Friend Ball

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Friend Ball
フレンドボール
Friend Ball
Bag Friend Ball Sprite.png
Friend Ball
Pokémon Global Link artwork
Introduced in Generation II
Pocket
Generation II Bag Poké Balls pocket icon.png Poké Balls
Generation IV Bag Poké Balls pocket icon.png Poké Balls (HGSS)
Generation V Bag Items pocket icon.png Items (Poké Balls)
Generation VI Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation VII Bag Items pocket icon.png Items
Generation VIII Bag Poké Balls pocket icon.png Poké Balls
Generation IX Bag Poké Balls pocket icon.png Poké Balls

The Friend Ball (Japanese: フレンドボール Friend Ball) is a type of Poké Ball introduced in Generation II. It can be used to catch a wild Pokémon. Pokémon caught in a Friend Ball become more friendly.

It is one of Kurt's signature Apricorn Poké Balls, and is made from Green Apricorns.

In the core series games

Price

Games Cost Sell price
GSC
HGSS
BWB2W2
XYORAS
N/A $150
SMUSUM
SwShBDSP
SV
N/A N/A

Effect

Manual activation

When used from the Bag in a wild encounter, it attempts to catch the wild Pokémon with a catch rate modifier of 1×. If caught, the Pokémon's friendship is set to 200 in Generations II through VII, or 150 in Generation VIII[1] onwards. It has no effect on the friendship of Pokémon hatched in a Friend Ball.

If used on an Ultra Beast, the catch rate modifier is instead always set to 410/4096× (~0.1×).

The Friend Ball cannot be used in situations in which Poké Balls cannot be used, such as in wild battles with two or more opponents currently present or against a trial Pokémon. If used in a Trainer battle, the opposing Trainer will bat the ball away, wasting the turn (as well as the ball prior to Generation IV).

Held item

Fling fails if the user is holding a Friend Ball.

In Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver only, Friend Balls cannot be held. This is to prevent them being held by a Pokémon traded to Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, where the item does not exist.

Description

Games Description
GSC A Ball that makes Pokémon friendly.
HGSS
BWB2W2
A Poké Ball that makes caught Pokémon more friendly.
XYORAS
SMUSUMPE
SwShBDSP
A strange Poké Ball that will make the wild Pokémon caught with it more friendly toward you immediately.
SV A somewhat different Poké Ball that makes a wild Pokémon more friendly toward you immediately after it's caught.

Acquisition

Games Finite methods Repeatable methods
GSC Azalea Town (Grn Apricorn)
HGSS Azalea Town (Grn Apricorn)
SMUSUM Heahea CityUSUM, Malie City
SwSh Turffield Stadium
Event
Wyndon Stadium
SwShIA Cram-o-matic (Green Apricorn)
BDSP Event
SV Reward for registering 260 Pokémon in the Paldea Pokédex Porto Marinada auction
Academy Ace Tournament
SVTM Reward for registering 160 Pokémon in the Kitakami Pokédex
SVID Item Printer (Poké Ball Lotto)

Distribution

Games Event Language/Region Distribution period
SM Global mission items All February 21 to March 31, 2017
SwSh Poké Times rare Poké Balls All December 20, 2019 to January 15, 2020
The Isle of Armor promotion packs All May 29 to June 4, 2020
Japanese Pokemon Scraps 2020 Japanese November 20, 2020 to April 30, 2021
Pokémon Adventure 25 items South Korea April 26 to September 30, 2021
BDSP Apricorn Poké Ball Set All November 19, 2021 to February 28, 2022
SV Nintendo Direct Helpful Items All June 21 to July 31, 2023

NPC usage

Pokémon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon

Pokémon Breeders keep their Pokémon in Friend Balls.

Cameo appearances

A Friend Ball in a display case at the Poké Ball Boutique

Pokémon X and Y

Despite being unobtainable as an item in Generation VI, a Friend Ball appears in the Poké Ball Boutique in Lumiose City.

Gallery

Artwork

SugimoriFriendBall.png Bag Friend Ball SV Sprite.png
Artwork by
Ken Sugimori
Artwork from
Scarlet and Violet

Sprites

Ultra Ball Friend Ball battle II.png Friend Ball summary IV.png Friend Ball battle IV.png Friend Ball battle V.png
In-battle sprite in
Generation II
Summary sprite from
Generations IV and V
In-battle sprite in
Generation IV
In-battle sprite in
Generation V

Models

Friend Ball battle 3DS.png Friend Ball VIII.png
In-battle model from
X, Y, Omega Ruby,
Alpha Sapphire
, Sun, Moon,
Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon
Model from
Generation VIII

In the anime

A Friend Ball in the anime

In Going Apricorn!, a Friend Ball appeared in a fantasy during Maizie's explanation about Apricorn Poké Balls.

In the manga

A Friend Ball in Pokémon Adventures

Pokémon Adventures

Gold, Silver & Crystal arc

In Teddiursa's Picnic, Gold received a Friend Ball from Kurt. In the next chapter, he used it to catch a Teddiursa for Maizie.

In Slugging It Out with Slugma, a Friend Ball was seen amongst Crystal's set of Apricorn Poké Balls.

Pokémon Gold & Silver: The Golden Boys

Chuck keeps his Pokémon in Friend Balls, as seen in The Secret Of The Fighting Type Pokémon with his Poliwrath and in Let's Fight For The Future!! with his Primeape.

In the TCG

Friend Ball
Main article: Friend Ball (Skyridge 126)

Debuting in Skyridge, the Friend Ball allows the player to search their deck for a Pokémon of the same type as one of the opponent's Pokémon. It was later reprinted in Celestial Storm.

Trivia

The promo naming error
  • A Kids' WB promo that aired during the fourth season showcasing the various Apricorn Poké Balls incorrectly referred to the Friend Ball as the "Stun Ball."

In other languages

Language Title
Chinese Cantonese 友友球 Yáuhyáuh Kàuh
Mandarin 友友球 Yǒuyǒu Qiú
France Flag.png French Copain Ball
Germany Flag.png German Freundesball
Indonesia Flag.png Indonesian Bola Friend
Italy Flag.png Italian Friend Ball
South Korea Flag.png Korean 프랜드볼 Friend Ball
Poland Flag.png Polish Przyjacielski Ball
Portuguese Brazil Flag.png Brazil Bola Amiga*
Bola Amizade*
Poké Bola Amiga*
Portugal Flag.png Portugal Bola de Amizade
Spanish CELAC Flag.png Latin America Bola Amigo
Spain Flag.png Spain Amigo Ball
Vietnam Flag.png Vietnamese Bóng Friend



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