Pokémon Diamond and Pearl
Pokémon Diamond and Pearl

Friendship and Affection

Understand Friendship and Affection in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, a crucial stat affecting evolutions and battle performance in Sinnoh.

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Friendship and Affection

In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, Friendship (also known as Affection or Happiness) is a hidden stat that measures how well a Pokémon is bonded with its trainer. Unlike previous generations, Friendship plays a more significant role, influencing certain evolutions, move powers, and even battle performance. Understanding and raising Friendship is crucial for many trainers looking to optimize their team.

Checking Friendship Levels

There are a few ways to gauge your Pokémon's Friendship level:

  • Friendship Checker Pokétch App: This is arguably the most convenient method. After obtaining the Pokétch, visit the woman in the house directly north of the Pokémon Center in Eterna City. She will give you the Friendship Checker app. Tap and hold a Pokémon on the screen to see hearts appear:
    • No hearts: Low Friendship.
    • One small heart: Moderate Friendship.
    • Two small hearts: Good Friendship.
    • Two large hearts: Very High Friendship.
  • NPC Dialogue: Several NPCs throughout Sinnoh can give you hints about your Pokémon's Friendship level.
    • The woman in the house in Hearthome City (near the Pokémon Fan Club) will tell you how much your lead Pokémon likes you.
    • Another woman in the house on Route 213 (east of Pastoria City) also offers similar insights.

Raising Friendship

Several actions will increase your Pokémon's Friendship. Consistency is key!

1. Walking and Battling

  • Walking: Every 256 steps you take with a Pokémon in your party, its Friendship increases by a small amount. This is a passive but effective way to build bonds over time.
  • Battling: Participating in battles, whether against wild Pokémon or trainers, will slightly increase Friendship. Winning battles provides a larger boost.
  • Leveling Up: Each time your Pokémon gains a level, its Friendship also increases.

2. Using Items

Certain items are specifically designed to boost Friendship:

  • Soothe Bell: This held item, found in the Pokémon Mansion on Route 212, doubles the rate at which Friendship increases. Equip it to the Pokémon you want to bond with most quickly.
  • Vitamins: Items like HP Up, Protein, Iron, Calcium, Zinc, and Carbos not only boost stats but also provide a significant Friendship increase. These can be purchased at the Veilstone Department Store.
  • Rare Candy: While primarily used for leveling up, Rare Candies also provide a Friendship boost.
  • Poffins: Poffins, made in the Poffin House in Hearthome City, are excellent for raising Friendship (and Contest stats). Different Poffin flavors and qualities will have varying effects. Experiment with berries to create high-quality Poffins.
  • Luxury Ball: Pokémon caught in a Luxury Ball start with a higher base Friendship and gain Friendship at an accelerated rate.

3. Other Methods

  • Massages: The Ribbon Syndicate in Veilstone City offers daily massages for your lead Pokémon. These massages provide a substantial Friendship boost. Access to the Ribbon Syndicate requires having at least 10 Ribbons on a single Pokémon.
  • Healing at Pokémon Centers: While a minor boost, healing your Pokémon at a Pokémon Center contributes to Friendship over time.

Decreasing Friendship

Be mindful that certain actions can negatively impact your Pokémon's Friendship:

  • Fainting in Battle: Allowing your Pokémon to faint repeatedly will decrease its Friendship.
  • Using Bitter Medicine: Potions like EnergyPowder, Heal Powder, Revival Herb, and Energy Root, while effective in battle, are bitter and significantly lower Friendship. Avoid using these if you're trying to raise Friendship.
  • Trading: Trading a Pokémon to another trainer resets its Friendship to its base value.

Friendship Evolutions

Many Pokémon evolve only when they have a high Friendship level (two large hearts on the Friendship Checker) and then level up. Key examples include:

  • Golbat into Crobat
  • Chansey into Blissey
  • Eevee into Espeon (during the day) or Umbreon (during the night)
  • Pichu into Pikachu
  • Cleffa into Clefairy
  • Igglybuff into Jigglypuff
  • Togepi into Togetic
  • Azurill into Marill
  • Budew into Roselia (during the day)
  • Chingling into Chimecho (during the night)
  • Munchlax into Snorlax
  • Riolu into Lucario (during the day)

Friendship-Based Moves

Two specific moves have their power determined by the user's Friendship level:

  • Return: This Normal-type physical move increases in power as your Pokémon's Friendship rises, reaching its maximum power at high Friendship.
  • Frustration: The opposite of Return, this Normal-type physical move increases in power as your Pokémon's Friendship decreases.

Consider teaching Return to Pokémon with high Friendship for a powerful STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus) option if they don't have a better Normal-type attack.