How to Achieve Ultra Buddy Status in Pokémon GO: A Comprehensive Guide
So, you want to unlock the coveted Ultra Buddy status in Pokémon GO? It’s a fantastic goal! Achieving Ultra Buddy status with your chosen Pokémon unlocks some cool in-game perks and signifies a strong bond. Here’s exactly how to reach that milestone: you need to accumulate 150 Affection Hearts with your chosen Pokémon. These hearts are earned by interacting with your buddy in various ways. Let’s dive into the specifics.
Earning Those Hearts: The Road to Ultra Buddy
The heart system in Pokémon GO’s Buddy Adventure feature is the core mechanic for progressing through the buddy levels: Good Buddy, Great Buddy, Ultra Buddy, and ultimately, Best Buddy. Each interaction grants you a specific number of hearts, up to a daily limit for each category. Maximize these interactions daily to reach Ultra Buddy status as efficiently as possible.
Here’s a breakdown of activities that award Affection Hearts:
- Walking Together: Earn hearts by walking a certain distance with your buddy on the map. The amount of distance needed varies depending on the Pokemon.
- Feeding Your Buddy: Feed your buddy Berries to fill their hunger meter. Feeding a Poffin will automatically fill the hunger meter and keep your buddy excited for an extended period.
- Playing Together: Interact with your buddy in AR mode. Rub your buddy until it shows signs of happiness.
- Taking a Snapshot: Take a photo of your buddy in AR mode.
- Battling Together: Battle in Gyms, Raids, Team GO Rocket encounters, or Trainer Battles with your buddy in your party.
- Visiting New PokéStops: Spin a PokéStop you haven’t visited before while your buddy is active on the map.
- Bonus Heart: Spinning a PokéStop that your buddy brings you to, indicated by an icon above the PokéStop. These PokéStops yield bonus items and affection hearts.
To ensure you earn the maximum number of hearts each day, aim to perform all of these actions. Regular interaction is key! Also, be mindful of the buddy candy limit: you can only earn candy from walking a maximum of 40 km per day.
Understanding Buddy Ranks
Reaching Ultra Buddy is just one step on the path to building a deep connection with your Pokémon. Here’s a quick overview of all the Buddy Ranks.
- Good Buddy: (1 Heart) – Your buddy appears on the map.
- Great Buddy: (70 Hearts) – Your buddy may assist with catching Pokémon and bring you items.
- Ultra Buddy: (150 Hearts) – Your buddy will bring you Souvenirs and alert you to interesting PokéStops.
- Best Buddy: (300 Hearts) – Your buddy gains a CP boost in combat and wears a Best Buddy ribbon.
Benefits of Being an Ultra Buddy
So, what exactly do you get for putting in the effort to reach Ultra Buddy status? The main perks are:
- Souvenirs: Your buddy will occasionally bring you small, cosmetic items called Souvenirs. These don’t have any gameplay impact but are fun collectibles.
- Finding Locations: This is perhaps the most useful benefit. Your buddy will alert you to nearby PokéStops that they find interesting. Visiting these PokéStops and spinning their Photo Discs while there’s an indicator above the PokéStop will earn you bonus items and an extra Affection heart.
Why Become Best Buddy?
While the Ultra Buddy rank unlocks certain benefits, the final goal is to achieve Best Buddy status. The added bonuses are significant:
- CP Boost: Your Best Buddy gets a Combat Power (CP) boost, making it stronger in battles. This boost is equivalent to two additional Power-Ups or a single level up.
- Best Buddy Ribbon: Your buddy wears a special ribbon to show off its Best Buddy status.
- Encounter Assist: When catching Pokemon, your Best Buddy may bounce back thrown Pokéballs, increasing your chances of successfully capturing the Pokemon.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Pokémon GO Buddies
1. What happens when you max out Buddy Pokemon go?
When your Buddy Pokémon is maxed out (Best Buddy status achieved), you’ll receive a CP boost during battles, an assist during the catch phase, and a Best Buddy ribbon, in addition to the candy for walking with your buddy.
2. How fast can I get a Best Buddy in Pokemon Go?
Realistically, reaching Best Buddy takes at least 12-13 days of consistent play, maximizing your heart earning each day, and spinning new Pokéstops. Remember, you need 300 hearts for Best Buddy status.
3. How do you get best buddies fast in Pokemon go?
To get Best Buddies quickly, focus on these daily activities: feeding, playing, taking snapshots, battling, and visiting new PokéStops. Utilizing a Poffin will keep your buddy ‘excited’ which doubles the hearts you earn for most activities.
4. Is the best buddy boost permanent?
The Best Buddy CP boost is only active when that Pokémon is currently set as your active buddy. If you switch buddies, the CP boost will only apply while that particular Pokemon is selected as your main buddy. Technically you can get to Level 51 with Best Buddy CP boost, but that is only temporary with you having the Pokemon as your “main buddy”.
5. What is the task for 10 best buddies in Pokémon GO?
The task “Have 10 Best Buddies” is retroactive. If you’ve already earned Best Buddy status with ten different Pokémon, it will auto-complete.
6. What does ultra buddy do in Pokémon GO?
As an Ultra Buddy, your Pokémon will bring you Souvenirs, and alert you to nearby PokéStops that they find interesting, yielding bonus items and affection hearts.
7. Does your buddy attract Pokémon?
No, your buddy Pokémon does not attract wild spawns. Pokémon spawns are predetermined and not influenced by your buddy.
8. Should I use a Lucky Egg when I level up?
Yes, definitely! Use a Lucky Egg when you are about to improve your Friendship Level with a friend, especially when reaching Ultra Friends or Best Friends, to maximize the XP you earn. You can also save completed Special Research tasks and wait to clear them until you’ve used a Lucky Egg.
9. What do you get for being ultra friends?
Being Ultra Friends with someone grants you a medium reduction in trading Stardust costs, 2 extra Premier Balls during raids with that friend, a medium attack boost when battling together, and the ability to share EX Raid invites.
10. Why are there rings around my buddy Pokemon go?
The rings around your buddy indicate a notification, such as finding a gift or candy. If the rings persist without an apparent reason, try restarting the game, as it might be a glitch.
11. How long does a Poffin last?
A Poffin extends your buddy’s excited state to 6 hours. It also doubles the effects of a regular Berry, so it’s best used when you plan to play for a longer session. Normally, a Buddy Pokemon will walk alongside its trainer for 3 hours.
12. Do you lose progress if you switch buddies?
No, you do not lose your accumulated hearts when switching buddies. However, any fractional progress toward a walking heart is reset.
13. What is the buddy candy limit?
The buddy candy limit is 40km per day is the limit for earning buddy candies.
14. Which Pokémon only need 1km for Candy?
Some Pokémon that only need 1 km for candy include Caterpie, Pikachu, Magikarp, Aron, Wailmer, Bidoof, Purrloin, Sewaddle, Fletchling, and Skwovet.
15. How much of a CP boost is best buddy?
A best buddy receives a CP boost equivalent to two extra Power-Ups, or a single-level up.
Conclusion: Bonding With Your Buddy
Achieving Ultra Buddy status, and ultimately Best Buddy, is a rewarding experience in Pokémon GO. It showcases dedication and strengthens the bond with your favorite Pokémon, providing practical in-game benefits along the way. So, get out there, interact with your buddy, and enjoy the journey! Explore more about the educational aspects of gaming and communities like this one by visiting the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.