Pokémon Platinum Dusk Balls: How They Work + All Locations

Dusk Ball Acquisition Methods
#	Location	Repeatable?
1	Available at the following shops for 1,000p each: Poké Marts in Solaceon Town, Pastoria City, Snowpoint City, and the Pokémon League; the old couple’s shop in Celestic Town	Yes
2	Solaceon Town—Received as a reward for bringing a requested Pokémon to the Pokémon News Press reporter	Yes
3	Oreburgh City—Received from a woman on the second floor of the northwestern-most building in Oreburgh City	No
4	Iron Island—Found inside a Poké Ball in the northwest corner of Iron Island’s second basement floor	No

The easiest way to obtain Dusk Balls is to buy them from certain Poké Marts, even if it is the most expensive method. Or if you want to save money, you can instead earn Dusk Balls by taking Pokémon requests at the Pokémon News Press in Solaceon Town—however, this method is much slower and far less reliable.

There are also two standalone Dusk Balls in the overworld: one that you can receive from a woman in the northwestern-most building in Oreburgh City, and one in the northwestern corner of the second basement floor of Iron Island.

How Do Dusk Balls Work?

The in-game description of the Dusk Ball.

Dusk Balls are special Poké Balls that have a higher catch rate at night (between 8:00 p.m. and 3:59 a.m.) and in caves. Under any other conditions—including inside buildings, regardless of what time of day it is—Dusk Balls will only be as strong as a basic Poké Ball.

The following table contrasts the catch rates between Dusk Balls other Poké Balls:

Type of Poké Ball	Catch Rate Modifier
Poké Ball	1x
Great Ball	1.5x
Ultra Ball	2x
Dusk Ball (at night and in caves)	3.5x
Dusk Ball (all other encounters)	1x

Dusk Balls are some of the most useful Poké Balls in the game; many of the trickiest Pokémon to catch are found inside caves, where every Dusk Ball you throw will have nearly double the strength of an Ultra Ball.

And if you’re in the habit of playing at night, there is little reason to use anything other than Dusk Balls (if you have the money).

Acquiring Dusk Balls

Dusk Balls are rarer than the regular types of Poké Balls. But they become available fairly early in the game.

The following sections list all the ways of acquiring Dusk Balls in Pokémon Platinum.

Method 1: Poké Marts (Repeatable)

There are five shops in Sinnoh that offer an unlimited stock of Dusk Balls, which are purchasable at each location for 1,000p each. These shops are:

Solaceon Town Poké Mart
Pastoria City Poké Mart
Snowpoint City Poké Mart
Poké Mart inside of the Pokémon League
The old couple’s shop in Celestic Town

Purchasing Dusk Balls in the Pokémon League Poké Mart.

Method 2: Pokémon News Press (Repeatable)

If you’re going for frugality, a cheaper way to get Dusk Balls is to bring specific types of Pokémon to the Pokémon News Press reporter in Solaceon Town as he requests them.

Bear in mind that this method is much slower than simply buying Dusk Balls outright.

To take a News Press request, Fly to Solaceon Town and enter the Pokémon News Press building, which is next door to the Pokémon Center.

Entering the Pokémon News Press building in Solaceon Town.

Inside the building you’ll find two journalists; the one on the left is who you’ll be speaking to.

Note: Save your game before talking to this guy.

Identifying the Pokémon News Press reporter.

The reporter will tell you he needs help writing an article, and then he’ll task you with showing him a certain species of Pokémon that he can report on.

The Pokémon he asks for will always be a random species of Pokémon that you have seen or owned at some point.

The Pokémon News Press reporter asking to see a Hippopotas.

The Pokémon that the reporter asks you to bring isn’t necessarily one that you currently own, but saving the game before speaking to him allows you to reset and try for an easier request.

When you get a request you can complete, go out and place that Pokémon in your party, then head back to the News Press building.

Note: Save your game again before speaking to the reporter the second time.

Taking a Hippopotas out of a PC Box.

Speak to the reporter with the requested Pokémon in tow.

When the reporter sees that you have fulfilled his request, he will experience what appears to be a moment of sublime creative inspiration.

The reporter becoming overjoyed at being shown a Hippopotas.

As a reward for bringing him the Pokémon, the reporter will hand you a Heart Scale and three Poké Balls of a specific model.

The type of Poké Balls he gives you is random.

But this is why saving your game beforehand is useful: it allows you to reset and try again until you receive the Poké Balls you want.

Do this until the reporter gives you the Dusk Balls.

Receiving three Dusk Balls from the Pokémon News Press reporter.

The Pokémon News Press request can be repeated once per day. While it is a slow method of obtaining Dusk Balls, it’s the only repeatable way of getting them in Pokémon Platinum without having to spend a lot of money on them.

Method 3: Oreburgh City (Step-by-Step)

You can also get one free Dusk Ball as early as your first visit to Oreburgh City. It’s extremely easy to find, too.

If you’re starting from the Oreburgh Pokémon Center, head west down the street that passes in front of the Gym.

Heading west from Oreburgh City’s Pokémon Center.

When you reach the southwest corner of town, turn northward.

Heading north to pass by the staircase.

There will be two apartment buildings at Oreburgh City’s northwestern corner.

Enter the building on the left.

Heading inside the northwestern-most building in Oreburgh City.

Once inside, head straight for the stairs.

Heading up the stairs to the apartment building’s second floor.

Approach the lone brunette woman you see at the western end of the second floor.

Identifying the woman you need to talk to.

Speak to this woman and she will give you the game’s earliest available Dusk Ball.

Receiving a Dusk Ball in Oreburgh City.

Method 4: Iron Island (Step-by-Step)

Finally, there is another Dusk Ball among the many items you can find inside Iron Island’s network of caves.

This method won’t be available until after you’ve defeated Crasher Wake at the Pastoria Gym and received HM03 Surf in Celestic Town. Then you’ll be able to Surf to Canalave City, where Sailor Eldritch will offer to take you to Iron Island whenever you wish.

To find this Dusk Ball, first head to Canalave City and cross the bridge to the west of the Pokémon Center.

Heading west from Canalave City’s Pokémon Center.

Pass the Canalave Gym and turn south.

Making a south turn at the Gym.

Turn east after you pass Sailor Eldritch’s house, then speak with Sailor Eldritch at the dock and request a ride to Iron Island.

Sailor Eldritch offering to take you to Iron Island.

Once you arrive on the Island, head up the staircase to the east.

Climbing the first staircase on Iron Island.

Pass the blue-roofed house here and take the northern staircase further up the mountain.

Passing the house and heading for the staircase.

Head through the entrance to Iron Island’s cave at the top of the staircase.

Entering Iron Island’s cave.

Inside the first cave chamber, descend the right-hand staircase.

Taking the stairs to the right.

Climb the short staircase on the next floor, then head eastward.

Heading up the stairs and to the east.

Head east until you reach the single red oil drum, then climb down the nearby staircase and head southward.

Taking the staircase and moving south.

Make your way around Picnicker Summer and climb the stairs closest to the cavern’s southeastern corner.

Then step onto the lift to be lowered down to the next floor.

Stepping onto the lift at the southern edge of the cavern.

Descend the stairs to the west of the lift.

Stepping off the lift and heading down the western staircase.

On the next basement floor, head straight west.

Heading west on the next basement floor.

Pass the two Hikers and keep going west.

Passing the Hiker trainers and continuing westward.

Head for the Poké Ball by the two red oil drums in the northwest corner of the cave.

Approaching the Poké Ball item.

Pick up this Poké Ball to add yet another Dusk Ball to your Bag.

Obtaining the Dusk Ball in the cave on Iron Island.

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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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