Pokémon Platinum: Best Held Items and Where to Find Them
Held items are one of the most important mechanics in Pokémon Platinum. The right item can turn a normal Pokémon into a sweeping machine, help you survive tough boss battles, or completely change the outcome of the Elite Four and post-game fights.
In this complete SEO guide, you’ll discover the best held items in Pokémon Platinum, what they do, and exactly where to find each one during the main story and post-game.
🧠 Why Held Items Matter in Pokémon Platinum
Unlike early Pokémon games, Platinum is designed around smart item usage:
Boost damage (Choice items, type-boosters)
Improve survivability (Leftovers, Focus Sash)
Enable strategies (Life Orb, Quick Claw)
Using held items correctly can make hard battles—like Cynthia’s Garchomp—much easier.
⭐ Best Held Items (Overall Tier List)
| Item | Best For | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Leftovers | Survivability | S-Tier |
| Life Orb | Sweepers | S-Tier |
| Choice Scarf | Speed control | A-Tier |
| Choice Specs | Special attackers | A-Tier |
| Choice Band | Physical attackers | A-Tier |
| Focus Sash | Glass cannons | A-Tier |
| Expert Belt | Coverage users | B-Tier |
| Quick Claw | Slow Pokémon | B-Tier |
🥇 Leftovers – Best Defensive Held Item
Effect: Restores 1/16 HP every turn
📍 Where to Get Leftovers
Victory Road (hidden item)
Wild Munchlax (very rare hold)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Snorlax
Blissey
Torterra
Milotic
⚡ Life Orb – Best Offensive Held Item
Effect: Boosts all moves by 30% but costs HP each turn
📍 Where to Get Life Orb
Route 229 (post-game, near Resort Area)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Infernape
Garchomp
Lucario
Staraptor
🏃 Choice Scarf – Speed Control King
Effect: Boosts Speed by 50% but locks you into one move
📍 Where to Get Choice Scarf
Battle Frontier (Battle Tower – BP reward)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Gengar
Weavile
Flygon
Alakazam
💥 Choice Band – Physical Power Boost
Effect: Boosts Attack by 50%, locks one move
📍 Where to Get Choice Band
Route 222 (requires HM Surf)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Garchomp
Metagross
Tyranitar
Heracross
🔮 Choice Specs – Special Attack Boost
Effect: Boosts Special Attack by 50%, locks one move
📍 Where to Get Choice Specs
Celestic Town (inside a house)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Porygon-Z
Togekiss
Magnezone
Heatran
🛡️ Focus Sash – Survival Tool
Effect: Survive a KO hit with 1 HP (once per battle)
📍 Where to Get Focus Sash
Route 221 (near Pal Park entrance)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Alakazam
Gengar
Infernape
Glass-cannon leads
🎯 Expert Belt – Coverage Specialist
Effect: Boosts super-effective moves by 20%
📍 Where to Get Expert Belt
Celestic Town (same house as Specs)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Mixed attackers
Pokémon with wide movepools
🐢 Quick Claw – Luck-Based Advantage
Effect: Sometimes lets you move first
📍 Where to Get Quick Claw
Victory Road
Wild Sneasel (held item)
✅ Best Pokémon to Use It
Slow tanks
Curse users
🔥 Best Type-Boosting Held Items
| Type | Item | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Fire | Charcoal | Fuego Ironworks |
| Water | Mystic Water | Route 213 |
| Electric | Magnet | Valley Windworks |
| Ice | NeverMeltIce | Route 217 |
| Dragon | Dragon Fang | Route 210 |
| Fighting | Black Belt | Route 215 |
These items are great early-game alternatives to Choice items.
🧠 Pro Tips for Using Held Items
Use Leftovers for long battles
Use Choice items for fast KOs
Use Life Orb for mixed sweepers
Combine items with EV training for maximum effect
❓ FAQ – Pokémon Platinum Held Items
Can you get multiple Leftovers?
✅ Yes, by farming wild Munchlax.
Are Choice items worth it in-game?
✅ Absolutely—especially for Elite Four.
Are held items mandatory?
❌ No, but they make the game much easier.
🏁 Final Thoughts
Mastering held items is one of the fastest ways to improve your performance in Pokémon Platinum. Whether you’re facing Gym Leaders, Elite Four, or post-game challenges, the right item can decide the battle.
If you enjoy Pokémon Platinum guides, battle tips, and post-game strategies, explore more content on this blog.
Good luck, Champion! 🏆