The Ultimate Guide to Maxing Friendship in Pokémon Sword & Shield: Speed and Efficiency
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The absolute fastest way to max friendship in Pokémon Sword & Shield involves a multi-pronged approach, maximizing every available method simultaneously. This includes: catching the Pokémon in a Luxury Ball or Friend Ball, giving it vitamins, battling with the Pokémon, equipping it with the Soothe Bell, keeping it in your party, and making curry for it in the Pokémon Camp. By combining these methods, you will dramatically accelerate the friendship-building process.
Understanding Friendship in Pokémon Sword & Shield
Before diving into the fastest method, let’s clarify what “friendship” actually means in the game. Unlike earlier generations where it was referred to as “Happiness,” Pokémon Sword & Shield uses the term “Friendship.” It’s a hidden stat that affects various aspects of the game, most notably, evolution. Certain Pokémon, like Eevee, Golbat, and Riolu, evolve based on their friendship level with the player.
The friendship stat ranges from 0 to 255. Most Pokémon require a friendship of 160 or higher to evolve in Sword & Shield. Newly hatched Pokémon start with a higher friendship level than wild-caught ones.
The Optimal Friendship-Boosting Strategy
To maximize your friendship gains, combine the following techniques:
1. Capture Smart: Luxury & Friend Balls
The type of Poké Ball you use to catch a Pokémon impacts its initial friendship level. Using a Luxury Ball grants a significant bonus, providing a higher starting point than a standard Poké Ball. A Friend Ball will also significantly increase friendship.
2. Equip the Soothe Bell
The Soothe Bell is a crucial item for boosting friendship. When held by a Pokémon, it increases the rate at which friendship grows by 50%. You can find the Soothe Bell in Hammerlocke, from the woman in the house to the right of the Pokémon Center.
3. Vitamins: A Healthy Dose of Friendship
Using Vitamins like HP Up, Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, and PP Up significantly increases a Pokémon’s friendship. While expensive at 10,000 Poké Dollars each at the Wyndon Pokémart, they offer a substantial friendship boost and increase your Pokémon’s stats.
4. Active Participation: Battling and Keeping in Party
Actively use the Pokémon in battles. Sending it out to fight, even if it doesn’t directly attack, contributes to raising its friendship. Keeping it in your party as you travel the Galar region also gradually increases friendship over time.
5. Pokémon Camp: Curry and Playtime
The Pokémon Camp is an excellent tool for building friendship. Making curry with your Pokémon provides a significant friendship boost. The better the curry (achieved by using rarer berries and cooking skillfully), the greater the increase. Spending time interacting with your Pokémon in the camp, playing with them, and talking to them also contributes to their friendship level.
6. Avoid Negative Actions
Certain actions negatively impact friendship, such as letting your Pokémon faint in battle or using bitter medicines and berries. Try to avoid these situations to maintain a positive friendship level.
Putting it all Together
Here’s the fastest way to max friendship in Pokémon Sword:
- Catch your desired Pokémon in a Luxury Ball or Friend Ball.
- Give it the Soothe Bell to hold.
- Use as many vitamins as possible.
- Keep it in your party and actively battle with it.
- Frequently visit the Pokémon Camp to make curry and interact with your Pokémon.
By consistently following these steps, you can maximize friendship within a relatively short period. Remember that the specific time required may vary slightly depending on the Pokémon’s base friendship value.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I check my Pokémon’s friendship level in Pokémon Sword & Shield?
You can check your Pokémon’s friendship level in Hammerlocke. Enter the building to the right of the Pokémon Center and speak to the young boy on the right side of the room, the Friendship Checker. He’ll offer an idea of your Pokémon’s friendship through dialogue.
2. Does fainting decrease friendship?
Yes, letting your Pokémon faint in battle does negatively impact its friendship level. Always heal your Pokémon to avoid this decrease.
3. Which berries increase friendship?
Certain berries increase friendship, including Pomeg, Kelpsy, Qualot, Hondew, Grepa, and Tamato Berries. These berries also decrease specific EV stats, which can be useful for EV training.
4. Does the Luxury Ball make a difference in increasing friendship?
Yes, catching a Pokémon in a Luxury Ball gives it a higher initial friendship level compared to a standard Poké Ball, accelerating the friendship-building process.
5. How much does the Soothe Bell boost friendship gain?
The Soothe Bell increases the rate at which friendship grows by 50%. It’s essential for maximizing efficiency.
6. Can Rare Candies affect friendship?
Using any item can slightly increase friendship. However, EV-reducing berries and vitamins are known to increase happiness more effectively. Rare Candies do affect the friendship level, but the increase is minimal compared to the vitamins or EV reducing berries.
7. What is the quickest method to increase friendship?
The quickest method to increase friendship is a combination of catching in a Luxury Ball or Friend Ball, giving vitamins, equipping a Soothe Bell, battling, and frequently visiting the Pokémon Camp to make curry and interact with your Pokémon.
8. How much friendship does washing Pokémon give?
Each time you give a Pokémon a wash during a picnic, it gives (probably) 10 friendship.
9. How long does it take to evolve a Pokémon with friendship?
When a Pokémon hatches from an Egg, it starts with 120 friendship. Starting with Sword/Shield, friendship evolutions only require a friendship of 160. You only need to gain 40 friendship.
10. Do vitamins increase friendship?
Yes, vitamins significantly increase a Pokémon’s friendship level, in addition to raising their stats.
11. Where can I find the Soothe Bell?
You can find the Soothe Bell in Hammerlocke, from the woman in the house to the right of the Pokémon Center.
12. Does cooking better curry affect friendship?
Yes, the better the curry you make (achieved by using rarer berries and cooking skillfully), the greater the friendship increase.
13. How do I know if my Pokémon has max happiness?
You’ll find the Friendship Checker in Hammerlock. Inside you’ll find a young boy with blonde hair, who’ll be able to check your Pokémon’s Happiness level.
14. Do rare candies affect happiness?
Using any kind of item on a pokemon slightly increases happiness, though I believe ev reducing berries and vitamins increase happiness more.
15. How to get more rare candies
Rare candies can be obtained by defeating a Raid Boss, for completing certain research tasks, winning in the Battle League, as a reward for your Weekly Adventure Sync, as a reward for training, or as a reward for battling other trainers.
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