Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl tasks players with completing the Sinnoh region’s PokéDex and National PokéDex, a feat which is made much easier with the move False Swipe. False Swipe is a Normal-type physical move that will leave the target with exactly 1 HP if the hit would have otherwise caused the Pokémon to faint. Pokémon with only 1 HP left when this attack is used against it will remain at 1 HP, so it is impossible for this move to make a Pokémon faint.
This move is a life-saver for trainers trying to catch Pokémon in the wild since it allows them to lower their HP as far as possible without accidentally causing them to faint. Certain Pokémon will learn False Swipe through leveling, evolution, or breeding, but the easiest way to teach a Pokémon this move is through a Technical Machine or TM. TMs can be found throughout the world and obtained by speaking to various NPCs, but players can also find TMs for sale in the Veilstone Department Store in Veilstone City.
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Fortunately, the TM for False Swipe in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, TM54, is available for purchase in the department store, so players won’t have to go searching through the overworld to find it. When players arrive in Veilstone City, they will discover the Veilstone Department Store just behind the city’s Pokémon Center. TMs are sold on the third floor, and the clerk behind the counter in the top left corner of this floor will sell the TM54 False Swipe for 2,000 PokéDollars. There is no limit to the amount of TMs that players can buy, but each TM can only be used once, and Pokémon will forget a move taught from a TM if players replace it with a new move.
How To Use TM54 False Swipe In Pokémon BDSP
Once purchased, players will find TM54 False Swipe in the TMs pocket of their bag. The move can be taught to a Pokémon in their party if the Pokémon can learn it. However, Pokémon who can’t learn False Swipe will display “Cannot Learn” under their name when the TM is selected. For example, if a Pokémon already has four moves when the trainer uses the TM, they will be prompted to choose a move for the Pokémon to forget, and the Pokémon will learn False Swipe.
Trainers using this move to catch Pokémon in the wild will still have to be aware of other damage-causing field conditions or moves that will cause the target Pokémon to inflict damage to itself, which will cause it to faint. In addition, if a Pokémon’s moves are exhausted, disabled, or unable to be used and inflict damage to itself from the recoil of using Struggle, it will faint if it was brought to 1 HP by using False Swipe. Even Legendaries will use Struggle, so players need to be mindful of this factor in these more prolonged battles. False Swipe will also be ineffective on Ghost-type Pokémon as they are immune to Normal-type moves.
Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl are available on Nintendo Switch.
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