turn northward at the boulder at the corner of the beach, past the Black Belt trainer.

Turning north at the corner of the beach. / Pokémon Platinum
Turning north at the corner of the beach.

Keep going up, then take a left at the Ace Trainer NPC and head north up the staircase.

Heading up the stairs to the northwest. / Pokémon Platinum
Heading up the stairs to the northwest.

The stairs lead up to a terrace with an NPC, and in the northeastern corner you’ll see a Poké Ball item.

The Destiny Knot as a Poké Ball item / Pokémon Platinum
Approaching the Destiny Knot in the corner of the terrace.

Pick up this item to obtain the Destiny Knot.

Note: This is the only Destiny Knot you can get in Pokémon Platinum.

Obtaining the Destiny Knot. / Pokémon Platinum
Obtaining the Destiny Knot.

Destiny Knot Details and Uses

In-game description of the Destiny Knot. / Pokémon Platinum
In-game description of the Destiny Knot.

The Destiny Knot is a held item with a unique effect:

If an opponent inflicts infatuation on a Pokémon holding it, the opponent will also become infatuated.

Infatuation is a status effect that makes half of all a Pokémon’s moves fail, so it’s a crushing status condition to have. But it’s also a rare condition to have.

Only two things cause infatuation:

  1. The move Attract
  2. And the Ability Cute Charm

You’re unlikely to come across many Pokémon that know Attract (which has around a 50% failure rate, since it only works on foes of the opposite gender), and the majority of Pokémon that have Cute Charm aren’t strong enough to worry about anyway.

So there isn’t much justification in taking up an item slot with a Destiny Knot unless you’re battling a very niche Pokémon team.

The Destiny Knot remains a mostly useless item until Generation VI and on, when it can assist with advanced Pokémon breeding techniques. But for Platinum it’s really not an item worth using.

Chris Haygood

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Chris is an American freelance writer and lifelong gamer. RPGs have been his genre of choice ever since he got Pokémon Blue in 1867, but if he finds a good rhythm game, he will prioritize playing it over both eating and breathing.

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