How To Get Sticky Barbs in Pokémon Platinum

Sticky Barb Locations
1	The Veilstone Department Store—On the fifth floor, from one of the two men standing side-by-side in front of the escalator	No
2	Held item (5% chance) found on the following Pokémon: Cacnea (Route 228) (requires National Pokédex) Cacturne (Route 228) (requires National Pokédex)	Yes

Sticky Barb Locations

Method

Repeatable?

The Veilstone Department Store—On the fifth floor, from one of the two men standing side-by-side in front of the escalator

Held item (5% chance) found on the following Pokémon:

Cacnea (Route 228) (requires National Pokédex)
Cacturne (Route 228) (requires National Pokédex)

Yes

The best way to get a Sticky Barb is to speak to one of the identical NPCs on the fifth floor of the Veilstone Department Store, who will give the item to you for free. But this is a one-time only event.

So if you want more Sticky Barbs then you’ll have to take them as held items from wild Cacnea or wild Cacturne.

Acquiring Sticky Barbs

Method 1: The Veilstone Department Store

You’ll be able to snatch up a Sticky Barb as soon as you first reach Veilstone City.

Once there, your destination is the Veilstone Department Store. This is just a short walk to the northwest of Veilstone City’s Pokémon Center.

Heading north from Veilstone City’s Pokémon Center.

Approaching the Department Store from the east.

Once you’re inside the Department Store, take the elevator or escalators to the fifth floor.

You’ll notice two men in overalls standing next to each other at the southern end of the fifth floor. Speak to the man on the right.

Heading for the two NPCs (the circled NPC is who to speak with)

This friendly guy will hand over a Sticky Barb simply because you talked to him.

Receiving the Sticky Barb in the Veilstone Department Store.

Keep in mind that this will be the only Sticky Barb available to you until after you’ve beaten the game.

Method 2: Wild Cacnea and Cacturne (Repeatable)

You can also find Sticky Barbs being held by wild Cacnea and Cacturne on Route 228. Although these Pokémon only becomes available after you’ve received the National Pokédex upgrade from Professor Oak.

And surprisingly, Cacturne—the evolved form of Cacnea—is much easier to find than Cacnea is.

Cacturne’s habitat, according to the Pokédex.

To reach Route 228, start by Flying to the Resort Area of the Battle Zone.

Then cross the bridge to the north of the Pokémon Center.

Heading northward across the Resort Area’s bridge.

On the other side of the pond, continue northward to leave the Resort Area and enter Route 229.

Leaving the Resort Area and heading onto Route 229.

Where the trail splits at the Resort Area/Route 229 sign, head northward through the tall grass and go past the two Ace Trainers.

Passing the Ace Trainers on Route 229.

Veer to the northwest and slip through the gap in the trees.

Heading northwest to reach Route 228.

A sandstorm will flare up as Route 229 becomes Route 228.

Hug the eastern wall to maintain your course northward through the narrow canyons.

Heading northward through the sandstorm.

Continue heading north until you find some tall grass in which to search for Cacturne.

Searching the grassy fields on Route 228 for a wild Cacturne.

It won’t be long before you find one here.

Because Cacturne has an encounter rate of 20% to 40%, depending on the time of day.

Running into a wild Cacturne.

Each wild Cacturne has only a 5% chance of carrying a Sticky Barb, so this method can take a fair amount of time.

However, you can greatly speed up the process of acquiring Sticky Barb by bringing a designated item farming team with you.

These special teams use Pokémon with the Abilities Frisk and Compoundeyes to both increase the odds of finding items and identify any items being held.

In this case, Compoundeyes will increase the chance of a Cacturne holding a Sticky Barb from 5% to 20%.

Identifying the Cacturne’s held item slot using Frisk.

When you’ve found a Cacturne with a Sticky Barb, either use a stealing move (like Thief or Trick) or catch the Cacnea to obtain the item.

Stealing the Cacturne’s Sticky Barb using Frisk.

Then you can end the battle however you prefer—you will keep the Sticky Barb even if you flee.

Sticky Barb Details and Uses

The in-game description of the Sticky Barb.

The Sticky Barb is a held item that damages the holder for 12.5% of its maximum HP at the end of every turn. However, if an opponent with no held item makes contact with the holder by using a move, the Sticky Barb will transfer to the attacker.

This item can be especially useful if given to a Pokémon with Trick or Switcheroo: this way even if an opponent is holding an item, you’ll still be able to transfer the Sticky Barb to them (and hopefully receive a much more useful item in return).

Just try not to use physical attacks on a foe you’ve passed a Sticky Barb to – or else it will transfer right back to your Pokémon.

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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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